To be fair, the partnership between the DoD and TSA was a direct result of official and public angst at the way GIs (both injured and uninjured) were being treated by screeners at checkpoints. The DoD was also pretty torqued at the way the TSA at some airports completely screwed up honor guards for GIs making the final trip home on commercial flights (versus those bodies that arrive home via MILAIR). (No, I don't have time to look up specific references, but they are out there.)

The policy that appears on the TSA website was basically dictated to them from the SECDEF's office. It only applies to assistance getting GIs through checkpoints -- not for in-transit or arrival assistance. The TSA was also forced into the policy of providing gate passes to military family members for the asking.

While I admire TSA employees going the extra mile to provide assistance, I suggest there is a perception problem based on some pretty strong opinions expressed here. If I were a local FSD at an airport where a lot of GIs came & went, here is what I would do:

1. Make sure any employee of mine who volunteered did so on their own time and in civilian clothes and did not advertise that they were TSA employees;

2. Consult with airport managers to issue airside badges to volunteers from the local USO, VFW, American Legion, Retiree Affairs Offices at local military bases. Any screeners who wished to volunteer would be put in the rotation with these other folks. There's very little risk doing this, and it puts volunteerism in the hands of those who do it best.

I can't help but to think that the TSA and DHS are exploiting the good intentions of some of their field employees to push some feel-good press out there. The motivation why TSA HQ agreed to provide this support is 180-out from the motivation of individual employees at airports.