Originally Posted by
SATTSO
There is some misunderstanding here: it was designed not for "wheelchair" bound vets, but any disabled vets. Think those with psychological but otherwise no physical impairment. And yes, it seems to be expanded. Why? Sorry, I don't know the answer to that.
It was your quote above, that said:
...left at the curb by a taxi, in a wheelchair, ...
at the gate, no one there with a wheelchair ...
...carry their luggage, push their chair,...
Somehow I got the impression it was wheelchair bound vets. Unless you've got vets with psychological impairment being left on the curb in wheelchairs?
The post you provided - "curb", "taxi", "wheelchair", "gate" "luggage" still doesn't match what the TSA website says which mentions ONLY the checkpoint.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
And it's not just at SAT. The number and email to set this up is a NATIONAL number. It has NOTHING to do with SAT. NO, absolutely NO one can set this up locally. It must be through that national contact - which works in conjunction with the DOD, and almost always it is the medical facility that sets up the help.
I understand from the TSA website that it's a national program. I also understand from that website that it's a national program about getting through the checkpoint. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt that
at SAT you were also helping with curbside assistance, pushing wheelchairs, at the gate, since you say you are doing those things. But the TSA website does not give any indication that nationally, TSA is meeting veterans at the curb, pushing wheelchairs, etc.
And as I noted from my own personal experience, the airlines are reasonably proficient about providing wheelchair assistance to anyone, veteran or not, who requests it.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
But there is other proof (the national contact SHOULD be proof enough that this is not a SAT thing, it is TSA wide - but people here believe what they want, apparently, regardles of evidence), and that proof are a few other post by members over the months who have posted their disgust that TSA employees would dare meet wounded military at the gates to escort them. Why, some even suggest we looked at flight manifest to find these traveling wounded vets to meet them, unexpected, to puff out our collective TSA chest. Those post are scattered through various threads. You can search and read them, to control what I say. Proof that it happens at other airports besides SAT.
I searched, I read.
Here's one about whether active military gets searched like everyone else (consensus is, they do.)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...rched-too.html
Here's another one on the same topic.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1202637-active-duty-military-pat-downs.html
Ahh, this must be the one you mean:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/omni-...ard-again.html
It's about TSA providing an "honor guard" to meet the
casket of
deceased servicemen. I suppose strictly speaking, a deceased serviceman in a coffin is a "wounded" veteran
, and an honor guard meeting the flight is "escorting" them
, but somehow its not really the same as helping a live but wounded person from the taxi at the curb, pushing their wheelchair, finding their luggage, or taking them to the gate for their next flight.
And here's another one:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/omni-...e-me-sick.html Same airport, different day, same story. Deceased soldier, casket, honor guard.
I can't find anything where anyone is "disgusted" that you meet live, wounded veterans at their gate. If someone has said that, please feel free to provide a link to the actual thread and post, not just a "someone said somewhere."
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
But let me ask you this: what does meeting someone at the gate and helping them collect their luggage and getting them to a taxi/shuttle have to do with "screening"? Answer: nothing. But, to be honest, that is mostly what I have done. And there is a reason for that... Too many times Ive heard from disabled passengers they had little problem getting a sky cap to help them to the gate, it wa their arrival that was the problem, with no one there to meet them.
So are you helping out disabled passengers (veterans and non-veterans alike) because it's a nice thing to do when the airlines can't manage, or is this a formal TSA program for veterans, regardless of whether the airline also has adequate wheelchair pushers?