Is it complete retraining or just a partial "refresher" retraining?

If the latter, it would be interesting to see a "screener reserve" of ex-screeners that could be re-hired for seasonal help after a brief (day or two?) retraining period. Some might think it's a nice way to make some extra $ around the holidays. Might be useful even if they couldn't be certified for some of the more tech-intense duties which I'd assume are reading x-ray and ctx output.

But if it's full retraining or the policies/machines change very quickly, I can see how it wouldn't work.

Like i've told Gradgirl what do you want us to do? Refuse to do our duties the way our bosses want it done? Then we can get written up or fired. Can the cashier at neiman marcus give a discount because he feels the prices are too high? Can an animal control officer refuse to bring in strays because he doesn't want them to be put down and still keep his job?
I know all those reports about TSA screeners kicking dogs and gassing people in the private screening rooms make airport security dangerous. I'll bet you didn't know the WTMD's have a button we can press that rains acid down on you as well and the handwands can double as a cattle prod. Some mishaps occur but we just plant those guys in the mass graves that look like construction sites at the airport.

Sorry guys, i guess i'm just doing my job is all it really comes down to.

That would show that you have principles.

What does that have to do with the Constitution?

Same comment as above, but slightly relevant to this topic. If someone doesn't believe in euthanizing animals, he/she would be a hypocrite for continuing to work as an animal control officer.


This is not a totalitarian Communist country (not yet anyway), where everyone is assigned a job by the government, and you either do that job or starve to death.

In the USA, if you hold a job, it implies that you agree with the basic principles behind that position. "I'm just doing my job" is not an excuse for abusing people.

What does your post have to do with TSA and screening of passengers? The examples that you give have nothing to do, even by stretch of imagination, with passenger screening. Get real.

It's the slippery slope question, eyecue. It's entirely valid to ask just how far screeners are willing to go as part of the job.

Its the Godwin Law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

Because I want to know if Is there no limit to the usage of "I'm just doing my job"?

I provided examples because the TSA has not yet exceeded today's measures by virtue of the fact that I can't provide examples of tomorrow's TSA actions when it is only today.

Decomposing Screener, TSASuper and Eyecue,

Don't even bother acknowledging the posts which try to discourage you. The posters here think they can dissolve the TSA by calling the TSA employees who are members here un-American, without principles and all the lovely comments they throw here. They think they can talk you into quiting. We all have come here to exchange information and by such are performing customer service. Instead of there being an exchange of ideas, a good amount of the posters would rather hang a bullseye on you and spew their garbage.

You do a very hard job in rough circumstances. Be proud of whatever you do. This holiday season will be busy enough. Don't let the prima donnas
bother you.

I wish you a happy and safe holiday season.

but my job has nothing to do with: "beating a criminal suspect? whipping a misdemeanor convict? Kicking puppies? Gassing Jews?" Your logic is flawed. IF there is a limit to the doing the job it would have to be searching a colostomy bag!

I actually find the comments in here quite amusing. They make for great lunchtime discussions. I really could care less how many people hate the TSA because nobody will ever be thrilled to be checked by a TSA screener. It's the same idea when I was a funeral director, nobody is ever happy to meet a funeral director either.

I'll tell you what JS if your looking for a bodyguard and your willing to pay me a decent wage i'll come work for you. Just going and quitting a job these days is not something to be taken lightly. Yeah I have principles but they don't apply to you.

Remember guys you only have principles if you agree with the stirrers here. I use to use the information and opinions here as a gauge to change certain aspects of our screening (where I could) but since the posts here have become more fanatical I don't even read most of the posts past the first sentence since they are the same rhetoric. They do themselves a disservice since instead of being seen as experienced frequent flyers with knowledge to share they have become fanatical, frequent whiners who will never be heard.

In TSA-land, do you have authority to stop pat-down searches?

Didn't think so.

on a qualified basis, he does.

Is that part of the origin of your nick name, "Decomposing" screener? Pretty clever if so .

Yes it is. TSA screeners come from a wide variety of backgrounds and a common discussion on break is what you did before you starting working for the TSA. More than a few eyebrows rose when I joined those discussions especially when I mentioned that the smell of decomposing flesh really lingers on you even after you leave for the day. It was a great way to get through the line at the bank quickly. Might work at the airport as well if someone would care to try.