Air marshal program in disarray & Dozens of Them Have Quit In Disgust

USA TODAY ^ | Blake Morrison

[Asmodeus]

For years, the government touted federal air marshals as the best of the best -- an ''elite corps'' of undercover officers trained to stop hijackings on commercial flights.

But today, after rushing to hire thousands of new marshals, the program is so beset with problems that sources say at least 80 marshals have quit, and other marshals say they are considering a class-action lawsuit over working conditions that they fear put travelers at risk.

[Bobby777]

they are paid for 50 hours of straight time each week

not a surprise ... many I/T firms expect employees to work 60-70 hours per week for long periods ... months and years ...

but we should have an air marshal on every single flight ... the airline should have to give up the free seat for their portion and the gov't (us) foot the bill for the air marshall added to the ticket ... on a 120-seat plane with the guy flying two flights per day ... shouldn't cost more than $3-$4 per ticket ... IMHO ... our way of life has changed forever ... (dons flame-proof suit ... LOL)

[Bobby777]

I mean, the extra charge per ticket should mean the gov't need only train and employee the air marshall and the ticket price collected to pay the wages ... there are several ways to do it ...

[looney tune]

This article has been posted already. Try the search feature. And what is "breaking" about this news?

[waxhaw]

And here's the crux: who do we believe, USA Today and what it says is a problem or Tom Quinn, the government head of the program? Tom Quinn's statement to the effect that "professionals embrace change" makes absolutely no sense at all. True professionals do not embrace change simply for the sake of change but only if the change will enhance or improve a progam's efficiency. And lastly I would say that poor morale is one very big indication of poor management - does Tom Quinn have a canned response to that?

[Long Cut]

And THIS is the "organization" whose existence negates the need for pilots to carry guns?!?

Words cannot express my outrage. I had thought of joining the Air Marshals myself, should I leave the Navy (I am, after all, a combat Aircrewman) but this is absolutely unnacceptable. What a bunch of morons we have at the TSA.

Until these clowns can get their house in some form of order, (perhaps hiring an ass-kicking Navy Chief or Marine Sargeant to straighten things out would do the trick), the so-called "Homeland Security" Department should be shelved. Hell, we already HAVE such a department, anyway: the Department of Defense.

[Bobby777]

try using your brain feature ... I didn't post it ... next time try addressing the right person smart guy ... the breaking news is that you can't read obviously ...

[Wright is right!]

"This article has been posted already. Try the search feature. And what is "breaking" about this news?"

Actually, it has been posted SEVERAL times AND included in the sidebars. Are all the moderators on vacation today?

Michael

[PsyOp]

Bump & Ping

[Frohickey]

but we should have an air marshal on every single flight ... the airline should have to give up the free seat for their portion and the gov't (us) foot the bill for the air marshall added to the ticket ... on a 120-seat plane with the guy flying two flights per day ... shouldn't cost more than $3-$4 per ticket ... IMHO ... our way of life has changed forever ... (dons flame-proof suit ... LOL)

Wrongo, buddy.

The Feds should just allow licensed/permitted CCW permit holders and off duty peace officers to travel armed. The CCW holders and off duty officers will not be monetarilly compensated, but they could ask for an extra complimentary soft drink or package of airline peanuts.

In some plane trips, you will have dozens of armed CCW holders, as in the final leg of the flight going to the Gun Rights Conference, in some trips, you will have no one but the pilot, as in the final leg of the flight for HCI/MMM conference.

[Bobby777]

sorry ... can't agree ... I'm all for the 2nd Amendment but I don't think Joe Citizen should be packing on every flight ... there are too many other possibilities ... I'm for profiling ... just like El Al does ... works very well for them ... and they have heavily armed folks on each and every flight ... the Israelis know what they are doing ...

[mvpel]

Why do you think Joe Citizen will do something stupid just because he's carrying a gun on an airplane, like he always does everywhere else by virtue of his CCW permit?

[Bobby777]

come again? ... I couldn't be sure which way you were going with that ... obviously not everybody that has concealed carry is stupid ... but a lot of average joe's will be tempted to take one on an airplane ... I've been at the shooting range, and with a lot of cops ... and a lot of people are BAD shots ... I'm not a great shot but at least I know what range I'm qualified in ...

now my buddy with the highway patrol was dead on with my .45 ... I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it at 75 feet but he grouped 'em all inside 1.5 inches at that distance ... with the first full clip ... Ruger KP90 a few years back ... I was impressed ... we ran the target out about 30 feet ... while shooting my 9mm I accidently got the "hostage" (oops) ... my trooper friend reassured me now that the guy "had nothing to negotiate with" ... LOL ... oops ...

[Travis McGee]

Kindly toss in a link to the previous threads, instead of just "bumping" this thread with your gripe.

[CWRWinger]

..sources say one marshal was suspended after he left his gun in a lavatory aboard a United Airlines flight from Washington to Las Vegas in December. A passenger discovered the weapon.

LOL!

[CWRWinger]

'We are so obvious, the terrorists don't need to bring guns on the planes anymore. They just need to gang up on us and take our guns.''

With armed passengers, the terrorists would find themselves getting entry wounds in their backs.

[Frohickey]

sorry ... can't agree ... I'm all for the 2nd Amendment but I don't think Joe Citizen should be packing on every flight ... there are too many other possibilities ... I'm for profiling ... just like El Al does ... works very well for them ... and they have heavily armed folks on each and every flight ... the Israelis know what they are doing ...

This is Joe Citizen with a CCW permit, not Joe Citizen without a CCW permit. What makes you thing that Joe CCW Permit Citizen would go about shooting willy-nilly when they don't do that already when they are on the ground? Are you saying that people in the air do strange things?

Now, I do see the airline's reservation about guns in planes, since technically, the inside of an airplane is private property. I agree that the airlines can limit what goes on and does not go inside their property, but I think that the private airlines should go ahead and say it, individually, and spelled out in the contract.

Seems to me that government telling what a private airline can and cannot have in its property goes against the company's property rights.

I bet some private airline would allow CCW permitees to carry. The CEO and shareholders of that enlightened private airline will be rewarded with my travel dollars.

[bootless]

ARM

THE

PILOTS

NOW

[Ronin]

That has been my idea all along. But civvies can be counted on to screw up anything. If they tried to put this program together under military standards the civil liberties unions would have a hissy fit.

[Bobby777]

what you're proposing isn't going to happen unless there is total civil war ... and even then I doubt it ... getting pilots armed is next to impossible ... and that makes sense ... you can't have a bunch of citizens shooting on a plane ... how many? 5? 10? 25? ... putting a person on a plane like that makes them effectively air marshals ... why not do it that way?