TSA Checkpoint C2 – Boston Logan International Airport

I travel fairly regularly for business and have flown in and out of Logan several times, but the treatment I received yesterday was absolutely uncalled for. I am an Iraq war veteran and always — let me reiterate ALWAYS — have the shell casing from the last of the three volleys fired when my grandfather (a Korean War Marine) was buried at the VA Cemetery in Rhode Island. I have this in my pocket — out of sight of civilians who might otherwise call it a bullet — regardless of where I am, how I am dressed, or where I am going. And I will continue to do so until the day I receive my three volleys.
Knowing the security situation, and remembering being on the corner of Boylston and Mass Ave the morning the hijackers started crashing aircraft into civilian occupied buildings, I always make sure to leave the empty shell casing open and easily accessible when traveling through airport security. While there have been a few times where a TSA agent has given it a second look, they would recognize that it was an empty shell casing (e.g., the brass alone without a bullet loaded into the casing [the bullet is the actual lead that forms the tip and exits the muzzle upon firing the weapon]). Yesterday, however, was not a typical day.
I saw the screener pausing and staring at the screen while the grey box containing my hat with the shell casing placed inside of it was still in the machine. I called out to say, its an expended round, not a bullet since that has typically helped speed that process along. Then I got to meet TSA supervisor badge # 894. She took possession of the casing and then with wholehearted contempt and disdain for me, my grandfather, and other military members and veterans told me that I «would not be getting on the flight with it.»
I told her there was no way in hell she would be disposing it nor that I would be flying without it and asked for clarification. She told me that TSA regulations forbid the transport of scopes, bullets, weapons, etc… I again asked for clarification and explained how what she was holding did not have a bullet nor do any regulations specifically restrict the transport of expended rounds that I was aware of. More importantly, if this really was such a big issue, why would she be the first TSA agent at Logan, never mind the first TSA agent from Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Syracuse, Columbus Ohio, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Gulfport/​Biloxi, or Jackson MS, to ever claim this (remember I did say I travel regularly). Well then I was just told to go on
and it was on there. I acknowledged the difficulty, complexity, and voluminous nature of these regs and policies since I has to do similar work in Iraq, where there were actually legitimate daily threats — although they were fewer within the boundary of COB Speicher. She then threatened to dispose of it. I told her I would walk outside of security with it, since she said she would escort me outside of security if I wanted, and then she started interrogating me about what my behavior would be, to which I explained that telling her I would travel outside of security with it was more than I was obligated to do legally and reminded her that I would still need to clear security a second time (and thus would have all my belongings x rayed a second time so the question was truly in appropriate). I offered to provide her with additional details if she would provide me with the regulation, policy, or something in writing clearly stating the grounds under which my travel would be restricted. She refused again. After she understood that I was going to call DC legislators that I knew and would make a scene of it, she sought the opinion of another agent (all the time telling me that she was the only supervisor and there was no one else I could speak with about things). The guy she called over was quite a bit more understanding about things, although still sticking up for his joes and janes (which I completely appreciate). So I pointed towards the combat action badge that I have on my bag and asked why they didn’t try to confiscate it, since it had a knife on it in order to make the broader point that travelers cannot make knowledgable decisions without having clear guidance.
At some point badge #894 mentioned that her husband was a military officer, in the hopes that this some day gets back to her, I’d like to offer her a piece of advice. Tell your husband that if you were demonstrating your knowledge of the military and using him as the excuse for it, that he needs to take his ass over to one of his NCOs and get squared away, because right now his shit is unsat.

We had pre check from Jet Blue when we flew yesterday. When we had flown from Seattle it had gone very smoothly and quickly. Boston was a different experience. I am an over 65 grey haired woman. We were told not to take off shoes or belts or to empty pockets. When I went through the metal detector, I was told to go back and do it again. So I did. Then I was told to turn to my right and they did a full body scan, then a full body pay down. Then the questions — why do you have your shoes on?! Because you guys told me not to take them off. (They were flip flops). What was in my pocket!? um, my drivers license, boarding pass & a piece of Kleenex. Take out the Kleenex! Ok, sure enough a piece of wadded up Kleenex. Then I had to get a ‘hand wave’ — the person that was supposed to do that was non responsive while I was standing there holding up me & the people behind me in line up for about 5 minutes while she called several times for the person to come and do it. When she did come, She didn’t find any issues and I was finally released. All that happened before 8:00 am and before coffee! So what is the point of the pre screen line?