Texas Man Caught With Missile Launcher In Checked Baggage At BWI Airport

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: WJZ 13 CBS

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A man was caught with a missile launcher in his checked bag at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport early Monday morning.

Transportation Security Administration officers detected the launcher and immediately told airport police, who tracked down the traveler and detained him for questioning.

The man, who lives in Jacksonville, Texas, told officials he was an active military personnel traveling home from Kuwait and he wanted to keep the missile launcher as a souvenir.

Military weapons are not permitted in checked or carry-on bags, TSA sid.

Read more: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2019/07/29/texas-man-missile-launcher-bwi-tsa/#.XT8XMFZ7-4g.twitter

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Sounds like he took Trump too literally.

[Gothmog]

1. It is interesting living in Texas at times

[Lonestarblue]

6. Agree!

Most of the time, it’s okay, but sometimes the crazy surprises me. Last week I was having lunch with a neighborhood group, and one person brought up the Mueller hearings. All she could talk about was how Bill Clinton was the one who had gotten away with murder while Trump is innocent and there are no grounds to impeach him. I quickly changed the topic because it was not a venue for starting a battle, but the Republican ability to exaggerate a Democrat’s consensual sex with another adult as getting away with murder as worse than a Republican’s encouragement of illegal hacking and acceptance of a foreign power’s help to win the presidential election, not to mention obstruction of justice to cover up said help, never fails to astonish me. You really cannot talk to people like this because they long ago lost the power to reason and to tell truth from lies.

[Wuddles440]

51. I have a similar problem...

here in Ohio (suburbs of Cleveland/Akron). I really can't have any extended conversations most neighbors because they always seem to start regurgitating right wing talking points within a few minutes. I think many just assume that I share their beliefs and agree with them. Of course, they're all avid consumers of Faux News and conservative social media. I'm to the point where I entirely avoid engaging in conversation with most of them. Very frustrating and depressing.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Was this another "empty tube" ? n/t

[jmowreader]

18. Yes, that's all it was. There are pictures at the link.

[MosheFeingold]

59. Yes

It's harmless.

[sl8]

64. Let's ask the science officer.

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/0450bb99-e3f0-49ce-a912-e8a3fdabe167

[asiliveandbreathe]

3. Confucius say - I'm confused...OMG....

The item was not live, they said, but it was confiscated and handed over to the state fire marshal for safe disposal.

The man was able to catch his flight, officials said.

[hack89]

8. It was an empty launch tube - it represented no danger to anyone. nt

[Igel]

11. But it's military.

I've watched people handle spent brass like the casings might explode if jostled.

"Dude, they're just bits of brass."

"But they're *bullets*."

Which leads to a discussion about little bits of lead and whether or not they spontaneously take off at high speeds or if, perhaps, something like gunpowder is necessary for making them move. Newton's laws of motion really need to be taught in high school and college.

Oh. Wait. They are.

[customerserviceguy]

35. Yep

I remember when one of my ex-wife's friends was at our place over twenty years ago, to spend the night. She felt something under my son's bed (he was at his mother's that weekend) when she went to tuck her suitcase under it. She brought out a Star Wars type of pistol that shot only harmless pulses of light (not even laser!) at a target to keep score. Her "guns are all icky" reflexes took over, and even with my showing her that it was just a harmless toy, she was skeeved out.

[sdfernando]

4. So, not only is guy amazingly stupid

He stole government property. Should be hauled off to jail or up for a Court Marshall.

[hack89]

9. Not really

it was an empty launch tube that can only be used once. They are popular souvenirs - I have a couple myself.

[Brother Buzz]

12. It's court-martial, and the empty launch tube had no military value

That being said, military collectors place value on the curiosity.

[sdfernando]

19. Thanks for the education on this

but question: if it is a single-use launcher and of now value, whey the big fuss and confiscation?

[hack89]

23. TSA rules are pretty black and white

if something is deemed military, it is banned regardless of the threat. The fact that he was not charged but was allowed to proceed with his travel tells you that TSA wasn't concerned.

[Brother Buzz]

34. What hack89 said

Pro tip: Never, ever, carry a totally inert, and totally legal pineapple paperweight hand grande on an airplane.

[IronLionZion]

5. Texas man is trying to compete with Florida man

bringing a missile launcher to a meth and alligator fight

[hack89]

7. It's an empty launch tube. nt

[LanternWaste]

14. Which denies neither the particulars nor the premise of the article. nt, pt II

[hack89]

15. The point being it represented no threat to anyone.

they are not illegal to possess - I have several.

[angrychair]

20. Actually, it is for him

You are absolutely not allowed to take spent materials from the theater of operation for personal use. He violated Army regulations. His best case scenario is loss of rank and pay and time in a hold but he likely will be discharged with less than honorable for theft of govt property.

[hack89]

21. That is not true at all

as long as you ask your chain of command, it is usually not an issue when it comes to such things. They are very popular souvenirs - I have several from my deployments.

[VMA131Marine]

46. I believe this is much closer to the truth than the post it was replying to

I too have a number of such "souvenirs."

[procon]

39. Seems that the real point must be crime of theft.

If these things have a salvage value, then the taxpayer is entitled to recover even a small percentage of the cost before someone steals USGOV property that doesn't belong to him.

[hack89]

40. You usually ask permission

and it is usually given - it is very common for folks to want these as souvenirs.

Their value is minuscule - it is a fiber glass tube with a couple of metal fittings. There no recycling market for them and they cannot be refurbished or reused. They are simply thrown away.

[procon]

42. If that is a military regulation then its unlikely

that any individual soldier has the authority to bypass an official policy that says collect the things for proper disposal.

So now you have two soldiers conspiring to cheat and defraud the USGOV... That's all of us citizens. Multiply that times how many bases and soldiers who are potentially engaged in the same sort of theft involving anything that takes their fancy.

I seem to recall a news article about a soldier who was caught shipping home a disassembled humvee.

[hack89]

43. Then you need to to me show the actual regulation.

let's see what the details are.

[procon]

49. Start with that fraud, waste and abuse caveate

that is drilled into every aspect of government, including the military. Where would the theft stop? A launch tube is OK to steal, but the actual missile might be a tad too much? Can soldiers take home their weapons, helmets, or those cool night vision glasses... Wouldn't they make nice souvenirs!

Can you think of any regulation or policy that allows a soldier, a civil service worker, or any civilian employee to walk off with company property?

Even dumpster diving is a no-no at state and county facilities. Discarded property gets hauled to the 'boneyard' to be auctioned to scrappers and the money goes back to the Treasury. They won't even allow employees to scavenge cardboard boxes for moving because they have contractual recycling obligations with a waste disposal company.

[hack89]

55. That's not a regulation - that's a Gish gallop

you are making the argument - you provide the facts. That is how discussion go.

[VMA131Marine]

45. I don't think it's even a launch tube

Just an empty shipping container for a missile.

[Onyrleft]

10. I'm just glad "some son of a bitch" didn't die.

[procon]

13. Sounds like grand theft to me.

How does the military keep tabs on their armament if someone can keep a missile launcher in their possession and then just walk off with it without anyone noting that it was missing?

Souvenir, huh? If he was stationed in Kuwait then why not a more traditional souvenir common to the region, something like a Persian rug, jewelry, or an ornate tea set?

What is a US missile launcher worth on the black market.. And would the potential buyers be?

[hack89]

16. It is a single use, disposable launch tube

They are popular souvenirs with military people - it is not grand theft. The military has no problem as long as you ask first.

[sarisataka]

17. The military doesn't track disposable

Launch tubes very much. A unit is expected to turn them in for disposal but not serial numbers are used.

I don't think a non-reloadable lauch tube would command a high price on the black market. The only potential buyers would be those who want to display a piece of used military equipment.

[procon]

41. If they are supposed to be turned in for disposal

then they have a recoverable salvage value that ultimately belongs to the taxpayers who had to pay for all that stuff. Theft is still a crime in the military, yeah?

[sarisataka]

44. Sometimes there is salvage value

Sometimes it must be turned in to consolidate disposal.
In both cases however appropriate command may allow individuals to keep a particular item that would otherwise be disposed.

Example- ammo cans are often sold to military surplus dealers and are quite valuable after having been used for their intended purpose. I was allowed to keep several, which I still used to store items, with proper permission from the OIC. That is allowed and perfectly legal.
Now had I taken them with asking permission, or after having been denied permission, that would be theft which is a violation of the UCMJ.
I never wanted to have a rocket launch tube so I never asked. I know some who did want one but it was denied. Other commanders may choose to give permission. There is nothing classified about the tubes which would have a blanket prohibition on allowing someone to possess one.

[Recursion]

61. They're fiberglass; it's cheaper to just melt down more sand

The military has people pick up brass because brass is expensive.

[angrychair]

22. Why are people acting like this is no big deal?!?

Yes, the tube was harmless but the act was not.

He violated regulations and stole govt property. He. Committed. A. Crime.

He will likely face a less than honorable discharge and loss of rank and pay.

Taking stuff from the field of operations is a crime.

[hack89]

25. Because you are wrong?

Disposable, one use tubes are common souvenirs - usually not an issue as long as you ask for permission. They are not tracked by the military once used, they have no monetary value - it is a fiber glass tube.

[angrychair]

27. That just isnt true

I've got several friends and family in the military currently and I asked before I spoke. They all made it clear that you cannot take spent hardware with you from a theater of operations. "What was used in ME, stays in the ME."

[hack89]

29. I am a retired military officer

with more than one deployment under my belt. My experiences differ.

Now one thing to consider is the different services. I know the Army has strict policies on such things but this missile tube is an Air Force weapon - it probably was flown back on an Air Force airplane when they rotated out of theater. The Air Force has always been laxer when it comes to such things.

[angrychair]

31. In my case

My reference points are army and marines.

[hack89]

32. I would imagine they have the stricter standards

because they are 1. full of very young men. 2. are exposed to a wider range of lethal weapons.

[angrychair]

54. My buddy told me

You were not allowed to even take spent brass or a vial of sand.

He wasn't even allowed to take the bullet that shot him.

[Sapient Donkey]

60. I have over 4,200 hours of combined Call of Duty and Battlefield 4 play...

I have absolutely nothing to contribute to this conversation.

In all seriousness, though. The guy seems kinda dumb trying to bring it on a plane knowing that it's likely to raise some eyebrows even if it is just a tube. Surely he could have shipped it home through some other method.

[Abnredleg]

28. Because we are ex-military

And we are familiar with how the military handles items such as these? It's a empty fiberglass tube that many of keep as souvenirs.

[angrychair]

30. See my post #27

That may be how it used to be but I have friends and family currently in the army and marines, well one medically discharged due to being shot, have served multiple tours in ME and they are telling me exactly what I just stated.

[VMA131Marine]

48. The plural of anecdote is NOT data!

From the posts in this thread, it appears that local commanders have fairly wide latitude in how much this practice is tolerated.

[angrychair]

53. The plural of anecdote is not data.

From the posts in this thread

Is anecdotal as well.

Because you believe one set of evidence over the other is not evidence of fact but confirmation bias.

Yes, technically what I'm saying is anecdotal but from active duty people that are currently serving in two cases and one that got out 3 yrs ago. All served multiple tours in ME.
I'm not saying people don't do it, I'm sure they do but it against regulations. What they are taking is govt property and it is not at the discretion of a unit officer to give away govt property.

[Aristus]

24. When I was in Basic Training, and learning to use the LAW, Light Anti-Tank weapon,

we were instructed to smash the tube after firing the round, so the tube wouldn't end up in enemy hands and used in an improvised weapon.

He didn't follow orders.

[hack89]

26. That is a Griffen launch tube

I suspect that he was Air Force because they are air-launched missiles. Wouldn't be surprised that they flew a bunch of expended tubes home when they rotated out of Kuwait

[customerserviceguy]

36. Thank you

for being the informed voice of reason on this thread.

[MicaelS]

63. Thanks for the info hack.

I never have even heard of these until now.

[IronLionZion]

33. He should be treated exactly the same as a brown person

no more, no less

[hack89]

37. How do you know he was not a "brown person"? nt

[IronLionZion]

38. Brown people get caught without any weapons at all, just brown skin is enough. nt

[pazzyanne]

47. Not to worry, he will use it to hunt deer.

[sarisataka]

50. The only way he could

Hunt deer with it is by bashing them over the head with it

[nocoincidences]

52. Thank you

for that!

Reality and rule boundedness are at war in this thread.

If it is useless after one use, nobody, even the military, gives a shit where it ends up.

Military people know that. Others seem to want to evoke rules that are pointless and just not relevant.

[hack89]

57. Open the link in the OP. There are pictures.

It is a Griffin missile launch tube.

[MicaelS]

62. Reminds me of that Bruce Cockburn song.

[area51]

65. You beat me to it.

[NickB79]

66. It's not like you can't buy these at military surplus stores already

This place over in St. Paul had AT-4 tubes for sale not long ago: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/used-us-military-surplus-at-4-tube-olive-drab?a=1545239

[Calista241]

67. He didn't even miss his flight, which tells you how serious the TSA was about this.