The Executive Director of the Federal Air Marshal Association, Bob Flamm, calls for the immediate investigation and dismissal of the Federal Air Marshal Service director, Thomas Quinn. The call for the Directors removal comes after the unacceptable suspension on October 14, 2004 of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association's (FLEOA) Federal Air Marshal Agency President, Frank Terreri.
(PRWEB) October 27, 2004 -- The Executive Director of the Federal Air Marshal Association, Bob Flamm, calls for the immediate dismissal of the Federal Air Marshal Service director, Thomas Quinn. The call for the Directors removal comes after the unacceptable suspension on October 14, 2004 of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association's (FLEOA) Federal Air Marshal Agency President, Frank Terreri.
This matter really needs to be looked into by the House Judiciary Committee and investigated thoroughly. All parties to this obvious act of retaliation should be brought to justice", said Flamm. This would only make sense since the House Judiciary Committee is already conducting an extensive oversight investigation into Director Quinn"
For the agency to deny Mr. Terreri's suspension was not based upon retribution is beyond belief!" Flamm said. FAMS management has indicated that an e-mail sent by Mr. Terreri, in his capacity as FLEOA FAMS President in response to being apprised of an article characterizing a day in the life of "FAM Becky" in People magazine, created an environment that was hostile to FAM Becky as she has "received harassing phone call and e-mails..."
What is notable about this assertion is the fact that Mr. Terreri, in the e-mail, does not call for any adverse action against FAM Becky or indicate that he will take any action himself other than "...be on the lookout for her in one of our friendly airports, probably as she is entering the restroom to ensure her...weapon is concealed." Flamm added.
FAM Becky, apparently with the full approval of FAMS management, provides a number of extremely sensitive details regarding frontline tactics and procedures.
According to Board members of FAMA, "This sensitive information is interspersed among a number of professionally questionable quotes, also attributed to FAM Becky, including calling herself "Psychotically patriotic" and "shouting out commands..." to herself while driving to work while acknowledging that other commuters "...must think I'm crazy."
The fact that the People article provides enough detail for anyone within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to know exactly where FAM Becky is assigned, and Mr. Terreri's e-mail provides absolutely no such information, should immediately impart to everyone that FAM Becky's current "hostile work environment" was predicated not by Mr. Terreri but rather by the FAMS' endorsement of the People magazine article.
To date, the retaliatory environment that rewards blind obedience, sycophancy, cronyism, nepotism, and rampant mismanagement has not been seriously or effectively addressed by FAMS, ICE, or DHS. The irony that FAMS management suspended Mr. Terreri for creating a hostile work environment when in fact FAMS management under Mr. Quinn's controversial leadership has in fact perpetrated a hostile work environment since the inception of FAMS
The reality is the majority of these managers have no experience in post 9/11 air marshaling, nor are they qualified as air marshals, which further obstructs any meaningful communication regarding safety and security issues of the working environment. In fact many first line supervisors and middle managers privately agree, and are also frustrated, that the current situation is untenable and counterproductive to mission effectiveness. The managers claim that they will not "officially" speak out, as they are well aware of the retaliatory environment in which they are forced to work", said Flamm.
The public and congress should know, in order to put the action against Mr. Terreri in proper perspective, that the Federal Air Marshal Association (FAMA) and FLEOA together share the professional perspective of thousands of working federal agents, including more than 1,400 frontline air marshals, whose primary goal is the protection of our country and citizens.
As such, FAMA calls for the immediate dismissal of Mr. Quinn and any other official involved with Mr. Terreri's suspension for cause and joins with FLEOA and other representative groups of law enforcement officials in supporting the FLEOA FAM Agency President, Frank Terreri, in his fight against injustice and incompetence in the Department of Homeland Security -- a fight waged on behalf of every American.
We must have the Title 5 protections, which safeguard employees of other agencies, reinstated for the employees of Homeland Security. This is just one example of why these guarantees are needed" Flamm said Title 5 protections were stripped from these employees even after assurances by the administration that employees would be protected from retaliation if voicing serious security concerns. This mechanism is clearly broken and the only viable option to keep our nation secure is to grant the reinstatement of Title 5", Flamm said.
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