New screeners in town Austin Straubel International Airport Federal Security Director Timothy Decker (right) introduces new Transportation Security Administration screeners Tracy Aldrich and Arthur Faison during a news conference Tuesday (photo by H. Marc Larson). Austin Straubel is the first Wisconsin airport to complete federal security mandates By Michelle Kennedy News-Chronicle Like thousands of others across the country, Tracy Aldrich applied to become a transportation security screener at Austin Straubel International Airport because she wanted to help her country combat terrorism. Tuesday, Aldrich became one of 42 federally certified screeners hired by the Transportation Security Administration to screen passengers and their luggage on their way out of Green Bay. The 42 screeners have been hired to replace the 30 private security workers that previously staffed Austin Straubel's security checkpoints. Installation of the program, mandated by Congress last year in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, makes Austin Straubel the first airport in Wisconsin to comply with federal regulations by the Nov. 19 deadline. "Screeners have gone through 44 hours of classroom training and will have 60 hours of closely supervised on-the-job training," said Federal Security Director Tim Decker. "They are highly motivated, quiet individuals who are ready to help in the war on terrorism." Tom Miller, director of Austin Straubel International Airport, said passengers will not only be screened according to stricter standards, but the wait for screening should take 10 minutes or less. In addition to more personnel at checkpoints, Austin Straubel has installed glass walls to divide the checkpoint and added more screening devices. The Transportation Safety Administration was formed by Congress in November in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. At that time, Congress mandated that by Nov. 19 the TSA must control and operate all airport passenger screening functions. By Dec. 31, the TSA must implement the screening of checked baggage through the Explosive Detection System and/or the Explosive Trace Detection machine. In addition, the TSA is focusing on customer service and has made a priority of improving customer satisfaction and reducing checkpoint wait times. Decker said passengers will notice the changes at not only Austin Straubel, but at airports across the country, once all of them have met the Nov. 19 deadline. "Passengers will see the same uniformed people, the same professional workforce at all security airports across the country," he said. This, he noted, will add to passenger security because it will be understood that all security professionals have undergone the same intensive training. Arthur Faison, a veteran Transportation Security Screener who trained the new local recruits, said the training focuses not only what to look for on the baggage screen or in the pockets of individuals, but also how to detect unusual behavior. Behaviros that Faison said screeners are trained to look for include whether or not a person is exceedingly nervous, or "vociferous in opposition to the screening process." "It's a matter of perception," he said. Decker said the screeners are working on cultivating the same kind of "sixth sense" police officers have in regards to potential threats. Faison and Aldrich expressed complete confidence in the new system. Both said they believe the changes in training will make for security screeners that are more aware. "There is also a higher level of commitment than there was in the past," Faison said. "People who work here are people who want to do this job, and we are very capable of what we're doing."