[Eagle Eye]

Jokes about burger-flippers aside, would any TSA agent you’ve encountered be a candidate for even an entry-level job in any company you’ve worked with or for? At the risk of answering my own question I can give an unequivocal ‘no.’

The first hiring wave of TSA included multitudes of veterans who thought the TSA was a credible way to serve.

The second wave included a great deal of IT folks who got hit when the IT bubble burst back in 2002. This group included a large number of very educated and highly intelligent people.

I trained baggage screeners (not passenger screeners) for 6 months in 2002 and know that what you are saying is the opposite of how it started.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

I trained baggage screeners (not passenger screeners) for 6 months in 2002 and know that what you are saying is the opposite of how it started.

Most of the memorable ones I've ever encountered were obese black women with a real bad attitude.

Of course I don't remember the friendly and normal people.

[relictele]

I’ll gladly accept your profile of these people.

The question then becomes, why the surly attitude (theirs, not yours)? And why do so many of their actions defy common sense if they are educated?

To the TSA I say the same thing I say to nurses, waitresses, hotel clerks and anyone else with an attitude: this job was going to involve working with the public from day one and every day thereafter. Therefore, don’t act surprised and annoyed when the public show up.