Ok. I've hit the 5-year mark in Europe, which short-story means that my employer (The Federal Government) is sending me home to become re-aclimated to the US and A.
I fly tomorrow morning, at 0710 Zulu, or 0110AM NY time.
I haven't had the best of luck entering the united states, the few times I've come back. The last time I came to the US, I had all of my bags pawwed through on the table at check-in, and everthing got swapped, to include my socks and underwear. I don't know what it is, nobody else I've talked to has these problems. I always travel on official orders, with my Official Passport, so it's not like I'm using an Israli passport or anything like that.
Two years ago, I flew into Newark, and they were waiting for me when I checked in. They held the plane, and pulled me into a back room, and gave me the "twice over and under" complete with gloves. But I didn't miss my flight. Leaving the country that time, I had to go back into a room (This was in the Denver airport) and open my suitcases, and set everything out on a table covered with plastic while two beefy guys watched, then they had me leave the room, and come back in a few minutes. While I was out of the room, they went through the 'normal' clothes checks with everything I had on. Oh well, I'm used to it now.
I've petitioned the Department of State, and TSA to remove me from whatever lists they have me on in writing on a number of occasions. So far I've gotten confirmation letters that they received my request, but nothing else.
I fly tomorrow, and now I'm documenting my baggage online, on this site. Here are pictures. Use this as a how-to guide. How not to pack I guess. How not to look. I don't know. I've all but given up, and now I let the security do whatever they want. I do whatever they ask, no matter what language they ask in.
Stay tuned for pictures of everything I'm packing. It's not an issue, since at least a dozen people will see everything in the airport.
I fly tomorrow morning, at 0710 Zulu, or 0110AM NY time.
I haven't had the best of luck entering the united states, the few times I've come back. The last time I came to the US, I had all of my bags pawwed through on the table at check-in, and everthing got swapped, to include my socks and underwear. I don't know what it is, nobody else I've talked to has these problems. I always travel on official orders, with my Official Passport, so it's not like I'm using an Israli passport or anything like that.
Two years ago, I flew into Newark, and they were waiting for me when I checked in. They held the plane, and pulled me into a back room, and gave me the "twice over and under" complete with gloves. But I didn't miss my flight. Leaving the country that time, I had to go back into a room (This was in the Denver airport) and open my suitcases, and set everything out on a table covered with plastic while two beefy guys watched, then they had me leave the room, and come back in a few minutes. While I was out of the room, they went through the 'normal' clothes checks with everything I had on. Oh well, I'm used to it now.
I've petitioned the Department of State, and TSA to remove me from whatever lists they have me on in writing on a number of occasions. So far I've gotten confirmation letters that they received my request, but nothing else.
I fly tomorrow, and now I'm documenting my baggage online, on this site. Here are pictures. Use this as a how-to guide. How not to pack I guess. How not to look. I don't know. I've all but given up, and now I let the security do whatever they want. I do whatever they ask, no matter what language they ask in.
Stay tuned for pictures of everything I'm packing. It's not an issue, since at least a dozen people will see everything in the airport.
