Originally Posted by
Often1
1. If you look at the first Officer, you will usually see that they've got an extra "trainee" name tag-type thing.
2. I watched a guy who had trouble getting his phone to scan properly asked for the phone by an Officer. The guy refused and the Officer told him he could either hand over the phone or go back to the counter to get a paper BP. TSA at DCA is pretty effective and quick. Guy handed over his phone, Officer got it to scan, handed it back, smiled and said, "thank you sir." Problem solved.
It makes all my working parts shrivel up whenever someone calls a TSO an "Officer."
Yes, I know it's part of the the official job title, but it's an insult to all real law enforcement officers everywhere to hang the title on government clerks.