Kilt wearer in Scotland, and airport security

[tripleblessed]

So you can read between the lines. As your Uncle if he knows Bill Thompson, he is here with me, doing well. Bill was a Mission Support Specialist, who was stationed in Savannah. Cheers.

I have always attempted to read between the lines; that's often the best stuff.

If only I could ask. He's been gone 25 years. His time at the port was from the late 40s into the 70s.

[lschwartz]

Without getting into TSA policy or downing their mission, CBP and TSA are like night and day. Let me just say this about the two. The hiring process to become a US Customs or Border Protection Officer is much more selective and discriminating. CBP has many faucets to becoming an Officer or Agent, and the training is much more intense, longer, and obviously more military like in structure. TSA hires and sends to training for a month or so, CBP takes about half of year to complete the training before being sent to the field, and Border Patrolman, sometimes longer. TSA undergoes 100 hours of training – 40 hours in the classroom and 60 hours shadowing other employees. While the recruit CBP officer will complete a paid pre-academy orientation that will take place at their home port before attending the CBP Field Operations Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and remain at FLETC for approximately 17-19 weeks for basic training, and an additional 10 weeks at port site with additional training in the specialty branch, like agriculture, passenger, cargo, etc. In other works, CBP has a more intense, and specialize training, that includes much more physical training, and military tactics. TSA airport agents only have one mission, check luggage and people for contraband, CBP mission is much more complicated and intense demanding people of say higher values and intelligence, not saying they don't have them at TSA, but I think you know where I am going with this.

So let's conclude this, you have a much different caliber person in CBP, MOST are former Military, understand people, and work for the people, without having to flex their muscles or rattle their swords, get the drift.

FYI, when I fly I a Global Pass, and if TSA knows I am CBP, the pull me from the line and I go through extra security, as lets face it they want to make a statement. CBP does not do the same to TSA, just a fact of life. Does not happen to me all the time, but more often than not, so I make sure I travel clean, real clean, my credentials don't matter, but my Global Travel Pass does.

I have enjoyed my career here and highly recommend to anybody this job, its intense, changes, and demanding, but rewarding.

Collin,

When you talk about Global Pass or Global Travel Pass, are you talking about the Global Entry program the CBP runs? A Google search didn't show anything for Global Travel or Global Travel Pass, other than the Global Entry program.

Larry

[CollinMacD]

Collin,

When you talk about Global Pass or Global Travel Pass, are you talking about the Global Entry program the CBP runs? A Google search didn't show anything for Global Travel or Global Travel Pass, other than the Global Entry program.

Larry

Yes, I have a habit of calling it from its pre-production (before it was released to the public), as we were developing it. Global Entry is the proper name. Global Entry....Cheers.

[The Q]

And for something different, this was posted in a model railway forum a couple of days ago..

[WillowEstate]

I am a US Customs and Border Protection Officer, not a TSA Officer, but same training, even more training than TSA. In my 40 plus years in this business I have seen it all, and witness changes and more changes.

<snipped for brevity>

FYI, I am not on the front lines anymore as I am getting ready to retire soon, please be kind. CHEERS.

Collin, well said sir! When I was travelling regularly between the UK and USA (more than a million miles over the years), I always found it interesting that many security people would apologise for the delay their routine questions may cause. Regardless of which branch of security they belonged to, my response was always the same "If your questions make my flight safer, ask as long as you like." I'm happy to say that all my flights were without incident and I thank you and your colleagues for that.

I wish you a long and happy retirement.

[DyerStraits]

Collin, well said sir! When I was travelling regularly between the UK and USA (more than a million miles over the years), I always found it interesting that many security people would apologise for the delay their routine questions may cause. Regardless of which branch of security they belonged to, my response was always the same "If your questions make my flight safer, ask as long as you like." I'm happy to say that all my flights were without incident and I thank you and your colleagues for that.

I wish you a long and happy retirement.

As an International Leisure Travel Industry Professional, I heartily second that. Many Thanks for your service--Live Long And Prosper.

[NewGuise]

I put my kilt belt and sporran through the X-ray scanner and walked through the metal detector expecting the buckles on my kilt to set off the alarm (which they didn't).

Slow to respond, but I have flown kilted domestically within Canada and between France/Belgium and Scotland; I have also gone through a similar check-in for Eurostar between Lille (home) and London. I have never had an issue, although yes, as has frequently been the case for other travels, regardless of what I was wearing, I have been pulled over for a secondary check. Once in particular, when the (male) attendant told me he needed to pat me down, I spread my legs slightly, smiled, and said "go for it." The attendant blushed deeply while others howled with laughter.

[CollinMacD]

Slow to respond, but I have flown kilted domestically within Canada and between France/Belgium and Scotland; I have also gone through a similar check-in for Eurostar. I have never had an issue, although yes, as has frequently been the case for other travels, regardless of what I was wearing, I have been pulled over for a secondary check. Once in particular, when the (male) attendant told me he needed to pat me down, I spread my legs slightly, smiled, and said "go for it." The attendant blushed deeply while others howled with laughter.

Sir for the sake of International Trade Relations, and the moral of both US, French, and Canadian Customs and Border Protection, please get a Global Entry Card or the French facsimile (PARAFE)

[CollinMacD]

Thank all of you for your comments, I am only part of a much larger team, and we do try very hard to protect all. Cheers.

[OC Richard]

Whenever I've had to take my Highland outfit with me (which is rare) I've packed it all and worn ordinary clothes on the flight.

However threads like this do interest me because my general rule is to wear my bulkiest items (always my huge shoes, and jacket) so it makes sense to wear the kilt outfit on the flight.

I wouldn't wear a dirk belt, or kilt pin, or sgian anyway, and my jacket and waistcoat would have plastic buttons, and I would take off the sporrans and shoes, so the only metal going through the walk-through scanner would be the buckles on the kilt itself.

Here in the States you have to stand facing the scanner with your feet on the marks so you can't choose to turn different ways. I suppose it would be easy enough to replace the kilt buckles with plastic ones.

I'll strongly consider wearing my Highland outfit on the plane the next time I have to travel with it.

About TSA officers I have only respect and praise, stemming from an incident I saw at the Houston airport: a number of unarmed TSA officers were running toward the firing, while others were standing in the open, their backs to the firing, making sure all the civilians were down on the ground and protected as well as possible. Their dedication to public safety and the disregard for their own was inspiring to see.