Airport security is in good hands with the Transportation Security Administration . . . and monkeys might fly out of my butt.
The TSA’s new motto is “Vigilant, Effective, Efficient.” Let’s see about that. Here are four examples of how the TSA seems to be, well, a bad joke.
Vigilant:
WKMG-TV in Orlando, Fla., did an undercover investigation at Orlando International Airport to see just how vigilant TSA employees were, by leaving bags unattended at various locations around the airport and filming the results. Not surprisingly, nobody seemed to notice, not even the bag left unattended right outside the Aviation Authority offices. Airport officials admitted their mistake and vowed to improve their training and vigilance. But the reaction of Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), who chairs the House aviation subcommittee, was sad. “Does that really pose a risk?” Mica asked. “What kind of damage is that going to do?”
In Portland, Ore., an unencrypted USB flash drive containing the personal information of 500 current and former TSA employees is missing. Nobody knows what happened to it, but they think it wound up in the trash. PDX federal security director Mike Irwin said the information wouldn’t be useful to terrorists, but failed to mention that it would be very useful to identity thieves.
Effective:
Last week the Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger revealed that tests at Newark Liberty International Airport showed that TSA screeners missed 20 of 22 test items, including guns and bomb-making components, in a “Red Team” test of security. Instead of improving security, however, TSA officials have concerned themselves with finding out who leaked the information to the press. A TSA spokeswoman said that the leak “could compromise the integrity of the screening process and offer the terrorists an undue advantage.” As if the screening process weren’t already compromised and the terrorists didn’t already have an undue advantage. Stop pretending the security problems don’t exist!
Efficient:
The Federal Air Marshal Service had much more than a booth at the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual convention in Boston last month. They had a complete cutout of an airplane cabin, complete with individual seats with video screens at each seat, playing videos about how FAMS defends America in the skies. But these seats were different: They gave massages. It’s not known how much this extravagant display cost Americans, but you can be sure we didn’t get a massage before or after getting screwed.
If you enjoyed this post, please visit TSA-Screeners.com, the completely unofficial site for TSA employees, which provided all of the above links in its mailing list yesterday.
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Drake
Nov 12, 2006
As a mere citizen I try to keep on an even keel by hoping that the
Department of Homeland Security will eventually get its act together.
Of course, “this may be the triumph of hope over expierence.
73′s
Drake
Jerry
Nov 18, 2006
I am a TSA screener. We spend more time bag checking passengers
gels and liquids, instead of completely banning them. Laptops are
taken out of bags for x-ray, but not all the accompanying wiring,
adaptors, and electronic gizmos, which add to the “bag clutter” of
concealing possible bomb elements in luggage. We spent years looking
for knives instead of training for IED components, thus the failure
of airport screeners like those at Newark Liberty to spot bombs. TSA
Washington is disconnected to the real world of security screening.
D. Lee
Nov 20, 2006
If you really want an inside look at what goes on check out this mailbag site:
http://www.govexec.com/mailbagDetails.cfm?aid=34589
You have to really appreciate what these guys are writing about.
Michael Hampton
Nov 20, 2006
Hm, from that I primarily learned that the Methodist Church is a bunch of hypocrites pushing socialist dogma on their congregations while pretending to deplore it as an infamous evil in the next sentence. But precious little I didn’t already know about TSA.
D.Lee
Nov 22, 2006
I think the point is being missed here if you are not outraged by the abuse in spending by the government. Religious rights, and beliefs should be respected…no matter which ones they are…I don’t care what you choose to believe, but I do care that you have the right to believe it. This story isn’t about the Methodists, it’s about the TSA issues that caused 14 plus trained screeners to go without unemployment benefits..these are our tax dollars that we are talking about here…if you read the entire story, you will see who the true hypocrites are.
ElCid
Jan 28, 2007
I am a TSO, and I am fully aware that my real job is not to find bottles of water, tooth paste or cheese wiz. I am there to find bombs, and if the day (God forbid) ever comes that I see an IED I fully realize that it will be my last day on earth. This together with the fact that that we are reminded daily that if we make a mistake that people will loose lives for $13.91 an hour.
ROBERT
May 06, 2010
I recently took the TSA airport assessment interview and failed. 5 months of forms, tests etc. And in 10 minutes and 5 questions that dont relate to anything and they are able to determine that Im not a suitable candidate! The government has given individual airports the responsibility of hiring its screeners instead of an outside company. The interview is a “safety valve” for the screening process. If you’re not a “friend of a friend” or a woman or a member of a minority. You are failed and they don’t have to give you an explanation as to why. Also if they cosider you too old (age discrimination) Im 48. They dont want someone to work until retirement and get pension benefits. They want to hire young people who they hope will quit and move on before benefits eligability. Im hearing more bad things about TSA than good now.
sue
Jul 22, 2010
Robert you are so correct. I am a women but did not pass the TSA assessment. I am 52 years old. I do think the interview was the worst I have ever been through. None of the questions were even relevant to the job at hand. What age creates is the ability to read people. I knew from the start of that interview it would not turn out well. I suggest that the TSA changes their mannor of interviewing. We are not able to discuss the exact questions asked at the
TSA interview. I asked a friend who is employee for the state
what questions he was asked at his interview for a HR position and guess what? As a tax payer I suggest the TSA better step up their game. I know another former TSO and he told me the number one reason people do not make it through trainning and guess what none of those questions did not isolate that problem at all. Their are a lot of cost associated with getting these people on board. Than the quite either during tranning or after because they do not like the split shifts.
go figure
V
Sep 16, 2010
Yup, Robert and Sue…same here…suspected, before I found your post…and heard that TSA was originally set up to draw minority groups…and NOT prior military or folks with security background/those considered “over-qualified”.
Christine
Apr 20, 2011
Hey, I’m 20 years old and last year exactly I was invited to the airport assessment portion of the TSO hiring process, but due to some family issues I couldn’t make it. Now that things are better, I applied again a week or so ago and I jumped to the Airport Assessment portion again. My dad had worked for them for about 8 years, he hates it, but it pays the bills. I know some airports are pretty biased when it comes to age and race, so he said since I’m young and able to carry things I could probably get hired (hopefully not against sex, being I am a woman.)
My question is; what are the questions in the interview relevant to?
I’d like to set up a mock interview to prepare myself, but my dad doesn’t remember what the questions were like. Any help is appreciated and thanked.
shangai
Aug 10, 2011
As a matter of fact I went this morning for the test, I had the feeling that I was wasting my time because the questions were so stupid and the interviewer could barely read. So I guess when they heard about me having a bachelor degree this might freak them out. But to be honest, I need a job but don’t want to carry people’s heavy crap at a stupid airport. F#$% these idiots they can keep looking for some morons with empty brain like the interviewers and with big muscle. It is not a loss
Phil
Nov 15, 2011
Robert, Sue and V – I add my name to your list. Shangai it seems I am on your list as well. The bottom line is that they do not want anyone within reach of retirement by 20 years or less and they sure don’t want anyone smarter than the interviewers (who showed signs of being high school graduates only). The insane part of the whole thing is that they build themselves up as some top secret organization hiring only the best, while they only use scare tactics like their non-disclosure agreement (which isn’t worth the paper it is written on) on their candidates, the ones they hire are random chance. The interview is similar to an entry level job in the commercial workplace with very similar questions (of course I won’t list them here, but would gladly disclose them if subpoenaed). I do feel sorry for those who have put the effort into this thinking it is the doorway to a job with some future. When asked why the interview portion was failed, the “answer” was we asked questions and didn’t get the answer we expected. Considering the question and the answers they did get, it was more likely that they didn’t understand the answers due to limited mental capacity. Enough said. Candidates beware. Start looking elsewhere for a real job with security.
Donna
Feb 03, 2012
I am a military spouse former federal employee 43 yrs old. This tsa airport assessment ….what a joke. How can this be legitimate ? My interview was 5 basic interview questions asked by a guy who was not dressed appropriately, tsa agent they pulled off the screening line and a female….I failed? I am 43 , college educated and have been through much more rigorous interviews. I could not believe I failed the interview portion? I don’t even understand how I was scored. I was read a script and escorted to the door. I really felt like they made up their minds before they ever started. I feel the same as all the other comments above , my age , not a minority, and really this interview not tough! A monkey could answer those questions. I feel like someone needs to investigate this whole process .