TSA 'Soldiers On'

A lot of troops will be coming home for the holidays, and the Transportation Security Administration wants them and their families to know it has special airport meet and greet procedures.

Families waiting for service members at the airport don't have to go outside the security area like everyone else, TSA spokesman Greg Soule said. They can get a gate pass from an airline to pass through security so they can meet their uniformed loved one at the gate. The same procedure applies when troops return to duty: obtain an airline pass and then proceed through security to the departure gate.

This is a real gift because it provides troops and their families extra time at the gate if they honor the two-hour check in requirement for international flights.

Every time I fly in and out of the Albuquerque, N.M., airport, I see families of troops waiting patiently outside the security area with signs and balloons. So, because this is a little known twist on standard TSA procedures, it might be a good idea to print the Accommodations for U.S. Military Personnel rules off the TSA Web site before you go to the airport.

TSA, meanwhile, has tried to remove its security manual leaked onto the Web, but many copies still float around, including this one from ABC News.

But, I don't really want to focus on the security manual snafu here, as TSA does deserve kudos for helping out the troops and their families.

I like heartwarming stories at this time of year. It brings out the Jimmy Stewart in me.