Strange Experience at DCA Checkpoints
 

I was heading out of DCA earlier this week in a hurry trying to catch an earlier flight. There was a well dressed gentleman behind me. When he approached the belt, the x-ray operator made eye contact and said "Aw man; I don't want you going through here <with a touch of humor>. The gentleman feiend towards the other lane but doubled back and went through my lane.

I noticed this because I thought it strange that the TSA Ossifer would make comments like that to a passenger -- and the passenger reply with humor. The two obviously knew each other.

As I was putting my shoes on, the X-Ray operator called for a supervisor while the well dressed man was writing something down on a piece of paper using the top of the X-Ray machine as a writing pad.

What are the chances this was a "random" inspection by a TSA inspector?

If so, I feel SO much safer knowing that the screener is able to ID the inspectors... Hopefully he passed the test!

The random tests are conducted by a traveling team in our area, so you don't usually know who's doing the testing... either that or new hires, and there's always plenty of those...

Probably an ASI or an AFSD or maybe even the FSD. From my experience the testing is done by volunteers from other federal agencies or screeners from other airports so you don't know who the testers are. The one test I had was done by a U.S. Marshall.