Ironically I actually worked for the TSA (loaned out from my government agency) in 2002 for about 6 months before I was able to successfully transfer out of that nuthouse. In the 6 months I worked in the airport settings, I saw so many bonehead employee moves that I knew failure was coming. If I told you some of the things I know you would have no faith in your government.
Seriously many of the people in management positions in the airports have no law enforcement, military, or security experience. Many of them just needed jobs--my favorite was the waitress hired to be the Assistant Federal Security Director of an airport--so her ex-husband a high ranking official could have his spousal support lowered. Sadly, she wasn't the worst, because at least she had a modicum of sense. People needing jobs is fine for screeners or now TSO's; but not for managers. I once had the FSD of an airport seriously tell me he did not know why I continuously sited the security procedures of other countries (as in Israel, Ireland, England--you know places where there have been bombing and acts of terrorism for 20+ years). Clearly he felt his 15 year career as a car sales man better prepared him for a job managing airport security (or maybe it was his politically connected last name), than an information I was able to share.
Any way I digress....I will not walk through a magnetometer or now through the new machines. My choice not to walk through them is directly related to the information I learned while working for the TSA. Moreover I have had cancer in my 30's (no family history), and literally the doctor could not figure out how I had this type of cancer. It was 20 years before it is normally diagnosed. He literally asked me if I had been swimming in Chernobyl. Also the incidence of cancer in TSA employees is significantly higher than the "general population" it is something I have been tracking unofficially since I received my diagnosis. When flying for years I have requested a pat-down. The TSA has always griped about it; but it has never been a problem. I don't really love the pat down, but I know it is my choice.
I do find the idea of an enhanced pat down amusing, a person with truly evil motives would have no problems putting a weapon inside themselves. Unless the TSA is going to start doing body cavity searches, it is still just smoke an mirrors.
Now I am pregnant with our first baby due in April. I will not allow the child to be taken through any machines either. I am stuck trying to figure out how I am going to take my person and that of the child through the security checkpoint if I fly alone. Also how are they going to securely clear an infant in a diaper? I honestly never paid attention to an infant pat down. The first time I do this I am certain it will be a real adventure.
Since I am sure many of you think I am just a complainer, I actually presented the TSA with a pretty good security option 8 years ago. My suggestion was to disallow all carry on bags. Keep screening people in metal detectors, which are not fail proof; but with the additional knowledge that no one on the plane had any bags it could really boost the confidence of a potential bad guys seat mate trying to cause an act of terrorism with a small weapon. What I am saying is that if there are 120 people on the plane, and a couple of guys had weapons, they may get some of the passengers, but they won't get them all.
At the time it was considered too inconvenient for business travelers, now with travelers having exposure to radiation, naked projections of themselves or being groped, I wonder who would rather not have bags? But like most things in big government, there was no money to be made by disallowing bags, if you wanted to be sickened as a tax payer research all the money that has been made in the private sector in the name of security. The consulting contracts alone total billions, and they were awarded in many cases to companies with no prior security experience.
I think I will take them off if I have to do the body scanner. The enhanced pat down bothers me more then the scanner. Hopefully I won't have to do either.
