TSA and Marine uniform issue

[Reddog48]

My son informed me that he had to strip his service alpha to get through security. He had to remove his blouse, belts, shirt stays, etc. I don't know about you but as a Marine also, I find this policy offensive, disrespectful and humiliating to any service member traveling in uniform. Our uniform should only be seen by the public in full dress. If the TSA feels the need to strip a Marine in uniform then do it in private.
I WILL be writing my Congressmen.

[Vandrel]

Going as far as to have the Marine remove shirt stays is over the top in my book. I had to "open" my blouse many years ago for a wand but they never made me remove everything. I would have went straight to the head of TSA at that facility and demanded to have their employees be searched.

Excuse me TSA, I happen to have a security clearance..... DO YOU?

[Old Marine]

Screwballs off the street these days can and do aquire a military uniform as has been evidenced by all the posers running around, so in my opinion when civilian personnel have to be stripped anyone and everyone should go through the same procedure. My .02 cents.

[LandsNGrooves]

Screwballs off the street these days can and do aquire a military uniform as has been evidenced by all the posers running around, so in my opinion when civilian personnel have to be stripped anyone and everyone should go through the same procedure. My .02 cents.

You sir have common sense!

[josephd]

I flew in my dress blue charlies last year and they asked me to remove my belt, tie clip, core frams, etc...I politely declined and told them it was part of uniform. I was then escorted to a screening both where another TSA agent basically apologized, wanded me right quick and I went on my way.

I understand they have a job to do, a little mutual respect for their job and some politeness can go along way, and will get you on your way.

[Beltayn]

I generally try not to actually fly in uniform for precisely this reason. Rather, I wear shorts and a T-shirt, and carry my uniform on a hanger with the shoes and cover in my backpack. The airplanes normally have a little niche where they will let you hang up coats and things.

[Chadly]

Typical anti-terrorism training tells you not to wear anything that implies you are affiliated with the military in any way while traveling because it makes you a target. A uniform definately fits into this category. Of course the haircut usually gives it away too, but its good advice to follow.

[Vandrel]

Typical anti-terrorism training tells you not to wear anything that implies you are affiliated with the military in any way while traveling because it makes you a target. A uniform definately fits into this category. Of course the haircut usually gives it away too, but its good advice to follow.

Yes that is quite true bit it seems that information doesn't get passed onto Marines until AFTER they've checked into the fleet.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Also, re: the "Don't sell uniforms" thought....there is a HUGE collector market out there, common sense prevails here. Not selling uniforms doesn't keep them out of the hands of terrorists.

BTW, every military member has an ID card. That trumps the uniform.

TSA has a job to do, and while I think it's totally stupid to have a Marine disrobe, it's also typical since they would rather do that than PROFILE.

My solution, of course, is not to fly in uniform.

[il duce]

if given the option, I refuse to fly in uniform

the small number of times I had to, it seemed the lower-level TSA employee, typically a morbidly obese woman with a name I cannot pronounce, would always demand I remove parts of my uniform. Like Josephd, I would politely refuse and ask to speak to a supervisor. 100% of the time, the supervisor would quickly run a wand over me, shake my hand, and apologize for wasting my time

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Good on ya!

[Komenko]

Had a TSA employee pull me out of a line boarding a plane and I was asked to be searched everything on me to include the laptop I had with me. I was flying out of JFK in New York and had just got done doing taxes for the 1st Marine Recruting District. I told them that I was on Official Orders which I showed along with my ID card. In no way I was going to do what they wanted with me carring over 100 SSN's in the laptop. If they can let Badged officials such as the FBI and CIA go through without a problem why the hell can't they let a Marine with an official Government ID card pass through security also?

[fpdesignco]

Federal agents.....

Had a TSA employee pull me out of a line boarding a plane and I was asked to be searched everything on me to include the laptop I had with me. I was flying out of JFK in New York and had just got done doing taxes for the 1st Marine Recruting District. I told them that I was on Official Orders which I showed along with my ID card. In no way I was going to do what they wanted with me carring over 100 SSN's in the laptop. If they can let Badged officials such as the FBI and CIA go through without a problem why the hell can't they let a Marine with an official Government ID card pass through security also?

[Kegler300]

Don't travel in dress uniform...that's what airport bathrooms are for...

[Yonkers]

Yup, I had to remove my alphas in the airport and pretty much get groped by the TSA... eh... oh well I guess.. the guy was actually a Marine!