Military in Uniform at Airport

[BolterKing]

Being Navy and having traveled in Army ACU's... I can tell you the two reasons I did it.

1.) It was either the backside of training and I had no civvies, or I was leaving for a 12 month deployment, and I had no civvies or just really didn't want to tote them

and/or

2.) It's the fastest way to get through security without a complete rectum check by a highschool drop out. 99% of the time security calls you around the line and whips your right through.

Navy/Marine rules are different. If you're seeing the blue "aquaflage" Navy uniform they're completely in the wrong, that's a working uniform. Only thing Navy is allowed to travel in is a service uniform of Khaki's, summer whites, or service dress blues (the airline pilot getup), or the cracker jacks for enlisted. Marines are the same, although I don't know their rules on the digital cammies.

[Dupe]

Once traveling to one of many horrible meetings, I watched a rather large guy give up his first class seat for a young enlisted kid in exchange for a middle seat back in the cattle-car section. I offered him my aisle seat, but he wouldn't take it. These are the Americans I think of when I suffer through yet another awful meeting with the Program Office to agree upon what we've already agreed upon.

[Warrior]

I'm sure that most may know this but for those who don't.....Most, if not all, TSA checkpoints will let military go through the employee's line (whether in uniform or not). If they don't have a special line labeled for "military/employees" go through the First Class line. I travel through SLC quite often and they recently put up a sign in their "employees" line that says something to the effect "ONLY uniformed crews and airport employees". I asked the TSA ID checker girl and she scoffed. She said something to the effect..."F that sign. If you are in the military and I am working the only thing I am going to say is 'thank you for serving our country'" She went on to say that if the regular line is long for me to just go through the first class line.

It's real tough to get frustrated when people are hooking us up like this - but I'll throw a little grip out anyways: I fly through DIA fairly frequently. Same situation as what you outlined above - some TSA ID checker/line guarders were cool as hell and sent me through the employee line. Next week I (being a reasonably intelligent person) learned from past experience and got in that line again. New ID checker calls me out and sends me to the long line. I don't really mind standing in line but it's nice to get in the shorter one (sts). But I really don't like being called out like that - it looks like I'm trying to scam perks like the D-bag Col mentioned earlier in this thread and I don't want to be that guy. The best part though is when you get to the front of the line to the TSA dude who is actually checking ID's and he says "Why the F didn't you come through that line?>points at the employee line"

TSA - America's Finest

[backseatdriver]

I've never tried going through the employee line, but haven't had any trouble going through the First Class line with my Mil I.D. Except at Tampa - they were adamant that we had to go through the coach line.

The TSA is starting their PreCheck program at some of the large airports that speeds through frequent fliers that have had a background check. I've always wondered why there isn't a similar TSA program for military (or all gov't employees with a clearance). If I can be trusted with our nation's secrets, I should be able to forego the TSA cavity search.

[TAMInated]

https://cravaack.house.gov/uploads/BILLS-112hr1801enr.pdf

This guy's my representative. The bill isn't perfect, but hopefully it will infuse come common sense into the circus clowns that moonlight as TSA agents. Or at least change the regs that they blindly follow.

[BQZip01]

I've been hooked up with free entry into the lounges afforded to business/1st class travelers. Free internets and bloody marys ... YES PLEASE.

If you fly through Denver they allow ALL AD military personnel into their Red Carpet clubs for free...Free snacks, free booze

[Guest Grind]

If you fly through Denver they allow ALL AD military personnel into their Red Carpet clubs for free...Free snacks, free booze

Free blow job

Edited February 6, 2012 by Grind

[Day Man]

nice...what was his name?

[Guest]

Free blow job

You're thinking MSP airport...

[pintail21]

https://cravaack.hous...12hr1801enr.pdf

This guy's my representative. The bill isn't perfect, but hopefully it will infuse come common sense into the circus clowns that moonlight as TSA agents. Or at least change the regs that they blindly follow.

That's great to hear, I can't wait until we shit can the entire department. Let me get this straight, if a terrorist can elude the military, the FBI, the CIA and every other 3 letter agency a freaking mall cop with a metal detecting wand is supposed to stop him? DHS didn't help with the shoe bomber. The underwear bomber also made it through no problem. Hell this year alone a pax was allowed to board a plane with a loaded .38 and another guy managed to bring a brick of C4 on a flight accidentally, but don't worry he was caught when he tried to board the return flight. The airlines aren't any better, here we are over 10 years later and now some airlines at one or two airports are starting to allow customers who have flown for hundreds of thousands of miles to skip one or two of the BS rules in the security line? We honestly couldn't come up with some way to speed up the process in the decade since? How much tax money have these clowns wasted? I would bet we have wasted more tax money with these buffoons than we lost on 9/11, several times over. I don't even want to know the potential cost of all those man hours from the poor saps who wait in line until it's their turn to be freedom searched. But hey, as long as we kept pulling people aside grandmas, children, and those folks with higher security clearances than the TSA monkeys instead of the people who fit the actual terrorist profile like El Al does I'm sure we'll be perfectly safe and that tax money will be well spent.

[Smokin]

https://cravaack.hous...12hr1801enr.pdf

This guy's my representative. The bill isn't perfect, but hopefully it will infuse come common sense into the circus clowns that moonlight as TSA agents. Or at least change the regs that they blindly follow.

That's great, but why just in uniform? Seems to me if the govt trusts me to fly over major US cities with live bombs and fly with live missiles to defend POTUS, I should be trustworthy in civies as well.

On a side note, I always get upset about the First Class line at TSA checkpoints. Not to encourage or bring back a certain Constitutional freak, but how can the US government legally discriminate based on how much you paid for your ticket? It is perfectly natural and expected for the airlines to do it, but TSA is federal government. It amazes me that the ACLU or a similar org hasn't cried foul over that one yet.

[Guest]

On a side note, I always get upset about the First Class line at TSA checkpoints. Not to encourage or bring back a certain Constitutional freak, but how can the US government legally discriminate based on how much you paid for your ticket? It is perfectly natural and expected for the airlines to do it, but TSA is federal government. It amazes me that the ACLU or a similar org hasn't cried foul over that one yet.

It's not just first class. 99% of the people in domestic first class are there on an upgrade due to their frequent flyer status and those lines are typically for people who have frequent flyer status. I am one of those people you are pissed at who goes through that line. However, I travel a ton and it is a nice thing when they have a iine that allows experienced travellers to breeze through because they all know how to get through quickly.

So, it's not about giving the rich a break, it's about giving experienced travellers a break.

[skibum]

how can the US government legally discriminate based on how much you paid for your ticket?

I fly first class a lot but always thought I got the shorter line because I'm a white guy.

[Vertigo]

because they all know how to get through quickly.

Yes- it's called taking the line that no one else is using. If everyone had a line that was empty we'd all be able to get through quickly.

I think I've flown enough in my lifetime to be considered an experienced traveller so I should be able to use that line as well, same should apply for everyone who is "experienced".

[BADFNZ]

So, it's not about giving the rich a break, it's about giving experienced travellers a break.

Yeah I'm still waiting for that special highway lane to open up now that I've been driving over 15 years. I deserve a break!

[Guest]

Free blow job

Whatever floats your boat...

[Smokin]

Since we're bringing up old parts of the thread...

It's not just first class. 99% of the people in domestic first class are there on an upgrade due to their frequent flyer status and those lines are typically for people who have frequent flyer status. I am one of those people you are pissed at who goes through that line. However, I travel a ton and it is a nice thing when they have a iine that allows experienced travellers to breeze through because they all know how to get through quickly.

So, it's not about giving the rich a break, it's about giving experienced travellers a break.

I get what you are saying and agree to an extent, but it is still not legal. It is still the US government discriminating against people (theoretically) based on what they paid for their ticket. Most people would be pissed if they made a luxury car lane on the highway, but they paid more for it, so they should get special treatment, right? But for some reason everyone blindly accepts the first class line. If they could figure out a way to make an experienced traveler line, that would be far more legit.

What we really need these days is an "I actually checked a bag and don't have a full sized suitcase I'm claiming is a carry on and I will actually remember to take my cell phone out of my pocket before walking trough the metal detector" line. But that's too much to fit on a sign, so I guess I'll be stuck behind the passenger who has to go through the metal detector 5 times because this whole airport security thing is brand new.

[jazzdude]

Didn't there use to be lines for travel experience levels? I seem to remembers there being an"inexperienced/travelling with kids" lane, a "experienced traveller" lane, and a in between the other two lane. All of it was based on a self assessment of where you fit in, and the signs had descriptions of who should use what line. I want to say it was SEA where I saw this, but I could be wrong. It's been a while since I've flown commercial, and that stuff seems to change quite frequently.

[daynightindicator]

Didn't there use to be lines for travel experience levels? I seem to remembers there being an"inexperienced/travelling with kids" lane, a "experienced traveller" lane, and a in between the other two lane. All of it was based on a self assessment of where you fit in, and the signs had descriptions of who should use what line. I want to say it was SEA where I saw this, but I could be wrong. It's been a while since I've flown commercial, and that stuff seems to change quite frequently.

PHL had it last time I flew out of there, seemed to work reasonably well.

I agree that the TSA filtering security lines by first class/economy is crap, regardless of the assumption of "travel experience". I don't, however, have a problem with self-assessment lines like you're talking about.

I also have no problem with private Airlines filtering their boarding categories by how much you paid for the ticket - they've been doing that for years, it's their own business decision to make.

[Fudge]

PHL had it last time I flew out of there, seemed to work reasonably well.

I agree that the TSA filtering security lines by first class/economy is crap, regardless of the assumption of "travel experience". I don't, however, have a problem with self-assessment lines like you're talking about.

I also have no problem with private Airlines filtering their boarding categories by how much you paid for the ticket - they've been doing that for years, it's their own business decision to make.

Boarding lines by class? Absolutely?

Security lines by experience? Great in notion, but people that travel once every 5 years will call them selves "experienced". There will be people just going for the shorter/quicker line just because. How do you PROVE how often you travel? At least with a first class ticket you can prove it. Leave it up to people to make the decision and I guarantee there will be dishonesty.

If TSA is allowing separate screening lines based on ticket price, I really don't care. I say one line for travelers, and one line for crew/"special" vetted people (fed agents, etc). If I'm buying my coach ticket and someone bought a first class, I accept the fact that they might get through quicker, even through TSA. I really just don't care.

TSA is a joke, and a horrible waste of money.

[daynightindicator]

Boarding lines by class? Absolutely?

Security lines by experience? Great in notion, but people that travel once every 5 years will call them selves "experienced". There will be people just going for the shorter/quicker line just because. How do you PROVE how often you travel? At least with a first class ticket you can prove it. Leave it up to people to make the decision and I guarantee there will be dishonesty.

If TSA is allowing separate screening lines based on ticket price, I really don't care. I say one line for travelers, and one line for crew/"special" vetted people (fed agents, etc). If I'm buying my coach ticket and someone bought a first class, I accept the fact that they might get through quicker, even through TSA. I really just don't care.

TSA is a joke, and a horrible waste of money.

I figured those self-assessment lines would not work either (everyone jumping in the "experienced" line), but honestly they seemed to work well. People with kids went in the "family" line, business types jumped in the "frequent traveler" line, and I took the middle line, whatever that was called. People were honest and stayed in their lane, pun intended.

Agree that in a perfect world TSA should be disbanded. I find many of their methods borderline unconstitutional.

[Guest]

If I'm buying my coach ticket and someone bought a first class, I accept the fact that they might get through quicker, even through TSA. I really just don't care.

I don't think it is unreasonable for folks paying more to have a special lane through security and when boarding. It is part of what they are paying for. My overseas travel is business/first class and those tickets are a lot more than coach. A lot more. You get what you pay for (or what your company pays for).

TSA is a joke, and a horrible waste of money.

The pogues at the gate only make about $30k/yr. There are shitloads of $100k/yr in TSA.

[Vertigo]

I don't think it is unreasonable for folks paying more to have a special lane through security and when boarding. It is part of what they are paying for.

So... specially road lanes for those with expensive cars.

Special lanes at the county offices for those paying more in property taxes.

It's not the airlines (whom are the ones receiving the extra dollars for your ticket) running security but the government. The government should not be in the business of setting up "special" anything for those who choose to fly at a higher price rate. I have no problem with the airlines having a separate check in line for first class customers. That's their prerogative. The government, however, is meant to treat everyone as equals.

[Guest]

So... specially road lanes for those with expensive cars.

Don't mix up the context. Not nicer luggage gets a special lane. Paying more gets a special lane that the airlines fund.

So, in the case of a road...If someone is paying more to use the road then yes, they could be given a lane special for them. Commercial transportation, for example. Another example is a better toll road. Pay more get more.

Special lanes at the county offices for those paying more in property taxes.

Do people go to their county seat and wait in long lines to pay their taxes? Interesting.

It does bring up a taxation without representation issue. Why should someone who pays $1myn in taxes only get the same number of votes as someone who pays $1,000 in taxes. It could be argued that the former is not being represented adequately basis the taxation he suffers.

It's not the airlines (whom are the ones receiving the extra dollars for your ticket) running security but the government. The government should not be in the business of setting up "special" anything for those who choose to fly at a higher price rate. I have no problem with the airlines having a separate check in line for first class customers. That's their prerogative. The government, however, is meant to treat everyone as equals.

Here's where you might be a little confused.

You are correct, the airlines are not "running security" at the airport.

However...

The airlines do pay for the additional lanes to be installed and manned. They do that as a customer service to their frequent and higher paying customers. It is worth it for them to do that so they do it. All citizens have equal access to those lanes even though they may not have equal means to take advantage of those lanes.

Ironically, TSA is also willing to have those special lanes open because they do, in fact, increase the flow through security (because experienced travelers can get through faster than newbs) allowing more passengers per TSA agent per hour during peak periods. Those lanes are often closed down during slow periods.

Who knew, right?

[nsplayr]

It does bring up a taxation without representation issue. Why should someone who pays $1myn in taxes only get the same number of votes as someone who pays $1,000 in taxes. It could be argued that the former is not being represented adequately basis the taxation he suffers.

Ahh, but it was not written that one would receive equal representation for their level of taxation or vice versa.

Oh, who am I kidding...with Citizens United, those with extra disposable income really have plenty of avenues to gain themselves some extra means of "representation" if they so choose. You can't tell me that Sheldon Adelson wouldn't have a little extra "representation" in a Gingrich administration considering he's singularly bankrolled much of the Speaker's campaign. I digress...

I agree with you on the TSA lines though...seems like a win-win. Gets people through faster at busy times from what I've seen and people who pay more or fly their asses off a lot deserve a faster lane if the airline is funding that at the airports.