One Day in an Elevator With Obama, Then Out of a Job - Polidicks

[QUOTE][IMG]http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/11/03/us/03SERVICE1-web/03SERVICE1-web-master675.jpg[/IMG] Kenneth Tate, a security guard, was fired after operating an elevator for President Obama at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and escorting him back to his limousine. He said he is unsure why.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE] ATLANTA — Kenneth Tate toiled for years as a construction worker and corrections officer, and he has no doubt that his last job — working as a $42,000-a-year private security guard at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — was the best he ever had. The high point was an afternoon seven weeks ago when he was assigned to accompany President Obama, who was visiting the agency’s headquarters here for a briefing on the Ebola epidemic. It was not only that Mr. Tate’s bosses had entrusted him with staying close to such an important dignitary. It was that, as an African-American born in Chicago, he was going to meet the nation’s first black president, a man he deeply admired. But by the time Mr. Obama’s visit was over, Mr. Tate was on the way to losing his job. [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/03/us/one-day-in-an-elevator-with-obama-then-out-of-a-job.html[/url]

I really doubt he got fired over nothing, something Definately happened that costed him the job

[QUOTE]As Mr. Obama’s motorcade was preparing to leave the C.D.C., [B]Mr. Tate tried to take a picture on his cellphone as a memento[/B]. Angry Secret Service agents told him that he had gotten too close to the Beast, as the presidential limousine is known. When the agents relayed to Mr. Tate’s bosses what had happened, they reacted angrily.[/QUOTE] Seems like he violated security protocol [QUOTE]But it took several weeks before the full consequences of the incident became clear. [B]An investigation conducted shortly after Mr. Obama’s visit revealed that Mr. Tate was carrying a C.D.C.-issued firearm, a violation of Secret Service protocols — and a security lapse that the agency’s director at the time, Julia Pierson, never mentioned to the White House.[/B][/QUOTE] I think this is the reason [editline]4th November 2014[/editline] So honestly by the sounds of this article, the CDC had multiple security breaches and as a result employees lost their job such as that lad I can kinda understand why

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;46404228]Seems like he violated security protocol [QUOTE]But it took several weeks before the full consequences of the incident became clear. An investigation conducted shortly after Mr. Obama’s visit revealed that Mr. Tate was carrying a C.D.C.-issued firearm, a violation of Secret Service protocols — and a security lapse that the agency’s director at the time, Julia Pierson, never mentioned to the White House.[/QUOTE] I think this is the reason [editline]4th November 2014[/editline] So honestly by the sounds of this article, the CDC had multiple security breaches and as a result employees lost their job such as that lad I can kinda understand why[/QUOTE] but that seems like horrible miscommunication though. they didnt tell himn it was a violation of secret service protocol to carry a firearm

Yeah but it wasn't his fault that he was carrying the firearm that he was issued.

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;46404228] So honestly by the sounds of this article, the CDC had multiple security breaches and as a result employees lost their job such as that lad I can kinda understand why[/QUOTE] Depends if he was informed of these rules. But one thing in the article I found odd was apparently his son, who also worked for the security contractor, got fired as well for "downsizing." But until the security contractor explains it'll be only his side we have.

Well it all seems like a clusterfuck of events which got him to the termination. A lot of miscommunication and lack of knowledge on how to deal with presidential visits The fact that he got too close to the car and took photos along with other agents saying "that's far too close" would've been a huge security breach But still it seems confusing, I'd wait for both sides before drawing a conclusion

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;46404228]Seems like he violated security protocol I think this is the reason [editline]4th November 2014[/editline] So honestly by the sounds of this article, the CDC had multiple security breaches and as a result employees lost their job such as that lad I can kinda understand why[/QUOTE] Sounds like to me that the Secret Service forgot to inform the usual security guards that they aren't allowed to carry firearms around the President and are trying to shift the blame.

[QUOTE=zzaacckk;46404250]Yeah but it wasn't his fault that he was carrying the firearm that he was issued.[/QUOTE] You're meeting the president. It makes sense not to carry a gun unless specifically told to. As for taking a picture with the president, wouldn't you?

[QUOTE=download;46404281]Sounds like to me that the Secret Service forgot to inform the usual security guards that they aren't allowed to carry firearms around the President and are trying to shift the blame.[/QUOTE] I am kind of confused on why a security guard that works for the government and assigned to the president shouldn't have a weapon. Maybe they should have just not had him do anything.

[QUOTE]He said one of the Secret Service agents had told him that it was remarkable that Mr. Obama had talked to him, considering it had taken the president two years to acknowledge the agent. [/QUOTE] That can't be true... I'm sure his employer panicked at getting splashed with a bit of the Secret Service shitstorm and knee-jerk fired him because their lawyer told them to. Sucks for him that we live in a society where people can be (and often are) fired at will with no official reason just so their bosses can avoid potential embarrassment. The only thing it sounds like he did wrong was take a picture of the car, which is hardly a big deal. It's not his job to know the ins and outs of the Secret Service's security protocols when he doesn't even work for the Secret Service. IMO his boss is a risk-averse pussy that would rather throw him out on the street than risk any backlash whatsoever. Dicks. Hopefully he finds a job working for a better class of people.

[QUOTE=download;46404281]Sounds like to me that the Secret Service forgot to inform the usual security guards that they aren't allowed to carry firearms around the President and are trying to shift the blame.[/QUOTE] I see that you're an australian, but what you are saying is very very possible given all that the secret service has done wrong recently. It's a fucking farce.

Is it just me or does $42k/year sound low for this kind of assignment?

[QUOTE=zzaacckk;46404250]Yeah but it wasn't his fault that he was carrying the firearm that he was issued.[/QUOTE] True but taking a photo of/with a client is pretty unprofessional. Is it an offense worth losing your job over? Probably not, but considering it was the President.....

[QUOTE=Cmx;46404337]I am kind of confused on why a security guard that works for the government and assigned to the president shouldn't have a weapon. Maybe they should have just not had him do anything.[/QUOTE] Well the secret service wouldn't want anybody except secret service (or military personnel in special circumstances) armed around the president. It makes sense to me.

[QUOTE=Cakebatyr;46404348]Is it just me or does $42k/year sound low for this kind of assignment?[/QUOTE] 42 grand a year for full-time rent-a-cop that can carry a firearm is about par for the course.

[QUOTE=Tmaxx;46404336]You're meeting the president. It makes sense not to carry a gun unless specifically told to. As for taking a picture with the president, wouldn't you?[/QUOTE] He's an armed security guard, he is expected to have his weapon on him at all times while at work. His employers neglected to mention that he should [I]not[/I] have it this one time, and it sounds like they fired him to avoid blame for the security breach. The fact that he tried to take a picture gave them an excuse to pile all the blame on him as well.

[QUOTE=Cakebatyr;46404348]Is it just me or does $42k/year sound low for this kind of assignment?[/QUOTE] i think you get full benifits when you work for the government too

[QUOTE=Cakebatyr;46404348]Is it just me or does $42k/year sound low for this kind of assignment?[/QUOTE] He works for an outside security contractor, not the CDC directly. $42k is actually pretty good. The standard rent-a-douchebag unarmed security services around here advertise a starting pay of about $8 an hour. It ain't Blackwater pay, but he was doing better than a lot of security guards.

$20-24k is pretty typical for average security guards where I live.