Thank you, omascreener for clarifying the policy - that actually kind of makes sense under the assumption that taking off the jacket is necessary. If someone doesn't want to take off his or her jacket and if that person were to have something hidden underneath that is not detected by the metal detectors, then it makes sense that you don't want that person touching his or her carry-ons because that person might be able to move the offending item to the carry-on when moving to secondary screening.

I don't have a problem with you having to carry out a rule with which I disagree, and I would appreciate additional information on the "sleeveless" rule.

I agree with Japhydog (and may be stretching his argument a bit, so please forgive the license, Japhydog) that it would be easier for a young person wearing baggy pants (has the TSA seen how baggy the pants are these days?) to take something inappropriate onboard than for a professional woman in a tailored suit.

Update this morning - I went through IAH Terminal B and did not even try the sleeveless thing. I just buttoned the jacket of my suit coat and answered yes when asked (twice) whether this was my outer layer of clothing. I had on a sleeveless "shell" (all the women who read this know what it is) underneath that I would never wear in public without a jacket.

I only have one suit that buttons all the way up - guess I'm going to have to get another one, so I can feel comfortable on the flight out and the flight back in.