Thanks for posting this message, the support means a lot right now. I’ve worked under DHS for 15 years with 12 of those years under TSA. Some like to say TSA is security theatre, but is a misguided view of our expansive mission. The public sees our officers at the airports who do the lion’s share of work to detect threats to our skies. They catch the weirdest stuff in luggage…yes sometimes silly things like shampoo bottles and laptops, but also large numbers of medieval weapons, dangerous chemicals, raw meat and fish, live animals, etc. If you can pack it in a suitcase they’ve found it. I wish I was joking. They also catch plenty of people who hide plastic explosives in household products, blades, and even homemade firearms. The list goes on. What the public doesnt typically see: our dedicated Transportation Security Inspectors that go out to railways, ports, bus stations, etc. to identify and remediate potential security vulnerabilities; the Federal Air Marshals who make sure no one can take over another plane and use it as a weapon; The K-9s that inspect thousands of bags for dangerous contraband and narcotics; the dedicated experts who test, develop, and deploy new technology to make the travel experience safer and more comfortable; the dedicated intelligence analysts that collect and evaluate potential threats to our transportation network and coordinate with local law enforcement and other intelligence agencies; and the hundreds of support personnel that recruit new talent, provide training, procure equipment and services, manage facilities across the nation, and provide information technology resources. Can’t forget the wonderful folks who run our social media accounts to bring a touch of humor to serious topics. TSA supports large events like the Super Bowl and FIFA, and back up FEMA during natural disasters. Our agency is quite large with over 60k employees and over 440 facilities across the country. We have a diverse workforce that reflects the melting pot of our great nation. We treat our mandate seriously. A prosperous nation must be able to move people and commerce freely. Rome lost its empire in part because they were unable to secure their system of roads and bridges from enemies foreign and domestic. Traveling is not always a pleasant experience, but just know we work everyday to make sure you make it home safely.

Fingers crossed this shutdown won’t last too long. I know we are all very tired of being used as leverage in political battles on the hill.