Employee Stories
Work scene quite different these days for many TSA employees
April 29, 2020
COVID-19 swept through our country like a huge storm, and TSA quickly responded. While TSA’s mission to protect the nation’s transportation systems continues, agency leadership made a commitment to protect as many employees as…
‘Oh, that knife? It’s just holding my bag together’
April 24, 2020
Flight loads at airports across the country have dropped dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that’s not stopping TSA from
Making masks: TSA employees meet the need
April 24, 2020
Every hero needs a mask. We’re not talking about what we used to refer to as “superheroes,” we’re talking about today’s heroes: our local medical providers, nurses, doctors and first responders. These heroes need masks to protect…
Slam dunk! TSA employee honors nurses
April 23, 2020
You’ve probably heard the popular ad campaign “America Runs on Dunkin”. Well, during the COVID-19 pandemic, America has largely run on our frontline healthcare workers, and a TSA employee wanted to honor them. David Bruce from Boston’s…
Standing shoulder to shoulder – six feet apart – during COVID-19
April 23, 2020
These days, conversations don’t end with “have a great day,” but rather, “stay safe” and “we’re all in this together.” There are times during this pandemic when just saying these heartfelt and sincere expressions are enough. When more is needed,…
‘Working Lunch’ leaves lasting impression
April 20, 2020
Well-known American poet Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” A grateful passenger wrote to say TSA Officer…
Military personal effects find their way home. Semper Paratus!
April 16, 2020
Military pins and badges have become status symbols for military members, each telling a different story about the person who possesses them. So when Supervisory TSA Officer Ruben Idarraga went to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport…
Wisconsin TSA officers save life
April 14, 2020
Have you ever been told, “Cheer up; things could get worse?” So, you cheer up, but they still get worse? That may have been what TSA officers at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport thought when they were alerted to an…
Life in the Great White North during a pandemic
April 14, 2020
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of most Americans, it is not the first time Alaska has faced this type of challenge. During the 1918-19 Spanish flu that ravaged some villages in The Bush and the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome…
What People Are Saying About TSA March 18, 2020
March 18, 2020
Morrisville, North Carolina A North Carolina passenger recently said, “The officer who assisted us was the most caring individual. She explained everything wonderfully and kept us both informed every step along the way. She made everything…
TSA, Transport Canada partner to protect rail lines
March 12, 2020
TSA is teaming up with our neighbors to the north to protect the passenger and freight rail systems. Several TSA and DHS representatives hosted a delegation from Transport Canada who traveled to the U.S. capital region. The meetings, which…
Holy Smoke! Indianapolis TSA officers respond to fiery situation
March 11, 2020
TSA officers at Indianapolis International Airport were shocked when they noticed flames billowing from the belt just outside a bag room. Turned out that a passenger’s…
Sniffing Out Danger
March 10, 2020
What’s your reaction when you detect the tantalizing aroma of popcorn at the movie theater or the first, sweet whiff of early morning coffee? How do your senses respond when you realize you smell gas or smoke indoors? Odors produce strong…
Newark TSA officer wins Outstanding Federal Employee Award
March 9, 2020
As a TSA officer, Luisito Isip of New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport makes sure passengers and their bags are properly screened for prohibited items such as firearms, weapons, and explosive devices. But in addition to performing…
What People Are Saying About TSA
March 6, 2020
Phoenix A Phoenix passenger talks about losing her ID while on a business trip far from home and expressed her deep gratitude for an officer’s professionalism and courtesy. “[The officer] made what I thought would be…
Long-time Orlando TSA officer coaches kids, cultivates compassion
March 6, 2020
In 2002, when TSA hired its first airport screeners, Clairmont ‘Monty’ Ashby joined the new agency’s frontlines to protect air travelers. But the long-time TSA officer has another important calling – to serve as a positive role model for our…
Kudos Across America – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
March 5, 2020
Supervisory TSA Officer Charlene Branford exhibited exceptional customer service skills while interacting with a passenger who was experiencing an anxiety attack. Sitting beside the passenger, (on the floor) and speaking softly, she…
Phoenix TSA officers in TV commercial to promote REAL ID
March 4, 2020
TSA is focused on publicizing the need for the public to get REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or ID cards this year. These efforts entered unchartered territory when six TSA officers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)…
Hunting, fishing connect Boise TSA officer, disabled veterans
February 28, 2020
For all of his adult life, Boise, Idaho’s Carlos Valadez has served our military. For 13 years, Valadez was in the U.S. Marine Corps, which included voluntary deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and now he’s with the Air National Guard at Boise’…
Alert Ohio officer “went well above the call of duty”
February 27, 2020
All too often the media puts the TSA or police on blast for some minor indiscretion, but rarely ever do they recognize the many incredible stories of [officers] going above and beyond the call of duty. At John Glenn International Airport, Ohio in…