TSA Acting Administrator Adam Stahl holds an employee town hall at DFW. (Miguel Medina)
The kickoff of the busy spring break travel season was the perfect time for TSA Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator Adam Stahl to see the agency’s airport security operations in action.
Stahl took the opportunity to travel to several of our nation’s largest airports to meet face-to-face with TSA’s frontline screening officers and teams and check out their passenger and baggage screening operations. He visited Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW), San Francisco International (SFO) and Harry Reid International (LAS) Airports and addressed the latest new officer graduates at TSA Academy West in Las Vegas.
“I was inspired by how our teams are carrying out TSA’s mission to protect the traveling public and the nation’s aviation system,” said Stahl. “It’s my honor to advocate for and serve alongside all of you – the employees of TSA, who, every day, show extraordinary courage, dedication and commitment to our national security.”
In his address at TSA Academy West, Stahl thanked the new officers for rising to the challenge and said they have the “enduring gratitude and appreciation of myself, the (Department of Homeland Security) Secretary, the President and an extremely grateful nation.”
“By accepting this career path, you have chosen to dedicate your professional pursuits to serve the greater good – working on the frontlines to protect our great nation, our way of life and the citizens and passengers within it,” he said. “Every one of you serves as a critical link to the Department’s broader collective defense posture.”
Stahl took time to recognize employees and meet with local TSA leadership during his five stops. He also got a demonstration of the TSA Innovation Checkpoint at LAS.
He asked all employees to never become complacent and continue to remember TSA’s mission, vision and core values of integrity, respect and commitment.
“Adversaries, both nation state and non-nation state actors, are quickly evolving tactics to disrupt and attack soft targets like our transportation network,” said Stahl. “You are the frontline workforce stopping those adversaries. Your work is critical to confronting these dynamic threats head-on with determination, sophistication and resoluteness.”
During his time as Acting Administrator, Stahl said he’s witnessed TSA is facing an increasingly dynamic and complex security environment.
“The dedication, adaptability and professionalism I’ve seen in this agency, and in particular all of you – its workforce – is truly inspiring,” he noted.
Spring break travel
With the onset of spring, Stahl expects another surge in travel volume at our nation’s airports.
“Passenger volumes have been steadily increasing, and TSA is prepared for the challenge,” he emphasized. “With your help and the continued deployment of advanced technology at airports across the country, we’ll enhance security, improve efficiency and reduce physical contact during the screening process.”
Stahl said all TSA officers play an important role in ensuring smooth operations and reducing wait times at security checkpoints.
The official spring break travel season is March 6-24 but is expected to continue well into April.
“While we are focused on spring break, TSA is also closely tracking and preparing for the summer travel season,” said Stahl in a press release issued last week. “Our TSA officers quite literally stand on watch, ensuring the transportation hubs and arteries that interconnect our daily lives remain safe, seamless and secure.”
By Don Wagner, TSA Strategic Communications & Public Affairs