Originally Posted by Old NFO
You are dead on the money Super... Also, most of that stuff that has enough lead time actually goes via DCS now due to those very issues. Also, those who courier are directed to present as low a profile as possible, and never show credentials or the letter unless absolutely necessary.
On those rare instances where I've had to courier some documents, I've always opted for being low key. I took advantage of the rule stating that a locked briefcase qualified as the outer locked container. Inside, I used a locking pouch that fit inside the briefcase. I sent the locked briefcase through the x-ray as I normally would if I weren't carrying stuff. If a screener wanted to do a briefcase search, I had to unlock it. When I got on the plane, I would put the briefcase (still locked) in a normal place -- under my seat or overhead. I wouldn't open it during the flight.
In all those years, I never had a hassle except for the female sailor receptionist at a secure facility in HI who wasn't going to let me in her facility to lock up my stuff. (My per cert was there, so that wasn't the issue.) I finally said, "OK, I guess I'll just have to bring it with me to my hotel tonight." She responded, "You don't have do that, Colonel. I think we can work something out." Fortunately, secure computer networks were invented long before the TSA, so I don't think I will have the opportunity to try to get a pouch through a TSA checkpoint.
It all boils down to not drawing attention to yourself. I go crazy every time I see someone on the DC Metro visibly carrying a locked pouch. They might as well be wearing a sandwich board sign saying: "Please mug me -- I'm carrying classified."