I'll admit it. I do.

Like many folks here, I travel with a lot of electronics. Many TSOs are inordinately fascinated by bags full of electronics, and I just plain got tired of the full monte bag search.

Now I have my own security theatre. I switched to a belt buckle that I know will set off the WTMD every time -- it's a brass military belt buckle, so I can remove just the buckle and leave the belt on. I put it in plain sight in a bin. Then I pull my old dogtags out of my shirt, so the TSO can see 'em. Next, I make sure the military nametape and wings on my briefcase show, gimp my way throough the WTMD, and PRESTO, no bag checks anymore.

I get lots of "thank you for your service" remarks, which is a heckuva lot better than all the DY...T I used to get, hahahaha!

After being tagged for Secondary Screenings twice in a row I thought back over why I could have been selected. I determined that I was stressed out, fumbling around with my stuff, and looking around way too much. And I had some work IDs on a lanyard tucked into my shirt.

The next time I flew I removed all the metal items, carefully folded up coat, etc long before I was within visual of the checkpoint. I calmy and slowly approached the ticket checker and presented my boarding pass and DoD ID card. Did the same thing with the WTMD boarding pass checker who waved me right through without any hassle. Though my laptop did get wiped down.

I do it all the time. Most recently, I had an encounter with what some call "The Crow" at Dulles. (Sorry -- I don't have time to pull up my post.) I've had a fair amount of exposure to the art of "tradecraft" used by intelligence agencies and have used the technique on several screeners and SPOTniks. It's scary how easy it is -- and I don't profess for a nanosecond to be particularly good at it.

I'm sure I could have gotten a copy of an SOP binder if I had worked a couple of encounters a little harder. (Not that this would have revealed anything surprising to any of us.)

I enjoy reversing these attempts.

Just yesterday a passenger tried to psych me out. He looked over and said, "you're not profiling now right?" He thought he was smart because he "made" me. Instead of making up some B.S. and pretending that I wasn't a BDO, I engaged him in a conversation about SPOT. He said that he thinks it is illegal because he believes that we are secretly profiling. I told him I was sorry he felt that way and I assured him that the work we do is cross-cultural and solely based on behavior. I sincerely enjoyed talking with him and wished him a good trip.

It was interesting to hear his voice pitch change and his words become shaky after I engaged him instead of backing down or looking away.

If a professional played mind games with you, you would never know it. Consider yourself very lucky.

So how would you deal with someone who refused to answer you at all, or just ignored your attempt to strike up a conversation? Do you have the legal authority to keep someone from flying, or will you just make their time at the airport miserable by calling over a police officer and possibly make them miss their flight?

On the same note, how would you deal with deaf or mute passengers, or those with speech impediments?

Nah: we don't try to psyop anybody. In fact, we transit the same stations so frequently, most of the TSOs recognize us, say hi, and send us on our merry way.

etch5895, I'm curious also! As I'm deaf, if a "BDO SPOTTER" tried to stop me and talk to me, it'd cause a long delay, because s/he would have to grab a paper and pen, then ask me the question(s). It'd be a big waste of time because s/he wouldn't be able to analyze my expressions, since I'd be writing it on paper, and cause a bottleneck in line.

I just hope I don't ever run into one of those zealous SPOTTERS who won't take no for an answer, and if I point my hands to my ears, I'll be SSSSed because I can't answer the SPOTTER. If that does happen, I swear I'm going to sue TSA. I don't give a damn if "we can't sue the federal government." I'd be discriminated against due to a disability, and that is illegal. If I need to, I'll bring ACLU and the media into it, and raise a huge stink.

Any TSA people in here who knows for sure how SPOTTERS deal with deaf, mute, and other speech-impaired folks? I'm willing to bet in about 95-98% of cases, I'll just be waved on and forgetten. How would I deal with a SPOTTER who tries to talk to me, and won't take the "deaf gesture" as an answer? Just walk on ahead?

Refusing to talk is your choice. I can't really speak to procedure beyond that.

I have had someone who is deaf. I happen to know some TSOs and BDOs who sign, so it made my life a lot easier.

Let the games begin!

Its a known fact that deaf people are high on the list of Terrowists...along with the blind...and double amputees....

Morons, Idiots and Thieves.

Which is a fine way to harass your foreign money-bringing visitors who don't happen to speak English.

I will exhaust all the resources I have in an attempt to communicate effectively with any passenger.

I speak some German and on our team (BDO-MSP) we have people who speak Spanish, Russian, Kazak, Polish, Ukrainian, Arabic, Amharic, Somali, French, German, and at least two people who can sign.

If you tell us will you have to kill us? You wouldn't know Colonel Flagg, would you?

Remind me what a BDO is?