The TSA Agent

Thankyou for serving.

I thank you as well.

Hey brother, I had the exact same problem when I came home on my mid-tour leave from our last deployment. I wasnt as lucky as you to have a person with authority show up and stop the insanity. Although I did get out of it when I said "why am I having to do this but 4 lines over you are letting the people of Middle Eastern decent through the line. The last time I looked, people in military uniforms arent the ones conducting the jihad on our country." That got me out of having to take my boots off.

Think about this: TSA deal with PEOPLE all day, they don't have time to deal with B.S. A terrorist could easily dress as military and get through screening. TSA is there to protect the American people just as the Marines are there to protect the American people. Unfortunatley, the world we live in today doesn't even give men and women that serve our country the benefit of the doubt, even in airports. So much for what our nation was built upon.

Thank you for your service.

Thank you for serving.





You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something in your life-Winston Churchill

Isn't America wonderful.. even the men and women who is fighting for their own country gets treated like terrorists, and you put up with it.

Seriously.. start a revolution.

Having both served in the US Navy as well as having worked as an airport screener (pre-911), I have to weigh in on this one.

Screeners do have regulations and guidelines to follow for special circumstances (such as a Military Escort or a Law Enforcement officer travelling armed.) The methods that Col Strobl suggested... having the bagg hand searched and being wanded down, are perfectly acceptable and the screener was wrong to argue.

In point of fact, when Strobl first stated that the bag cannot go through the scanner, the screener should have immediatly accepted that and called for a bag check. without argument and without Strobl having to suggest it. That is what he is SUPPOSED to do.

IMHO the screener was completely in the wrong. This is based not only on my knowledge of what should have happened but also on the attitude the screener took with the Col. I have worked with idiots like that before both as a screener as well as during my years as a security officer (AKA Rentacops). I have had to work with individuals who act as a real life Paul Blart, Mall Cop (Without the comedy)

That being said, I find I must now defend the TSA screeners.

While this particular screener was in the wrong, There are many MANY such circumstances where the screeners are spoke of in this same way when in fact they ARE just doing their job.

As an above poster pointed out, a terrorist could easily get a military uniform and attempt to pass through security. TSA is doing a job to keep us safe when we fly. And it is true as well that they don't have time to deal with the BS.

That is why again, Screeners have regulations and guidelines to follow. It is a simple matter to determine if the Military or Law Enforcement Offiers is who they claim to be, they dont EVER just accept the word of the Military or LEO. there is paperwork and Identification. Remember back at the ticket counter, Strobl was telling the agent that he has some paperwork.

Many times however the screener is being put upon by some traveller that does not understand security and thinks that the screener is just harrassing him/her when in fact the screener is in the right.

You see this most often in Law Enforcement when people accuse cops of being bullies when in fact the cop is doing his job.

During Christmas time the local NEWS stations often report about holiday travelling to NOT wrap Christmas presents, but to wrap them at your destination.

What people often fail to realize is that no matter what time of year. NEVER wrap ANY presents, be it Birthdays or Weddings or whatever. If we (the screeners) cannot determine what is in the package via Xray, the package WILL BE OPENED no matter how much time, effort, loving care, or money you put into the giftwrapping.

TRUE STORY:
I had a giftwrapped package for a wedding come through the Xray and on the screen you can clearly see the outline of a lage fancy vase. It was a lead Crystal vase and this material shows up on Xray the same as if it had been made of solid steel. DENSE BLACK, because of the lead Crystal. Visually it is crystal clear, but not on Xray.

Even though we screeners knew it was a lead crystal vase, the package had to be opened as we could not determine by Xray what else may have been in the package due to the density of the crystal. anything could have been inside the vase and we would not know it.

Of course the traveller had all sorts of comments for us screeners, most of which had a lot to do with our lineage, ancestors, lack of braincells, egos, etc...
But we had a job to do.

TRUE STORY #2:
Some people think that due to their position, that they are above submitting to security. Quite often this involves the flight crew.

I had a pilot for Northwest come through my checkpoint while I was on. he could not pass the metal detectors due to the metal on his uniform. So he had to be hand checked with the wand. I did not argue with him nor suggest he take his uniform jacket off as the idiot in the movie did. Mearly told the pilot that he needs to be wanded as he cannot pass the walk-thru detector.

At this the pilot started balking. telling me that he is the pilot and does not need to be checked (YES, He does).
After much arguement, also involving his carry-on as well, and the getting of a supervisor involved who was going to call Airport police on the pilot if he did not submit, the Pilot finally waivered.

now at this airport, the flooring is a raised floor with metal understructure. During the wanding process, the detector will ALWAYS go off when you get within a few inches of the floor. What this means is that the ankles of a traveller MUST ALWAYS be hand patted.

As I attempted to complete the search and hand pat the pilots ankles, he stepped back and refused. stating " No where in your security manuals are you required to touch me!"

Now I must admit I did get a leeetle unprofessional back at him at this point as I (and my Sup) were fed up with this idiot. I told him, " When you pull back on the yoke, the plane climbs, when you push forward, the plane dives."

Momentarily taken aback, he asked "Are you telling me how to fly a plane?"
I responded, "You're telling me how to perform security, so why not?"

At this he storms off. I had not had a chance to complete the security check nor was I able to catch his name off his uniform. My supervisor relieved me of my position and told me to follow him and get his name from the gate agent when he boards. This I did and a report was filed. That particular Pilot was banned by the Airport Management from ever flying into that airport again. This means that Northwest now had to alter that pilot's regular schedual and, if a pilot gets banned from enough airports that the company cannot schedual him, then he is useless to the company.

Flight Crew, incuding the pilots, must follow the same security as passangers when they come through the security checkpoint. and this was BEFORE 9/11.
This is due to PSA flight 1771 on Dec 7th 1987.

From the NTSB files:
NTSB Identification: DCA88MA008 .
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 34799.
Scheduled 14 CFR PACIFIC SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Accident occurred Monday, December 07, 1987 in SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 1/4/1989
Aircraft: BRITISH AEROSPACE BAE-146-200, registration: N350PS
Injuries: 43 Fatal.
A RECENTLY DISCHARGED USAIR EMPLOYEE BOARDED PSA FLT 1771 AFTER HAVING LEFT A GOODBYE MESSAGE WITH FRIENDS. HE BYPASSED SECURITY AND CARRIED ABD A BORROWED 44 CALIBER PISTOL. A NOTE WRITTEN BY THIS PSGR, FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE, THREATENED HIS FORMER SUPERVISOR AT USAIR, WHO WAS ABOARD THE FLT. AT 1613, THE PLT RPTD TO OAKLAND ARTCC THAT HE HAD AN EMERGENCY AND THAT GUNSHOTS HAD BEEN FIRED IN THE AIRPLANE. WITHIN 25 SECONDS, OAKLAND CTR CONTROLLERS OBSERVED THAT PSA 1771 HAD BEGUN A RAPID DESCENT FM WHICH IT DID NOT RECOVER. WITNESSES ON THE GND SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS INTACT AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE BEFORE THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GND IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CVR TAPE REVEALED THE SOUNDS OF A SCUFFLE AND SEVERAL SHOTS WHICH WERE APPARENTLY FIRED IN OR NEAR THE COCKPIT. THE PISTOL WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE WITH 6 EXPENDED ROUNDS. FAA RULES PERMITTED AIRLINE EMPLOYEES TO BYPASS SECURITY CHECKPOINTS.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

CONTROL INTERFERENCE..INTENTIONAL..PASSENGER
SABOTAGE..INTENTIONAL..PASSENGER
EMOTIONAL REACTION..PASSENGER



Contributing Factors

SECURITY..INADEQUATE..COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT
PROCEDURE INADEQUATE..COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT
INSUFF STANDARDS/REQUIREMENTS,OPERATION/OPERATOR..FAA(ORGANIZATION)

I won't get into the Double barrel shotgun a Doctor brought through security (He thought it was OK since he was not actually boarding a plane but meeting another Doctor getting off the flight)

nor will I get into the Police Officer who violated security with his weapon by not following proceedure.




I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

I am in the United States Air Force. When I was in training I was allowed to go home to be with my family for Thanksgiving. Because I was in a training status, I had to wear blues when off-base. Leaving from Gulfport, MS I had no problem, but coming back was a different story. I was not in Class A but just normal blues. I asked to go to a screening room, but was refused. I was made to remove my ribbons, remove my occupation badge, remove my name tag, remove my belt buckle, remove my shoes, then asked to unzip my pants and show the TSA the straps that kept my shirt tucked in. When it was all said and done he handed me my ribbons, badge, nametag, and belt buckle in a plastic bowl. Then laughed and said, "I bet they investigated you more than me." As I stood there and put my uniform back together no less than fifteen passengers who were behind me in line came up to me and apologized and thanked me for my service. This was my first time out since joining the military and I learned then that there are people that support our all-volunteer force, and there are people that hate it. I serve so that both can have their freedom.

As a Police Officer myself I see people enjoy having "authority" over Police or Military uniformed personnel. For those 5 minutes they are in charge.
For example the Phila Parking Authority "meter attendants" love writing tickets to Police Officers with "FOP" tags knowing the Officer is in court (many Officers will leave a copy of the court notice in the car dash)or at work in a Police station.
Not all PPA have this sadistic side to them but a few ruin it for the rest. The same way a few bad cops (or any authority profession) slip through the cracks and make it bad for every one else.

As a former TSA agent I just want to say it IS his job to screen people, and it is his job to ASK people to remove thier shoes and jackets, now remmeber this is set in 2004 where the TSA is still new at what they do...I did question it as well when I would have about 10 to 15 soldiers in ACU's having them take off thier jackets and boots, as I remember getting them on ain't all fun, nor is taking them off, from what I understand this policy has changed to allow men and women in military uniform under military busniess to NOT have to go though the ringer of taking thier boots and jackets off, however it is policy that IF the alarms does ring they have to serch the person for any prohibited items, now the TSA agent did observe there was alot of medal on Strobl's jacket and knew it would set of the dector and he tried making it easier for Strobl to pass threw without much hassle, than when Strobl asked for a private screening the agent did what he asked and just merly informed him that it would take longer to get threw the checkpoint.