TSA Watch: A month of pink slips

The day after I post a story about the TSA firing eight of its agents at Newark's airport for sleeping on the job (the third batch of pink slips the TSA has handed out this month), news breaks today that the TSA has fired eight federal air marshals, including a supervisor, for drinking alcohol on the job.

The eight air marshals, based in the New York office, allegedly drank alcohol at a restaurant on a training day in February. None of the air marshals were scheduled to fly that day, but rules prohibit alcohol consumption any time they're on the clock, according to the Associated Press.

In addition to the eight fired air marshals, the TSA suspended six more for not reporting the incident, which was ultimately reported via a website where TSA employees can report inappropriate behavior, according to the AP. All of the affected air marshals can appeal the decision, except one who was on probation and terminated immediately, the AP reported.

The TSA issued its now well-known "zero tolerance" statement, which it has issued in the wake of past terminations: "TSA holds all of its employees to the highest professional and ethical standards and has zero tolerance for misconduct in the workplace. ... TSA's decision to remove the individuals involved in the misconduct affirms our strong commitment to the highest standards of conduct and accountability."