David M. Stone

avid Stone, a retired rear admiral, is the third man to head the Transportation Security Administration since its inception in January 2002. Stone was appointed acting administrator in December 2003, taking on the mammoth job of overseeing all aspects of aviation security in addition to safeguarding the rest of the U.S. transportation network.

Stone, 51, was the first federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport-the nation's third-largest. In August 2003, he became the TSA deputy chief of staff. He was a surprise pick over acting Administrator Stephen McHale, who had taken over from Adm. James Loy in November, when Loy was tapped to become deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department, TSA's parent organization. Insiders expected McHale, who was No. 2 under both Loy and John Magaw, the first TSA administrator, to step into the No. 1 spot.

TSA insiders say Stone is dynamic and did well at Los Angeles airport, where he met tough deadlines. Just a few weeks into his new job, Stone took steps to address an issue that had caused problems between the agency and local airport officials: The TSA was often seen as imposing its ideas top-down, rather than working with airport officials. Stone outlined a strategy to ensure that local airports would have more input into security measures. According to a December 2003 Washington Post article, this was an effort to cut bureaucracy and improve communication within the TSA.

"It can't all be run out of Washington," Stone told The Post. In particular, Stone said, local airport security directors should take a larger, more direct role in recruiting, hiring, and managing the agency's tens of thousands of screeners.

Since its inception, TSA has taken criticism for its slow progress securing the nation's airports and even slower efforts to address other modes of transportation. Its relations with the aviation industry and Congress have been strained. In addition, morale at TSA is reportedly low.

Magaw was forced out after his tough law enforcement approach offended the aviation industry and airport operators. Loy took pains to swing the agency away from the police mentality toward a greater focus on customer service.

When the TSA was created, estimates put the size of the federal screener force needed at 30,000, but, by the end of 2002, TSA had hired more than 56,000 screeners. Irate over TSA's hiring and spending spree, congressional appropriators capped the number of screeners at 45,000 in the 2002 and 2003 spending bills. TSA cut 6,000 screeners in the summer of 2003, and reductions continue. Meanwhile, TSA screeners have flirted with unionization.

Stone, a native of Illinois, retired from the U.S. Navy in April 2002. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.