Airport Security Solution
- Thread starter AceT100
- Start date
Hiltz
Scooter
Time for a rant or story...guess it depends on perspective:
A few years ago I was coming home from a deployment. I can't begin to tell you what goes through your mind on that ride home. Thinking about my old lady, my little boy that I had to leave which was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, buddies still down in the shit, buddies that didn't make it back from the shit and so on. I had a shit ton of connecting flights to make it back home and the sad truth is that I was treated WAY better in the airports in Europe than how I was treated in states...pathetic.
I get to O'hare airport and had to scramble through that huge airport to make a connecting flight. Of course I get screened a total of four different times...the whole package search...bags, shoes, scanner, etc. My great grandparents came off the boat from Ireland and the first thing they did was change around our last name so now nobody can figure out where it is from. Irish, British, German, Japanese, Arabic...the list goes on. In other words, me and my family always get nailed on these "random" searches each and every time we head to an airport. Anyways, I get to the final gate where I am about to get on the final flight to make it back home and I get tagged one more time
I had kept my cool the other three times in just that airport but now I hit my saturation point because this was the last flight on my agenda to get back to my family and I only had minutes to spare before they locked the doors. So I tried to play the military card which is the first time I have ever done that. I told him who I was and that I was a non commissioned officer in the US military, showed him my military ID, and told him that I was coming home from a hard deployment and this was the final stop until I got home. Renta-cop couldn't give a shit and pointed to the side and told me where to put my bags down so they could be inspected and for me to take my shoes and coat off yet again so I could be searched. At this point, I really was struggling to contain my anger as I threw my bag onto the table and was telling marshmallow ass and his supervisor how fucked up this was. Some of the people in the loooooooong line were even yelling forward 'let him through', 'this is bullshit.'
At this point it got personal with me because in my mind, it was this fat ass that was holding everything up...everything I went through and now just wanted to get back and make up the time with my family was going to be delayed because of him...it got personal. He made the comment to me that how I was behaving wasn't necessary or appreciated and that I was just making things worse. Then he made the crack that all I was doing was trying to get special treatment and that he didn't give a shit where I came from. I told him that his fat ass didn't know the first thing about security unless he was going to chase down a fucking krispy kreme. I made that comment and it obviously triggered something in him because he reached up and grabbed my shoulder to "guide" me over to the table where I was to be searched. All the stress of everything that I went from the pre-deployment all the way to getting back home downloaded in the nano second that he touched me. I turned around, knocked his hand up towards the ceiling with my left hand and latched right onto his fat throat latch with my right hand and just squeezed. I looked up to see security screaming down towards me and all I could think was 'keep squeezing until they pry you off him.'
Needless to say, I missed my flight. I was arrested, brought back to one of the special rooms to be questioned. First Sergeant was called, people called in to verify for me. It was a VERY fun and eventful five hours. Of course by this time the airport had its last flight departed and I was stuck overnight and had to wait another day to get back home. I finally did get back and there was Mrs B06Tang holding my boy with tears in her eyes. What she told me was priceless: 'damn you! You pulled that and made us wait another day to see you but I wouldn't have you any other way. Welcome back love.' I have been blessed with a good woman...a real good woman. So I guess put my vote into the column for the explosion booth...it will save me time to get home after my next deployment.
I would have done the same thing. Thank you for your service.
Gretsch
Rocker
I guess its the Irish in me that likes to tell a tale when I have the opportunity to do so
The Irish in you might have something to do with the temper as well
That's coming from a fellow Irishmen BTW
Nick Morey
Rocker
The Irish in you might have something to do with the temper as well
+1!! I'd like to think I would have held my temper, but I know myself too well, I'm afraid!!!
B06Tang
Cafe Racer
Pretty tough measuring stick you carry in your back there otherwise. I guess enlistment into the service requires flawless, robotic action fully void of any human emotion. Everyone has their limits, right or wrong. I guess that is where mistakes and regrets come from...and that even includes military members as well.
You're correct and I apologize. My comments have come from my deeply held political attitudes and are inappropriate on this forum.
Nick Morey
Rocker
Self discipline in the military is held to different standards. An Army Ranger or Navy Seal for example; a high level of self discipline is demanded - Army Infantry, not so much (I can say that because I've been there). Other service jobs require more intelligence and self discipline takes a back seat. That's the unwritten reality.
That being said, I believe the soldiers being produced these days are much more professional than when I was in.
cynr1023
TT Racer
Sort of back on track with the OP. I think we've reduced the "airport security thing" to form over function. Whenever I fly, and it's been quite a bit these last couple years, I always get the feeling that if something were to happen the people in charge of security would roll out a form that showed that they had all the right "items" in the airport security checklist. The individuals do "what" they are suppose to but never look like they give two shits either way. Fuck, who knows. It's a crap shoot every time you get out of bed.
B06Tang
Cafe Racer
Now that is a FANTASTIC question! But then they get us pumped up so much with fear that it could, possibly happen. Then you add up all these coulds and possibilities an find out we have reached lunacy and it doesn't make sense anymore.
they could put less than a piss amount of liquid in a container and blow up a plane...
they could put something in their shoe...
they could...they could...they could...
Good Lord man, they have us petrified with all these coulds that we now have a gestapo at the airport. I think cynr is right too...shit hit the fan at an airport and I certain would not have a feeling of enormous trust that the people getting paid to take care of the situation to do their job. From what I've seen, most of them could make a 10 yard dash to a donut stand and that is about it. So now we are pumped up with fear to an almost irrational sense and we are securitized by non-qualified individuals that seem to be there more for show than function and the whole time we put up through the system as if we are entering East Berlin, 1959.
Nick Morey
Rocker
I saw a show on TV. They were training people to read people's faces, looking for suspicious types who might be terrorists. The cost for this training is in the millions, of course. They haven't caught any terrorists yet, but they have caught a few drug smugglers. I guess that was their way of justifying their means. I'm not a terrorist or drug smuggler, but I'd be nervous anyhow knowing there are people watching me... :bug:
Sal Paradise
Hooligan
My ultimate solution to airport security is no one brings anything on the plane. Nothing. Everyone ships their stuff ahead UPS.
Every passenger wears government issue paper jumpsuits and paper shoes. Plane is totally empty.
Any clothing you are wearing while boarding and any carry on stuff gets put in a bomb proof ( blows out ) pod attached under the plane.
Lets see them get around THAT...
Every passenger wears government issue paper jumpsuits and paper shoes. Plane is totally empty.
Any clothing you are wearing while boarding and any carry on stuff gets put in a bomb proof ( blows out ) pod attached under the plane.
Lets see them get around THAT...
Just to be safe, forget the paper jumpsuits and paper shoes, all travel in the nud. Now what about extremists with internal explosives, I think we all require an anal inspection.
I'm staying home
KingBear
Hooligan
I'd have the plane to myself every time.
coopv2
Street Tracker
Hey I am a pacifist, cause I dont like getting beat up, or harassed, but I will defend myself as needed.
as you said we all have our limit, you did what was called for under the circumstances, it may not have been right, but what the hell.
lets hope that security guy shows a little more respect for military personnel in the future.
I like guns as much as the next guy. and don't think I have it in me to shoot another individual. So I solute you for doing what some of us don't have the stomach for.
B06Tang
Cafe Racer
thanks tribear and coop to the things that you have said to me; it really is appreciated. I would just like to see a level of sanity brought to this procedure...it is such a nightmare having to fly...and I'm just talking the flying part how we are crammed in like sardines and herded like a bunch of cattle. Now the "security" measures are just over the top in my opinion. Seriously...instead of having several layers from the front door to your terminal gate where you are continually searched over...why not one centralized point and what they have it! Where you initially put your carry on luggage through the belt and walk through the scanner. Beef up those measures right there and determine a strong outer and inner perimeter. Maybe it will slow down the process a little bit but it is just that one location. Everyone could get the wand put on them as well in addition to going through the scanner. I just do not understand these layers upon layers of redundancy...I mean redundancy serves a purpose but overkill serves no point.
I know it is a hassle for everyone and I didn't mean to make an exception to that just because I am in the military. They could do this much better...as a matter of fact, I think the European airports do a much better job at this and it is half the hassle to go through Heathrow than it is through O'hare. Europeans have been struggling with terrorism on their lands for a lot longer the US has; perhaps we could learn something from them and make our processes better.
I know it is a hassle for everyone and I didn't mean to make an exception to that just because I am in the military. They could do this much better...as a matter of fact, I think the European airports do a much better job at this and it is half the hassle to go through Heathrow than it is through O'hare. Europeans have been struggling with terrorism on their lands for a lot longer the US has; perhaps we could learn something from them and make our processes better.
T-boy
Rocker
Having never been on an international flight, what do the Europeans do that we don't...or vice-versa?
B06Tang
Cafe Racer
The restriction on the amount of liquid that you can bring on board is something that they have been doing for a while now. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, a lot of the security concentration is at the one centralized location, usually after you have checked in and just have your carry-on with you. The lines on this can get long at times but I don't think that I have ever spent more than 45 minutes to get through it. Once you clear through there though then you are "cleaned" and inside the secured area and you're done...go get something to eat, shop, or just head straight to your gate. There isn't this constant layer upon layer of getting checked. I have flown through Heathrow quite a bit in London which it is said that is the busiest international airport in the world. The process was far more efficient and quicker despite the fact the majority of their traffic is international and it is insanely busy. Comparatively, I have gone through more ass pain with security checks, checking in, and layers upon layers of identical checks when taking a simple domestic flight within the US. Don't get me wrong...we need the security measures and I think no rational person would argue that we don't, but it could be done in a far more efficient manner.