Andrew
What is daily life for working Federal Air Marshal ?
What do Federal Air Marshal do everyday? do they tend working with FBI or DHS for collecting the information? or They just get in airplane and just stare at people try to catch them? Also, ( I not try to get you to dig deeper about Air Marshal that can be helpful for terrorists), Do you/your department focus on specific airplane like international plane etc. #career #airplane #aviation# federal #law-enforcement
2 answers
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
Hi Andrew!
I was not a FAM (Federal Air Marshall) but, I was an Airport Police Officer, and did interact with FAMs on occasion. I honestly don't know what they do all the time, but did not want your question to go unanswered.
So, yes, without divulging trade secrets, you are correct. They have to target certain flights, because there are a lot more flights than there are FAMs. The reasons for targeting can vary. It can have to do with who is on the flight - people with connections to bad people, or, perhaps high profile figures - corporate executives, etc. Points of origin and destination also figure into it.
FAMs have to be polite, as they must coordinate with the flight crew to get the seats of their choice. I personally don't think flying around all day can be that easy. Remember, they have to stay awake and alert, without blowing their cover. Boredom is hard to fight! They also have to have a lot of self-restraint, in that they need to let the crew handle "disturbances" rather than jumping up right away to help out. The crew is trained to handle many things! And, they need to be a good shot.
I think it's a cool way to get to travel, so, if it interests you, I encourage you to look into it!
Doc Frick
Doc’s Answer
Federal Air Marshals help keep the skies safe by protecting passengers and crew of commercial flights from hostile acts and attacks. They work for the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Federal Air Marshals work together with other local and federal law enforcement agencies to maximize security, and they even assist in the security of other transportation methods, such as passenger trains and other mass transit systems during times of heightened security. Air marshals perform the majority of their work undercover. In fact, the chances are good that if you have been on a flight in recent years, there may have been an Air Marshal on board that you never knew about.
A FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS DURIES & RESPONSIBILITIES ARE:
√ Detect, deter and defeat hostile acts against aviation;
√ Sit aboard random flights to monitor passengers for potential threats and take enforcement action when necessary;
√ Protect passengers and crew of commercial flight;
√ Participate in multi-agency task forces; and
√ Participate in in land-based investigative assignments to proactively fight terrorism.
FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS EDUCATION, TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
It takes effort and dedication to become a Federal Air Marshal, and the TSA hires only the most qualified individuals for the job. To apply to be an Air Marshal, you must be between the ages of 21 and 37 years old and have a minimum of three years of relevant work experience or a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:
√ Physical Strength & Agility – Federal Air Marshals must be able to quickly take action to deter safety threat;
√ Communication Skills – Effectively relay information involving a potential threatening situations and explain findings to investigations;
√ Discretion: Air marshals perform the majority of their work undercover and must be careful not to give away their position; and
√ Critical-Thinking Skills: Air marshals must be able to think critically and independently to respond effectively and quickly to a variety of security-related situations.
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