Gotta love Yank airport security

rypt

rypt

rypt

Soldato
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http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/11/18/another-tsa-outrage/

As the Chalk Leader for my flight home from Afghanistan, I witnessed the following:

When we were on our way back from Afghanistan, we flew out of Baghram Air Field. We went through customs at BAF, full body scanners (no groping), had all of our bags searched, the whole nine yards.

Our first stop was Shannon, Ireland to refuel. After that, we had to stop at Indianapolis, Indiana to drop off about 100 folks from the Indiana National Guard. That’s where the stupid started.

First, everyone was forced to get off the plane–even though the plane wasn’t refueling again. All 330 people got off that plane, rather than let the 100 people from the ING get off. We were filed from the plane to a holding area. No vending machines, no means of escape. Only a male/female latrine.

It’s probably important to mention that we were ALL carrying weapons. Everyone was carrying an M4 Carbine (rifle) and some, like me, were also carrying an M9 pistol. Oh, and our gunners had M-240B machine guns. Of course, the weapons weren’t loaded. And we had been cleared of all ammo well before we even got to customs at Baghram, then AGAIN at customs.

The TSA personnel at the airport seriously considered making us unload all of the baggage from the SECURE cargo hold to have it reinspected. Keep in mind, this cargo had been unpacked, inspected piece by piece by U.S. Customs officials, resealed and had bomb-sniffing dogs give it a one-hour run through. After two hours of sitting in this holding area, the TSA decided not to reinspect our Cargo–just to inspect us again: Soldiers on the way home from war, who had already been inspected, reinspected and kept in a SECURE holding area for 2 hours. Ok, whatever. So we lined up to go through security AGAIN.

This is probably another good time to remind you all that all of us were carrying actual assault rifles, and some of us were also carrying pistols.

So we’re in line, going through one at a time. One of our Soldiers had his Gerber multi-tool. TSA confiscated it. Kind of ridiculous, but it gets better. A few minutes later, a guy empties his pockets and has a pair of nail clippers. Nail clippers. TSA informs the Soldier that they’re going to confiscate his nail clippers. The conversation went something like this:

TSA Guy: You can’t take those on the plane.

Soldier: What? I’ve had them since we left country.

TSA Guy: You’re not suppose to have them.

Soldier: Why?

TSA Guy: They can be used as a weapon.

Soldier: [touches butt stock of the rifle] But this actually is a weapon. And I’m allowed to take it on.

TSA Guy: Yeah but you can’t use it to take over the plane. You don’t have bullets.

Soldier: And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?

TSA Guy: [awkward silence]

Me: Dude, just give him your damn nail clippers so we can get the **** out of here. I’ll buy you a new set.

Soldier: [hands nail clippers to TSA guy, makes it through security]

This might be a good time to remind everyone that approximately 233 people re-boarded that plane with assault rifles, pistols, and machine guns–but nothing that could have been used as a weapon.
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Smart people those lot at the TSA ...
 
I did lol. All these years I've been harbouring a secret desire for an M4 when I should just have bought some clippers from Boots!
 
Brian8bit said:
You might like this article: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/11/hacker-border-search/
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Year I read about that already, not from Wired though.

The Yanks are getting really anal and pointless over their so-called "security", full body searches (we are talking about hands down your pants/bras), those body scans, etc.

There is just no need for all of this, and in fact lots of it probably violates their constitution (certainly the grope searches violate the 4th)
 
rypt said:
Year I read about that already, not from Wired though.

The Yanks are getting really anal and pointless over their so-called "security", full body searches (we are talking about hands down your pants/bras), those body scans, etc.

There is just no need for all of this, and in fact lots of it probably violates their constitution (certainly the grope searches violate the 4th)
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Home of the brave, land of the free. (Excluding airports, terms and conditions apply).
 
rypt said:
afaik has to be same sex, so unless you are gay ...
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Some people are :)

I wonder if you can demand a member of the opposite sex though, if I had to have one (though I understand its only if you refuse the body scanner, which I wouldnt do anyway) , I'd try requesting a female. Mind you , hey, a hand down your pants is a hand down your pants , bonus ! :D
 
Just don't wash your nuts for a week. Or wipe. Get on the plane honking. Though they may claim you've tried to turn yourself into a biological weapon and throw you in some former eastern block prison for several years and kick the lining out of you.
 
Meh, my sister once had a blunt compass (those kids ones that make circles) confiscated from her pencilcase at Heathrow, far less dangerous than nail clippers.

A group of us came back from a fieldtrip and hit spanish customs. There were small fossils confiscated (some were about a fingernail to walnut in size) yet they let a load of people through with half litre "pint" glasses...

Security really is laughable. Think outside the box (security aren't allowed to) and you could easily take some dangerous equipment on.
 
Amp34 said:
Meh, my sister once had a blunt compass (those kids ones that make circles) confiscated from her pencilcase at Heathrow, far less dangerous than nail clippers.
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I remember when I was a kid and yoyos where all the rage (had two in my pocket), getting to the metal detectors in Belfast airport and the security guard asking me what was in my pocket and I quickly replied "hand grenades!". My dad nearly knocked my head off...
 
"Terrorists hate us because of our freedom."

It's funny because the terrorists have more freedom than they do.
 
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