Originally Posted by
goalie
Bolding mine: If you say the words "opt-out" you will be allowed to pass thru the WTMD but you
will receive the full grope as opposed to saying something to the effect that you "cannot raise your arm"/"assume the position" (and give a simple reason as to why you cannot) and then you will be allowed to go thru the WTMD where if no alarm, you should (n.b. should) be good to go-tho you may out of "randomness"
, receive a full grope-and if you do, ask if it is because you were deemed an "opt-out" as if the answer is yes, procedure is being violated where at that point, you should ask why.
If you do not use the words 'opt out', but you respectfully say that you are physically incapable of assuming the position because ...[reason], you may also be told that this means that you are an 'opt out'. It always happens this way to me. At PHX T2, you may even be challenged to display your limitations before being told that you are an 'opt out' and will have to undergo a full-body grope instead of being sent through the WTMD.
If you ask if this is procedure, you will (IME) be told 'yes' or 'yes, it is at our airport, anyone who does it differently is doing it wrong'.
TSA HQ's official response to an inquiry (posted by someone elsewhere in the TS&S forum) is that either procedure (forced grope or WTMD) is acceptable procedure.
Of course, if you asked TSA HQ if it was standard procedure to make a pax stand on his head and bark like a dog, the answer would probably be 'in some cases, the officer's judgment, known unknown threats, bla-bla'.