FAMs are not bound by duty time as pilots are which mean they can run as long as they want. From the research I have done into the subject they usually work in teams of 2 or 3 on the longer haul flights. This is so they can cover different sections and may be able to catch a little sleep. But you have to always be vigilant and assume everyone is a threat. This can be extremely hard to do especially on long boring flights when you want to sleep or space out.
You mean as long as the bosses want, international flights can be brutal, There were Duty rules but they were generally ignored by the higher ups.
I won't go into team sizes, and seating but the point of FAMs is to protect the flight deck.
It can be tough to just sit there, a lot of guys have got degrees or advanced degrees while flying or did a lot of reading or played on computers.
If I remember correctly, somebody posted an article a while back stating FAMs don't even get first class anymore.
Refer to my last statement about protecting the flight deck
I looked into it, but I found it definitely was not a job for me. Long hours traveling away from home, trying to stay occupied sitting in the back. It's hard enough to stay enthusiastic up front sometimes.
On the flip side, after a few years in the field, other opportunities do present themselves. Plus, you get paid well and have Federal benefits. Not to mention most FAMs I have met are great individuals.
Definitely not a great job for someone with a family, but could be a great break into Federal LE for someone young and single who would like to travel.
Its True we're nice guys:rawk: LOL
Pay and per diem can be good but it can come at a cost to family. I cleared well over 100K before I retired, and so did my wife, but you have to consider that I had 26 years in the Feds and my wife retired within a few months of 30 years. I'm not sure that money is the best reason to join the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) nor is the chance of moving to other agencies, it happens but its a small percentage.
The Job is Mission Centric, in other words Management's thinking is the job, the Mission comes first no matter what. Family and anything else comes second even the health of the Fam.
My main frustration lies with the lack of professional development. Ground details seem to be few and far between, and most investigative work is still accomplished by the FBI. This leads to most guys jumping ship within 2-5 years. In my very uniformed opinion, it would seem most efficient to allow the FAMs investigative duty (send them through CITP and designate them as GS-1811) and let the FBI handle the zillion other things they have stake in. Rotate the FAMs through air/ground details to reduce burnout and lower attrition thereby reducing costs. It seems like the G doesn't care about that, though - more attrition = more budget (not trying to take a potshot by any means, but that appears to be the case).
Preaching to the choir.... this has been talked about since most of us came on board after 9/11 its one of the biggest issues for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, (FAM Branch) and some progress has been made, but not nearly enough.
Promotions tend to still come from inside the field offices (Training,Ops,Etc) so called non-flying Fams rather than guys that do the job day-in and day-out. Some are good leaders and care about there guys... others, well.... not so much.
I don't generally recommend the FAMS as a way into federal service... CBP Border Patrol, or ICE investigations and/or Detention and Removal branches are much better ways in and a heck of a lot more interesting.
Hindsight being 20/20 my wife and I should have stayed at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Immigration Academy as Firearms Instructors. Pay was about the same and we'd probably still be there and not retired.
If you have other questions PM me
