Airline passengers are pretending to be active duty members of the military, in order to board flights early. As one reader shares,
I was talking with a PhD who works for a pharmaceutical company. He was clearly not military, but had a Common Access Card (CAC). A CAC is issued by the DOD to military and contractors, who do work with the DOD. This guy boarded with the military pre-board group and flashed his CAC. It kind of bugs me when people use their CAC to identify themselves as active military. I believe it is disrespectful to active military people.
Military pre-boarding is largely a post-9/11 phenomenon, ad hoc in the early 2000s, and standardized across major U.S. airlines around 2005–2010. During preboarding announcement, gate agents usually say something like:
At this time we’d like to invite active duty U.S. military in uniform to board.
Some airlines (like Southwest) don’t require being in uniform; others sometimes imply it does. However, in practice, if you stand up and approach the gate during the call for active duty military, you’re allowed to board. Gate agents almost never ask for ID or orders. They take your presence and appearance at face value.
If a gate agent suspects someone is lying — e.g., if someone looks obviously out of uniform and dubious — they might ask to see military ID but this is rare. Even on airlines that nominally restrict military preboarding to those in uniform to make it easier for gate agents to spot legitimate preboarders and discourage abuse, this is inconsistently enforced.
Pre-boarding military grew at a time of broadly positive pro-military sentiment, and built goodwill both with the public and the Department of Defense which provides large subsidies to U.S. airlines. There are relatively few active-duty military traveling in uniform at any given time. Preboarding them doesn’t slow down the overall boarding process significantly, so the cost is low. No major airline wants to risk looking “unpatriotic.” And it avoids separating active duty on orders from carry-on bags due to lack of overhead space, losing bags or delaying soldiers.
But how do active duty military identify themselves? They might show a DoD Common Access Card which is generally used for gaining access to Department of Defense facilities and logging into military computer networks. These are given to active duty military, full-time National Guard and Reserve members, DoD civilian employees, and eligible contractors.
There are some unlikely people who will carry CAC cards!
- A civilian janitor cleaning Pentagon offices
- Foreign nationals on joint military projects
- Civilian high school teachers on military bases
Here’s a claim about one man faking his service for airline benefits.
By the way, active duty military get lounge access with some airlines, and some credit cards that come with lounge access waive annual fees for active duty military. For instance, those who had the Citi Executive AAdvantage card prior to becoming active duty get their annual fees waived and that card comes with lounge membership.
Plus, American still allows military personnel in uniform to access its lounges provided that the lounge is not at capacity. United also offers space available lounge access as well.
Allowing military to board early is such a stupid PR gimmick. Thankfully, Delta no longer lets families board early. Sometimes they let veterans board early too. It’s wholly unnecessary.
Yesterday boarding MSP-AUS on DL and an obviously mentally incapacitated lady who looked and spoke like someone suffering from alcohol or substance abuse boarded not in uniform by just showing a card. From observing this woman’s behavior, it would be obvious to anyone watching that she’s not active duty. She wouldn’t be fit to serve. But the gate agent just looked at the card and asks “active?” And she says “yes” and she boards.
It’s nothing more than STOLEN VALOR and it should be checked at the gate!
I’ve always heard that they need to be in uniform, thus active duty military. Not a contractor.
Active duty military, especially officers, regularly travel in civilian attire (often required). National Guard and Reserves are also considered active duty. There is no reasonable explanation for separating out active duty military other than a PR stunt since airlines could just give an early boarding group when a DoD ID# is entered for the trusted traveler number (for TSA PreCheck). If airlines really wanted to do something meaningful to those who volunteer to serve (about or less than 1% of the U.S. population), they would give automatic status to military.
He’s obviously an as$hole….
Mostly performative nonsense, but occasionally there is actually an active military service member in uniform, and they are usually such a class-act that they rarely even board out of their official order anyway. Literally, earlier this year, while boarding a JFK-SFO flight, us DeltaOne folks, were like, ‘please, get up there, you earned it,’ for this younger naval officer in full-dress blues.
Now, the real stolen valor is those of us who keep our Executive Platinum tags out, while we’ve been purposely demoted to a mere Platinum Pro. Yup, guilty. It’s got my name on it. I like it. Deal with it. I’m flying up-front usually anyway. Bah!
Active military should not be given priority. Already, there is cheapness and entitlement among service members. Active military should only be given priority during war. The war in Afghanistan is over. The war in Korea is over even though only a cease fire has been in place for 70 years.
If airlines really wanted to show patriotism, they would offer a discount code for the military who are flying on their own dime. In fact, that is what airlines should do, replace the early boarding for the military with a 5% off discount code that can be stacked on any other meeting code or discount code that they use. Then they can announce a true enhancement.
As a Veteran, I abhor those who show the “stolen valor” as one person noted above. If one is in the military, they should show their MILITARY ID with their picture and service branch. Not some “quasi military/government” ID.
@derek — Nah, I’m no rabid nationalist, but even I think, please, give these folks priority. It’s the least we can do. Yes, you are right, give them discounts, too. Absolutely. Well said there. What we should actually do as a society is to properly fund their post-service transitions back to society, including jobs, housing, education, healthcare, retirement, etc., which we do somewhat, but we often underfund, and then forget about them, only to be used for political stunts. That’s disgusting to me, and should be to others. We can do so much more to properly honor those who are willing to give their lives to defend us. Let’s try to avoid John J. Rambo situations, too. *wink*
Most of the time the announcement does not specify “US military” and I wonder whether active member of the Chinese, Russian, and Iranian militaries can board.
Reminds me of that joke about the WW2 vet getting his college degree who went to the Dean’s office and had to be told the GI bill didn’t apply to him because he fought for Nazi Germany.
They are just as despicable as the wheelchair pre-board scammers. Unfortunately they have no conscience or respect for anyone and think they are more important than the rest of the passengers.
@American — Ah, an apostate! How dare you not ‘believe’ in ‘Jetway Jesus’… O ye of little faith! Doubting Thomas! Bah.
@ 1990. I rarely agree with, or read, all that you and a few others espouse. However, I’m with you 100% on the above post and that’s coming from an old veteran (fortunately I don’t feel old but I am) who has used and recommended the VA to other veterans. The VA has made significant improvements in services available to veterans. Could they do more? Probably, but I will say “vastly improved” for my experience since my DEROS in 1968
I forgot to mention Win Whitmire in my comment. I agree Sir, and thank you for your service. Now let’s work on the NON Service Dogs taking “stolen valor” of a trained Service Dogs. Being a veteran doesn’t entitle one to preferential boarding or bringing a pet onboard. For most of us it has been an honor to serve and we appreciate your recognition when it is given.
I have to admit, I’m kinda surprised to read some of these comments.
I always struggle with how I feel about all the pre-boarders. The ones who frustrate me are “those who need additional time or assistance.” Specifically, the fifteen family members who accompany the one passenger who truly needs to board early. The other group are the ones who only seem to need a wheelchair to get from the holding room to the plane yet they walk around with no difficulty.
As for service members. While I feel like they made a choice to join the military and that should not entitle them to special privilege in civilian settings, I also understand the tremendous risk and sacrifice members of the armed forces accept.
Where I finally landed on this topic is that, since I am usually boarding in one of the earliest groups, it really doesn’t impact me. I’ll have space for my bag in the overhead…and that’s what matters most to be during boarding. Too many other things to be frustrated about when it comes to air travel.
@One Trippe — Thank you, too.
@Parker — I’ll admit, I was once more frustrated than I probably should have been with unnecessary pre-boards, as you mention, particularly the excess family members, you know, anyone in-addition to a single ‘helper’ for those in need. Yet, what helped me cope was simply to pay extra for a better class of service, where overhead space is usually not as much of a concern. If you’re up-front, or in an earlier boarding group, you still can usually get your carry-on taken care of. That’s 90% of the concern anyway, isn’t it? Otherwise, it’s just general excitement and anxiety over ‘getting things going,’ usually. Not to be ‘TMI’ here, but with my prostate, the process makes me feel the need to pee, every time, without fail. (Oof, sometimes folks don’t make it, I suppose, see Gary’s other recent post on the ‘wet’ seat.) No one ‘enjoys’ gate-checking a bag involuntarily, or delays, or cancellations, either, and much of that is out of our control anyway. I’ve tried deep-breaths, and all sorts of things, usually just lightly laughing to myself helps. So long as you don’t do it like The Joker (@L737, anyone?). That’d creep folks out. For sure. Bah!
As others have stated, it would be easy for the airlines to ask for their id at the time of ticketing and put them in an early boarding group, but then that would detract from the performance at the gate. After all, the goal isn’t just to do a favor for activity-duty military, but *to be seen* doing a favor for active-duty military.
Why do we allow them to board early anyway? In many countries, military service is compulsory. Nobody gives a shit if you “served” because everyone had to.
No go take that 31% “disability” rating and go get something free elsewhere.
@LAX Tom — Most of us here agree that it’s mostly performative. But it is real. They do allow them to preboard, and I’m sure some of them do in-fact appreciate it.
Reminds me of the tip jar at airport lounge bars.
Yes, you should leave a dollar if someone made your drink for you, but, you probably want to do so 1) after receiving your beverage, 2) along with a verbal ‘thank you,’ and perhaps eye contact, and 3) then drop in that George Washington when the bartender is looking.
Now, you don’t have to do it that way. It’s the thought that counts, really.
@CHRIS — The key word is “ACTIVE” service. It is a notable and honorable distinction, sir.
@1990
Board early for what purpose? A wet kiss from the male purser? A handy from the fo? Maybe a round of applause in the gate area for being to dumb to go to college so they took the only real opportunity they had to stay out of jail or off welfare?