Air Marshals missing from flights...CNN Article

[gt2008]

Folks, didn't see this on the forum yet. I was going through the channels and CNN was talking about air marshals. Thought I'd post the link to the article. If it's true then I wish they would call me for my interview!
cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/03/25/siu.air.marshals/index.html

[EndlessEcko]

That article was a joke. Not even worth discussing, in my opinion.

[gt2008]

Well, just thought I'd post it in case anyone was interested.

[intheaircop2]

Normaly CNN is on the mark but this time they are way off!

[Maverick24]

True, everyone at the office got a good laugh about this one today!

[SSA1811]

The CNN article which gt2008 is refering to is periodically updated:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/03/25...tml#cnnSTCText

And it will be interesting to see tonight's CNN "Exclusive", Anderson Cooper 360°, Tonight, 10 ET

You do not have to be a math major to do a simple calculation which presumably will not violate OPSEC. CNN states there are 28,000 commercial flights on an average day, and further states, "the agency tells its own agents that at least 5 percent of all flights are covered.". If we arbitrarily assume one FAM per flight, that would be 1400 FAM's flying daily.

If we consider that generally approximately 25% of the workforce is, at any given time, in training, on leave, or otherwise "off-line" (in this case not flying), this would mean TSA employs at least 1750 FAM's. Now if there were two or more FAM's per flight .......

Of course, if CNN is accurate, we have to also consider what TSA means when they say a flight is "covered". When I used to fly frequently, there were times I would be the only armed LEO on a flight, and there was one time I was one of over twenty armed LEO's including FAM's on that flight.


.

[Redman]

Even if the information that CNN posted was true (which I'm assuming is not based on the responses) why in the hell would they publish an article like this? Why would they think that this information should be made public? Unbelievable.

[Kimble]

Even if the information that CNN posted was true (which I'm assuming is not based on the responses) why in the hell would they publish an article like this? Why would they think that this information should be made public? Unbelievable.

Hate to break it to you, Redman, but CNN is a business, and news stories like this make money.

[Maverick24]

Saw the show last night. It was a very short segment, kind of a "non-story" IMO. Plus all their sources were pretty much offering just their opinions on flight coverage, not facts.

[LastChance36]

Typical CNN tabloid type journalism IMHO. Why didn't they focus on the problems by TSA screeners who are consistently missing weapons, prohibited items, and small South American armies in their work? If they do their job consistently, the chances a FAM of having to do something are drastically cut. Also, they failed to mention all the armed 1811's who fly on a daily basis to supplement the FAM's. Im sure that does alot to boost the ratio of armed fed's per plane. But who am I to say? I just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!!

[Don Nadie]

Even if the information that CNN posted was true (which I'm assuming is not based on the responses) why in the hell would they publish an article like this? Why would they think that this information should be made public? Unbelievable.

I HOPE the Tangos are watching CNN. I don't pray for a terrorist attack but if they are dumb enough to believe CNN and hop on a DC flight ..."well hello Tango. Have you met my buddy Sig? Here lemme help you with that whole martyr thing. Say hello to Satan for me.":D
Don
1 Hour Martyr Processing while-you-wait.

[EndlessEcko]

I HOPE the Tangos are watching CNN. I don't pray for a terrorist attack but if they are dumb enough to believe CNN and hop on a DC flight ..."well hello Tango. Have you met my buddy Sig? Here lemme help you with that whole martyr thing. Say hello to Satan for me.":D
Don
1 Hour Martyr Processing while-you-wait.

You got this one exactly right.

[intheaircop2]

I saw it too last night. I do not agree with the numbers, vegas at 47 FAMs. No way that number is even close.

[Hoss]

If they would hurry up and hire me (PTA 2 weeks ago) I would be more than happy to help up the numbers at the Vegas Office! :D

[BP348]

This is a bit off topic but is morale still bad with the FAM's?