Posted on Aug 29, 2014
SSG Robert Burns
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Is it time to just say the TSA is useless? Theft is just ONE of the many crimes they are arrested for on a regular basis. I personally had my Percocet stolen out of my checked bag once. They caught the guy on tape. Let's not even get into how much money is made from auctioning "confiscated" items.
Do we really need the TSA? Should National guard replace them? Seems like their title alone is the job description. ;-)
http://tsascandals.wordpress.com/
Edited >1 y ago
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Cpl Software Engineer
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When the TSA is frisking old ladies, babies in bassinets, and military service members and vets to prevent offending someone more likely to be a terrorist, then I have to say, they are just another PC bureaucracy run amok.
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SSgt Investigative Analyst
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I always have a real attitude problem when I go through those checkpoints. I'm very quick to show them my retired military ID when they ask for identification.
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MSgt Chris Adams
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1.) If security remains a federal function, TSA needs to be replaced by a function with standards and the ability to fire. Basically no public union holding up the firing or incarceration flow. 2.) Something I've said in the past but it has always been poo-pooed...federal employees should be bound by standards. The UCMJ has worked for years, make them accountable under the UCMJ, just with a different name so the naysayers don't get hung up on the "M". Call it the UCFEJ, "Federal Employee". 3.) The airports should be footing the bill of security, not taxpayers. Ever notice airport taxes never lowered after TSA took over security? What are the airports doing with those dollars?
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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Edited >1 y ago
I could think of a few thousand people about to be laid off that could class up the operation so we could get rid of the wanna-bees.

Its a government operation. Give it a few decades to break in and grow roots so then it will be impossible to get rid of.
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Over 400 TSA workers arrested for theft alone and not one terrorist caught. Should National Guard replace them?
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SGT Team Leader
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They do not necessarily replace the TSA with another agency, but holding people accountable and punishing those that do the crimes is what needs to happen. I have never understood why the federal government will let unions into it's work place for civilians, because they sure aren't going to let the ones of us in the military have a union to protect our work place rights.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LTC Paul Labrador
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Bingo. Or do a better screening of the candidates who you want to hire....
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Sgt Lucas Waldron
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"Theft would never happen in the National Guard!"  Is what this says to me.  Military members are NJP'd and sent to brig every day for theft.  Even in my own sacred Marine Corps.   
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PO1 Master-at-Arms
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Sgt, if it was just as easy as send national guard, no problem. Hate to see it from the politician's view, but the public wouldn't be too happy to see their presence at our airports. Events such as Ferguson, MO are evidence of such, where too much of a military force is present in relatively peaceful protests
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Sgt Lucas Waldron
Sgt Lucas Waldron
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Exactly talk about adding fuel to a fire. Lets deploy the military to search civilians? What happens when we start replacing state and local cops with the military?
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PO1 Master-at-Arms
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Then we'll just follow the footsteps of ISIS
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SFC Mark Merino
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Would that be a specialty MOS or OJT? I bet you could get a lot of support for this idea if it could be filled by volunteers from the Guard/Reserves. There would be less opposition if members who would be forced to take a pay cut didn't get forced to do it for long periods of time. You might be on to something here SSG Robert Burns
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MAJ Brigade Logistics Officer (S4)
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That's not something I'd considered, SFC Mark Merino, but it's probably a good idea. If we wanted to make it a specific MOS, I think that MP would be a natural fit. It might also reduce the tension created among the public if it were made clear that it was military POLICE guarding the airports, rather than some trigger-happy infantry goon (regardless of how well the infantry has done at this very job in the past, just talking perception here).

There probably aren't enough MPs to do the job right now, but I bet we could find a few thousand individuals that would be more than happy to reclass, rather than be booted from a shrinking military.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
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MAJ (Join to see) I hope that isn't how the public sees our infantry troops. On a hardship scale off 1-10 they are a 14. Personally, if I was in an airport where some nutcase was trying to raise hell with the U.S., I'd want as many grunts there as possible. You bring up a good point about public perception though.
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PO1 Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist
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Are there 58k MP's in the Guard? Since I'm Navy I don't have a clue.
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MAJ Brigade Logistics Officer (S4)
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There are MP units in the National Guard, but I don't know how many. We would definitely need more if this mission was turned over to the Guard, and restricted to MPs.
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CMSgt Senior Enlisted Leader
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I think that Jerry Seinfeld says it best. :)

https://youtu.be/2ZUt4p1TXHU
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PO1 Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist
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Edited >1 y ago
Interesting idea. Not realistic, but of interest. it's already confusing for the civilians when it comes to Title 32 vs Title 10 authorities, etc.

But...let's go there. Title 32 means the Governor foots the bill for all the airports / ports / etc in his/her state. Title 10 - means the DOD foots the bill. NOT seeing that go over well in Congress.

Another thought: People are human. If you believe that there won't be at least 400 soldiers tempted to steal from suitcases that they have absolute, unfettered access and control over - you're a fool. The more junior the soldier, the less they make, the more likely they will be tempted. Trust me, it'll be the junior soldier's job to do all the checking of bags, grunt work, etc - the senior NCO's and Officer's will be the faces.....and please don't tell me that you'll be able to maintain surveillance and control for extended periods. Soldiers are human. People have forgotten Red Cell ops and how easily they got where they were challenged to get into.....

As for how many terrorists have been caught...meh. It's sorta like the NSA or CIA...we never hear about the triumphs or the big wins....only their failures. Trust me, there have been terrorist acts prevented, terrorists captured - we just never hear about it.
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TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn
TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn
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Seriously?
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PO1 Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist
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You don't really believe that every terrorist is 140 feet tall and a certified genius with 9 PHD's in all sorts of esoteric subjects and trained as superanodized SEALS speaking 70 languages and all their dialects do you?
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CPT Jacob Swartout
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I see some changes coming in the near future for TSA. I think some of them do need to be fired for their actions. What else are they doing that we do not know of as of yet?
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MAJ Brigade Logistics Officer (S4)
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The 69th Infantry was tasked with guarding the major transportation systems (airports, trains, etc) in NYC following 9/11, and we did a very professional job of it. I say yes, get rid of TSA and replace them with military.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
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Yes they did. Thank you MAJ (Join to see)
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