TSA: Keeping America Safe. . . From It's Own Troops

A friend of mine on Facebook just shared this article.

I tried looking this up on Google to see if it were actually real, and came across this report of the same instance, but with a little different information.

According to the first article, about 233 members of the United States Military were returning home from Iraq, the second article states that everyone had already been searched for bombs, ammo, and other weapons. Everyone had guns, all of which were unloaded.

The second article goes on to state that they had a stop in Indianapolis to let off about 100 National Guard members (So in actuality, before this stop, there were over 300 people with guns [unloaded] on the plane.)

Despite having already been searched, TSA insisted that everyone exit the plane and be searched again, they also administered swabbing for explosive residue. One serviceman had his multi-tool taken, another lost, of all things, his nail clippers, because apparently, in some way I haven't been able to imagine, they can be used as a weapon.

When the serviceman in question pointed out that he had a rifle, the TSA member dismissed it as being safe as you can't take over a plane with an unloaded rifle. The guy ended up relinquishing his clippers so that he could continue his journey.

Oh, and the explosive residue test? Everybody failed it. Who would have thought that people returning from a war-zone would fail an explosive residue test?


Also, while I haven't undergone formal military training, I'm more than certain that people are taught that a gun makes a great blunt object with which to hit your enemy (should it come to it) If not, chances are they've seen enough movies to know that it would serve as one.

Apparently, This thought has occurred to no one at the TSA. Never mind the fact that these men and women were just risking their lives to protect our country, only to be treated as potential enemies by members of the TSA. How about we treat these men and women like the heroes they are, rather than as the terrorists that they protect us from.