The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). "The Air Marshal Service is meant to promote confidence in civil aviation by effectively deploying federal air marshals (FAMs) to detect, deter, and defeat hostile acts targeting the United States."[2]
Because of the nature of their occupation, federal air marshals (FAMs) travel often. They must also train to be highly proficient marksmen. In the 1990s, air marshals were considered to have the highest firearms qualification standards in all Federal Law Enforcement. Although this is no longer true and has not been the case since prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001, according to the TSA, "They rank among those Federal law enforcement officers that hold the highest standard for handgun accuracy.[2] A FAM's job is to blend in with other passengers on board aircraft and rely heavily on their training, including investigative techniques, criminal terrorist behavior recognition, firearms proficiency, aircraft specific tactics, and close quarters self-defense measures to protect the flying public."[2]