FAM Problem ?

[intheaircop]

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http://washingtontimes.com/national/...2555-6114r.htm

Dress code wearing thin on air marshals

By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A Thanksgiving Day morale booster for federal air marshals has instead turned into possible pink slips for air cops who ignore their strict dress code.
Thomas Quinn, director of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), paid a surprise visit to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thanksgiving to thank the law-enforcement officials for their holiday work. He reportedly was angered when nearly 30 marshals deplaned and only one was dressed satisfactorily.
In response, supervisors are being assigned to airports nationwide to inspect the air cops before and after flights to make sure business suits or sports coats are being worn, according to numerous memos issued last week and obtained by The Washington Times.

??? "The most recent incidents with [New York marshals have] shown that they are not adhering to the agency's dress-code policy," said one memo.
Air marshals are being told that if their dress is not up to snuff, they will be suspended from flight duty. They are referring to the incident as the "Thanksgiving Day massacre."
A spokesman for FAMS could not be reached for comment.
One air marshal who asked not to be identified called it "ridiculous" that marshals are expected to blend in with holiday travelers by wearing a suit.
"On Thanksgiving Day, travelers don't wear business suits to visit family and friends," the marshal said.
The dress-code policy is a sore point among the traveling marshals, who say it compromises their undercover status.
A provision included in the intelligence-reform bill would allow the air marshals to wear less-conspicuous clothing. The final vote on the bill is expected today in the Senate.
Pulling air cops from flight duty because of attire puts a strain on an agency already stretched for manpower, say marshals, who cover less than 2 percent of an estimated 30,000 daily flights. Suspending one marshal means the suspension of an entire team, which can affect two to four flights per day, the second marshal said.
"Of all times to do this, during the holidays, this is insane," the second marshal said.
Marshals say they need to protect their undercover status so terrorists cannot determine which flights are protected.
One memo from the Miami FAMS field office says: "Effective immediately, rotating [supervisors] will be assigned to and will be present in each of our airports every day.
"I am particularly concerned about the general appearance of some FAMs and that will be one of the factors I expect supervisors to observe and report ... A professional appearance means well-groomed and wearing neat and clean clothing — not rumpled, wrinkled, mismatched, etc."
A memo issued from the Boston field office says that "failure to meet the standards will result in administrative action.
"Compliance with these policies is mandatory, not optional."
The dress code for marshals is described in a separate field-office memo as "conservative male or female attire, such as that worn by business persons in first-class seating," a business suit, or sports coat with dress pants and tie, or sports coat with dress pants and collared shirt.
The memo issued from the New York field office requires marshals flying into Washington to also wear ties.
"FAMS will present a professional image and blend into their environment by maintaining a standard of dress that enables them to perform their mission without drawing undue attention to themselves," the New York memo says.
Marshals in one field office were warned not to "get caught" without jackets, while another office warned that supervisors who do not properly monitor the dress code also will be subject to disciplinary action.
Marshals say the strict code does not take climate into consideration. In the Miami heat, marshals are required to keep their suit coats on at all times, yet in Pittsburgh, agents are forbidden from wearing overcoats in cold weather.
"You wear a sports coat, or you wear a suit coat, or you look for another job," agents were told Monday.
"They're making a huge deal of this. They've blown a gasket," the first marshal said.
Two marshals were yanked from a flight in July for not wearing suits or sports coats and a third marshal faces three days of suspension in January for not wearing a jacket before two flights in July.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) ))))))))))))


We have been going through this thing since the day I started. What do you guys think?

[mcsap]

I guess when you are hired to do a job and the uniform is to be X, you comply with X or you go through normal channels to change it. Simply disobeying a departmental policy/guideline because the FAM feels like it is not the best way to handle.

I don't disagree with the logic of not wearing a suit all of the time but defiance isn't the best way to change things in the workplace.

We switched to wool uniforms about 2 yrs ago. I don't like them one bit but the dept provided them and I have to wear them.

[retdetsgt]

A dress code is a dress code. People find odd things to push sometimes and it usually bits everybody in the butt.

Every once in a while some detectives where I worked would try to push the line and they eventually get whacked. We used to be able to wear short sleeves shirts in the summer that had shirttails out to hide the gun. Then some idiot kept pushing the limit by wearing horrilbly loud Hawaiian shirts. He was warned numerous times, but thought he had right on his side. Finally the Man came down and said we had to wear sport coats all year 'round. He was a popular sumbitch, I guarantee you that. :mad:

[Group9]

We had a SAC in the office I was assigned to a few years ago that suddenly decided that we had to all wear suits all the time. Now, mind you, that all we do is narcotics investigation in my agency, so there was a lot of pushback by the rank and file.

First guys started wearing the ties that looked like fish, and then ties with pictures of beer bottles, and then ties that played musical instruments. Then the SAC saw some mug shots where guys were making the subjects wear ties for their booking pictures, under the logic that the directive that "ties must be worn at all times," did not appear to exclude defendants.

Strangely enough, these protests did not make management see the light and only caused more heartache and discomfort. The policy continued until about 30 seconds after that SAC was transferred.

We even had our witty saying, "Stop, or be chased by well dressed men."

[Norm357]

Well in my humble, non LE viewpoint, I agree with the FAMs. I would think that the guy or gal in a suit on an aircraft would be a target and not very undercover at all. I think they should be issued Hawaiin(SP) shirts and Dockers. :D

[mcsap]

I don't disagree with the logic ( I wouldn't want to wear a suit all day on a plane) but we aren't working for McDonalds and policies and directives are just that. I support them fully being casually dressed as nobody is supposed to know who they are and they should just blend in with the rest of us.

[Norm357]

I don't disagree with the logic ( I wouldn't want to wear a suit all day on a plane) but we aren't working for McDonalds and policies and directives are just that. I support them fully being casually dressed as nobody is supposed to know who they are and they should just blend in with the rest of us.

Cant disagree, I just think its stupid policy.

[Vorpal]

The FAM dress code is not just bad policy, it endangers the Air Marshals and everyone else on the plane. For them to have to abide by a dress code is as stupid as having them stand up and identify themselves before a flight. The non-effective empty shirts that come up with this type of BS should be run out on a rail. That being said, the FAM organization seems to be holding to this policy and the most effective avenue of redress would seem to be for these guys to vote with their feet and go to another agency.

[Bodhi3047]

I too agree that the policy is not too bright, and if anything it exposes the marshal more than anything, but rules are rules. There are appropriate channels that need to be gone through to change this sort of thing. This is not some civil disobediance rally, this is a United States Government position. Have some respect for the code. You don't see Police Officers wearing beaters in the summer because the dark blues are too hot. You want to talk uncomfortable work environments, go ask an American soldier in the middle east right now about their working conditions. Oh yeah, and they only make about $1,200 a month, and if you break it down by hourly wage it's less than $2.00 and hour, and they never get to see their families. So don't cry in my beer.

[intheaircop]

The only problem I have is if the Bad guy can pick me out while on a aircraft. It is not that hard. I am the only idiot wearing a suit on a southwest airlines flight, maybe going to Orlando, on a Sunday. Now who the hell wears a suit on Sunday and especialy on a low budget airline like Southwest when all of the passengers are wearing shorts and t-shirts. I have had many passengers look at me and say "Thanks for the good job you are doing". I do not think the dress policy is real safe for the flying public or for me. A bad guy does not have to get a knife on the plane to take over the aircraft. All the bad guys have to do is come up behind me and stab me in the neck,eye etc and take my firearm after I take the dirt nap. Oh remember I am the only idiot wearing a suit when it is 95 degrees outside on a Sunday flight.

[Group9]

You can try what we did. When I was in the office where the SAC said everyone had to wear jacket or suit and tie, one of the old hands organized a passive revolt. He went around to all of the agents and ordered that every Tuesday, everyone would wear kacki slacks, a blue shirt, a blue blazer and a red tie.

He called it blue blazer Tuesday and the peer pressure was be awful if you forgot to wear your required ensemble on Tuesdays. It used to lighten things up as you would walk around the office and see everyone dressed alike. One day it was hilarious.

We were working three Mexicans who had come in to town on a Monday night to make a large cocaine deal. There was so much activity that the office decided to assign two groups to conduct surveillance (about twenty agents) so that we could keep up with them as they all split up and met with customers and stuff.

The first day, Tuesday, the three Mexicans went into the small hotel bar where they were staying to order lunch. The case agent told everyone to go into the bar and order lunch where they could get a good up close look at the Mexicans so you would be able to pick them out later on surveillance.

When I walked into the bar, the entire bar was filled up with guys wearing the blue blazer uniform of the day. I sat down and everybody was kind of giggling because it looked so stupid. Then two guys, who didn't work for us and were part of some convention, I guess, came into the bar wearing our outfits with nametags on. Every agent in the bar started laughing out loud and it got contagious and the next thing you know, the Mexicans were laughing.

And then we were laughing more because we knew the Mexicans didn't even know what they were laughing at.

We finally all got out of there and the amazing thing was that we made the case, arrested the Mexicans and seized about $300,000, and they never had a clue they were being followed. Go figure.

Sometimes you just have to take lemons and make lemonade.

[MrMisterSU]

I guess the way I look at is like this... (a bit different then some of you all! :-) )

If you sign-up for a job, especially LE, and they require you to wear a specific uniform - you should wear.
Now forget that they wouldnt fit in with the holiday travelers, but how about being a little "lax" on the holidays? Now I know this might be a bad idea, since someone might "try something" on a holiday.. but I think by allowing the FAM's to wear what they deam is "appropriate yet comfortable" should be allowed on a day of national rest - and your in the air for hours upon hours on end. Hell, it might even help. If your more comfortable in your own clothes, if someone does "try something".. youll be able to move much better then in a suit! :-)

[Bodhi3047]

I'm in total agreement here, that the uniform code does endanger the Marshal, as well as being uncomfortable to wear on certain flights. It still is something that needs to be addressed though the proper channels. In the military you can request mast, is there any appeal process similiar to that in the FAM. You guys do such a good job keeping the civilian air travelers safe, you wouldn't think it would be such a tough decision for the brass.

As a civil protest, we should go on the 1800 news and ask civilian airtravelers to help protect our FAMs and wear a suit when traveling. With 50 other guys in suits, in silent support of the FAMs, I think that could make your working environment that much safer.

[rayve]

For them to have to abide by a dress code is as stupid as having them stand up and identify themselves before a flight.

:eek: :eek:

Is this really SOP for Air Marshals??? If so that is the most stupid thing I've heard in a while.

oops - just realized my sarcasm detector was turned off when I read the previous post....

[Mr.H]

WOW. I really don't get this at all. I mean, I can understand them not wanting you to walk on the plane looking like Sloth from The Goonies, but that is just nuts. At the very least, they should expand the dress code to allow less formal jackets.

I hope these guys who write the FAM dress code don't make their way to the military. Before you know it, we'd have snipers in orange hunting camo.
But seriously, I am really upset by this. Is there anything I can do to help change this, as a civilian?