Lois Larson
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are highly trained and proficient marksmen who travel often. They are responsible for carrying out in-flight security missions and law enforcement responsibilities within airports, trains, bus stations, and other venues to ensure the safety of our transportation systems. The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) was established in 1962 as a response to domestic hijackings, with the Federal Air Marshals acting as security officers on high-risk flights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Federal Air Marshal Service |
| Other Full Forms | Flight Activation Monitoring |
| Nature of Job | Carry out in-flight security missions, perform crucial law enforcement responsibilities within airports, trains, bus stations and other venues |
| Training | Highly proficient marksmen, investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behavior recognition, firearms proficiency, aircraft-specific tactics, close-quarters self-defense measures |
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What You'll Learn
Federal Air Marshal Service
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Federal Air Marshal Service began on March 2, 1962, as the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) FAA Peace Officers Program. On this date, the first 18 volunteers from the FAA's Flight Standards Division graduated from their training, which was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol in Port Isabel, Texas. These initial FAA peace officers were named by FAA Administrator Najeeb Halaby.
The idea of armed security forces on commercial flights was first proposed in 1961 by Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., and was later ordered by President John F. Kennedy, who deployed federal law enforcement officers to act as security on certain high-risk flights. The "Sky Marshal Program" of the 1970s was a joint effort between the United States Customs Service and the FAA, led by General Benjamin O. Davis Jr., a former Tuskegee Airman. On September 11, 1970, President Richard Nixon ordered the immediate deployment of armed federal agents on United States commercial aircraft in response to increasing acts of air piracy by hijacking to Cuba and Islamic radicals.
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is an innovative, risk- and intelligence-based federal law enforcement organization that proactively mitigates threats to the nation's transportation system and provides uniquely skilled, multifaceted resources for national security priorities. Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are deployed to assess, address, and mitigate potential risks and threats to transportation and travellers. They serve in a variety of law enforcement capacities, both in the air and on the ground. FAMs work closely with state, local, federal, and foreign partners to update and share best training practices. They must train to be highly proficient marksmen and blend in with other passengers on board aircraft. Their training includes investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behaviour recognition, firearms proficiency, aircraft-specific tactics, and close-quarters self-defence measures to protect the flying public.
Budgeting issues within the TSA created tension between funding for airport screeners and the FAMS, leading to the realignment of the FAMS to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, in 2005, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff ordered the FAMS to be moved back to the TSA.
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Flight Activation Monitoring
- Shift flights in time that are not reported as airborne after their expected take-off time.
- Suspend flights that are still not reported as airborne after a certain time parameter.
- Inform the aircraft operator and the departure tower of this development, prompting a reaction.
There are two time parameters related to FAM that trigger suspension:
- The flight is not reported as airborne 15 minutes after the expected take-off time.
- The flight is not reported as airborne 30 minutes after the expected take-off time.
The first parameter is applicable to all flights, whether regulated or not, departing from, landing at, or crossing areas where the Network Manager receives Correlated Position Reports (CPRs) and FAM is activated. A flight not reported as airborne departing from, landing in, or crossing a CPR/FAM-enabled area with less than three hours of flying time to the FAM-enabled area will be shifted three times by five-minute steps.
The second parameter will be reduced in three steps; each step will reduce the FAM parameter by five minutes until suspension is triggered.
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Federal Air Marshals' investigative techniques
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are specialized law enforcement officers who protect the nation's civil aviation system and keep travellers safe. They are trained to work undercover, blending in with passengers on board aircraft to identify potential threats using investigative techniques and their knowledge of criminal and terrorist behaviour.
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is a unique entity within law enforcement, with its members trained to work covertly to avoid tipping off terrorists and other bad actors. They travel frequently and are highly proficient marksmen. Their investigative techniques include:
- Criminal terrorist behaviour recognition: FAMs are trained to recognize and identify potential threats by understanding criminal and terrorist behaviour. They work closely with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and other law enforcement agencies to investigate potential terrorist-related activities and suspicious incidents.
- Firearms proficiency: FAMs are trained in the use of firearms to protect themselves and other passengers in close-quarters situations. They had previously maintained one of the toughest firearms qualification standards in the world, with a report placing them among the top 1% of combat shooters globally.
- Aircraft-specific tactics: FAMs are knowledgeable about aircraft-specific tactics and procedures, enabling them to effectively navigate and secure aircraft during high-risk situations.
- Close-quarters self-defense techniques: In addition to firearms, FAMs are skilled in close-quarters self-defense techniques, allowing them to physically intervene and protect passengers in confined spaces.
- Investigative work: FAMs conduct investigations on the ground to prevent terrorism and aviation-related crimes. This includes working with various task forces and law enforcement agencies to share information and intelligence.
- Arresting passengers: FAMs have the authority to arrest passengers who commit crimes aboard flights, ensuring the safety and security of all individuals on board.
Federal Air Marshals also hold liaison assignments within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal law enforcement partners. They conduct criminal and administrative investigations, adhering to legal and procedural requirements. They recognize, develop, and present evidence to reconstruct events, determine sequences and time elements, and identify relationships, legal liabilities, and conflicts of interest.
The Federal Air Marshal Service has faced some controversies, including questions about the number of flights with on-board air marshals and the quality of their training. There have also been investigations into the employment of air marshals with criminal convictions and the occurrence of criminal activities involving air marshals.
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Federal Air Marshals' firearms proficiency
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are aviation security specialists who travel frequently and must be able to blend in with other passengers on board aircraft. They are required to carry their firearms on duty and must be highly proficient in their use.
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of commercial flights against acts of terrorism and violence. Air Marshals must be able to draw and fire their weapons under extreme pressure and within tight time constraints.
The Federal Air Marshal Training Program (FAMTP) includes rigorous physical training, such as strength and agility training, as well as firearms training. The firearms training program provides instruction in the safe operation and handling of various weapons. It includes 155 hours of lectures and shooting practice, with trainees expected to be able to shoot with both hands and at different distances.
The Practice Pistol Course (PPC) is a component of the FAMTP that comes after basic firearms training. Trainees must complete a series of complex and time-constrained shooting strings, demonstrating their ability to handle their weapons accurately and efficiently.
The Air Marshal Qualification Pistol Drill is a challenging assessment that tests every facet of an air marshal's shooting skills. It consists of seven distinct stages, each with specific requirements, such as drawing the weapon from a concealed position and firing within a tight timeframe. This drill is designed to prepare air marshals for the demanding situations they may encounter in their line of work.
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Federal Air Marshals' close-quarters self-defence measures
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are aviation security specialists who are deployed both domestically and internationally. They are responsible for protecting the flying public by thwarting terrorist attacks and criminal occurrences on civilian aircraft. To do this, they must be able to blend in with other passengers on board and rely on their training in investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behaviour recognition, firearms proficiency, aircraft-specific tactics, and close-quarters self-defence measures.
The Federal Air Marshal Service was established in 1962 in response to a series of high-profile airline hijackings in the early 1960s. President John F. Kennedy ordered the deployment of federal law enforcement officers on certain high-risk flights. The service has since expanded and evolved, particularly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when President George W. Bush ordered a rapid expansion of the program.
The selection and training process for Federal Air Marshals is rigorous and thorough. Candidates must complete a two-part tactical training program, the Federal Air Marshal Training Program (FAMTP), which includes a basic law enforcement course and follow-on training at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in New Jersey. The first phase of the program covers subjects such as constitutional law, marksmanship, physical fitness, behavioural observation, defensive tactics, emergency medical assistance, and other law enforcement techniques.
The second phase focuses on perfecting marksmanship skills, including tactics for close-quarters combat and active-shooter situations, as well as close-quarters defensive skills. This phase includes rigorous, daily physical training, with a focus on strength, flexibility, agility, and cardiovascular endurance. It also covers defence measures such as boxing, tactical ground defence, confrontational cuffing, control holds, blocking and delivering blows, firearms retention, and weapons disarming.
Federal Air Marshals are trained to "shoot to stop", typically firing at the largest part of the body (the chest) and then the head to "incapacitate the nervous system." They are required to carry their firearms on duty and must be able to use them effectively under extreme pressure and time constraints. The training ensures that they can draw and fire their weapons accurately at close, intermediate, and long distances, using both their dominant and non-dominant hands.
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Frequently asked questions
FAM is a common acronym for Federal Air Marshal, a highly-trained individual who blends in with passengers on board aircraft to protect the flying public.
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) carry out in-flight security missions and perform crucial law enforcement responsibilities within airports, trains, bus stations, and other venues to ensure transportation security. They are trained in investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behavior recognition, firearms proficiency, aircraft-specific tactics, and close-quarters self-defense measures.
The Federal Air Marshal Service began on March 2, 1962, as the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Peace Officers Program. In 1961, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. proposed the idea of armed security forces on commercial flights, which was ordered by President John F. Kennedy. The program started with 18 volunteers from the FAA's Flight Standards Division. Over the years, the Federal Air Marshal Service has undergone various organizational changes, including being aligned with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at different times.
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