TSA Screener Enjoys Second Career Protecting Passengers

Dale Hammond knows how much his job matters.

Every time he looks into the trusting eyes of a youngster eager to board an airplane, he knows.

Many times, the little boy or girl is thinking about the vacation they're about to enjoy with their parents, Hammond says, adding that he, meanwhile, is thinking about how to protect them.

A transportation security officer, he's responsible for screening passengers and luggage at South Bend Regional Airport.

"All I know is that there are people out there who mean to do us harm," he says on a recent weekday morning, briefly trading his friendly smile for a serious expression. "They don't seem to care whether it's to fathers or mothers or children."

It's a sobering thought, Hammond says, but it's gratifying to know that he's part of the solution.

He's among the 71 transportation security officers at the local airport -- and the tens of thousands across the country -- whose jobs require keeping air travelers safe, according to Lara Uselding, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

For Hammond, that job begins late in the morning, when he receives his daily assignment. After that, he goes to work -- most days, in at least a couple of areas of the airport.

Duties vary, but he can do everything from examining luggage to handling various screening tasks at the metal detectors through which passengers must pass. In addition, he receives ongoing training.

The job frequently involves talking to travelers, something that Hammond enjoys. He found his current job with the TSA after working as a travel agent for more than two decades.

After seeing the increased competition that the Internet brought to the travel business, Hammond says he decided to look for more secure work. So he decided to do some Web surfing of his own.

That, he says, is how he discovered the TSA had openings. At the same time, he and his wife needed to move from southern California to northern Indiana to care for her ailing mother.

"This came up," he says, "and I thought it would be a good way to extend my experience in the travel business."

After applying, Hammond faced background checks, tests and training. He was sworn in as a transportation security officer in December 2002.

These days, he deals with a range of travelers -- everyone from business folks who've grown accustomed to the finer points of screening procedures to vacationing families who may be taking their first flight since Sept. 11.

"With the families, they're going to Disney World, they're going to Vegas, they're not people that travel all the time," he says. "We're trying to explain the process to them in a calm manner, not in an intimidating way. That's part of this job."

Now 59, Hammond sees his job as a great second career. It provides him with job security, he says, as well as purpose. When he arrives for work, he knows he has a role to play in keeping travelers safe.

That thought gives him satisfaction, he says, and it comforts him whenever he deals with an irate traveler.

"I absolutely believe in my heart that our country has challenges ahead in terms of its national security," he says. "I try to keep that in mind -- this is what we're doing here. Hopefully, we're doing our part to keep things safe for our future."

Staff writer Joshua Stowe:

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