Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) Dress Code

Words need to be mentioned and passed along regarding the controversy over the dress code imposed on Federal Air Marshals. The dress code mandated by Tom Quinn, ex-Secret Service agent and director of FAMS, is given more emphasis than the purported mission of the service, protection of the traveling public. On missions, Air Marshals are directed to wear "an appropriate sport coat (conservative in nature/style, color and fabric)" and it's not acceptable to carry a sport coat. Also,

Appropriate dress also may include collared sport or Polo type shirts or banded type necks (turtle or crew neck).

Pants and or slacks must be clean and pressed and may not include denim of any color, nylon or other similar material, or cargo style pants. Appropriate footwear and socks shall be worn. Athletic shoes, sneakers, sandals or hiker/training boots are not allowed. Likewise, athletic sock will not be worn with dress shoes.

On a case-by-case basis, the Special Agent in Charge or their designee may grant exceptions to the directive and this policy. Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action and could be deemed as insubordination to follow directives and orders.

Certainly the dress code helps project a professional image, however, it also most certainly assures that Air Marshals won't blend in with the general flying public. In the eyes of a terrorist, the dress code overlays crosshairs onto the marshals. Try being inconspicuous with a bulls eye painted on your forehead.

In response to legitimate concerns about the dress code, Quinn sent his chief storyteller, David "Baghdad Bob" Adams, to the cable networks to call everybody liars, stating that no dress code exists. Michelle Malkin, who is all over this issue, documents on a line-by-line basis, the falsity of the assertions of both Quinn and Adams (see here and here). Bloggers need to step up the level of discussion on this issue. Visit Michelle's site.

It's unfortunate that the Air Marshals Service is led by Quinn, an incompetent manager and tyrant, who is now directing attacks at Malkin and also reporter Audrey Hudson for shining light on the dress code issue. Director Thomas Quinn needs to be encouraged out the door to pursue his true calling - hall monitor.