Air Marshall Dress Code Changed

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 8-25-2006 | Leslie Miller

[blam]

Air Marshal Dress Code Changed

Friday August 25, 2006 12:16 AM

By LESLIE MILLER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Air marshals were told Thursday they will be allowed to dress the way they want and choose their own hotels in order to protect their anonymity while on missions.

Federal Air Marshal Service chief Dana Brown, who has been in the job for five months, said he was changing the rules, starting Sept. 1, after listening to air marshals' concerns.

In a memo to the air marshals, Brown said the dress code was changed to ``allow you to blend in and not direct attention to yourself, as well as be sufficiently functional to enable you to conduct your law enforcement responsibilities.''

Air marshals had complained that Brown's predecessor, Thomas Quinn, insisted on a too-formal dress code that allowed people to pick them out. The marshals said, for example, that being forced to wear a jacket and collared shirt made them stand out on flights to Hawaii.

The dress requirements were loosened in October, but the agency kept details under wraps. The change announced Thursday leaves it up to marshals how each of them dresses for duty.

Air marshals also won an agreement from Brown to let them choose their own hotels ``within economic and related guidelines'' to help keep their identities secret.

Marshals claimed that their undercover status was threatened because they had to stay at designated hotels and show their credentials when checking in.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Also..could the "Framers" have anticipated the future, as to where it applies to Air Tavel.

---

There was interstate travel back then, and the coaches were more often subject to violent crime than are airplanes. SO if they were not justified then, they aren't now.

Of course, the real issue is that back then, passengers (and drivers) weren't disarmed when boarding for an interstate journey, so the notion of a paid, fare-paying, armed federal guard would have been laughable.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Of course, the real issue is that back then, passengers (and drivers) weren't disarmed when boarding for an interstate journey, so the notion of a paid, fare-paying, armed federal guard would have been laughable.

Shall we dispose of it?

[dirtboy]

Damn, took 'em what, nearly five years to acquire a lick of common sense?

[billorites]

Hello, I'm Christopher and I'll be your Air Marshall tonight.
First, let me tell you about our specials...

[MinuteGal]

Let the marshalls wear stained white underwear tops and blue jeans with the knees cut out.

They'll blend in with the airplane crowd real well.

The hotel customers, too.

Leni

[dljordan]

"Someone in the government is using common sense. I am utterly blown away."

It's a wonder we've survived this long.

[Cobra64]

They do need to dress like most of the other passengers: Homeless people, replete with shopping bags.

[Cobra64]

We'll never get to the War on Terror until we get passed this asinine War on Error.

Time for a grammar test:

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=14457200288064322170

[Mountain Troll]

Right here:

"To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof."

Every law requires someone to enforce that law. What part of this is confusing you?

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Right.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Oh, Jeez. Just checked your homepage:

Libertarian by default; I'm not sure I can run my own life, but I'm damn sure I don't trust anyone else to do it for me.

[Kirkwood]

"...to get a government rate at any hotel, you do have to show your gov't ID or gov't MasterCard...."

I travel for govt business a lot and never had to show the ID once. By the way, it is not true that govt rate is always the cheapest rate. Sometimes it is not.

[art_rocks]

Its appears true that common sense is in short supply. Sad it took so long.

[jwh_Denver]

AH, a mispelled word. FY.

[endthematrix]

I was on an Air France flight in 2003 and a flight attendant was this huge 6ft 220+ dude that couldn't fit the cabin or poor a drink. However he was quite curious as to what everyone was up to while bumping the cart up and down the isle. I felt quite safe...

[BamaDi]

I judst retired after 36 years with the Fed Gov't and I always had a government issued credit card so that was sufficient as ID....and you're right...even Gov't Airfares are the cheapest but they're refundable whereas some of the cheaper rates are not....