Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) sent a letter to theTransportation Security Administration this week, condemning TSAofficers for mistreating the wounded soldier on March 13. TheMarine, who is still on active duty, had lost both of his legs inan Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast while deployed. The manis now confined to a wheelchair. He showed up at the Phoenix SkyHarbor International Airport with an escort that helped him getaround.In his complaint addressed to TSA Administrator John Pistole,Hunter said that the agency made the Marine feel“humiliated.”“The individual escorting this Marine asked the TSA officerwhich of the two checkpoints to enter and received the response,‘either one,’ only to be told moments later they should haveentered a different way,” Hunter explained in his letter.Moments later, TSA officers ordered the wounded Marine to getout of his wheelchair and subsequently remove his prosthetic legs,subjecting him to immense pain while he struggled to get out of hiswheelchair.“A TSA officer asked the Marine to stand and walk to analternate area, despite the fact that he physically could not standor walk on his own,” Hunter wrote. “With numerous TSAofficers sitting and unwilling to assist, an officer then made himremove his legs, then put them back on, only to advance to asecondary screening location where he was asked again to stand,with extraordinary difficult, while his wheelchair was examined forexplosives.”The invasive search occurred while several Marines werereturning to San Diego, California from Phoenix, Arizona. Thedisabled Marine showed his military ID, which didn’t stop the TSAfrom publicly humiliating him and questioning his injuries.The Marine’s escort was so enraged by the incident that Hunter’soffice was contacted to shed light on the situation. Hunter wasparticularly struck by the incident, since he himself was a Marineveteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.The incident is also alarming, considering it took place at thePhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is a jointcivil-military public airport. The airport facilities are also hometo the Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base. With so many militarypersonnel entering and leaving through the airport, TSA officers incharge of security likely encounter many wounded soldiers – andshould therefore have received proper training on how to handlepassengers with disabilities.But the case detailed by Hunter demonstrates otherwise: thecongressman included two photos of the inspection in his letter,which show a TSA officer patting down the injured Marine andexamining the prosthetic leg in search for explosives.Hunter has asked the TSA to clarify its procedures on how tohandle wounded troops and to show “situational awareness” incases where the passenger is clearly disabled.“While I recognize the necessity to appropriately screenpassengers, I am concerned by the apparent lack of situationalawareness and respect among TSA officers – specifically when itcomes to the treatment of war wounded,” Hunter wrote. “I amhopeful you will give this situation the attention itdeserves.” … Read More
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