Kudos Across America – Baltimore

Friday, May 13, 2022

On April 27, I approached the TSA Checkpoint at BWI [Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall] airport. There was a very short wait to have your license, ID and boarding pass ready to present to the TSA officer.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport TSA Officer Aqib Saleem (Photo by Woodrow Major)

I was having difficulty finding the pass on my mobile phone. The Travel Document Checking officer noticed that I was having problems and told me to step aside so others who were properly prepared to gain access. As I struggled to pull up the boarding pass TSA Officer [Aqib}] Saleem left from his position behind his station and offered to help. I told him of my issue. He told me to come along to his position and he would take care of the process.

I presented my license and he made the proper checks, to include pulling down my mask, to confirm my appearance as it appeared on my license. I was then allowed to proceed to the next station. I was impressed with the actions of Saleem. Not that the other agent did anything wrong but what Saleem did was a true act of professionalism.

I know what professionalism by uniformed law enforcement is as I served the citizens of the state of Maryland as a trooper for 27 years and 13 years in the U.S. Marshals Service Court Security. To serve and protect was and still is the order of the day.

Saleem, through a very small gesture, exemplifies those core values. I hope that my comments of Saleem's actions will find its way into his personnel file.

Slight yet highly impressive, I salute TSA Officer Aqib Saleem and all of the TSA [officers who ensure the safety of all those who fly nationwide.

By Wayne Carey, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs.