DATE: June 7, 2021
TO: All Personnel: LGA, HPN, ISP, SWF
FROM: Robert A. Duffy, Federal Security Director: LGA, HPN, ISP, SWF
SUBJECT: Weekly Update
I hope you are all doing well after our first summer like weekend of 2021 with the 90+ degree temperatures Saturday and Sunday.
Now that we are in the month of June, in addition to the start of summer, June is also Safety Month in the TSA. Our Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Roxana Rosario, will be sending out materials for distribution across all of our work locations designed to raise your awareness to workplace hazards and reduce the possibility of injuries and illness at work. I care about all of you, and this is a way to keep you safe and healthy.
Over the weekend, TSA-LGA participated in the full scale exercise at LaGuardia Airport. This year’s event was scaled down in the number of participants due to COVID-19 precautions. The event was a success, and I thank our TSA personnel who participated.
Last week, OSO sent out information relative to Tribal Identifications. Apparently, some of our personnel across the country were not familiar with the Tribal IDs and did not accept them at airport checkpoints. Please be advised that the Tribal Ids of Federally recognized tribes are acceptable forms of ID for traveling through airports. Please check the iShare site under the Multicultural Branch for an updated list and make the list available at all of our checkpoints as a reference guide when needed.
As previously advised in last week’s update, the Terminal C garage at LGA is no longer open to TSA personnel assigned to Terminals C and D. All TSA personnel who used to park in the Terminal C garage are now directed to park, at no cost, in the Terminal B garage. The LGA shuttle bus can be boarded from the 94th Street bus stop directly across from the Terminal B garage. Stakeholder Manager Kristen Jonus sent out an e-mail on Friday to our LGA personnel with a photo of the bus stop. That shuttle bus will proceed to Terminal C as its first stop for all C and D personnel. To track the location of the bus, please download the free “Next Bus” app on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Next Bus site uses GPS to track the buses and will provide real time information. There is no direct service to Terminal D due to the construction and insufficient curb space. There have been a number of people asking if there will be any “grace period” for officers who are late to work in Terminals C and D due to the change in parking location. After reviewing the attendance at both terminals for the first week of the change in parking, there will not be any allowance for tardiness to work. A vast majority of officers arrive to work at Terminals C and D on time for their shift, so there is no reason for arriving late based on the change in parking garages.
Lately, we learned of a growing number of complaints concerning the lack of delivery of new uniforms that have been ordered but never received. The LGA Screening Support Supervisor Veronica Falzon researched the problem. Veronica learned that the TSA uniform vendor needed to change uniform suppliers so that all TSA uniforms were made in the USA. That makes sense. Unfortunately, that change in the various suppliers has led to a significant delay in the manufacturing and delivery of our TSA uniforms. The change from trousers to cargo pants was also a contributing factor. To streamline the receiving and distribution of TSA uniforms, please send questions and comments to: TSOUniforms@tsa.dhs.gov. This problem is across the entire TSA and work is being done to resolve this problem soon. Thank you Veronica for your help with this matter.
Personnel news includes the following: We say goodbye to TSO Myrrh Davis of SWF after 12 years of service. Myrrh has been an exceptional officer for the SWF team, and also helped HPN on numerous occasions. We wish Myrrh all the best in her next adventure and thank you for your service.
LGA TSO Ashley Santos has been selected to a Coordination Center Officer position. Congratulations Ashley and we wish you continued success in your new position.
Also starting in a new position is Melissa Motilal. Melissa served as a TSO at LGA and is now assigned to our Employee Relations staff. Congratulations Melissa and best wishes for much success in your new position.
Ashley and Melissa are excellent examples of expanding their careers by trying new career opportunities. As I have stated many times before, you are the Captain of your ship. It will go where you steer it. If there are any positions you ever thought about trying, be it a specialized position or a promotion, go for it. Don’t be afraid to compete against others, be afraid not to try. You will never get to where you want to go unless you try. If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done. Life is full of risk, and we all fail at times, but how you respond to your failure says volumes about you as a person. If you fail the first time, figure out what you need to do better and then try again. With enough determination, perseverance, resilience and fortitude, you will be successful in life. For help with determining a career path for yourself, contact Careermanagement@tsa.dhs.gov.
I want to recognize our officers who made great catches in the last week of May. They include:
TSO Savcho Gyorev – Undeclared Firearm; TSO Victor Cintron – Undeclared Firearm and ammunition; TSO Victoria Victor – Stun gun; TSO Reynaldo Bargallo – Loaded Firearm at the checkpoint; TSO Jose Ramirez – Ammunition; TSO Rhea Henry – Ammunition; TSO Shawn Charles – Ammunition; TSO Alexander Jaquez – Smoke Grenade; ATLAS TSO James Estrada – Ammunition and TSO Charisse Starks for successfully passing a FET test. All of these officers are assigned to LGA. Thank you all for your attention to detail and commitment to the TSA mission.
Today, I met the first group of new officers who on-boarded yesterday. We had more new officers start today and another group starting Wednesday. As with every new class, I advised them of the TSA mission; to detect, deter and disrupt terrorist activity targeting commercial aviation and mass transit. Secondly, I advised them of my expectations of all of them. They understand they are to tell the truth and be people of integrity. They are expected to do their job to the best of their ability every day. Attention to detail and due diligence matter a lot in this business. Lastly, they are expected to always put other people first and be good teammates, not selfish or self-centered people. Their success will come from being a good team member not an individual. Always put the team first. Lastly, we discussed the qualities they need to possess to be successful in the TSA and in their lives. Those qualities are character, virtue and honor. I explained their importance and how they apply to all of us. That same message will be given to the new officers I meet tomorrow and on Wednesday.
To our OJT coaches, thank you for your dedication and commitment to helping others. Teach the new officers the proper way to be a true professional. They will make mistakes since they are new, but they need to take ownership of their errors and work to correct them. Don’t show favor, give people what they earn. In addition to having the right skills for the job, look for, and emphasize, dependability, integrity and character.
To all of our leaders, lead by example through your words, actions and attitude. Take good care of your people and set them up for success both at work and in life. Get to know all of those in your charge. Find out what their goals and aspirations are, and then set them on the right path for success in life.
Thank you all for your continued dedication, motivation and professionalism in carrying out the TSA mission every day.
Respectfully,
Bob Duffy
