Air Marshall Dress Code Abolished

[JimNtexas]

In a surprising development, someone in the TSA actually listened to the working air marshalls about their "kill me first" dress code.

Effective September 1st, the following changes will be formalized through policy, directive, or interim guidance:
The Standards of Dress Policy will be amended to allow you to dress at your discretion, recognizing that the manner of dress should allow you to blend in and not direct attention to yourself, as well as be sufficiently functional to enable you to conduct your law enforcement responsibilities, and effectively conceal your duty equipment.

http://abcnews.go.com/images/WNT/fams_memo_policy_changes.pdf

 

[FN FAL]

I knew I should have bought stock in Abercrombie and Fitch.

 

[Fugawe]

We see FAMs all the time. They haven't dressed in suits for a loooong time. Most blend in well now, very casual, as it should be. No more polyester geek-boys.

Most seem like great guys, espec the ex-seals, ex-rangers, ex-green berets, etc. Some rolled in from the civilian world when the FAM program grew rapidly -- they're a scary bunch (some are). Barney's who hang around in the galleys hittin' on the FAs.

Glad to have them all though. Any deterrence/protection is good.

This must just be the 'official' release re: clothing.


Fugawe

 

[psysicx]

So what is it like to be an Air Marshall? I know that things were pretty bad for awhile. Now they dress like they want and pick what hotels they stay at.

 

[Fugawe]

So what is it like to be an Air Marshall? I know that things were pretty bad for awhile. Now they dress like they want and pick what hotels they stay at.

Couldn't imagine a more boring job -- deadheading between layovers as a job.

Probably slightly better than being a flt attendant, and certainly the pay is better. Watch the retention rate, that'll tell you what it's really like.


Fugawe

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Couldn't imagine a more boring job -- deadheading between layovers as a job.

so how's that any different than what we do? ride on an airplane in between layovers.
At least we have a better view

 

[Fugawe]

so how's that any different than what we do? ride on an airplane in between layovers.

At least we have a better view

PLease tell me you think a little more of your job than that.............

 

[propsarebest]

No matter HOW they dress, you can still pick them out of the crowd by their porn star mustaches.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

so how's that any different than what we do? ride on an airplane in between layovers.
At least we have a better view

I believe we have more leg room up front. On the downside though, when you fart, it's pretty obvious who did it. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

PLease tell me you think a little more of your job than that.............

Oh I love my job, don't you worry about that.
But come on, be honest with yourself; you have to see our profession for what it really is.
Monotonous cruising between the same cities is still boring. Sure, we flip some switches, talk on the radio and tell the passengers how much we appreciate them.

 

[Fugawe]

Oh I love my job, don't you worry about that.

But come on, be honest with yourself; you have to see our profession for what it really is.
Monotonous cruising between the same cities is still boring. Sure, we flip some switches, talk on the radio and tell the passengers how much we appreciate them.

You'll be paid like a bus driver if you think like a bus driver. Mgmt loves this kind of talk, ie, your comment, ''see our profession for what it really is".

Perhaps you'd summarize a Dr as boring hours of consults and chart filling, or a lawyer as monotonous hours of research. A real estate tycoon -- boring job of deal making, leveraging, and research.

All jobs have their boring moments, if not mostly 'boring'. If you're in a job and paid for what you 'do', you probably have your first name on your shirt. If you're highly skilled and/or a professional, you're generally paid for what you know.

Hopefully you 'know' how to handle engine failures. You 'know' how to handle bad weather. You 'know' how to judge a plane not safe to fly. You 'know' hundreds of things a non-pilot knows. You're not paid for sitting on your butt in cruise -- you'd not be hired if that's all you were capable of.

If you're just a switch-flipper, I don't want my family flying with you.

I don't think that's what you're really saying, but there's danger in continually trivializing a 'job' that can instantly go from boring to deadly if not handled correctly. The first danger is it breeds complacency. The 2nd danger is that mgmt views you as a bus driver, and pays/treats you accordingly. Sure, you can leave, but eventually the sky will be filled with bus drivers.......then you, your family, kids, etc will have only bus drivers flying you around. Sadly, many pilots are buying into this and view themselves as just bus drivers.

I personally think we're headed this way. Military trained pilots aren't opting for airlnes largely. Many new-hires have very low experience levels. Experienced pilots are leaving flying jobs (my airline is a good example of this). We have over 2500 on furlough, most of the furloughed are doing something else now, many in non-flying jobs, and plan not to return. Many experienced guys/gals are retiring early -- some to non-sched flying, most to non-flying jobs.

The 'dumbing down' of the profession, and continual loss of pay/benefits/retirement, coupled with quality of life issues is driving most away.

If you want to be treated like a switch-flippin' pilot/monkey that has no valuable skills, then show that persona and attitude to mgmt, pax, and FAs. Then try to negotiate pay and benefit raises, citing all your experience and training.....you'll be laughed at.


Fugawe

 

[ChimneyFish]

Do you mean Air Marshal?

 

[Metro752]

I don't think there ever was a FAM dress code.