My wife had a pretty good idea yesterday...

[Articulate_Ape]

...and, no, it didn't involve having me put down, Rock.

She flies a lot more than I do because of her job; less these days than she used to, but she flew out on business yesterday. While I was driving her to the airport she went on a rant about the dregs of the human gene pool who somehow managed to work as TSA "officers", many of whom are running around with schmates on their heads (a sore point to her, given she damn near lost a sister on 9/11). However, that's not really what the point of this is. It's more about the mostly mediocre quality of employees that make up the TSA personnel at so many of our airports. I have seen it myself and it pisses me off.

Anyway, she asked, why the hell, with all the highly trained and disciplined military men and women who are returning from deployment in Iraq/Afghanistan (or elsewhere for that matter) and are seeking employment after serving, the intrepid TSA isn't giving these individuals these jobs. I had never even thought about it, but it struck me as pure genius. If we have to have a TSA, I, like most Americans, would much rather have well-trained (and savvy) military vets being TSA Officers than the glorified security guards, Walmart greeters, and convenience store clerks we have to deal with now.

Our returning vets need jobs and this is one place where I would support affirmative action, not in the PC sense, but because I can't think of anyone a) who would be better qualified; and b) have earned it more.

What are your thoughts? I would especially like to hear from the military active-duty and vets here, but everyone please chime in. Is this a job you think vets would want to do after serving, or would they just as soon not?

[Apache]

...and, no, it didn't involve having me put down, Rock.

She flies a lot more than I do because of her job; less these days than she used to, but she flew out on business yesterday. While I was driving her to the airport she went on a rant about the dregs of the human gene pool who somehow managed to work as TSA "officers", many of whom are running around with schmates on their heads (a sore point to her, given she damn near lost a sister on 9/11). However, that's not really what the point of this is. It's more about the mostly mediocre quality of employees that make up the TSA personnel at so many of our airports. I have seen it myself and it pisses me off.

Anyway, she asked, why the hell, with all the highly trained and disciplined military men and women who are returning from deployment in Iraq/Afghanistan (or elsewhere for that matter) and are seeking employment after serving, the intrepid TSA isn't giving these individuals these jobs. I had never even thought about it, but it struck me as pure genius. If we have to have a TSA, I, like most Americans, would much rather have well-trained (and savvy) military vets being TSA Officers than the glorified security guards, Walmart greeters, and convenience store clerks we have to deal with now.

Our returning vets need jobs and this is one place where I would support affirmative action, not in the PC sense, but because I can't think of anyone a) who would be better qualified; and b) have earned it more.

What are your thoughts? I would especially like to hear from the military active-duty and vets here, but everyone please chime in. Is this a job you think vets would want to do after serving, or would they just as soon not?

couple of things there ape... YOU'RE MARRIED!?!?

why would you saddle our returning vets with such a lack luster job? TSA requires inhale/exhale, that's it....
keeping the dregs employed keeps them off the streets.

if our government would kindly get out of the way, we could easily get the employment rate where it should be.

[Articulate_Ape]

couple of things there ape... YOU'RE MARRIED!?!?

Yes. Sorry to disappoint the ladies here.

why would you saddle our returning vets with such a lack luster job? TSA requires inhale/exhale, that's it....
keeping the dregs employed keeps them off the streets.

It is lackluster for the very reasons you suggest, and thus ineffective. That's is, after all, my point, no? But I'm listening.

if our government would kindly get out of the way, we could easily get the employment rate where it should be.

Of course, and I agree.

[Rockntractor]

Who listens to their wives, I mean what they are actually saying?

[Articulate_Ape]

Who actually listens to their wives, I mean what they are actually saying?

Yours kept screaming my name as I recall.

[Articulate_Ape]

Now, where were we...?

[SaintLouieWoman]

Now, where were we...?

We were saying how wise your wife is----she has an excellent idea. Because of my knee surgery, every time I'm going through security I know that I'll be subject to one of their inspections. Some of them couldn't even be a Wal-Mart greeter.

It would at least be a job to get some of the vets back into civilian life. They could use it as a steppingstone to something better, and in the meantime the flying public would be more secure.

[Apache]

It is lackluster for the very reasons you suggest, and thus ineffective. That's is, after all, my point, no? But I'm listening.

the TSA is a governmental agency, and thus ineffective. airport security was in no way breached on 9/11, and bush overreacted with the formation of the TSA. my point though, is this, why would a dumbass tanker, a djones,a txradioguy, an ody leave the military to do...
NOTHING? now if airport security were returned to private hands, that would be different. but to fall back and rely on an inept bureaucracy that will molest toddlers and the elderly is way beneath our returning vets... IMHO

[Janice]

You know returning veterans might wanna take their job seriously. That is ... w/o being manipulated for the sake of some leftist clowns ideological utopian dreams. They might take exception to some of the hair brain ideas. And they might actually give a crap about the diff between profiling for terrorists and just treating every American equally like the shit end of a stick. Like what our CIC and the First Wookie marxist appear to be.

[Janice]

now if airport security were returned to private hands, that would be different. but to fall back and rely on an inept bureaucracy that will molest toddlers and the elderly is way beneath our reurning vets... IMHO

Yup. Thats my thinking too.

Gee... you guys make 4 posts before I can make 1 reply.