U.S. Air Marshals Say They're Too Visible

U.S. air marshals say they are too visible on the domestic airline flights that they guard.

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released a report Wednesday providing insight into rank-and-file federal air marshals' views on how their jobs could be improved, GovExec.com reported.

One recommendation in the report, which included comments that air marshals submitted to the Transportation Security Administration over the past four years, was to end their requisite boarding with the airline flight crew, and instead board the plane with passengers.

"We need to be more secretive and blend in more," said one air marshal, whose name was redacted in the Judiciary Committee report.

Marshals have to identify themselves to up to 10 airline employees on a flight, which could pose a security risk, the marshal said. "Many of these employees are not discreet and state out loud what we do," the comment, dated Aug. 28, 2002, stated.

Health issues and fatigue also came up repeatedly. A summary of responses from 35 federal air marshals listed health issues and fatigue first out of 24 suggestions, GovExec.com said.

"Sinus and ear problems are becoming a major concern," the summary stated, citing headaches, vertigo, nausea, joint pain and muscle cramps as recurrent problems, especially when air marshals had to watch over more than three flights in a day.

The federal air marshals cannot discuss specific policies or procedures, said agency spokesman Conan Bruce. However, "quite a few (policies cited in the report) have already been changed" and others are under consideration, he said. "We support the overall objectives of the report," he added.

Some complaints resembled what managers might expect of employees who work long hours on a tight schedule, the report said.

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