Dec. 8 - Dec. 13, 2008
 TSA recently launched iShare, the new Intranet. iShare offers interactive features that provide more opportunities for all TSA employees to collaborate and share opinions. Employees have access to internal blogs and TSApedia, a repository for all kinds of agency-related organizational knowledge. Read more |
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TSA Hits Evolution Milestone
In only two months, more than 50 percent of TSA's workforce has already received ENGAGE! and COACH! training. "We are on our way to making the reality of Evolution happen," said General Manager Susan Tashiro, Innovation. Across the country, facilitators moved quickly and trained more than 28,000 employees in ENGAGE! and more than 8,500 in COACH!. "This is a tremendous accomplishment because FSDs were able to determine the pace of training. The guidance given to them was 'do it right' not to simply get it done," said Deputy Administrator Gales Rossides. "This accomplishment reflects the enthusiasm and readiness felt across TSA. It's truly a phenomenal achievement and is just the beginning. We look forward to the continued involvement of our frontline workforce as the security evolution continues."
News
iShare Brings New Look, Ease of Use to TSA Intranet
By Nicole Raymond, Communications Team, Office of Information Technology
Starting Dec. 9, a new Intranet – known as iShare – became the default Internet browser home page for all TSA employees. iShare retains most of the existing Intranet reference materials, and new features will provide more opportunities for all TSA employees to collaborate and share opinions.
iShare is intended to be interactive. Employees are encouraged to comment via TSA blogs or contribute to TSA's version of Wikipedia – TSApedia, a repository for all kinds of agency-related organizational knowledge. Employees can also post suggestions or ask and answer questions in discussion forums on various TSA subjects, including iShare itself.
iShare also includes MySites, customizable personal profile pages for each employee, that can be used to share best practices and to find and network with colleagues. iShare's search capabilities are immensely more powerful and accurate than the search function on the former Intranet, allowing users to locate the right information quickly. Search results include not only Intranet site content, but also relevant documents and contacts.
"Supporting TSA's goal of greater collaboration, iShare provides a great place for employees to share information and build professional networks," added Deputy Chief Information Officer Stephen Rice.
Evolution Bringing New Language to TSA
By Michael Simons, Office of Strategic Communications/Public Affairs
Security Evolution is tying together people, processes and technology by changing the culture of TSA. That change in culture includes new terminology. Here are a few of those phrases and what they mean on the frontline:
"Dynamic Security" - Dynamic security is a proactive approach to the evolving threats we face. It is made up of the SOP, technology, and our people – TSOs, BDOs and others. We see it, for example, with our VIPR operations – a proactive team of security professionals from both TSA and our partners coordinating our resources (people, processes and technology) to keep mass transit and other transportation facilities secure. With so many moving parts, dynamic security makes it much more difficult for those wanting to do harm to plan attacks.
"Going Beyond the SOP" - The SOP sets a baseline, but cannot be written to account for every circumstance. So, it is used as one of many tools in our frontline toolkit. Others we've included are the latest intelligence, more improvised explosive device skills, and passenger interaction techniques.
On top of those tools is the experience of frontline officers who have seen more than 3 billion passengers since 2002. That experience hones the judgment required to put all those tools together and go beyond the SOP – to use intuition and critical thinking, and to engage teammates in the decision-making process.
Terrorists may be able to design an attack around a piece of equipment or a known process. But they cannot design an attack to defeat intuition, judgment and critical thinking, which go beyond the SOP.
"Command Presence" - Command presence sends a signal to terrorists that you are in control and a hard target to attack. Situational awareness combined with unpredictable layers creates that hard target. Communication is critical to ensuring situational awareness and maintaining control.
When face-to-face, 55 percent of communication is done through body language; 38 percent through tone; and only 7 percent is verbal. So, to show command presence, stay in control of the conversation by asking open-ended questions, carefully observing body language and listening to the tone of the answers.
Evolution: In the FSD's Own Words
ENGAGE! and COACH! training were very meaningful for the Anchorage Hub and spoke airports in driving our A-Team towards an attitudinal shift and commitment to dynamic security. At the end of each class, it was truly "moving" to hear the renewed dedication from our professionals who felt more empowered, actively engaged and committed to improving our security. – FSD Corky Caldwell, Anchorage, Alaska, Hub
Engage the Evolution team with your questions and suggestions at ENGAGEevolution@dhs.gov.
More News
TSA Provides Online Language Training for Employees
Foreign language training, courtesy of TSA, is now available to agency employees. The company offering the training is Rosetta Stone and can be accessed through the Online Learning Center. More than 30 languages are offered. The company also provides language training for employees of other branches of government, including the departments of Defense and State. The user license is available only to current employees. If you are interested, log on to the OLC at work or home. For instructions and additional information, including the languages offered, read the broadcast.
Miami Officer Recognized for Drug Discovery
By Michael Simons, Office of Strategic Communications/Public Affairs
Photo by Gabriel Santiago
At Miami International Airport, TSO Tony DeFeliz recently received a letter of commendation for discovering 6.6 pounds of cocaine inside a passenger's bag. His alertness kept an illicit substance from being transported on an aircraft.
"TSO DeFeliz truly exemplifies the dedication and professionalism indicative of the values the Transportation Security Administration expects from all its employees," said Transportation Security Manager Zulma Garcia.
Strong Partnership Leads to Safety Improvements at Austin-Bergstrom
By Jason Zielinski, senior public information specialist, Austin-Bergstrom (Texas) International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom Supervisory TSO
Robert Bates activates the Potential
Threat Indicator system. Photo
courtesy of Jason Zielinski
TSA Austin-Bergstrom International recently partnered with the airport's Aviation Airline Maintenance Division to install the Potential Threat Indicator (PTI) that alerts employees in the baggage inspection area when a potential explosive is discovered in a passenger's bag.
When activated, the PTI button sets off a silent alarm with light beacons that signals employees to evacuate the area.
"With the amount of people and equipment and the job that goes on in that area, anything that we can do to improve safety is a great thing," said Terry Zweschper, deputy assistant FSD for screening.
PTI is one of 13 safety improvements implemented and made possible by the partnership. Other initiatives include TSA baggage hygiene training and new caution signs placed above low overhead hazards and running conveyor belts in the baggage inspection area. TSA and airport maintenance division staff meet every week to monitor and review the baggage handling process.
"Those who benefit the most from this partnership and these security improvements is the traveling public and front-line staff," said Manager Donnell January, Aviation Airline Maintenance Division.
Help Develop a Training Video for Officers
The Office of Inspection is looking to develop a training video with simulations based on scenarios conducted during special operations testing.
If you are interested in helping us move this project forward, we want to hear from you. Additional information, including the required skill sets, are available on the IdeaFactory.
If you are interested in assisting, or have any comments about this initiative, contact Sheran Callahan, deputy director, Business Management Office, at Sheran.Callahan@dhs.gov.
TSA Headquarters ZIP Code Change Coming Dec. 17
From the Office of Real Estate Services
TSA's ZIP code for headquarters facilities is changing. Except for the ZIP code, however, mailing addresses will not change.
Beginning Dec. 17, 2008, all mail addressed to TSA headquarters facilities should use the new ZIP codes that are unique to TSA.
This change was prompted by a congressional mandate to establish a Safe Mail program. In response, DHS issued a management directive that established the Consolidated Remote Delivery Site (CRDS) to enhance the safety and security of incoming mail to DHS and its components.
Effective Dec. 17, all TSA locations in Virginia and Maryland will have new ZIP codes to ensure that mail is properly routed to the CRDS for sorting and screening – 20598 for Virginia addresses and 20588 for Maryland addresses. TSA locations in Washington, D.C., will continue to use their existing ZIP codes.
In addition, the new ZIP code will have a ZIP+4 format, with the last four digits representing an office's routing symbol. The last four digits will always begin with the number 6, followed by the three-digit office routing symbol. For example, for TSA-017 the resulting ZIP+4 code would be 20598-6017.
These changes will not disrupt mail service. Properly addressing mail using the new codes will allow mail to flow efficiently through the CRDS for distribution to the correct TSA headquarters facilities. TSA's Office of Real Estate Services is working with the offices of the Executive Secretariat and Strategic Communications/Public Affairs to update official stationery and Intranet content. TSA employees should alert stakeholders of the new ZIP codes after the changes go into effect.
An updated list of agency addresses including four-digit extensions will be made available to employees via the TSA Intranet. If you have questions regarding the ZIP code change, please contact Roy Holland, TSA mail manager, at (571) 227-4751 or Roy.Holland@dhs.gov.
| Facility | Old Mailing Address | New Mailing Address |
| Pentagon City | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 20598-6XXX |
| Freedom Center | 601 South 12th Street (TSOC Annex) Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (TSOC Annex) Arlington, Va. 20598-6104 |
| Annapolis Junction, Md. | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (AJ Annex) Arlington, Va. 20588-6106 |
| FAMS HQ | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (FAMS HQ Annex) Arlington, Va. 20598-6018 |
| Springfield, Va. | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (Springfield Annex) Arlington, Va. 20598-6040 |
| Washington Field Office | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (Washington Field Office Annex) Arlington, Va. 20598-6107 |
| NTSB | 601 South 12th Street Arlington, Va. 22202 |
601 South 12th Street (NTSB Annex) Arlington, Va. 20598-6108 |
Kudos & Clips
TSA Screeners, Customers Hash Out Concerns In Report
By Benet Wilson, Towers and Tarmacs, Aviation Week, Dec. 8, 2008
As travelers, we all have our opinion on the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) airport screening process (personally, I love my hometown screeners at BWI Airport). And the transportation security officers have their own views about the flying public. Read more.
Fliers the Problem, Not TSA Agents
By Alison Johnstone, USA Today, Dec. 5, 2008
I am a frequent flier and have not experienced problems or rudeness from Transportation Security Administration agents ('Report revealed hurdles for TSA,' News, Nov. 25). Read more.
Chertoff Advises Successor to Focus on Big Picture
By David Porter, Associated Press, Dec. 4, 2008
Outgoing U.S. Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff praised his department's improved response to natural disasters since Hurricane Katrina and advised his successor not to ignore what he termed 'low-probability, high-impact' threats. Read more.
The TSA Experience
Integrity and Customer Service Defines Officer
Photo by Will Carter
TSO Yashica Turner was recognized by TSA Mobile (Ala.) and the Montgomery Airport Authority for "selfless honesty and compassion" when she discovered and returned a passenger's wallet that contained nearly $500 in cash.
While conducting a routine inspection at Montgomery Regional-Dannelly Field Airport, Turner found the wallet in a restroom and alerted airport police. "TSO Turner's actions reflect positively on herself and the entire TSA team working at Montgomery Regional Airport," said Phil B. Perry, the airport's executive director.
Oakland TSA Celebrates Employee Career Progressions and Promotions
By Sheila Danabar, program manager, Model Workplace Program, Metropolitan Oakland (Calif.) International Airport
AFSD-Screening Joe Rodrigues Engages
officers at Metropolitan Oakland
International Airport. Photo by Jennifer Sin
Oakland TSA recognized its own talents last month with a formal ceremony celebrating the success of all employees who had been promoted recently. Employees' families as well as airport stakeholders were invited to meet FSD staff and managers at a reception.
Assistant FSD-Screening Joe Rodriques said, "We recognize that career progression is very important to our employees and Oakland TSA has been successful in providing career opportunities that have resulted in promotions of 42 of our most qualified employees to various positions, including behavior detection officer, supervisory TSO, Oakland Coordination Center, lead TSO and transportation security manager. We are very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their continued growth and success."
"It was a great opportunity for our families to meet our work group and experience what our work culture is like outside the checkpoint," said recently promoted Behavior Detection Officer Michelle Mancao. "We really appreciate that AFSD-S Rodrigues and team took the time to officially celebrate our career milestones."
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