Have you heard of TSA PreCheck? This is a program that the Transportation Security Administration offers for a fee to allow expedited security clearance at airports around the country. Any U.S. citizen can apply for it and pay $85 for a 5-year program membership.
When applying for the TSA PreCheck program, applicants pay the $85 fee, fill out an application online and then have to travel to an enrollment center for an interview, background check and finger printing. It takes a lot of time to do all that, especially if you don’t live near one of their enrollment centers. TSA PreCheck can be worth the hassle if you fly often and want to avoid standing in long security lines.
All active duty service members are granted TSA PreCheck and don’t have to go through that process. In fact, all they need to do is enter their DoD ID number in the known traveler number (KTN) field and their boarding pass will have the TSA Pre✓® mark on it.
Retirees do not have this same benefit though.
Why are active duty service members granted TSA PreCheck but retirees are not?
Their fingerprints are already on file and background checks have been made for many. If a service member flies using their DoD ID number in March for example and then retires a month later, they lose their TSA PreCheck membership but nothing has happened to make the person less credible. Shouldn’t they be grandfathered in?
Does TSA consider a service member trustworthy while on active duty but not once they retire?
What could have changed that makes TSA no longer offer them the same free membership?
Of course TSA PreCheck is a privilege, not a right, but it’s hard to understand why TSA chooses to take away the benefit when the member retires.
Money is a reason that comes to mind. That $85 membership fee is only supposed to cover background checks and administrative costs though. The background checks are contracted out however. There are no discounts available for retirees or for anyone at all.
If TSA isn’t willing to give military retirees free membership, shouldn’t they consider providing a discount?
I’m not the first person to question this.
In 2016 Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey urged TSA to lower the membership fee for all veterans if they weren’t willing to exempt them from it. TSA started the PreCheck program in October 2011. All of this time has gone by and still there is no answer.
Some veterans groups are asking TSA to “do the right thing.” These groups include: Wounded Warriors Family Support, the American Legion, Marine Corps League, Non Commissioned Officers Association, Retired Military Officers Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Hopefully together they will be able to influence TSA into providing some sort of exemption for retirees.
It seems like a lot of fuss over something small, but if you travel a lot being able to go past the long security lines can be extremely helpful. There are over 5 million members in this program and that says something about its usefulness.
It works too. In February 2018 93% of members said that they waited less than 5 minutes to get through security at the airport. That’s a lot of time and frustration saved.
My wife and I are trusted travelers through the Global Entry Program (GOES), which includes the TSA PreCheck. We travel quite and bit and it has been worth the money. I will mention, and this may help other military folks, that we carry American Express Platinum cards and one of the perks that AMEX offers is reimbursement of the $100 fee for the GOES program. It was win-win for us and may be for you too. I’ll mention that even if we had to pay (without reimbursement), we’d still have the program.
If you look on your military retired ID there is a DOD ID number. When you book a flight just use this number and it works just like a TSA Pre check number. And its free.
Is this a recent change? Because other blogs say retirees are not qualified for pre check.
I’m a retired military member and have a security clearance for the past 40 years but I cannot get a TSA pre ck. go figure? Is it a money making deal for TSA ?
We’ve had TSA Precheck on our boarding passes without applying or paying. I retired in Jan of 2010 from the Air Force. At times we wait in line, other times we go through quickly. We book our flights with our Barclaycard which is an American Airlines Aviator card. Perhaps that gives us a benefit. It does give us free first check-in bag.
A service member losing several privileges when they leave active duty. Should they be able to keep all those also?
A TSA employee gets free PreCheck but as soon as they leave employment they lose it. Should they be able to keep PreCheck?
Also, just because you have PreCheck does not mean you get it every time you travel. TSA uses unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening (PreCheck).
TSA’s decision on this subject fails the common sense test. All federal employees (military, civil service, and retirees) have demonstrated a level of loyalty and trust by their service. These are the very people that could be expected to take action if some hijacking or terrorist incident happens. They are also the first to get a bullet by those terrorists. Anyone carrying a Federal ID should be automatically treated as TSA precheck. Who does the TSA trust to be their employees? Virtually all TSA employees are Ex or retired US military. Come on TSA! Trust retired military to work there, trust them to fly!
We all know military retirees become ISIS flag waving terrorists the day they retire.
why did I pay for this if it doesn’t work every time? Retired Navy Capt
We have DOD known traveler numbers as military retirees. Should we still pay for the TSA PRE CHECK?
Hi Patricia,
You can find more information regarding “KNOWN TRAVELER NUMBERS” here: http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/news.cfm?ID=18
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