The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began its organized reporting of firearms in 2006, a year in which the agency’s front line Transportation Security Officers (TSO) seized 660 guns at checkpoints. Here we are in 2015, with a look back at 2014’s numbers, where TSA TSOs seized 2,212 firearms passengers attempted to bring on board aircraft…

Fences, concrete barriers and checkpoints surround airports, seaport docks and access points to railroad yards.   Securing mass transit and cargo shipping falls to multiple agencies … but gaps still exist. The far and distant corners of some airports have crumbling fences, or no fencing along waterways. Nearly all commercial and passenger seaports are vulnerable from…

This afternoon, after a few conversations with various people at a Federal Security Agency and Multi-State Jurisdiction Law Enforcement Agency, I became aware of an interesting, but misguided, story that is soon to be published by Philip Messing of the New York Post.   Rather than wait for the New York Post story to be published…

The 31st of December 2014 was the last day the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had a leader, as Administrator John Pistole stepped down from his role to become the President of Anderson University, where he had attended college.   The White House and the Department of Homeland Security have known the TSA would need a…

2014 was a brutal year on many fronts.  Yes, traditionally people kick off the New Year on an up beat and happy note … and I’ll get there … but it was a brutal year. For those looking backwards through rose coloured glasses, I am not. In the aviation world we had a number of…

It has been reported in the past few days that the United States Customs & Border Protection (CBP) is working with San Antonio based Angel Staffing, a company that provides staffing services during disasters and public health crises to government agencies, to hire National Registry Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics (EMT-P) to help…

This past Friday, the 17th of October 2014, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implemented directive MD 100.5 in response to the Ebola fears spreading throughout the United States.   MD 100.5, the Do Not Board Due To Threat To Public Health directive is not a new directive, former TSA Administrator Kip Hawley originally implemented it on…

A constant question during the #SkyTeamRTW journey was enquiring how I was editing my photos for real time social media publishing.   As the round the world social media campaign was created by, and undertaken by, a long time professional news photographer (namely Me) , the logical answer would have been Photo Mechanic to sort and…

Choosing what stays with us as we travel has changed.  You used to keep a wallet in your pocket, maybe a notepad and a pen, and you were off. If you were so inclined, you tossed a camera on your shoulder.  The nature of travel has remained the same, but what comes with us has…

Trying to work during a project that at times has you off and running looking for content in not just two different cities a day, but two countries in two separate time zones a day, creates many logistics challenges. Everything must be fluid and you need to handle whatever is presented to you. Delayed flights,…