September 27, 2005 http://counterterror.typepad.com/the_counterterrorism_blog/2005/09/a_new_ts a_progr.html#more
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has just issued new regulations allowing limited general aviation (GA) flight traffic in and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, DC. The new rules should become effective and operational by the end of the year. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, general aviation flights have been restricted from DCA due to the special security concerns around the Nation¹s capital. The new TSA regulations require all such GA flights to have on board what will be called an Armed Security Officer (ASO). Uniquely, ASO personnel will not be Federal Air Marshals, but will be private security officers employed by either the general aviation air carrier or the Fixed Base Operator servicing one of the designated gateway airports allowed to fly GA flights into DCA. Essentially, these ASOs will be private Air Marshals. A review of the ASO program information, which is available on the TSA Web site at http://www.tsa.gov/public/, indicates this may be one of the potential success stories of the TSA. The qualification requirements for Armed Security Officers are substantial. Among others, they include the requirement that applicants be either active duty law enforcement officers, qualified retired law enforcement officers (retired in good standing) or former law enforcement officers who served at least four years and left under honorable conditions, completed a certified basic law enforcement training course, submit to and pass a TSA background/fingerprint check and FAA medical exam, and pass, at their own expense, a training course provided by the Federal Air Marshals Service. This will be a limited program employing well-screened, experienced and trained security personnel working aboard general aviation aircraft flying into and out of DCA. It should cost the taxpayers little, since application and training expenses are covered by the applicants and their general aviation employers. The ASO personnel will, in fact, be experienced law enforcement officers, even though they will be acting as private security officers in their ASO capacities. The positions are likely to attract many retired officers wanting to do the work on a part-time or temporary basis, or active duty officers working off-duty assignments. Either way, the ASO cadre should be a solid, competent group of professionals and not low-paid, low-skilled and quickly hired security guards with guns aboard the private airplanes. In this regard, the public should feel secure, and it appears TSA has worked this one correctly. You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
