Yes, it is. Or at least it did happen.

The TSA is an organization that subjects the flying public to extreme inconvenience and humiliation to pacify the non-flying public who think that a butter knife in first class will cause 9/11 squared.

This same merry bunch thinks that Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein all meet in a secret bunker in North Korea (wherever that is) to plan attacks against the good 'ol USA. In this magical world of theirs, the TSA is the last line of defense against terrorists and French people.

The reality is that 90 percent of the security that the TSA provides is window dressing. Trust me, I doubt many of us want to die here on FlyerTalk. If we really though the TSA was important to our safety we’d probably support it more.

I am not certain if this is a Freudian slip or an admission of the truth, but the fact of the matter is that the TSA is, indeed, not in Bruce's best interest nor that of any other passenger.

That is the heart of the problem. If the TSA is not working in the best interest of the passengers, then in whose interest is it working?

Passengers are the ones most likely to be killed in a terrorist attack so an effective security program would be very much in their interest.

Admittedly, there are some posters on F/T who would object to any security program at all but they are a tiny minority. Most of us would be happy to have effective security even if it means some inconvenience. This is the very reason why I have no problem with security procedures in Israel, which are more intrusive than the TSA's, but do object to the farce in the States.

The TSA provides all the inconvience of having a security program with little or no benefit.

And let's not forget that Israel faces a much greater threat of terrorist attack than the U.S. does or ever did. The TSA (and Tom Ridge) may believe that the U.S. is full of hidden terrorists just waiting for their opportunity to strike, but I don't believe it for one second. If hundreds or even thousands of terrorists were here, wouldn't they have struck by now? Israel, in contrast, has had -- what? -- a hundred or more suicide bombings and lots of other less dramatic bad events. Since 9/11, we have had essentially nothing, unless you count things like that nutcase who started shooting up the El Al ticket counter at LAX. He was a Lee Harvey Oswald-type loner with no known ties to terrorist groups. And the TSA could do -- and did -- nothing about him.

Bruce

Good Reply and finally something encouraging..... The TSA bashers should reconsider the bashing, as someone with those credentials would be exactly the type of person the bashers would like to face....
And also, if someone is willing to work, let them, bettern then living on benefits etc.

Go for it, and I hope you advance quickly!

Personally I think she should go for it to see what happens and get the experience. At the extreme ends of what could happen.

1) She does well, pays attention to what is going on with pax and TSA, and is maybe one more person to add a little common sense to TSA. Result is a win for FFs/FTers, even if she can only make the smallest of differences as an individual. Personally I have some hope that if TSA is ever able to promote former front-line screeners to high-level positions (instead of retired admirals :( ), especially some that have posted on FT, more common sense will prevail. E.g., TSA would not be talking about banning matches if anyone who had ever operated a checkpoint had decision-making power.


2) She is horrified by what goes on at TSA and the fact that day-in and day-out she is forced to violate the civil rights she used to teach and can't make any difference as an individual, so she goes back to teaching and is that more emphatic in teaching civics and civil rights. Also a win for FFs/FTers.

Even if none of that happens, it ought to be an experience. I'm no fan of TSA policies whatsoever, but given the opportunity to work for them for a short stint (e.g. 3 months), I might take it just to see if any of the crap makes sense from the other side. I doubt it would change one opinion I have, but I'd learn something. Of course such short stints would never be practical due to training, etc., but it would be an interesting learning experience.

The TSA requires a pulse and very little else. As others have said, no disqualifying criminal past and ability to pass the credit check is the extent of it.

Screeners don't even need to have a high school diploma or a GED; a year of "security experience" will suffice.

The OP sounds overqualified; but if she can't find anything better, the TSA does offer superior pay considering its low standards.

Thank you for the last few encouraging posts...I am really surprised at some of the negative posts..and the ones directly attacking me.....

I have no criminal backround perfect credit...my husband is an officer in the military( no point preference for me but he is a Dessert Storn Vetrean).....we live comfortably..I will not need to resort to public assistance if not employed....
.....in fact I have not been employed for the past 2 years..but Lunch and bridge with the girls gets old really fast....ok well it took 2 years to get old....but is is old..... :-:

Maybe you are right because I am not a GED holder with a pulse and dealing with adolesent behavior in lines it just my forte....in a calm and cool BUT FIRM way... ^

I like how you think!! ;)

Trust me, you'll get used to it. :) All in a day's work.

Just a few thoughts from someone who has had nearly 30 years in the military and civil service...

1. The best advantage of a civil service career for a spouse of an active duty person is the transferability of civil service. Certainly, you can do the same thing as a teacher.

2. I would look at www.usajobs.opm.gov. Braoden your search as much as possible. You'd might be surprised at what's out there that might interest you. Think out of the box! Since it's still early in the fiscal year, there are a lot of vacancies out there. The TSA doesn't hire any slower or faster than other agencies, and it would be good to have multiple opportunities out there. As a teacher, I assume you wouldn't want to leave before the end of the school year anyway, right?

3. The TSA is excepted service, meaning they can fire you for any reason (or no reason at all). It's the closest the government comes to "at will" employment used by most provate sector firms. If you got into a career or career-conditional position, your job and tenure would be much more stable & secure.

4. The legacy and culture of the TSA derives from the FAA Office of Civil Aviation Security. (FYI, I interviewed for a Senior Executive position with them in the late 1990s. In 20/20 hindsight, I'm glad I wasn't selected!) The culture is extremely bureaucratic and rigid. Taking care of people was not a very high priority. If you are a person with a "checklist mentality" who does well in a rigid organization where people are expected to toe the line, I suspect you would do well in an organization like the TSA. If you do better in an organization with collegial decision-making and an unstructured culture, the TSA is definitely not for you!

5. Carefully examine your motivations. The TSA should be a means to an end. If you feel motivated to take part in national security or the "war on terror," recognize that there are lots of ways to do this -- both in government and in the private sector. Heck, I'd argue that being the best teacher you could possibly be is more important to national security than staffing a TSA checkpoint or patting down a grandmother. If you want to work at an airport, you'll see very little of it at a checkpoint. You certainly won't be a part of aviation operations. If that is your motivation, consider applying to be an air traffic controller.

6. Read the screener posts here on FT. You'll find examples of everything from cynicism to disgust at their agency and its managers. These people are hardly a scientific sample, but they are a sample of the TSA workforce nevertheless. There are other message boards out there primarily for screeners. Although I suspect there has been some cross-fertilization, I don't detect any difference in the overall organizational sttitudes.

7. Also, read the recent DHS IG report on the TSA before you make a decision. I believe one of the screener web sites also has a copy of a TSA workforce survey of some sort.

8. Above all, sort out in your own mind that you aren't considering TSA employment just to "escape" from your present job. "Escape" is never a good reason to make a career change.

You probably not aware that every single time I move..I have to put out of my pocket around $500 and hours and hours of testing and paper work to become rectified as a teacher..Usually stalling employment for a year..Only to come into a job bottom of the totem pole...odd man out of the politics...and worst assignments ever...

I always made lemonade with the lemons handed me..and have several awards from various schools to prove it....but I am fed up...I am not escaping I am trying to think outside the box......Teaching Degrees are dime a dozen here in California where the brilliant voters think capping property taxes and letting the schools go broke and shut down is a very good idea..... I am competing against other teachers to be a checker at Trader Joes..who is currently NOT hiring....I am not selling myself short...I am being realistic...

As far as other government services...my husband works with a large population of GS employees there fore just about severing my chances of employment at one of the largest pools available in the area....due to nepotism rules....

After reading this post, I've changed my mind - I'd rather you work for the TSA than teach.

Was it the typos? :p

But, aside from the spelling/grammar and the TSA issues, this topic still made me wonder about what kinds of interesting employment there might be at an airport for people with varied backgrounds.

The OP does not want to go back to teaching in Middle Schools (for which I don't blame her!), and has always wanted to work at an airport. If TSA is not the best choice for her, what are the other options? She lives very near an airport (and knowing which one would help funnel some suggestions, perhaps) and has a background in teaching and some certification in travel, also trained to be a flight attendant.

trixievictoria, couldn't you apply for work with the airlines which serve this airport? Seems they would have several positions which might suit you and your background.

There are also courier/package companies, food and retail outlets, banking or currency services, and the airport authority itself - what else?

I also thought that TSASuper was right to mention that there are other jobs than the front-line ones...