Fat air marshals

I pretty much agree with all that he has written. It's a very high turnover rate and high burn-out rate. Most of these guys are actually just using the position as a spring-board into other Federal Law Enforcement jobs. Can't say as I blame them. They really need to tie them in with the same standards as the pilots insofar as rest goes. That would certainly help to lower the turnover rate and improve the quality of life for these guys.
 
No surprises here.

Did give me something to do if I bother to fly commercially though... Look for the guy trying real hard to stay awake...

Kinda like the "Spot the Fed" game at DEFCON.
 
Not just air Marshall's. When you see some calamity on television, many of the responding police are so fat they can hardly walk. What gives? Isn't there a certain performance standard?
 
I think organizations are struggling to balance performance requirements against the current sue-happy everything is discrimination environment we have these days. Sometimes they don't do a very good job.
 
denverpilot said:
...Did give me something to do if I bother to fly commercially though... Look for the guy trying real hard to stay awake...

Kinda like the "Spot the Fed" game at DEFCON.
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How hard is is it to spot the guys in navy sport coats and ties who board early and bypass the security screening?
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Not just air Marshall's. When you see some calamity on television, many of the responding police are so fat they can hardly walk. What gives? Isn't there a certain performance standard?
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The police union will protect their rank and file..... Once a cop gets past basic training and the initial job, then they are in for life, regardless of their attitude, weight or any other termination hurdles the private sector faces daily in the real world....:mad2::mad2::mad2:.....:mad:.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Not just air Marshall's. When you see some calamity on television, many of the responding police are so fat they can hardly walk. What gives? Isn't there a certain performance standard?
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The one that pulled me over last year was winded from walking from his squad car.
 
"We don't get fitness training?"

How hard is it to go to the gym 3x a week and eat well? Does everyone need to be mollycoddled today?
 
mikea said:
How hard is is it to spot the guys in navy sport coats and ties who board early and bypass the security screening?
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The terrorists could throw some donuts down the aisle and see who chases after them to single out the FAMs
 
comanchepilot said:
"We don't get fitness training?"

How hard is it to go to the gym 3x a week and eat well? Does everyone need to be mollycoddled today?
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No, but every organization is going to have 'those guys'. The Romans had the same problem. Why do you think it's unique?
 
Captain said:
No, but every organization is going to have 'those guys'. The Romans had the same problem. Why do you think it's unique?
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Things have changed since the Romans. Things like stress tests, heart specialists, diet knowledge, on and on. If they refuse to take care of themselves, there should be penalty.
 
Maybe it's a disguise.

I once boarded a flight behind a guy who was very fit, military style haircut and a bulge around one ankle that didn't seem to change when he walked forward. Could have been an ankle wallet, I guess, but then, maybe not. Could have been a frequent flyer...seemed to know the gate people. I have absolutely no proof it was an air marshal, but if I had to pick one passenger from that flight it would be him.

The fat guy conforming to seats 22A-B? Not so much. :)
 
As a 25+ year law enforcement officer, I echo the above comments. There is no excuse for fat cops. I, like most old timers, have had plenty of injuries that keep me from being what I once was. Still, if you're walkin' and talkin', you can stay in shape. I am lucky to work in an area, and for an agency, that is very fitness-oriented. I wouldn't to have to work with some of those blimps who can't get out of their own way.
 
Mistake Not... said:
Maybe it's a disguise.

I once boarded a flight behind a guy who was very fit, military style haircut and a bulge around one ankle that didn't seem to change when he walked forward. Could have been an ankle wallet, I guess, but then, maybe not. Could have been a frequent flyer...seemed to know the gate people. I have absolutely no proof it was an air marshal, but if I had to pick one passenger from that flight it would be him.

The fat guy conforming to seats 22A-B? Not so much. :)
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All federal LEOs typically fly armed, usually by agency policy if they are flying on official duties. I would be willing to bet there are more non-FAM LEOs flying than FAMs on domestic flights daily.

Ankle holsters are pretty much a tactical fail these days. Only Miami Vice goons would think this was an appropriate carry option for any gun. IWB is very much the norm for concealed carry.

I am good friends with a FAM and he reflects some accuracy in that article. He hates it, but the money is pretty hard to walk away from. He gained 40 pounds in about two years but does work out every week. It's just a horribly sedentary job and his family life took a dive because he was a hotel jockey all the time.

He was about to just up and quit, but at the last second they finally gave him a transfer to his home town and he took it. Otherwise, he'd be in the food stamp line I believe. He hates it that bad. With the government hiring, or lack thereof, even getting in to a new agency can be difficult.
 
Unit74 said:
All federal LEOs typically fly armed, usually by agency policy if they are flying on official duties. I would be willing to bet there are more non-FAM LEOs flying than FAMs on domestic flights daily.

Ankle holsters are pretty much a tactical fail these days. Only Miami Vice goons would think this was an appropriate carry option for any gun. IWB is very much the norm for concealed carry.

I am good friends with a FAM and he reflects some accuracy in that article. He hates it, but the money is pretty hard to walk away from. He gained 40 pounds in about two years but does work out every week. It's just a horribly sedentary job and his family life took a dive because he was a hotel jockey all the time.

He was about to just up and quit, but at the last second they finally gave him a transfer to his home town and he took it. Otherwise, he'd be in the food stamp line I believe. He hates it that bad. With the government hiring, or lack thereof, even getting in to a new agency can be difficult.
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You will never know when I'm flying if I'm armed or not. I've been told by the flight crew (who play guess the fed when they find out we will be on board) that the only way they picked me out was the way I was standing and looking at the crowd waiting to board. I've been on trips wearing shorts and flip-flops, with 2 guns and a knife on me in my carry-on. I did find an ankle holster was ok for flying. You just have to get the right one and be careful of what you are wearing, but I don't even know where mine is anymore. But with my IWC, you will never know I'm armed. As with the fitness standards, we have to take a test in my agency twice a year. The only pass/fail was in the academy. Now it is just participation. They are testing out newer standards because surprise, surprise there are a few lawsuits in the system agianst the standards (some I agree with, some I don't). And for the record, I'm one of my office's Fitness Coordinators in charge of the program. I can't run as fast or lift as much weight as the young guys, but I've been in more fights and know more dirty tricks to win then they do.
 
JB1842 said:
You will never know when I'm flying if I'm armed or not. I've been told by the flight crew (who play guess the fed when they find out we will be on board) that the only way they picked me out was the way I was standing and looking at the crowd waiting to board. I've been on trips wearing shorts and flip-flops, with 2 guns and a knife on me in my carry-on. I did find an ankle holster was ok for flying. You just have to get the right one and be careful of what you are wearing, but I don't even know where mine is anymore. But with my IWC, you will never know I'm armed. As with the fitness standards, we have to take a test in my agency twice a year. The only pass/fail was in the academy. Now it is just participation. They are testing out newer standards because surprise, surprise there are a few lawsuits in the system agianst the standards (some I agree with, some I don't). And for the record, I'm one of my office's Fitness Coordinators in charge of the program. I can't run as fast or lift as much weight as the young guys, but I've been in more fights and know more dirty tricks to win then they do.
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Heh. Good stuff.

The best would be to grow some dreadlocks and never bathe. You'd never be made ever that way. ;)
 
Regular and prolonged wearing of an ankle holster over a long period of time can actually cause foot problems. Ankle holsters were pretty popular for off duty carry amongst my peers back in the 70s and 1980s when I was young cop. Then guys started to see they were beginning to have foot problems, so a lot of us, myself included, discontinued the practice. When I retired, I tried the ankle holster carry method again. After about a year of fairly regular ankle holster wear, my foot started to feel "funny", a little bit sore sometimes, not really a big deal, but I knew it wasn't quite right either. It actually took about three months for my foot to get back to feeling normal, after I stop the ankle holster wear. Since then, no more ankle holster for me, it's back to IWB carry, and my foot feels fine.

To get back to the FAM topic from this little bit of thread drift...... TSA actually has some law enforcement agent positions. These guys do stuff on the ground, not FAM duties. But I was wondering, for those who may have knowledge on this topic, are these guys former FAM's, now doing these jobs? Or is it a completely separate assignment and Federal LEO position?
 
mswmsw said:
Regular and prolonged wearing of an ankle holster over a long period of time can actually cause foot problems. Ankle holsters were pretty popular for off duty carry amongst my peers back in the 70s and 1980s when I was young cop. Then guys started to see they were beginning to have foot problems, so a lot of us, myself included, discontinued the practice. When I retired, I tried the ankle holster carry method again. After about a year of fairly regular ankle holster wear, my foot started to feel "funny", a little bit sore sometimes, not really a big deal, but I knew it wasn't quite right either. It actually took about three months for my foot to get back to feeling normal, after I stop the ankle holster wear. Since then, no more ankle holster for me, it's back to IWB carry, and my foot feels fine.

To get back to the FAM topic from this little bit of thread drift...... TSA actually has some law enforcement agent positions. These guys do stuff on the ground, not FAM duties. But I was wondering, for those who may have knowledge on this topic, are these guys former FAM's, now doing these jobs? Or is it a completely separate assignment and Federal LEO position?
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I would assume that these are seperate jobs and get filled in the regular way of applying for it and competing like others. Probably like the Secret Service, if you are uniformed and want to go Agent, you have to apply for it like anybody else, it's not a feeder job. Probably helps that you are former FAM, having the clearance and job experience, but no guarantees.
 
comanchepilot said:
"We don't get fitness training?"

How hard is it to go to the gym 3x a week and eat well? Does everyone need to be mollycoddled today?
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Yes.

Your Government loves you.
 
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