Air travel is back, but you might not recognize it anymore. Not a day goes by lately without news headlines and videos on social media of out-of-control airline passengers fighting each other and fighting airline employees. The exact reason for the uptick in violence is a complicated issue. Is it too much alcohol at airport bars and in flight? Perhaps it's the enforcement of mask wearing onboard. Or maybe it's just a society that is increasingly angry and violent. Either way, an airline union, TWU Local 556, has called on the Federal Air Marshals (FAMS) to deal with out-of-control passengers at 30,000 feet. The FAMS, in typical fashion, have answered the call as they have on a variety of enforcement duties they have in the past. But it begs the question: is the federal government's anti-hijacking force the best answer? And is 30,000 feet the place to be dealing with these mostly preventable issues? The modern-day Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) was born in the ashes of 9/11. They rapidly expanded from a force of 33 to an organization of thousands within a few short months. To be sure, there were growing pains along the way, but the Federal Air Marshal Service is a proud organization staffed with mostly dedicated, selfless employees. The Federal Air Marshal Service is primarily an anti-hijacking force but has proven to be a versatile force that has been used over the years in executive protection, border enforcement, counterterrorism investigations and disaster relief.
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