WT:
The Homeland Security Department has been reluctant to send helicopters on nighttime missions to aid the Border Patrol, leaving agents to face drug smugglers and illegal immigrants without critical air cover, the chief of the agents’ labor union told Congress late last month.
Brandon Judd, an agent who is also president of the National Border Patrol Council, said that unless President Trump can solve that kind of bureaucratic bungling — and is willing to oust the Obama administration figures who botched the policies — he will struggle to secure the border.
The helicopters are one example of that, Mr. Judd said.
Mr. Judd said that when the Border Patrol controlled its own helicopters, it got the air support it needed. But after the Homeland Security Department was created more than a decade ago, the helicopters were turned over to the Office of Air and Marine, which has been reluctant to fly the nighttime hours the agents need.
“Right now the Office of Air and Marine, they fly very little at night,” he told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “In fact, in [the Rio Grande Valley sector], we had to use Coast Guard to fly sorties in certain areas. And when their apprehensions became so great, it’s my understanding the officer at Air and Marine asked them not to fly anymore at night in RGV because it was making them look bad.”
“… because it was making them look bad.”
Sadder words were never spoken. People need their asses seriously kicked.
These guys have been screwed for years, and as a result we lost the old timers who really knew the real job.
They need to re-vamp the whole system, as Obummer did his best to make them useless.
A 75% polygraph rate tied to a plan to hire 5,000 agents means 20,000 applicants are required. Anyone here know anyone who can pass a polygraph background check?
Perfect configuration: Super quiet MD 500’s with NOTAR and Night Vision Goggles. Add a FLIR and close air support will be superior
There’s a report on one of the FB pages I frequent claiming the Border Patrols primary weapons are still “Less Than Lethal” weapons.
Hmmm. Many helos fly over my house every day.
Military heavies. Is that the correct terminology? I used to refer to them as the arsenal of democracy before obama, then I shuddered a bit, but now I love them again. Funny how time and circumstances changes perspective.
The perfumed princes at DOD, Pentagon, the upper echelon of Military Brass and Federal Agencies have 1st priority and generally access to the newest aircraft and more experienced pilots.
The grunts (field agents)are low man on the totem pole.
Has DHS done anything to improve homeland security?
Mostly they seem to do the opposite, advancing homeland insecurity, and sticking their tentacles into areas they shouldn’t be involved in. Such as local traffic reports.
Just as the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has done the opposite of what the name implies. And tentacles where they don’t belong such nutrition labels in restaurants.