The TSA Agent
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q90560 — 17 years ago(March 22, 2009 12:56 PM)
You are one-hundred percent correct. As someone who travels several times a month, the TSA and its parent HSD are insulting the travelers of this country. The screeners and staffers are mostly incompetent personnel who got their job with nothing more than a G.E.D, and successful drug test. I am utterly disgusted with the way travelers are treated, and even more disgusted in the way a military escort is treated. We need to keep in mind that screeners do not have a successful track record, so they are in no position to be arrogant, or act as if we owe them something for their p poor service to the country. Just because one is given a badge, blue latex gloves, and a few days of X-ray training does not mean that one knows what they are doing.
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todd_miller — 16 years ago(May 19, 2009 05:04 AM)
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.
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Leonidas808 — 17 years ago(March 24, 2009 02:32 PM)
When my father retired from the Philadelphia Police department he worked for TSA for about a year. We are both veterans and had decided to watch Taking Chance together, so I stopped by my parents house to watch it one of the nights it was on. During the scene with TSA agent my mother asked, "Do you think that really happened?" My father replied, "Probably, most of the people I worked with there were morons."
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Phillycop19046 — 17 years ago(March 26, 2009 02:54 PM)
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. -
jstain3710 — 17 years ago(March 27, 2009 08:15 AM)
Still going on as of this month. My sons a Lt. USMC and gets screened each and every flight he comes in and out of. So far no exceptions.
I'm retired US NAVY and I have flown all over the globe, and I can say the only place my son and I have been treated poorly has been right here in the USA. -
TtankerT — 17 years ago(March 28, 2009 04:21 AM)
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 doI 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.
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ztpt — 16 years ago(April 06, 2009 12:18 PM)
I am currently under training for deployment to this conflict(GWOT,OEF)
I encounter this at airports all over,but there are some exeptions..
I wish that people could educate themselves and restore the respect for the uniform that once were common among people.
Nowadays,If I walk down the street in uniform, my infantry badges on and unit citations etc..I sometimes get hard looks from certain individuals,I have even been accused for aiding and abetting war crimes(wtf?).(the worst are the conspiracy theorists)
What have this world come to?
I am leaving for my first tour after the summer,I hope somehow people realize that we are fighting in principle for their right to be outright jerks like that..
PS.any servicemen previously posted in this thread,I salute you!
I am in for the long haul,OCS after I get my degree etc..
Rangers lead the way!
Semper Fi
Carry on! -
eponine_t — 16 years ago(April 09, 2009 03:20 AM)
I agree, this was upsetting and should never have happened. It's been a while since I've seen this movie, so I may be forgetting a detail but is it possible that the agent wasn't trying to intentionally be be insulting? If I recall, it was someone young who may not have known about military protocol re: boots/jacket, etc. and not received training about what to do in this sort of situation. It may be that this agent's training just consisted of "Everyone's shoes and jackets go through the scanner."
I'd also like to thank all those who served. -
BeenThereBefore — 16 years ago(April 11, 2009 06:13 AM)
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. -
david-5374 — 16 years ago(April 17, 2009 06:41 AM)
Aahhh, finally! Thank you "lifted" for not being arrogant like all the rest. Wear a uniform and go straight through.. Gees. Did you not ever think that it seemed slightly fair that he (mike) had to follow the procedures like everyone else. That's right -everyone else..
It's a hassle for sure, but that's how it works. The US has been a pretty safe haven until a few years ago, when the unbelievable happened. Turns out some people are willing to do some damage if they can, and they could just as well be a white americans, covered in medals of honour.
I vagely remember this guy did not carry much else than a letter when he checked in..
If anyone was unreasonable it was Mike. Not everyone looks at these uniformed people as living gods and willing to loose their job over a proud person covered in medals.
Anyone can be a security threat. Why on earth could he not take his jacket off? Because of a brainwashed perception of messed up ideas of respect and honor.
Uniformed people, US citizens or not, be happy that some people take their jobs seriously. After all, the tight security was introduced for a reason. You do know that, right? -
lameassemailname — 16 years ago(April 12, 2009 12:56 AM)
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.
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J. Ryan — 16 years ago(April 21, 2009 12:26 AM)
I can't believe he'd be such a dck. I appreciate the TSA guy has a job to do, but the LtCol was going out of his way to explain why his bag could not go through the X-Ray machine and why he couldn't take off his uniform. The TSA agent should have politely given him the option of a private screening rather than be so curt. He could have done his job without being a dck.
Veni, Vidi, Oh Just Facit!
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shannon-elements — 16 years ago(May 08, 2009 02:39 AM)
I dunno, I personally don't really blame the TSA guy. It's not that hard to obtain military uniforms. I have seen guys get upset when they had to take their boots off, but sometimes people in the military wear steel-toed boots. If that's the case then just take off your damn boots and stop complaining.
I personally always just took off my boots, belt, and blouse/jacket without being prompted, until a couple years ago when a TSA agent told me I didn't have to. -
nonpareilakira — 16 years ago(May 08, 2009 06:15 AM)
If I show my military ID at the airport I ALWAYS get selected for "Random" screening.. If I show my FL license I NEVER once have been checked.. And I've flown a lot.. 70+ flights going to and from places.. no matter what If Im in uniform or show my ID im suddenly picked for random screening.. lol
Seems like its the douche with no high school education getting his rocks off being in charge of a Marine for 5 minutes that makes his day. -
cg11144 — 16 years ago(May 15, 2009 09:22 AM)
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