Looking Out For Our Troops

The House overwhelmingly passed HR 1801 (PDF) which allows for expedited screening of our military personnel and their families traveling with them when they are traveling in uniform and on orders. This would apply when the military member is flying to their new assignment as long as they were in uniform during travel. It would not apply when they were at their base of assignment and decided to fly home to visit their parents since they would not be traveling on orders even if they were in uniform. This feel-good legislation doesn't do much for our military, but it makes our legislators feel good.

A more pressing problem than military members having to go through airport security is the number of military members committing suicide. And if a measure added to the National Defense Authorization Act by Senator Inhofe (R-OK) remains in place. Commanders will not be permitted to ask troops who live off the base and in the civilian community if they own a firearm. The NRA, crazier than ever in an over zealous pursuit of gun rights, is still a potent lobbying force. Heaven forbid a soldier in counseling should be asked to secure their firearms on base and away from home.

Military caskets flying home aren't unnecessarily delayed by security procedures so I guess it's a wash.