Awhile back I got 1 and did 2, but was sent to secondary Passport screening, there were two people ahead of me, but I got out in about 5 minutes. When I asked why I was send to secondary, they guessed it was fingerprint related. I did get an email from GE/CBP asking me to describe my "bad" experience. Did you get a follow-up email?

Have not received an email from GE/CBP yet.

Did you get that email automatically or was it in response to a complaint you sent?

It came "automatically" about 3 days after my incident.
[PS: In the case where I got the "X", the GE machine didn't even get to ask me to verify my flight--it spit out the "X" right after answering the questions.]

I'm pondering getting a GE card for possible future travel (for use in TT and entering USA). I haven't traveled much in the last 7 years, although I used to travel quite a bit for leisure for about 4 years in the early 2000s (~50K/year). I hope to get back into more frequent traveling, and I was thinking getting GE would help me a bit with screening as well as clearing Custom on returning to USA. I am a US citizen with security clearance (so the gov't already know about me anyway). So given the circumstance, does it make sense to get one now, even though it's not conclusive whether I'd travel much in the immediate future (1-2years)?

Anyone?

i am completely grasping at straws here, nobody in the GE offices seem to have the slightest inkling what is going on.

Since it's valid for five years, you could get one and use it whenever you do travel.

Do you have an American Express Platinum Card (business or personal)? If you do, AMEX will reimburse you for the $100 GE fee.^

1) GE will not help you with screening for departing flights (with the limited exceptions of certain test airports).

2) I don't think the security clearance will speed your review (it didn't for me), but presumably if you have a security clearance you do not have background issues that could lead to rejection.

3) If you don't have current plans to travel in the next two years, there's not much point in getting it now, since it lasts for 5 years and you'd "waste" 2 of them. Given application to approval generally takes less than a month, why not wait until you have more concrete plans? That said, if your travel plans come up last minute it could be worthwhile to have it ready to go.

My clearance did for me, at least in talking to them much later about it I was told it does. They even said Green Card holders are often easier to verify due to the info already on file for them. Anyway, I was approved almost instantly. Granted I was one of the very early people to apply (thanks flyer talk!) so the system wasn't "clogged".

Hi, the idea is that GE would allow me to apply to be TT. As for clearance, my point was that they already have most of the information about me, so I'm not losing much of anything, since I've already lost it. And like other said, if I'm able to get one, then I probably shouldn't have trouble getting GE anyway.

Good idea re waiting...I'm really hoping that somehow the TSA will be forced to relax their so-called security measure soon, but am not holding my breath.

Thanks for the info!

Assuming that U.S. government agencies share information with each other is a big assumption in most cases. I highly doubt DHS knows who does and doesn't have a security clearance when they do their review, although working for another federal agency might boost your credibility some. I suspect they're just reviewing databases with criminal records, maybe Lexis-Nexis for some cases, but that would even be a stretch. I still took a month to get conditionally approved, which was about par for the course around the time I submitted my application. For my interview, other than the obligatory questions they have to ask, we just talked shop.

Today I completed the process and did the interview
For anyone reading this in the future, I mistakenly applied for Nexus. I paid $50 and got GE for free. Pretty good deal I think.

Nexus = land and air border crossing program between Canada and Mexico
Global Entry = trusted traveller program for zipping thru immigration when coming back from (non Canada) countries

Some corrections:
You can use Global Entry at the NEXUS lanes when returning from Canada, you can also use GE at the GE kiosks located at Canadian airports (if installed).

You just can't use GE to enter Canada.

NEXUS is different from GE in that it allows expedited access into Canada as well, but you have to be interviewed and cleared by both US and Canadian officials to get NEXUS.

SENTRI - is the land-border crossing program into the United States from Mexico, if you have a car, the car also needs to be registered.

I got the GE X at SFO on Saturday morning so I went to the immigration booth next to the kiosks (the one crew uses). The agent asked if I was traveling on business or pleasure, and I said pleasure. He marked "A H" on the back of my printout. After picking up my bags, I was sent to the A line for agricultural inspection where 3 agents opened all of my bags. They did not take anything, but asked questions about where I had been and what agricultural products I had.

This is the second time I have had to go through agricultural inspection in the six times since I've had GE. The first time was when a wandering agent marked my printout in the baggage claim area. In that case, my luggage was scanned by the machine and I was allowed to leave; my bags were not opened.

Being stopped for agricultural inspection 2/6 times is a lot. Maybe I was just unlucky?

In the 50 trips in the last 10 years before I had GE, I have never had my bags opened upon entry into the US, though I was questioned once after customs, after being flagged at the immigration booth (I assume the computer flagged me, not the agent). In that instance, not only were my bags not opened, I did not have my bags scanned by the x-ray machine. I was questioned by the CBP officer in the agricultural inspection area for about 10 minutes. It felt intrusive and was not pleasant.

Where were you flying from on the two times you got the ag inspection?