The TSA Agent

So all terrorists are people of Middle Eastern decent and are not members of the military.

Sigh. How can so many people be so ignorant.

If you don't know what I'm getting at, try looking up the name Timothy McVeigh.

Only then will you understand why it should be necessary to treat all airline passengers equally with respect to security concerns.

I was in the Marines from 2003-2007 active duty (I am currently in the inactive reserves). On two occasions, I was traveling in my Service "A" uniform on government orders and was asked to remove my belt, jacket, shoes, etc. by TSA. Considering how people were still afraid to fly around this time period, I thought it a bit strange that someone in uniform on orders would have to go through such an ordeal. Once, I was even pulled "randomly" out of the screening line for an more thorough screening. It is a bit extreme, but Marines (and other service members) have lost thousands of lives over the course of more than 200 years so that people can have freedom, even if that comes in the form of prejudice to us.

Current procedures are here-
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1880.shtm

Screening of Military Personnel
Checkpoint:

When you arrive at the checkpoint, the following tips will assist you in getting through the screening process easily and efficiently:

Keep boarding pass and ID available
Remove class A uniform jacket, metal items in pockets, and metal belt buckle and submit them for X-ray screening
Military personnel in uniform, with a valid military ID are not required to remove their footwear unless it alarms the walk through metal detector
Ensure your carry-on luggage does not contain any prohibited items

Before my husband deployed, he bought a multi-tool to take with him to Afghanistan. It was optional on the packing list.

He was in uniform with his whole company boarding a civilian plane that I believe had only military personnel onboard. I am not sure if this leg of the trip was from one US city to another or going out of the US.

Anyway, he did not put the multi-tool in his bag but had it on his person. The TSA agent would not let him go through. Meanwhile, other soldiers were having to take off their boots etc. Albeit, he should have packed the multi-tool and it did have a knife blade in it. However, what got me was was that these guys were deploying soldiers... in full uniform... carrying M16s locked and loaded.

But the agent wouldn't let him carry his dangerous, scary, multi-tool onboard.

The bin next to the agent was chock full of those things. I just hope no soldier found himself in a situation where he needed that tool.

Everybody can put on an uniform. Very easy. Lots of people in uniforms are nutcases.

Everybody should be checked especially people in uniforms.

I thought it was a pretty accurate depiction of TSA scumbags. They are completely incompetent and some of the most condescending people I have ever met. Everyone at the TSA, from the highest level managers to that fat black bitch at the gate in Greensboro who makes people empty their baby's bottles, are undeserving of anything but contempt. They are why I refuse to ever fly again.

So wait....you want preferential treatment cuz you wear a special costume? LOL come on...they are doing their job so let them do it...they are here to protect US too ya know....youre not the only ones

-Spoilers are for the weak

I remember flying back from Washington DC just after the 4th of July this year and saw a male Navy officer in his dress whites who had to strip down to his undershirt, socks, and pants to go through security. I think it's stupid, but most people don't realize all of the rules that military people have to abide by just when they dress (ex. x pin must be y inches above the top of the left breast pocket) and by removing the jacket, you risk wrinkling it, which would get you into trouble if a superior saw you in it and reported your appearance (not that many TSA personnel know that). To the officer's credit, even though he went through security after me, he had his clothes back on and his stuff back together before I had finished repacking my items (laptop back in its case, etc).

"I wanna, I gotta be adored."