Federal Air Marshal Program

[Joeprep4820]

My cousin, a Type I Diabetic, is graduating college in May, and wants to get into a career in Law Enforcement, more specifically the Federal Air Marshal Program. He asked me, since I've had some troubles with Diabetes and gaining employment with some clandestine services within the federal system, is I knew anything about Type I Diabetes being an exclusion. I've tried asking a few people I know who work for Homeland Security, mainly Secret Service (Diabetics cannot be agents in the SS, btw), if they knew anything, and they did not.
He has scoured the internet and has called several times to the TSA's HR line, and has gotten mixed answers that mainly sounded like they were guesses more so than definite answers.
Having nowhere else to turn, I decided that maybe someone on this site may or may not have an answer I can give him. Does anyone know the policy of the Federal Air Marshals employing Type I Diabetics?

[cyberus]

My cousin, a Type I Diabetic, is graduating college in May, and wants to get into a career in Law Enforcement, more specifically the Federal Air Marshal Program. He asked me, since I've had some troubles with Diabetes and gaining employment with some clandestine services within the federal system, is I knew anything about Type I Diabetes being an exclusion. I've tried asking a few people I know who work for Homeland Security, mainly Secret Service (Diabetics cannot be agents in the SS, btw), if they knew anything, and they did not.
He has scoured the internet and has called several times to the TSA's HR line, and has gotten mixed answers that mainly sounded like they were guesses more so than definite answers.
Having nowhere else to turn, I decided that maybe someone on this site may or may not have an answer I can give him. Does anyone know the policy of the Federal Air Marshals employing Type I Diabetics?

Type 1's are pretty much hosed as far as "armed" positions anywhere are concerned, I would tell your friend to look elsewhere for a career path

[Joeprep4820]

Type 1's are pretty much hosed as far as "armed" positions anywhere are concerned, I would tell your friend to look elsewhere for a career path

Actually, just about every law enforcement program in the country, not to mention firefighters and EMTs, accepts Type I Diabetics. The Secret Service Uniformed Division, as well as the Capitol Police do as well. Not sure about Border Patrol, but I've heard in passing from a reliable source that they do.

[SCC]

Doesn't DHS have an HR office? Or check on the OMB site since they handle that kind of thing.

[Gordonm]

Honestly looking at this from another point I would not want a type 1 being a Federal air marshal. The problem is in a hostage situation it can last for hours if not days. There is no way a type 1 can go that long without some type of food or medication without losing it. I am all for no discrimination for diabetics but there are some situations that require you to be without the needs of a diabetic for hours. This could be one of them.

[kingleonidas]

I somewhat agree, but in the case of hostage situations, it will usually take more than one air marshall to diffuse the situation. After all, I had never heard of an oncidence where the air marshall got the bad guy nad all was well, it is usually the passengers now taking matter into their own hands. I do not believe in discrimination for any job for diabetics except pilots, astronauts...these positions if compromised due to ill health, can cause the death of others.

[Gordonm]

I don't want to discriminate either but in any situation where the air marshal is supposed to be an asset to the situation if they become hypo they now become a liability instead of an asset. The chances are low but it could happen and they have to look at all situations. Yes your life could depend on the air marshal and his clear thinking.

[kingleonidas]

Yes, I agree, but we have to be careful when discriminating based on certain medical conditions. For example if one watned to be a test pilot, their vision should not be 1000/20 !and they should be free of heart problems and assorted peoblems that may be aggravated by motion, air pressure and the like. I see no reason as to why diabetics cannot be air marshalls ! If we had presidents with polio, we can have air marshals with diabetes.

[Joeprep4820]

Doesn't DHS have an HR office? Or check on the OMB site since they handle that kind of thing.

My cousin told me he has called them several times, but they never seem to give him an "official" answer. He told me he called them once in the afternoon, and was told yes, then in the evening, and told no, both answers told by the same person, or se he thinks.

[Joeprep4820]

I don't want to discriminate either but in any situation where the air marshal is supposed to be an asset to the situation if they become hypo they now become a liability instead of an asset. The chances are low but it could happen and they have to look at all situations. Yes your life could depend on the air marshal and his clear thinking.

You realize it is this kind of attitude that creates the social stigma that diabetics are virtually helpless and completely susceptible to hypoglycemic attacks?

[Gordonm]

You realize it is this kind of attitude that creates the social stigma that diabetics are virtually helpless and completely susceptible to hypoglycemic attacks?

How did I say that ALL diabetics are helpless. That is so far from what I am saying. You just have to look at all the situations that can arise and we need food and insulin. There is a chance that it may be a long time before either can be had by an air marshal.

[Jan B]

Joe,

I have to agree with Gordonm. Maybe it's my age, or lack of ever wanting to have a risky career that might reject me as a T1. Or maybe it's my personal experiences w/ unexpected horrid lows.

I don't like stigmas against most of us, but I've always been very safety minded.

[Joeprep4820]

How did I say that ALL diabetics are helpless. That is so far from what I am saying. You just have to look at all the situations that can arise and we need food and insulin. There is a chance that it may be a long time before either can be had by an air marshal.

Everyone needs food and insulin, not just diabetics. You should be able to go as long as a non-Diabetic without food, or almost as long. A basal rate does is not supposed to make you go continually lower to the point of needing food, and if it does, you are doing it wrong. You did not say ALL were helpless, but it is statements like those that create such a negative stigma.

[Joeprep4820]

So my cousin got back to me just a moment ago telling me he met with his friend's father, a Federal Air Marshal that retired 2 years ago, who told my cousin that Type Is face no restrictions in that line of service, and he has known quite a few Type I Diabetics that went through and passed the training program to become darned good Marshals.

[Mich]

Gordon, I would think that if a T1 can be a firefighter or in law enforcement, they could certainly handle the trials and tribs of being an air marshall. Hostage situations arise in banks, and do we ask T1 diabetics to avoid becoming a banker?

Joe, I would have your friend contact the ADA and tell them he can't get a straight answer. I think they may either already know, or will help him find out. They carry quite a bit of weight with potential employers and are the reason many professions are now open to us.

And by the way, TWA wouldn't even let me be a stewardess in 1966! Keep pushing the outside of the box!

Mich