When the day to leave for boot camp finally arrives, military recruits often have a lot of anxious thoughts racing through their minds.
"How long will I have to stay awake during the first couple of days? When will I get to talk to my family again? Is it true they make you mow the lawns with fingernail clippers?"
With all those concerns and many others to mull over, having to pony up just south of $50 to be given the privilege of boarding an airplane that's about to shuttle you off to some of the most stressful and demanding seven to 13 weeks of your life — depending on which branch you join — might seem like a slap in the face.
And yet, having to pay to get processed through airport security was the potential reality that thousands of recruits nationwide were facing as of Feb. 1, when the Transportation Security Administration rolled out its ConfirmID program.
Under ConfirmID, airport travelers must either present a REAL ID to security or pay $45 to proceed using a standard ID.
Fortunately, though, the War Department's Office of Personnel and Readiness got ahead of this early by partnering with TSA to ensure recruits who don't possess a REAL ID won't have to dig into their pocketbooks to pass through security.
Even better, recruits are now receiving "white glove treatment" from TSA when processing through airport security en route to basic training.
White glove treatment makes getting through security much quicker and more convenient than standard screening, and it's similar to that afforded to our nation's veterans through the Honor Flight program.
Good enough for our nation's current heroes, good enough for our nation's future heroes.
And here's the really good news: the program is working.
U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command recently conducted a site visit to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, where they observed recruits shipping out from Chicago MEPS and having no trouble getting through screening.
And this included applicants without REAL-ID-compliant identification.
"Putting our recruits first is a priority. These young men and women have volunteered to serve our nation. When they are shipping out to basic training, we want them focused on the fight, not worried about what type of ID they have or whether they will need to pay a fee to make it there," Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata recently said of the joint DOW-TSA partnership.
Tata said that it is the War Department's duty to take care of the young men and women who volunteer to serve their country from the moment they sign up to protect the nation, and that the new security screening initiative is a great example of innovation and cross-government collaboration.
"The department identified a challenge and partnered with TSA to put in place a solution, bolting over the bureaucracy to provide thousands of new recruits with the white glove treatment they deserve," Tata added.
One senior TSA official — who served 10 years in the Marine Corps and noted that one in five TSA employees are veterans — concurred that easing young recruits' journey to boot camp should be a top priority.
"TSA is honored to be a part of the journeys young men and women take to reach initial military training and begin their service in America's armed forces. … We are committed to ensuring recruits can stay focused on what lies at the end of their travels, serving America, instead of worrying about how they'll get there," explained Mike Turner, TSA's assistant administrator for domestic aviation operations.
"By leveraging the pre-vetting processes [that] we already have in place, TSA will assist America's newest service members reach their training safely and smoothly," he added.
With airport security crossed off their list of worries, the men and women who raised their right hands and swore an oath in anticipation of embarking on one of the most exciting and honorable adventures they'll ever go on are ready, with or without nail clippers.
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