Posted on 03/30/2012 6:45:58 AM PDT by bestintxas
The TSA is always in the news these days, and usually not for the right reasons. You might say the controversial agency has an image problem. Or is that an imaging problem? Either way, the coverage has mostly been one-sided, so we decided to speak with a former TSA security officer to find out what it's like on the other side of the screening process.
The former Transportation Security Officer (TSO), who agreed to talk with us on the condition of anonymity, worked at a major U.S. airport until being injured on the job. Get the scoop on misbehaving passengers, what to do if you want a pat-down, and what we should be doing to make the skies safer.
SmarterTravel (ST): It's rumored that passengers may soon be able to leave their shoes on during screening. Do you think this will happen?
TSO: Because of the shoe bomber, I would think not. If the TSA gets the frequent traveler pre-screen going, I am sure there will be an allowance made for them.
"The terrorists always seem to be one step ahead of us."
ST: How well-trained are the people doing pat-downs?
TSO: Let me assure you, we are very well trained. We are watched by our supervisors, who are at the checkpoint doing their job of making sure that their crew is performing whatever they are doing correctly. Pat-downs are one of the most important functions of a TSO. Not only are we watched and critiqued by our supervisors and other screeners, we have to be certified once a year by passing our tests for every function screeners do. This is not automatic. The tests are very demanding with no room for failure.
TSO: I personally have never witnessed bad behavior from any of the TSA staff I worked with.
(Excerpt) Read more at smartertravel.com ...
Who can disagree?
I couldn't give a rat's @ss about the TSA's point of view. They are our servants, yet they proceed out of the gate with the premise that we are all a threat, including infants, handicapped kids and the frail elderly. I understand that a terrorist can disguise themselves, but the plain and simply fact is that their procedures are highly flawed from the beginning, and that is owing to their attitude about us.
This person says that the pat-down is the most important thing that they do...well, BS. It has a role, but the single most important thing to do is question and examine the PEOPLE going on the plane, not physical things. I could get on a plane with an Uzi and 50 pounds of C-4, and no one would get hurt - because I am not a terrorist. OTOH, a terrorist could get on with literally nothing and still do a lot of harm. The Israelis concentrate on the people, they train their airport security to do this, and they've not had a highjacking for over 30 years. Does anyone think that the f'ing rocket scientists at TSA might have thought, "Gee, the Israelis seem to be pretty good at this thing, let's emulate them." NOPE, first thing they do is treat us all like cattle, feel up little kids and old ladies, all the while letting guys named Mohammed get on planes without the slightest bit of additional examination besides walking through a metal detector. I cannot help but think that the entire TSA has been set up for 2 purposes: first, to be able to say, "See, we tried as much as we could, we DID something" the next time a plane blows up or flies into a building. IOW, CYA. Second, it is conditioning - getting Americans used to the concept and practices of a police state. Well, to Hell with that - I will cooperate just enough to keep my (innocent, non-terrorist) self out of jail for "daring" to challenge the authority of our JBT "superiors", and not one iota more...and I will continue to criticize them for as long as they continue to act like a bunch of SS stormtroopers instead of the public servants that they are supposed to be.
Screw TSA - they are a bunch of statist morons. I am sure that there are some good people working there, and I don't really blame them. However, the entire agency as it is set up and as it has operated so far is abusive to the idea of personal liberty and the idea that the government is the servant of the people. Until and unless TSA changes its methods and, much more importantly, its attitude toward the average American, I will have and act with nothing more than contempt toward it and its jackbooted employees. SCREW the TSA!
Does anyone else recall seeing a TSA agent wearing a Muslim head covering? Regardless, there are obviously any number of Muslims working for TSA. I wonder how many of them provide tips to their terrorist buddies?
I would venture “all of them”...
The “last line of defense is the TSA” - what a joke. The last line of defense has been and continues to be the passengers on the flight. The TSA conducts useless security theater and all 44,000 of those fools should be fired - starting with aunt Janet.
Soon after 911 I was traveling through Dallas and saw one of the female security screeners wearing the full muslim outfit, not quite a burka but darned close. I asked myself, what is wrong with this picture? We are going to PC ourselves to death.
I wouldn’t guess that you have to move very fast to stay one foot ahead of the TSA.
Mahmood Jihadiffi al Sharif al KaBoom=Road Runner
TSA Mall Cops with blue gloves=Wile E Coyote
After looking around, I found an airport map which mentioned a "religious reflections room" not far from the main security entrance. After a little looking, I found it. It was a low light squarish room roughly 9 by 10 yards devoid of any religious symbols save for an arrow which I later figured out was pointing to Mecca.
Anyway, it was perfect for what I wanted. Nobody else was there and the chairs around the perimeter, while plain were relatively comfortable. So I set the alarm on my cell phone and settled down to sleep. Maybe 40 minutes later, I was awakened by three people opening the door and letting light into the room. Two of the three were female, had Muslim head-wear and all faced in the direction of the arrow to pray. Of course, I pretended to remain asleep but as my eyes focused, I could tell all three were in TSA uniforms.
Talk about weasels in charge of guarding the henhouse!
See my post #10.
Just went thru my first TSA screening involving the body scanner. Now you put your bag through the X-ray, walk over to the Body Scanner line, wait your turn, submit to the scan & retrieve your bags (basically getting re-dressed). There were 2 lines at Miami airport terminal with over 20 TSA guards manning them! What a waste of time. I think I saw cobwebs growing on the female operating the baggage X-ray. That line is now limited by how fast they can get people through the body scan.
This is the most massive waste of manpower & resources I have ever seen.
I almost never fly for business anymore. If the drive is 5 hours or less, I get in the car. I can be over 2 hours toward my destination by the time my flight cleared the airport.
Wholeheartedly agree.
Unfortunately, everything seems to be a political calculation. The Powers-That-Be have decided that we can sustain some level of damage as a nation in exchange for the (ever-growing) Muslim vote. They probably figure they’ll be dead before the Country is forced to deal with the consequences square-on.
Really? Why would a union wage scale version of a fast food employee know about defending anything except his work rules, his days off, his vacation days, how to file a work rule grievance, and his/her bloated ego?
If TSA is our last line of defense, we are truly screwed. The average TSA employee would be sorely tested to pour water out of a boot.
Last time I opted out of the porno-nuke-scanners, I ended up with just a modest pat-down, and NO magnetometer screening.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.