Name on government watch list threatens pilot’s career
22 August, 2008
Isn’t bureaucracy grand?
For Erich Scherfen, being on a government terror watch list isn’t just a matter of inconvenience. It could end his career.
Scherfen served in the U.S. military for 13 years, as an Army infantryman in the first Gulf War and then as a helicopter pilot in the National Guard. After receiving an honorable discharge, he was hired as a pilot by Colgan Air Inc., a regional airline operating in the Northeast and Texas.
In April, Colgan informed Scherfen that he was on a government list and would be suspended from his job. He was told he faced termination on September 1 unless he was able to clear his name.
