Friday [0800-1800]

• Gave out uniforms
• Labeled shipping labels for uniforms that need to be returned to VF solutions
• Ran an errand
• Organized Daily Shift Reports
• Were already filed but now need to be ordered by date so that they will be organized before going to the archive room. Will eventually be sent out to NARA.
• Shredded papers
• Equipment Test Log
• Made a new excel spread sheet, essentially replacing the old document.
• Received white uniform items
• Lost & Found
• Listened to “Found Property Call Log”
• Wrote down info from answering machine
• Called people to identify lost and found items or get more information
• Identified owner of a laptop
• Answered phone calls and recorded information regarding lost items

Thursday [0800-1700]

Uniforms

• Labeled shipping labels for uniforms that need to be returned to VF solutions
• Accepted white uniforms and filled out proper paperwork
• Took their name off of the “owe uniform items” list
• Removed any TSA insignia from shirts and sweaters
• Sweaters and jackets will apparently be donated
• Did inventory of packages currently in the uniform closet
• (Having an up-dated uniform list keeps things running as smoothly as possible in the uniform dept.)
• Up-dated uniform list (originally prepared in excel)
• Removing the names of those who picked up items
• Adding the names of those who now have items to pick up

• Up-dated list that shows who still owes old uniform items (originally prepared in excel)

• Filed uniform packets. (A packet that has all old paperwork and is signed when all items have been returned from the original “white” uniform roll-out)
• Gave out uniforms

Lost & Found

• Performed inventory of lost & found items from all of the checkpoints. (Is done to ensure everything is still accounted for)
• Re-arranged lost & found id’s; ordered by date that they were found on not by date that they were processed on or the processing #

Other

• Prepared paperwork to get sent to NARA
• Kronos, only sorted papers documenting attendance from the first week of Aug 2004

The first day..

I am starting off in an office located at the airport that houses four separate departments. Since they all share one main office space I will be able to observe everyone one of the departments and the various functions each one engages in on a daily basis. That said, I’ll primarily work with the Property Management Team. Some of their job duties involve the following:

• Uniform & Badge distribution
• Managing supplies and equipment that is temporarily released to checkpoints/baggage locations.
• Disposal of old uniforms
• Managing a “Lost & Found”

On the first day I spent quite a while reading. I think no one was really prepared for my arrival; apparently the department only received a day’s notice that they would be having an intern. At first I read a big packet of directives. There is a directive for absolutely everything within TSA and each one is phrased in the most detailed legal lingo. So its not exactly “light” reading. I am familiar with them because I have had to read quite a few of them while doing my monthly training at work. (Directives that affect checkpoint screening functions)

After I finished reading the directives I was told to look up NARA and familiarize myself with the administration. Learning about NARA was much more interesting that sifting through such heavy legal lingo.

NARA: The National Archives and Records Administration
(located north of the National Mall, on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC)

• Helps in creating and maintaining accurate and complete records of an agency’s functions and activities and in ensuring the authorized, timely, and appropriate disposition of documentary materials that are no longer needed to conduct business.
  
  Disposition: Getting rid of an asset or security through a direct sale or some other method.

• Their guide helps agencies improve the quality of their documentation by describing how Federal personnel should create and properly manage documentation containing important information.


• Frequently agencies become aware of inadequate documentation because of congressional inquiries, Freedom of Information Act requests, litigation, or through the news media.
  
• Federal records may be created on any physical media including, paper, film (microfilm, photographic film, x-ray), disk (optical, magnetic, video audio), and tape (magnetic, video, audio). The method of recording information may be manual, mechanical, photographic, electronic, or any combination of these or other techniques.
  
  

Some of the things NARA keeps:

• Declaration of Independence
• Constitution
• Bill of Rights

My Internship

I started working for TSA in May of 07’ and when I started thinking about where I might like to intern TSA seemed like a pretty good idea.

• I plan on staying with TSA for a while after I graduate. I figured an internship with TSA would help me learn more about the agency and perhaps give me an idea of what I would like to pursue career wise. I currently work at a security checkpoint but I can’t stay there forever.

• I thought I would probably be able to learn so much more since I am already familiar with the agency, the location, people, etc..(instead of starting with a blank slate)

• And on a more practical note, since my work schedule isn’t too easy to work with, I figured TSA would be an ideal internship site because I wouldn’t have to commute for ages just to get from work to internship. (and they would be willing to work with my schedule!)

In March of 07’ I put in paperwork to see if I could intern with TSA. I ended up having to be quite persistent because people kept sending me to someone else:

“you’ll have to e-mail/talk to/meet with ________"

Long story short, I finally got positive feedback approximately two weeks before the deadline. (for submitting an internship site)

So now I’m working 25 hours a week at the airport and interning for 40 hours. We will see how things pan out, but apparently the plan is to have me rotate between different departments every 2 weeks so I can get an overall sense of what goes on behind-the-scenes at TSA. It’s all terribly exciting for me! :o)

It's a first..

Like the name implies, I'm too busy to blog. So I'll create some stupendous blog at a later date!