House Votes To Ease Airport Screening For Troops

[Dover]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday voted unanimously to allow military travelers on official duty to get a special preference to move through airport security checks faster.

The bill, approved 404-0, would give the Homeland Security Department six months to devise a preference system for the Armed Forces. The legislation went to the Senate.

If the bill becomes law, the earliest beneficiaries would likely be troops returning from Afghanistan next year and their family members, who also would receive preferential treatment.

The government already has initiated, and is expanding, a more intelligence-driven trusted traveler program for civilians. Participants include travelers in American and Delta airlines’ frequent flier programs as well as people who are part of three other programs. These people volunteer more information about themselves so that the government can vet them before they arrive at airport security checkpoints.


Read more: http://www.salon.com/2011/11/30/house_votes_to_ease_airport_screening_for_troops_2/

[Jokerman]

1. That sucks.

I don't believe that someone in a uniform is any LESS likely to flip out and turn violent and I'm against this whole idea that the military is some kind of privileged class that deserves special treatment.

Either everyone should have to go through the bullshit "security" or no one should.

[Maine_Nurse]

3. Oh please...

I am in an area where troops stop on their way back from their various hells. You have troops carrying automatic weapons, bayonets, etc. that are subjected to completely pointless "screenings". What exactly are they going to be hiding that is more dangerous than what they are openly carrying??? Talk about government stupidity at it's finest. Its about time they fixed this issue.

[Jokerman]

4. Are you saying that the military is allowed to carry live weapons on a commercial flight?

Holy cow! I hope you're wrong about that.

I may have to cancel an upcoming flight.

By the way, they volunteered for their "various hells".

[Maine_Nurse]

6. No, they are contract flights with no civilians on board.

Yet if they disembark and go out to see the troop greeters, they still have the screening BS to deal with.

[Jokerman]

7. I have to deal with the screening BS every time I fly...

and there is absolutely no reason that someone in a military uniform deserves special treatment.

[Blue_Tires]

2. That's bullshit...Ease it for all of us...

[Gringostan]

5. timothy mcveigh

This has disaster written all over it...
Either we all need to be checked (politicians included) or none of us need to be checked.