Employee Stories

Montgomery Regional Airport TSA Manager Robert Allen and Lift Team Alabama member Austin Gastonguay alongside the WTMD barrier. (Photo by Regina Dixon)

Innovation Across the Nation: TSA officers create solutions to improve checkpoint security

April 24, 2024

TSA has been an agile agency since its creation. Built from the ground up in the wake of 9/11, TSA had no choice but to respond and adapt to a changing threat environment.

Two decades later, the spirit of…

(TSA stock photo)

Kudos Across America – Key West, Florida

April 22, 2024

I want to make sure someone at the TSA is aware of the courteous, friendly, and professional job that Supervisory TSA Officer Jennifer Wallace provided to me and my business associate, at the security checkpoint at the…

Administrator Pekoske and TSA leaders met with innovation partners in Silicon Valley (TSA Photo)

Administrator explores expanding TSA’s capabilities with innovation partners

April 19, 2024

Administrator Pekoske and other TSA leaders met with innovation partners to explore ways TSA can make the most of commercial technology to get advanced solutions in the hands of employees faster.

TSA’s…

Brian Krenzien photo

TSA viewed as gold standard, goes beyond all boundaries

April 18, 2024

Enhancing vital relationships with aviation leaders around the world is the work of 27 TSA professionals known as Transportation Security Representatives (TSARs). Their primary focus is to raise the global bar on transportation security.

Each year there are more than 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting for a kidney transplant. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Umphrey)

Detroit Transportation Security Inspector’s journey to organ donation

April 17, 2024

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) Transportation Security Inspector (TSI) Lindsay Umphrey’s life drastically changed after her cousin’s battle with kidney disease led to a life-saving donor swap between…

Newly sworn in Officers turn on their cell phone lights as the eclipse darkens the sky. (Photo courtesy of Ignacio Reyes)

New AUS Officers Sworn in During Eclipse

April 16, 2024

On Monday, a rare solar eclipse crossed the U.S., drawing enormous crowds outdoors to catch a glimpse of the covered sun. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), TSA’s newest recruits gathered outside for a special swearing-in ceremony…

Boise photo

Kudos Across America – Boise, Idaho

April 15, 2024

Good morning. My name is Phil Landram from Manchester, Michigan. This letter is to say thank you to two agents (Officers) that we consider our angels.

To keep this short and sweet, my father passed away recently…

Union Pacific train (Union Pacific photo)

Freight train derails, explosive found – TSA exercise with Union Pacific

April 11, 2024

Imagine a freight train derails and emergency responders rush to the scene, only to find the derailment worse than they thought.

They discover an improvised explosive device (IED) on one of the derailed tank…

TSA Officer Daynin Harris screens a guide dog in training at DCA. (Lisa Farbstein photo)

Guide dogs in training get first taste of TSA screening at DCA

April 10, 2024

Puppy fever hit Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) when two dozen service dogs in training went through TSA screening for the first time.

In conjunction with National Puppy Day, TSA screened 24…

Hays Regional Airport, Hays, Kansas (Photo by Joy Marok-Schmeidler)

Kudos Across America – Hays, Kansas

April 8, 2024

I arrived in Hays, Kansas on New Year’s Day. I had called a local car rental place ahead of time to make sure they would be open. When I landed in Hays, I discovered they were not. 

TSA Team Chadron. (Photo courtesy of Kourtney Hageman)

Kudos Across America – Chadron, Nebraska

April 4, 2024

Editor’s note: Kudos Across America relishes spotlighting officers from small airports that serve close-knit, small communities. In those airports, passengers are usually friends and neighbors, and compliments are given to officers on the spot…

Members of the TSA Midway/O’Hare Honor Guard celebrate the airport’s 100th Honor Flight for senior military veterans. (TSA Midway photo)

Stars and Stripes spotlights TSA

April 1, 2024

A top newspaper for the U.S. military community is shining the spotlight on TSA this month.

Midland International Air & Space Port, Midland County, Texas (Photo by Paul Eric Barragan)

Double jeopardy? Midland, Texas TSA officer aids two fallen passengers

March 27, 2024

Supervisory TSA Officer Paul Barragan and TSA Officer Pam Carbajal were working the a.m. shift at Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF) when Carbajal saw an elderly female passenger fall while waiting in the queue.

Carbajal…

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) main gate. (Photo courtesy of Kieran Flynn)

Kudos Across America – Manchester, New Hampshire

March 26, 2024

I wanted to take the time to share with you a traveling experience I had recently. I flew from Sarasota, Florida, through Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) into Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in…

TSA Officers Sherelly Johnson, Carole McGonigle (LGA photo)

LaGuardia TSA officers return lost diamond ring after connecting investigative dots

March 22, 2024

A woman approached a TSA checkpoint at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) crying. She just flew into LGA and stopped to use the restroom before leaving the airport. Unfortunately, she lost her new diamond engagement ring.

She removed her…

TSA officers at Indianapolis International Airport detect this realistic firearm replica. (@TSA_GreatLakes, X)

TSA, gun owners forge new partnerships in Indiana, Texas

March 19, 2024

With passengers bringing a record number of firearms through our nation’s airports, a pair of TSA inspectors (TSIs) in Indianapolis felt it was time to develop some new partnerships in their community.

TSIs Rick…

The TSA checkpoint at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Jamie Aitken photo)

Passenger alive after TSA officers’ heroism at Grand Rapids checkpoint

March 18, 2024

The day he nearly lost his life, a passenger was fortunate he chose to fly out of Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Shortly before 6 a.m., the passenger arrived at GRR’s TSA checkpoint where TSA Officer…

Gregory Gee (3nd from right) on a mission with We-Our-Us members. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Gee)

Compassionate command presence: Baltimore officer commits to people year round

March 12, 2024

One week out of the year is set aside to recognize the impact volunteer service has on American communities and to inspire others into likeminded generosity.

National…

A vigilant DEN TSA Officer Deepika Jassal at the checkpoint (Photo by Kevin Rarick)

Kudos Across America – Denver

March 11, 2024

TSA Officer Deepika Jassal helped me when I lost my cellphone. I returned to the check area (checkpoint) from my departure gate when I realized the phone was missing, and that is a long way (walk) at Denver International Airport (DEN) airport.…

MCO TSA Officer Antonio Gomez performed lifesaving CPR on a passenger in cardiac distress. (Photo provided by Luciani Lobeiro)

Florida Officer Hailed a Hero After Performing Lifesaving CPR

March 7, 2024

TSA Officer Antonio Gomez doesn’t consider himself a hero, but his fellow Officers disagree after he performed lifesaving CPR on a passenger at an Orlando International Airport (MCO) checkpoint.

Gomez was only five minutes into his break…