Air Marshals: Say Hi When They Board !

Air Marshals Say Dress Code Makes Them Stand Out
WASHINGTON, July 15 — Beards are out. So are jeans and athletic shoes. Suit coats are in, even on the steamiest summer days.

That dress code, imposed by the Department of Homeland Security, makes federal air marshals uneasy and not just because casual clothes are more comfortable in cramped airline seats.

...a LearJet or a large Cessna can make a pretty nasty air to ground missile as well... Not all "incoming" requires manufacturing at the Seattle Boeing plant!...

The marshals fear that their appearance makes it easier for terrorists to identify them, according to a professional group representing more than 1,300 air marshals.

"If a 12-year-old can pick them out, a trained terrorist has no problem picking them out," said John D. Amat, a spokesman for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Documents and memos issued by the Department of Homeland Security and field offices of the Federal Air Marshal Service say marshals must "present a professional image" and "blend unnoticed into their environment."
Some air marshals have argued that the two requirements are contradictory. More...

This is the most ludicrous decision if indeed it really isn't a weak attempt at dis-information! Why not give our Air marshals a tin badge and and ID name tag too ? Frankly, how many Air Marshals are on board privately owned aircraft today? Nada. IF Al Queada is so smart do you think they will use the same MO again?  A LearJet or a large Cessna can make a pretty nasty air to ground missile as well... Not all "incoming" requires manufacturing at the Seattle Boeing plant! I would love to see an expose in the mainstream media on exactly what safeguards are currently being deployed in General Aviation !!  (Not to mention the trucking industry!!)  Oklahoma City, remember?   I cringe every time I go over a large suspension bridge surrounded by tractor trailers!  If these  guys are willing to commit suicide they will also be willing to risk getting pulled over for a random inspection as they drive up to the Golden Gate !!   -- zzb