On Friday, the Transportation Security Administration celebrated 20 years of federalized security operations at BWI Marshall Airport. The Maryland airport was the first in the country to begin the new screening protocols that have become common after 9/11.
During the ceremony marking the anniversary, the TSA made sure to acknowledge some of the employees who have been there from the start. And those workers said that when you screen bags for 20 years, you’ll see things that you wouldn鈥檛 expect.
鈥淚 mean, there鈥檚 a lot of bizarre things,鈥� said Wayne Redman, who has been on the lookout for weapons and explosives at BWI Marshall since Day One.
For one, there鈥檚 the weapons. There鈥檝e been lots of guns and knives confiscated by screeners over the years. But other times, things turn up that are a little more, as Redman put it, 鈥減ersonal.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to talk more than that,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes it can be embarrassing for the passenger, as well as the officer, but we do it in a respectful manner.鈥�
You know what else travels a lot on planes? Animals. And not all of them are alive.
Tawanda Price and Brad Russell, also baggage screeners since Day One, recounted the time someone packed the head of a goat.
鈥淔reshly cut鈥� is how Price described it. It wasn鈥檛 wrapped well, either. The passenger only used some plastic wrap. She and Russell had to inspect it, and it was messy, she said.
鈥淭he animals,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淪nakes, you get spiders.鈥�
Not all snakes are silent, especially venomous ones. 鈥淵ou can hear it in there, or it鈥檒l be docile,鈥� Russell said.
There was the donkey that had official support animal paperwork, too.
Price and Russell take a professional approach to whatever they find.聽After all, they鈥檙e trained to be respectful in situations that aren鈥檛 necessarily common in the United States, and which might garner stronger reactions in others.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a cool job,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淵ou see a lot of different things, interesting things, every day.鈥�
