4 ms·

"No security agency on earth has the experience and pattern-recognition skills of TSA officers" really? having watched three TSA officers debate for five minut

• read_wharf 15y ago
  The guy was sounding really credible and forthcoming until he made that claim. Although, if you read his claim with the right squint, maybe it's true: No security agency on earth is as bad as the TSA. And if they really are good, and unfairly painted, then they've got some serious "evidence of outstanding work" type of reputation building to do. They have their reputation for a reason.
  • kevinchen 15y ago
    He used to be the head of the TSA…at least he is being more realistic than we'd expect someone from the agency to be. He likely needs to balance expressing his opinions with not offending people at the TSA he is still connected with.
  • alttag 15y ago
    On reflection, as head of the TSA, I suspect that any time he visited an airport he worked with the best agents at each location, as local managers worked to impress when a higher-up came in. He got to regularly see the best. We get to see the average, and the blogosphere highlights the worst. Our perspectives are simply different.
• wdewind 15y ago
  Yeah that's really the killer line...last time I flew I remember seeing a large poster advertising TSA jobs and it said in big bold letters "College Degree Not Required!" As someone who does not have a college degree and full acknowledges you can be super smart without one...I was kind of bummed that the TSA so openly acknowledges that their market for job recruitment responds well to "College Degree Not Required!"
  • hyperbovine 15y ago
    Actually, I see this as a great illustration of how a college degree can often be superfluous. The skills of a TSA baggage screener can be learned in a matter of weeks. What good is four years spent reading Kant and exploring your bisexuality?
    • Drbble 15y ago
      It helps you get the most out of the patdowns.
• patio11 15y ago
  Allow the guy to be gentlemanly regarding the skill and dedication of his former employees, many of whom happen to be ex-military.
  • uptown 15y ago
    Or ex-pizza delivery customers: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/07/tsa_using_pizza_boxes_to_recru.html http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/07/tsa_usi...
    • Drbble 15y ago
      I had to go check that you actually meant customers and not drivers. Wow. Now you can get a real estate agent and a job with your pizza.
  • pbiggar 15y ago
    > many of whom happen to be ex-military. This seems somewhat irrelevant? I know we're always supposed to be "supporting the troops", but I think you're suggesting we should be supporting professions that they may later go into?
    • Drbble 15y ago
      It is just good sense to speak politely about a crew of thousands of people who have been specifically trained to kill without remorse.
      • tomflack 15y ago
        That's a terrible cop-out argument. If they're actually skilled - say so. If the bulk of the workforce isn't? Then saying so only hurts fixing the problem. If they're so unstable that being told they're not good at their job sends them in to a killing rage, they shouldn't have that job.
      • rmc 15y ago
        Oh please. Former military people aren't some inhuman robots who are going to kill you if you insult the military.
• arohner 15y ago
  He just said they're different not that they're the best
• alan_cx 15y ago
  I wonder who has the best pattern-disruption skills in the world?