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Majority of TSA workers at BWI, Dulles fail recertification test

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Majority of TSA workers at BWI, Dulles fail recertification test

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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:06 am
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Majority of TSA workers at BWI, Dulles fail recertification test

Majority of TSA workers at BWI, Dulles fail recertification test

By: Barbara Hollingsworth
Local Opinion Editor
06/24/09

Half of the Transportation Security Administration workers at BWI and an eye-popping 80 percent at Dulles International have failed mandatory tests that certify them to screen passengers, the agency reported. And while less than half of the TSA screeners at BWI flunked the baggage section of the test, a whopping 90 percent didnt make the grade at Dulles.
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:14 am
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Well, we know they won't be water-boarded as punishment...
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:15 am
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"TSA employees believe that many of them are being intentionally failed on the Practical Skills Evaluation recertification test so that the agency doesnt have to give them raises and bonuses. A letter send by the American Federation of Government Employees to Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano and House Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson calls for a nationwide investigation into test standards and the training of TSA screeners."

Awwww! The test is SO hard!!!

Fire them!!!
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:18 am
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A letter send by the American Federation of Government Employees to Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano and House Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson calls for a nationwide investigation into test standards and the training of TSA screeners.
No wonder Bart has been AWOL from FT lately.
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:20 am
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so can our resident tsa folks 'splain what happens when you "fail" and i do like this part from the article-the bolding is mine and "lack of uniformity and bereaucracy" kinda sums it all up, dontcha think?

One screener reportedly failed the body pat-down section of the test in Houston - even though she found all the items that would have triggered a security alarm but passed after retaking the test and doing the same thing at BWI the next day. "If I failed because they do things differently at other airports, that's not right. Everybody needs to be doing the same thing," she said.
Agreed. But the U.S. government has been at war with terrorists for eight years now. Shouldnt we be far beyond such bureaucratic bungling by now?
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 11:22 am
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"One screener reportedly failed the body pat-down section of the test in Houston - even though she found all the items that would have triggered a security alarm but passed after retaking the test and doing the same thing at BWI the next day. "If I failed because they do things differently at other airports, that's not right. Everybody needs to be doing the same thing," she said."

Gee, the same maddening, inconsistent behavior that passengers face daily; how strange that any TSO would object...
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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 12:13 pm
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I guess its time to lower the goalposts. The US Army permits ex-perps, lower-n-lower IQ test scorers and psychological misfits. Why not the TSA.

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Old Jun 24, 2009 | 12:17 pm
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Originally Posted by MisterNice
I guess its time to lower the goalposts. The US Army permits ex-perps, lower-n-lower IQ test scorers and psychological misfits. Why not the TSA.
Uh, they do.
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 1:49 am
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Glass half-empty/half-full

Half of the screeners at BWI passed???
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 5:09 am
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Last edited by Bart; Sep 18, 2009 at 9:16 am
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 5:12 am
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One screener reportedly failed the body pat-down section of the test in Houston - even though she found all the items that would have triggered a security alarm but passed after retaking the test and doing the same thing at BWI the next day.
A screener failed a test in HOUSTON yet passed it the following day in BALTIMORE? Seems a bit strange to me.
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 5:59 am
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Originally Posted by doober
A screener failed a test in HOUSTON yet passed it the following day in BALTIMORE? Seems a bit strange to me.
C'mon...you can find FTers who fly to SYD for a day to add pages to their passport. Why not a TSO who flies to BWI to pass a test?

I do like the conspiracy theory that they're only being failed to be denied a raise; that's a fun one. Better let them unionize so they can ensure fair treatment for all.
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 6:12 am
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Originally Posted by doober
A screener failed a test in HOUSTON yet passed it the following day in BALTIMORE? Seems a bit strange to me.
Originally Posted by sbm12
C'mon...you can find FTers who fly to SYD for a day to add pages to their passport. Why not a TSO who flies to BWI to pass a test?
I've got it now - they flew the ones who failed elsewhere to BWI and let some of them "pass" so that BWI could get up to 50%.
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 9:36 am
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Originally Posted by Bart
<SNIP> However, it is a fair process. TSOs fail because they did not follow procedures correctly. I have absolutely no uncertainty, doubts, second-thoughts or question about the officers I failed. Conversely, I have no uncertainty, doubts, second-thoughts or question about the officers I passed.
Interesting. So the labor union thats trying to organize the TSOs, and claiming the tests are unfair, just basically wants to lower the standards.
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Old Jun 25, 2009 | 10:23 am
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Someone else asked this, but really, if they are not passing the recertification test, then how are they able to do the job, and how can the TSA still claim that they are keeping up standards of security?

I don't want to pile on the TSA, but really, how are they able to keep the lanes open with qualified screeners at those airports? Imports from other airports? Overtime?
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