Armed Lifestyle - Issue 2 - June 2022

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28 TSA TAKING NOTES? TSA TAKING NOTES? BY JOHN PETROLINO Traveling in <strong>2022</strong> is stressful enough as it is. Dealing with the TSA is one of the reasons traveling might make people apprehensive. We won’t even talk about potential 4th Amendment violations when being subjected to millimeter wave technology scanning our bodies, we’ll just talk about the run-of-the-mill dealings, the low-tech violations, with your local friendly TSA agent. Truth be told, many TSA agents are great. Even the ones I personally deal with in Newark, New Jersey on a regular basis. But when you run into that one agent that wants to make your life miserable, they really can. This instance involves the inconvenience of having an item taken by a TSA agent. One of the stresses we need to deal with when traveling by air is that we must surrender just about every “weapon” to make it through security to a “sanitary” area. While it’s very nice and thoughtful of the US Government to assure us our safety, are we really safe? You don’t have to go completely disarmed though. One of the many options you can bring on a plane with you is a tactical pen. Kind of. First off, what’s a tactical pen? A tactical pen is a metal pen that’s usually a bit beefier than a regular pen. It may or may not have a “menacing” bezel, that is the non-writing end might be pointy or castellated. Tactical pens are great options because they are actual pens that you write with, but primarily would be carried to use as a striking weapon or one used to be applied to an attacker’s pressure points if needed. An individual would use a tactical pen the way they’d use a Kubotan. According to Wikipedia: “The Kubotan is usually held in either an icepick grip (for hammer fist strikes) or forward grip (for stabbing, pressure point attacks and seizing). Common uses include hardening the fist (fist load) for punching, attacking vulnerable parts of an assailant’s body, and gaining leverage on an assailant’s wrist, fingers and joints.” that I own. When going through the TSA security checkpoint, one of the agents informed him that he’s not allowed to have that item. In questioning the agent, the agent told him he couldn’t have it because it’s a Kubotan. When asked to see a list of items not allowed on the plane, the agent told Mallory that he doesn’t need to show it to him. There’s a couple of things to unpack here. First, the TSA agent didn’t have to take the pen, but he did. Second, when being challenged, I get that it’s a time-consuming thing, but why be hardheaded about it? Just show the customer because that’s what we are, customers, the list. And third, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and we’ll get to that in a second. I did take the time to look up what is or is not offensive to the TSA for what can be brought iin one’s carryon. Pens, they’re good to go. Kubatons, they’re no-go. Tactical pens, they’re a no-go. Screwdrivers under 7 inches in length? Good to go! On January 22 of this year, a colleague of mine, Matthew Mallory, a fulltime firearm, and self-preservation instructor/part time New York law enforcement officer, was heading home from a large annual trade show known as SHOT Show in Las Vegas. He carried with him a tactical pen that’s nearly identical to one I do recall a situation in Orlando where I saw a guy getting harassed by a TSA agent. I mean harassed. In my experience Orlando seems to be a special kind of airport that attracts a special kind of talent. The guy was a technician of some sort that I’m assuming just had a carry-on. With him he had a multi-purpose
The thing with dealing with the TSA and what you can and cannot take on a plane is this final qualifying statement on the go/nogo pages: “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.” Absolute power to an unelected member of law enforcement. All those stories about mothers having to dump their breast milk at security, well, believe them. None of them had to happen. The TSA calls that “discretion”. screwdriver, you know one of those fancy jobbers that the tips change out on it. I did not break out my tape measure, as I was dealing with my own issues involving powered baby formula, which was a whole other ball of wax, but the screwdriver looked like a standard multi-driver that would be under 7 inches in length. The agent wanted to confiscate the tip of the screwdriver. The man acquiesced, after explaining that he had other tips, which the agent didn’t seem overly nonplussed over. That all was unfolding while a mute man was trying to communicate with agents, was visibly distressed, and no one was trying to figure out what he was saying by handing him a pad to write with or getting someone fluent in ASL. Nope, they surrounded him and said to “stand back” because they did not know what he’d do next. There was not a lot of bedside manners there and that particular trip through security for me was a real circus to put it lightly. So, what can you do? First, if you’re going to take a tactical pen on a plane, don’t bring a menacing looking one. The plainer the better. I did not check in with Mallory on this aspect of his rendezvous with Mr. TSA man, but if you’re bringing such a pen on a plane, consider sticking it into a carryon bag, buried deep in there, when you’re going through the checkpoint. Doing that, the pen will get overlooked in the mix. Chances have it no one will say a thing. Mallory’s years of travel, this was the first time he had an issue with that particular pen. Another thing you can do is get a “regular” metal pen. There are plenty of “regular” metal pens that’ll get the job done if you need it. That is, if you need to write something. They have them out there, just look for them. All different thicknesses too. Further, a regular ballpoint pen can be effective for, er, writing, if you need it. There are classes on the subject. Finally, that brings us to the screwdriver. Anything under 7 inches is actually the rule for most tools you can carry on. It’s specifically listed as “okay”. You can head to the discount section of the hardware store and pick up a screwdriver if you feel the need to travel with tools. Make sure it’s under 7 inches. If you think you’re going to have to work on something smaller or be more discrete, there are screwdrivers that come with pocket clips, just like a pen, and you can have it just as ready as you’d have a pen should you need to make a quick emergency repair. There’s a whole list of items that are specifically noted by name that the TSA does and does not allow onboard a plane. Take a look over it prior to traveling to see if there’s anything on it that you might need. FYI, items such as antlers, artificial bones, baseballs, bicycle chains, and bocce balls are all on the “a-okay” list for being able to take with you in your carryon. That’s just some of the interesting stuff I found getting through half of the “B” list. Mallory’s message? He also carries with him on a plane a high lumen LED flashlight with a “tactical” bezel. That’s a fancy marketing term for the end where the light comes out of looking castellated. He said “I usually tell people to carry a flashlight and a tactical pen. That’s about the only defensive tools you’ll be able to have or use if a critical incident occurs on the plane. So much for the pen!” As you get ready for your next trip, keep in mind Mallory’s message and what we must deal with/ navigate through when traveling. Especially consider this when traveling by air. Give some thought to what he went through and think about what other options are available out there as far as things you might need on an airplane when traveling. There are a whole host of over improvised weapons you could bring; you just need to think outside the box. I highly suggest keeping an extra tactical pen in your checked bag. As for what you’re going to carry on, it’s time to get creative and take some notes! TSA TAKING NOTES? www.thearmedlifestyle.com
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS JUNE 2022 Issue 2 WE ARE O
Page 5 and 6: to a lender, and he was going to ge
Page 7 and 8: with the concept of, ‘what is min
Page 10: 10 EDITOR’S NOTE Mission Statemen
Page 13 and 14: ights through the safe and ethical
Page 15 and 16: Proudly Celebrating 25 Years of Mad
Page 17 and 18: shotgun slug to collect more air to
Page 19 and 20: its contents onto the target area.
Page 21 and 22: PRODUCT FIELD TESTING As I wrapped
Page 23 and 24: even a new stroller for my daughter
Page 25 and 26: RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE BY CH
Page 27: One of the things that Anthony driv
Page 31 and 32: twelve rounds instead of six. The s
Page 34 and 35: GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK 34 GUNS
Page 36 and 37: 36 GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK KEYS
Page 38 and 39: 38 FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE
Page 40 and 41: 240 FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE
Page 42 and 43: 42 HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES Hot Blo
Page 45 and 46: WHAT’S NEW… THE TISAS PX9 By Ja
Page 47 and 48: located around the top of the pack.
Page 49 and 50: DULUTH PACK: WANDERER www.thearmedl
Page 51 and 52: of the Year in 1999 at the knife in
Page 53 and 54: EVERYDAY CARRY KNIFE Once the Comma
Page 55 and 56: CHOOSING THE RIGHT TRAINING CLASS F
Page 57 and 58: PUTTING THE “A” IN TR”A”INI
Page 59: I have said this in the past on num

Armed Lifestyle - Issue 2 - June 2022

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