Disgruntled sky cops: On Wednesday, a House committee released a report about how federal air marshals say their jobs could be improved. One recommendation was to end the requirement that has marshals board with the airline flight crew instead of boarding with passengers.
“We need to be more secretive and blend in more,” said one air marshal, whose name was redacted in the Judiciary Committee report.
Marshals have to identify themselves to up to 10 airline employees on a flight, which could pose a security risk, the marshal said. “Many of these employees are not discreet and state out loud what we do,” the comment, dated Aug. 28, 2002, stated.
Maybe if they took off the 10-gallon hats, chaps and spurs they might blend in a little better.
Marshals also cited health issues and fatigue — hey, that just goes with air travel nowadays. “Sinus and ear problems are becoming a major concern,” the summary stated, citing headaches, vertigo, nausea, joint pain and muscle cramps as recurrent problems, which is an accurate description of what most airline passengers traveling in coach experience on flights of greater than two hours’ duration.
Great — our last line of defense against airline terrorists are marshals suffering from sinus infections, vertigo, nausea and cramps whose cover was blown by Bambi the flight attendant. The vaunted Transportation Safety Administration rides again!
