A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) internal only job announcement will likely lower the quality of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) by allowing all TSA employees, such as screeners and administrative personnel, to become air marshals. Currently, most air marshals that were originally hired are experienced law enforcement professionals. Screeners and administrative personnel rarely have any prior law enforcement experience.
By opening air marshal positions to TSA employees, TSA hopes to fill the ever-larger holes in its coverage of flights, since air marshals have been leaving FAMS in droves due to allegedly poor management and very low morale.
According to one Las Vegas-based air marshal, "At this point TSA/FAMS is just looking for as many warm bodies as they can find to hurriedly fill in the hemorrhaging losses we are currently experiencing...The only FAMs that are going to be left are former screeners and admin personnel... with guns on planes...and zero former law enforcement experience."
-----Original Message-----
From: Assistant Director, Office of Mission Support
Sent: Thu 12-Jan-06 13:44
Subject: Internal Vacancy Announcement for FAM Position
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is providing all TSA employees an internal merit promotion opportunity to apply for entry level Federal Air Marshal (FAM) positions. Concurrent with the vacancy announcement now open to all U.S. citizens, vacancy announcement number FAMS-FLD-06-0031 opens today, on an open continuous basis, for application by TSA employees.
All permanent TSA employees, including FAMS employees, are eligible to apply for consideration under this internal announcement. While the same qualifications and position requirements apply to both the external and internal vacancy announcements, TSA/FAMS employees who apply under the internal announcement will be processed under separate internal assessment and referral lists, potentially expediting the application process. Employee who are selected under the internal announcement and who already possess a Top Secret Security clearance will not undergo the background investigation process required of other applicants.
The internal vacancy announcement can be accessed via the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) web site at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ or by clicking on this link:
Interested applicants may apply on line for this position by clicking here: https://www.avuecentral.com/casting/central/control/redirectApply;jsessionid=0a010037ce6f2e9f5d221d44b8a9547ee823fca8d22.e34LcheKbN8NaO0LaNmOc3iNb30Le6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy
Questions regarding the FAM position may be directed to the FAMS Human Resources Division in Mays Landing, NJ by dialing (609) 909-5700. Technical assistance for the on-line application process can be requested by dialing 253-573-1877, extension 209.
I was wondering, I am 20yrs old and I want my career to be an Air Marshal. I am currently in the ARNG as a Military Police Officer. I was hoping that I can use my experience and knowledge to get a few steps closer to becoming an Air Marshal. Do you think that my experience, considering my age that I am a well-qualified canidate?
Posted by: Sara Wilson "Ramon" | Jan 25, 2009 at 04:11 PM