This is several years back, My Ship, an Aircraft Carrier, Had changed ports during/after the deployment changing from Norfolk to San Diego. I choose to ask for the Second christmas/holiday leave which was 14 days. When I arrive at San Diego I find a Gunner's mate I knew Who was from the same city as me. We both had duty the previous day, and were both taking a late morning flight, we had basically the same schedule that day and arrived at the same time. We said 'hey' and went through the process, and I arrived at the TSA checkpoint immediately after him. They were dabbing people with some sort of chem paper and putting it in a device. He saw this and said.

"Ah Crap." before I could ask him whats wrong, his turn is up and he immediately sets off an alarm as soon as they put the sample in the machine. Very quickly two more TSA agents show up. and my GM friend starts getting grilled.

"Why did you test positive for Cordite?" it started and he tried to explain he was coming off duty and he had been servicing Weapons, and had not (apparantly) done a good enough job in the shower. It wasn't enough and he ended up getting taken to a seperate room.

I also set off the machine, which had recognized the Lube oil(2190 TEP, not fun oil) on my hands, but it wasn't a concern for them, frankly I was surprise it recognized Lube oil.

I got through with no problems and about two minutes before boarding call he finally arrives, veins on his forehead twitching and he was a little red in the face. He had eventually convices TSA that he had a legitimate reason for Cordite on his hands, and they had confirmed that he was a Sailor, and had been forced to demand their supervisor when for some reason they had wanted to confiscate his CAC. He told me he had been on the verge of calling CMC for lack of any idea beyond their supervisor. After that it was a normal flight, we had different flights back but were in the airport at the same time, he told me he had washed his clothes three times and had showered twice a day during holiday(not something you want to do in Minnesota during winter, its cold). He was a little miffed there wasn't the chem test at MNSP INtl. Anyone else have military related adventures with TSA.