Posted on 09/29/2007 3:35:59 PM PDT by Bahbah
Spitting on the Marines [Michael Ledeen]
Here is an e-mail from a Marine chaplain recently returned from Iraq. The story speaks for itself—lousy treatment of our troops at our own airports. He writes about Oakland, and while checking around I find that this is a common experience. I hope that one of our leaders will find a way to put an end to such behavior.
Marines and Soldiers Returning from Iraq not allowed
into Oakland terminal
On September 27th 204 Marines and soldiers who were
returning from Iraq were not allowed into the
passenger terminal at Oakland International Airport.
Instead they had to deplane about 400 yards away from
the terminal where the extra baggage trailers were
located.
This was the last scheduled stop for fuel and food
prior to flying to Hawaii where both were based. The
trip started in Kuwait on September 26th with a
rigorous search of checked and carry on baggage by US
Customs. All baggage was x-rayed with a "backscatter"
machine AND each bag was completely emptied and hand
searched. After being searched, checked bags were
marked and immediately placed in a secure container.
Carry on bags were then x rayed again to ensure no
contraband items were taken on the plane. While
waiting for the bus to the airport, all personnel were
in quarantined in a fenced area and were not allowed
to leave.
The first stop for fuel/food and crew change was in
Leipzig Germany. Troops exited the aircraft and took
a bus to a reception area in the terminal, where there
was a convenience store, phones, Internet and
restrooms. As we excited the bus we were given a
re-boarding pass. Three troops remained on the plane
with the rifles and pistols. There was no ammunition
on the plane and the bolts of the rifles had been
removed. After about 2 hours troops re-boarded the
plane and flew to JFK in NY.
At JFK the procedure was similar to Germany, 3 troops
stayed on the plane to guard weapons while the rest
deplaned. At the gate we were each given a
re-boarding pass and spent about 1.5 hours in the
terminal, at which time we re-boarded and flew to
Oakland.
As we came in for the final approach to Oakland a
Lieutenant who served in Afghanistan with the same
unit in 2006 mentioned how when they landed in Oakland
they were not allowed in the terminal. He said, "they
made us get out by the FED EX building and we had to
sit out there for 3 hours". He also indicated he was
almost arrested by the TSA for getting belligerent
about them not letting the Marines into the terminal.
Well the same thing happened again. This time we did
not park by the FED EX building, instead we were
offloaded near the grass that separates the active
runway from the taxi ramp, about 400 yards from the
terminal. When we inquired why they wouldn't allow us
in the airport they gave us some lame excuse that we
hadn't been screened by TSA. While true, the
screening which we did have was much more thorough
than any TSA search and was done by US Customs.
Additionally, JFK didn't seem to have a problem with
our entering their terminal, nor did security in
Germany.
It felt like being spit on. Every Marine and soldier
felt the message loud and clear, "YOU ARE NOT WELCOME
IN OAKLAND!"
Chaplain Brandon Harding
1ST BN 3D MARINES
baaaad. :(
The left is replaying their old records from the 1960s.
Unbelievable! What is going on here?
It’s just Oakland’s way of making an anti-war statement.
Your title is mis-leading and you know it.
Every Marine was Mis-Treated on Their Way Back To America
These are the people wishing to go after Rush Limbaugh on Monday.
They will be defeated because most of the military know they are traitors and losers.
If the military comes home like the guys from Vietnam, the RATs will be the ones to blame. They are nothing but lily livered cowards who would sell out their grandma for money or power.
It is the title given to the piece by the author, eye. We do not change titles here.
It’s time to start raising hell over this, folks.
OK, It’s still mis-leading.
The Marines have a word for this.
DOD should discontinue using Oakland Intl Apt and move all military flights back to Travis AFB.
I agree. We must not let them to this to our military again! This really hurts me, and we need to stop it NOW!
I’m not ready to buy this yet, if they were returning as a Unit with arms, they would not be going through the terminal in any event.
Wait and see.
It’s as simple as this: We are no longer ONE nation.
We have been divided. Lines are now drawn on a political spectrum by locals in direct conflict with national.
Hello 1860.
i travelled to and from europe to the states and from the gulf to the states while on military planes. the only place that we actually got to go into the main terminal was at either philly or new york. i always assumed it was for convienience versus being degraded in any way. on a full chartered plane it isnt always easy to round up people to get back to the plane, just think about high school field trips. only the larger airports with good size mac terminals had staging areas for military flights. If you want to be harrassed, try off loading in the Azorces or Saudi where they hold you pretty much at gun point the entire time.
God help me, I hate them..
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