New Airport Screening Procedures for the Military?

[Brooklynben]

I made a post a while back about something that happened to me. I was in civis departing from NYC, I showed my Mil ID to TSA. They made a big fuss. treated me like a hero and rushed me through to the front of the line. Then I refused to go through the scanner and they had to pat me down. Ridiculous.

I think anyone showing Mil ID regardless of if they are wearing uniform or not should be expedited through security.

GOOD MOVE;
The TSA Scanners are definitely not safe. There have been no real studies done to the long term effects, so any suggestion that these scanners are safe is an uneducated guess - at best - and more often a bold face lie.

I've read analysis's from MD's and medical researchers who do study the effects of the frequencies and radiations on healthy living tissue and all of these experts agree that the scans simply can not be 'safe'. There is now mounting evidence to support their conclusions;
(1) They TSA has tried to bury reports that increasing numbers of their own people who regularly work close to these scanners have statistically reported a much higher instance of illness and the onset of cancers then their co-workers. TSA is now rotating their people in and out of these positions close to the scanners.
(2) These risks are real enough that the EU has now banned the use of all these scanners in their airports.

So DON'T GET SCANNED. Pardus says he actually looks forward to having his junk played with.

 

[LibraryLady]

... Pardus says he actually looks forward to having his junk played with.

And you would know this how? :-"

The one time I got called out and groped, the poor girl was more embarrassed than I was. Especially since I had accidently left a quarter in my jeans pocket, so she loudly proclaimed she was gettin interested in "my left leg, my left leg only". I kinda had to laugh about all the rather obvious precautions she was taking to make it as professional as possible. Asked her if she got paid enough to do this and she said, "not nearly enough."

So look at it from the side of the gropers - do you honestly think 99% of them are enjoying it?

LL

 

[TLDR20]

If people want to travel in uniform I am all for it. If I see a young PVT in uniform getting something bought for him it makes me happy. Soldiers should be proud. Also the PERSEC thing is a bit of a joke. I mean what does your hair look like? With a mil haircut you are one of a few things: A redneck(threat), a cop(threat), in the military(threat) or ex-mil(threat). (Threat) meaning that someone will target you. So think about that when you aren't wearing your uniform. I can pick people trying to not look mil from a mile away. So could any trained terrorist or threat while flying.

 

[Scotth]

Fantastic idea, but the bill reads like fluff. I think ultimately it allows the TSA to perform the same screening, but they may expedite passage through the queue.

My thoughts exactly. They usually have flight crew/employee screening lines in bigger airports and they will probably just make those shorter lines available to the military. When I flew as an airline employee with airport credentials that allowed me to avoid security check points I still had to go through the same screening procedures when I was flying, even in the expedited lines.

But a little VIP treatment for the troops, I'm all for it.

 

[Florida173]

Why is that? The fact that you're in the military isn't classified. As far as I know there hasn't been an attack targeting a uniformed servicemember on a domestic US carrier since... well, ever.

I'm glad to see servicemembers in uniform at airports, it helps break down the distance between those in uniform and those whom we serve, and helps remind people there's a war on. I also think it's good for the individual troops to see how much the people are behind them.

The fact that I am in the military is no one's business. The fact that I've been on five full deployments is no one's business. I'm in the military because I enjoy doing it and I benefit from it professionally and physically. The second it isn't fun I'm done with it. It is for completely selfish reasons.

If other people want to receive praise for shit, have at it. I'm all to happy to allow them to get more than they deserve. Besides, I am happy not to be a target when something does happen.

Uniformed service member on a domestic flight? No. Military on international flights, Yes. I will always travel on my tourist passport if I can, or at least have it with me while required to travel on my brown passport.

 

[Florida173]

Why is that? The fact that you're in the military isn't classified

PERSEC doesn't have anything to do with being classified, and OPSEC only deals with Unclass.

 

[medicchick]

And you would know this how? :-"

The one time I got called out and groped, the poor girl was more embarrassed than I was. Especially since I had accidently left a quarter in my jeans pocket, so she loudly proclaimed she was gettin interested in "my left leg, my left leg only". I kinda had to laugh about all the rather obvious precautions she was taking to make it as professional as possible. Asked her if she got paid enough to do this and she said, "not nearly enough."

So look at it from the side of the gropers - do you honestly think 99% of them are enjoying it?

LL

The pat down when I moved to Georgia was...interesting. My plane was leaving early (unannounced) and my underwire was setting off the wand, so the TSA gal told me "Well just take it off and we'll continue"...right in the screening area, not in an office or anything. I declined and the flight crew came looking for me since the plane was leaving.

 

[Marauder06]

The fact that I am in the military is no one's business. The fact that I've been on five full deployments is no one's business. I'm in the military because I enjoy doing it and I benefit from it professionally and physically. The second it isn't fun I'm done with it. It is for completely selfish reasons.

If other people want to receive praise for shit, have at it. I'm all to happy to allow them to get more than they deserve. Besides, I am happy not to be a target when something does happen.

Uniformed service member on a domestic flight? No. Military on international flights, Yes. I will always travel on my tourist passport if I can, or at least have it with me while required to travel on my brown passport.

I waited for a while to respond to this post because I wasn't sure if I was reading it right.

I disagree with the statement that it is "no one's business" that you are in the military. As a servicemember you are in effect a public official; you act on the public's behalf and the public serves and is served by you. It's all of our business who carries weapons and doles out violence on our behalf. With certain exceptions, I think it is a legitimate public right to know. That said, if you want to keep your service to yourself... ok, fine.

But I can't believe that you would actually say that you are in the military for "selfish reasons." I have never in 16+ years heard a professional Soldier say something like that. If the post I quoted above is truly representative of who you are as a Soldier, then I'm glad you're not interacting with the public. In fact, you should consider hanging up the uniform permanently. I also take issue with you characterizing servicemembers who wear uniforms on domestic flights as somehow trolling for an ego stroke. Most of the people I've spoken to in uniform at airports fall into one of two categories: 1) trainees and service academy cadets and 2) servicemembers travelling back and forth to combat zones. "More than they deserve?" I don't think we can praise our servicemembers in those two categories enough...

I'm really hoping that your comments were either misinterpreted or that you would like to clarify them somewhat.

 

[Florida173]

I waited for a while to respond to this post because I wasn't sure if I was reading it right.

I disagree with the statement that it is "no one's business" that you are in the military. As a servicemember you are in effect a public official; you act on the public's behalf and the public serves and is served by you. It's all of our business who carries weapons and doles out violence on our behalf. With certain exceptions, I think it is a legitimate public right to know. That said, if you want to keep your service to yourself... ok, fine.

But I can't believe that you would actually say that you are in the military for "selfish reasons." I have never in 16+ years heard a professional Soldier say something like that. If the post I quoted above is truly representative of who you are as a Soldier, then I'm glad you're not interacting with the public. In fact, you should consider hanging up the uniform permanently. I also take issue with you characterizing servicemembers who wear uniforms on domestic flights as somehow trolling for an ego stroke. Most of the people I've spoken to in uniform at airports fall into one of two categories: 1) trainees and service academy cadets and 2) servicemembers travelling back and forth to combat zones. "More than they deserve?" I don't think we can praise our servicemembers in those two categories enough...

I'm really hoping that your comments were either misinterpreted or that you would like to clarify them somewhat.

I'll be happy to clarify my comments.

All of my authorities end once I enter this country, so I am in no way a public official. You want to praise the public official, thank a police officer. They do more on a daily basis than the vast majority of support slugs out there. Again, I'm missing where it matters if people know what I do occasionally unless I was looking for some sort of praise. My ego doesn't need it.

How would me being in the military for selfish reasons have any effect to say that I should consider hanging up my uniform? I didn't join the military after September 11th to fight for my country, there was nothing going on except my trips to the Balkans before then. People have always said that they had joined for the wrong reasons, but stayed in for the right ones. If people joined and stayed in for selfless reasons there would be no need to bribe them with cash bonuses and educational benefits. The second people become useless in the military should be the determining factor if they should stay in or not, not their idealistic selfless service. I'm only in till it's not fun any more. Maybe I just missed the koolaid somewhere down the line.

Service members wearing uniform on domestic flights trolling for an ego stroke? Happens all the time, but I'll accept that it's an exception from the common reasons that you've said. I was meaning to say that I'm happy to give any praise that I would get to someone else, regardless if it is due or not. There are plenty of soldiers like SSG Ronghi out there too...

I'll just stay the quiet professional and wait in line at the airports with the rest of my colleagues, and the sheep.

 

[Manolito]

TSA appears to be improving hiring practices. Agent stops 17 year old for a embossed gun design on her purse. Held her long enough to miss her flight. They contend it could be considered a replica of a weapon. She was on her return trip going out no problem at all. TSA says they are standing behind their decision.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/Teen-s...-purse/-/475880/4858586/-/qijcv5/-/index.html

 

[policemedic]

Disband the TSA. I keep saying it, and nothing has yet changed my opinion.

 

[pardus]

Disband the TSA. I keep saying it, and nothing has yet changed my opinion.

Yep, they are fucking monkey's with badges who swallow up funding that could be better used elsewhere.

 

[Brooklynben]

Yep, they are fucking monkey's with badges who swallow up funding that could be better used elsewhere.

Get ready, it may get even better; there's talk in the White House of having the TSA join the Unions!

 

[policemedic]

Yep, they are fucking monkey's with badges who swallow up funding that could be better used elsewhere.

Hey- I happen to LIKE monkeys.

 

[Manolito]

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=697&sid=2353407
Just a matter of which Union gets the 44K new members. Are they going to be Union is a done deal.
You have to understand without TSA a lot of White House officials wouldn't have a sex life.
Bill

 

[Etype]

They should hire a handful of Special Ops types to do a red cell style mission against the TSA and just pick them apart. My personal favorite is the (I'm sure extremely expensive) 'sniffer' machines. My wife got pulled for a random check and they swabbed one of my civilian bags that had stored det cord, time fuze, TNT, and C4 no less than 3 months before- NOTHING!!! Hilarious, a bomb dog would've picked it up no problem- especially in the non-military environment of an airport. Random, invasive sniffer machine tests are replacing a chocolate lab passively standing off to the side- brilliant. I guess they feel the dazzling facade of technology is a deterrent.

 

[medicchick]

They tried to nail me once with that machine. They swabbed a properly searched and identified as carrying firearms bag with ammo, then told me I "needed to come with them, I bag popped hot for explosives/gun powder". I just pointed to the paperwork that was in there with it.

 

[SpitfireV]

They should hire a handful of Special Ops types to do a red cell style mission against the TSA and just pick them apart. My personal favorite is the (I'm sure extremely expensive) 'sniffer' machines. My wife got pulled for a random check and they swabbed one of my civilian bags that had stored det cord, time fuze, TNT, and C4 no less than 3 months before- NOTHING!!! Hilarious, a bomb dog would've picked it up no problem- especially in the non-military environment of an airport. Random, invasive sniffer machine tests are replacing a chocolate lab passively standing off to the side- brilliant. I guess they feel the dazzling facade of technology is a deterrent.

Was that stuff totally sealed up though? The machines often won't pick up stuff that's factory sealed. Example: once had to swab the ute that the boss of the EOD drove around in, which carried explosives possibly more than most vehicles in the country...nothing.

 

[Etype]

It had prepped charges in it. Just duct taped. I would think that would be enough to set the machines off, as it would be enough to set of a dog's nose.