Sigh.

TSA stops troops from invading SFO Airport KCBS News Radio Website ^ | 3/17/2005 | KCBS

TSA Does Not Allow Military Personnel to Get Off the Plane at SFO Source: kcbs Publication date: 2005-03-17

(KCBS) - Military personnel returning from Afghanistan did not get a warm welcome when they touched down in San Francisco. KCBS reporter Margie Shafer learned that soldiers fighting the war on terror were not allowed to disembark this week, because of security concerns.

The soldiers landed on a chartered ATA aircraft, but were forced to remain on the plane for three hours, while it refueled.

"There are some security issues involved here. They have weapons," said Ed Gomez with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). "They have weapons, and we have to secure the weapons. We have to secure the airplane. We have to communicate properly."

Generally, unloaded weapons are guarded as military personnel go into the terminal to get drinks, call home or stretch.

But a KCBS source at the airport said a TSA official told the airline that if the soldiers got off the plane, the terminal would be evacuated.

I remember when traveling in uniform got you waved through customs. Happy Saint Patricks Day, fellas.