A bill signed into law Jan. 3 will make airport security life easier for serivcemembers and their families … kind of.
The bill, sent to the White House last month, orders the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ease guidelines for screening servicemembers who are traveling in uniform on military orders and any family members traveling with them. According to the bill (which you can see for yourself here), the TSA must get servicemembers and accompanying family through security faster while coming up with ways to effectively screen uniforms and combat boots, presumably without making the people wearing them undress.
(Because we all LOVE undressing while going through security at the airport, right?)
But like Rick Maze reported in the Army Times, which first ran this story, the bill is likely more symbolic than it is practical.
Think about it like this: when was the last time your servicemember flew anywhere in uniform that was not a deployment or R&R trip?
And when was the last time you or your family flew with him while he was in uniform? Even when traveling on PCS orders or going on a temporary duty trip, your servicemember probably chose civies over camo. In my husband’s mind, at least, no security fast pass is worth the extra attention he’d get by traveling in combat boots.
In reality, then, this bill probably makes life a little, tiny bit easier for deploying and returning troops who travel through regular airports – and not really anyone else.
But I appreciate the sentiment (in a way).
Meanwhile, another pilot program may help servicemembers only — but not families — get through security faster uniform or not. The airport in Monterey, Calif. is testing a system that allows servicemembers to scan their common access cards and potentially gain access to the pre-approved security line. While those folks would still be scanned and have their belongings x-rayed, they would not need to remove their shoes, outerwear/jackets and belt, among other things. You can read all about that program here.
About Amy Bushatz
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In the Navy, we aren't even supposed to wear our uniforms while traveling. Coming home from deployment we do, but we are discouraged against it in almost all circumstances.
Fairly sure it's the same in the Army from what His Lordship tells me…But hey, at least he'll have it easier on R&R that way :)
This just in, A U.S. Army 1st Sgt, special forces soldier stationed in texas gets caught with "explosives" going through TSA security. Service members and civilians, it shouldnt matter. When it comes to safety for me and others on an airline I want all people no matter who they are to be screened up and down 150%!!! I'm a former combat veteran myself so my opinion isnt coming from some poser. Safety ESPECIALLY on Airplanes is serious. America obviously has to be since 9/11
you're an idiot. It's security theater. It does nothing. It's just invading our privacy and our rights.
Airplanes are perfectly safe. Well relatively speaking. Your chances of dying at the hands of a terrorist are vanishingly small. In my personal opinion, TSA is a little too strict. As long as the X Rays can pick up anything box cutter sized or bigger, we're fine. It was ludicrous the time our entire flight had to not only remove our boots (pretty smelly after the sand-storm slowed 5 day transit from various bases in Iraq through Kuwait to the States) to get on our connecting domestic flights, but also run our rifles THROUGH THE X RAY MACHINE. And no, I'm not making this up. What did they think we'd do, sneak a pocket knife in our magazine wells? I believe they've changed that particular policy since then. Regardless, things would run a lot faster, especially in DC, if everyone in the military or holding a security clearance, could get through the lines faster. But again, it's only my personal opinion.
My wife travels in civilian clothes unless she has been ordered to travel in acu’s ……