TSA asleep at the wheel
 

Saw this on a blog i read....

http://keithiskneedeepinmud.blogspot...fe-to-fly.html

"Guarding" the entrances/exits at an airport has to be the most boring job in the world. I'm not sure I could stay awake for even a hour handling that task.

It must be some kind of punishment.

I won't go into specifics in names or which airport, but "back in the day" when shoe removal was optional, I got a retaliatory secondary walking through with a non-profile shoe. TSAer decided to make contact with my foot with the Superwand. Immediate complaint to supervisor. Got the complaint form and FSD name.

About five minutes later I came back to the supervisor for clarity on the FSD's name spelling, but I noticed through the glass wall the rogue TSAer guarding the exit.

All that said it could have very well been his turn in rotation. But the look I got from him through the wall and the timing tells me it wasn't.

At our airport, monitoring the exit is a routine duty no different than manning the x-ray machine, monitoring the WTMD or conducting hand-wand screening/bag checks. However, our policy allows those with duty restrictions (e.g. doctor's orders that temporarily limits a TSO to lifting no more than 20 pounds, those wearing a cast or other similar device, etc.) to work the exit because exit duties usually fall within the scope of most medical restrictions.

For some floor leads, the easy way out is to just keep light-duty TSOs at the exit and relieve them only for breaks and lunch. I rotate them within the scope of their limitations. In other words, I'll put them at the x-ray machine, have them stand at the WTMD, etc. as their medical limitations allow. I do this for two reasons: one, they're still TSOs and I expect them to still perform their duties; I don't want them to view the exit as an easy way out; two, I consider the exit as a critical job. I want a fresh pair of eyes at the exit every 30 minutes along with the x-ray.

There is no excuse for the photos depicted on the blog. That screener should be relieved of her duties and either disciplined or terminated, depending on her performance history. The lead TSO and/or supervisor TSO should also be disciplined or terminated. The supervisor should receive at least a letter of reprimand because it is ultimately his/her responsibility for every little thing that happens (or does not happen) at a checkpoint. Comes with the third stripe; if they can't take the heat, then get the hell out of the kitchen.

This happened at SEA a couple of years back. The TSO was fired.

TSA will now dictate that it is illegal to photograph any TSO.
:rolleyes:

I wonder if that is her wheelchair behind her?

I don't think that is a TSA employee. The uniform is not right. No patches on sleeves, sweater is wrong shade of burgundy. Looks like an airline contract employee/ wheel chair pusher. I don't know how DFW is set up or does things, but if she was indeed supposed to be guarding the exit, she should be fired right away.

Bart,
Why is that? It seems to me that this would be the single most obvious job in your area of responsibility. Sort of like seeing someone coming the wrong way on an Interstate highway. No judgment call here, it's a one way street.

Whom ever the employee is needs to be home sleping not at work.

I do not believe that anyone can stay focused on a two hour stretch (assuming that breaks/lunches are issued every two hours) even when it's as simple as stopping people coming in the wrong way. When I used to execute Red Team attacks in the Army, one of our techniques was to learn the shift hours for perimeter guards (easily done through reconnaissance and observation), and wait towards the end of their shift before conducting our "attack" on the perimeter security (either surreptitious entry or a combat raid, depending on the mission and other considerations).

I consider the exit the most vulnerable of all checkpoint duties because that position is manned one-deep. The longer you keep someone in a static position, the more likely they are to lose focus as time elapses. And assigning light duty TSOs to the exit for a four or eight hour stretch (depending on their shift hours) only invites trouble. This is especially true if they're injured. Means that they're busy feeling sorry for themselves rather than concentrating on the job (yeah, unfair statement, but I think you know what I mean).

Yeah, I know. I can't understand why the other leads don't see it that way. I chalk that off to lazy fire-and-forget "supervision": put 'em in that position and only worry about relieving them for breaks and lunches. Pretty lazy. The checkpoint is no different than any other activity: noise means that things are happening; silence means that there's trouble somewhere. Oversimplified, but it's a lot like having kids in the house: if it gets quiet and stays quiet, better call 911. :)

Hey Bart,

If that job is so critical, then why delegate? One rule in business management is that one NEVER delegates a job that is critical to the organization's success (i.e. the pricing of products for example)

Actually, I can answer that one for Bart. You're confusing "delegate" with "abdicate". Of course you delegate. You have to. I can't check every freq on the radio, I can't personally check every foxhole on the NDP, etc., but my Company Commanders and Platoon Leaders sure did.

I delegated everything I could. But my one hard and fast rule was that my XO knew his job, and mine, inside and out. When he, or the CSM spoke, they were speaking for me - and everyone knew it.

How'd I do Bart?

But you agree that oversight is the manager's responsibility? If you delegate, you MUST oversee to make sure the job is being done properly.