What is wrong with today's youth in uniform?

[fnkngrv]

So I went as I have done several times over the last 7 months since being back in Maine across the border to visit with a friend in New Brunswick. Normally when I come back into the States I show my passport and registration and all is peachy, but tonight I happened to have a young agent that just floored me in regards to apparent lack of respectful upbringing. This is how it went down pretty much verbatim:

US Customs Agent: You don't have a front plate.
Me: Yes sir I definitely do.
US Customs Agent: It is not a legal plate.
Me: It isn't going anywhere and will not be replaced with anything else.
US Customs Agent: It needs to be a legal plate.
Me: How old are you if I may ask?
US Customs Agent: I am 23 why?
Me: That explains it.
US Customs Agent: Excuse me?
Me: While you were learning fractions, the states, and counting your milk money I was taking fire while performing classified missions in an undisclosed location 10,000 miles away. Instead of giving me shit for my "non-legal" plate I would think you could instead say, "thank you for your service sir, have a nice evening". I could then reply with, "thank you for yours and helping to keep our borders safe."
US Customs Agent: Hear is your passport and registration. Have a safe drive home.




/end rant

[matthewai]

i know this is gonna sound really messed up but pretty much any person could put up some army or navy or law or military markings or patch or badge and say what you said. i know that would be a pretty dick thing to do but some people would do anything to get out of a possible bad situation

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by matthewai

i know this is gonna sound really messed up but pretty much any person could put up some army or navy or law or military markings or patch or badge and say what you said. i know that would be a pretty dick thing to do but some people would do anything to get out of a possible bad situation

Very true, but my registration shows that I am a veteran. I don't ask for much at all really when it comes to that. I didn't do it for recognition, but at the same time the guy was acting like a real punk.

[jpmck03]

First off, as a fellow veteran, thank you for your service!

However, I'm going to add this here:
At 23, that customs agent very easily could have enlisted at 18, did a tour or two in either Afghanistan or Iraq and then picked up a civil service job after his first enlistment was over. Which would make him, 22 or 23...

Also, I think he was referring to the fact that in Maine, you are required by law to have a back and front plate...

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

...I didn't do it for recognition, but at the same time the guy was acting like a real punk.

(Continued from above)

However, if he was acting like a little punk, he should be told to piss off.

[Viperoni]

Originally Posted by jpmck03

Also, I think he was referring to the fact that in Maine, you are required by law to have a back and front plate...

Unless the law says that you can have the Veteran's plate instead of a front plate, legally the border guard is absolutely right.

The being said, he deserve the telling off.

[kimona]

I certainly respect that you're proud to have served your country. Nevertheless, the border agent was simply stating a fact. I don't see how that can be misconstrued as "acting like a real punk."

[jpmck03]

As an aside, maybe you could get some of those Maine vet tags:



I remember seeing them on some cars when I was in, and I thought that they looked rather nice. Simple and too the point.

//Rant

Better than PA. We have one for each current operation:



(I was in both and can't wrap my head around having a plate for just one dive that I went to...)

Then we have the Army vet one:



Which has that dumb-ass logo that some marketer made to recruit new soldiers... you know instead of the 200+ year old Army seal...

But the other branches have their plates with their seals, and they look good:



And last but not least there is the generic veteran plate with a nice American flag that looks like clip art from Microsoft Office...



Why can't we just have one nice plate for me... first world problems, I know...

//End rant

[Betrivent]

Wow, you guys really dig your veteran stuff eh.

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by Betrivent

Wow, you guys really dig your veteran stuff eh.

I'm proud that I served, but I'd say that I'm pretty low-key about it.

When it comes to license plates, etc., personally, I'm not into it that much. I'm not one to try and stand out from the crowd. For example, other than my Netz badge, my car doesn't really stand out from the crowd. A veterans' plate, for me is a little too much like saying, "hey look at me!" But, I do appreciate them when I see them on others' cars, particularly when the plates are well designed.

My rant was just based on a conversation that had with my friend that was in the National Guard and deployed to Iraq and has an OIF tag on his car. When I looked at the DMV website, I was disappointed that we have nice tags for the other 3 branches, but that stupid "Army Strong" logo for the Army Vet plates. Personally, I just think that it's a little tacky, and I would maybe consider getting one if it had the regular round "Department of the Army" seal on it...

[Gideon]

Originally Posted by PK198105

but seriously the kid had nothing better to do was probably bored so he started being fussy which btw is not his job to check for the legality of the plate placement. he's not a cop he's a custom's agent

Some Border Patrol Agents are also peace officers and can issue tickets for violation of a state's vehicle code. I've had buddies here in CA get fix-it tickets for CVC violations coming back from Mexico.

In any case I agree with kimona that if that conversation was "verbatim" then he wasn't being a punk but rather informing you on the state's license plate law in probably the most matter of fact way possible.

Probably trying to warn you but realized that you'd have a possible chance of getting off with a warning from a trooper if you gave them the same condescending speech.

[CrankyOldMan]

Having served as well, I can understand where the agent is coming from: policy. He works for a gov't agency, which has documented policies. His job is to enforce those policies, regardless of what he thinks/feels personally. I get the feeling that you operated "outside" of policy, and/or were of sufficient rank to be immune to nonjudicial punishment. As a young MP, I was frequently pinched between the SOP manual and someone else's perceived authority, and the experience always left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I've never liked playing the "I'm a former ____" card, because it cheapens the meaning of it--for me. If I wanted special favors/exceptions for my status, I would join the Masons and learn the secret handshakes and all that jive. If I'm speeding, I don't expect to have my ticket reduced because I'm a combat vet. If the agent/officer decides to cut me some slack, that's his call, not mine. I do have a veteran plate on my egg, but I don't expect it to give me carte blanche.

All that said, I do appreciate your service, and the sacrifices you have made for our collective freedom. Welcome home.

[TLyttle]

Customs Agents that I have dealt with seem to be wanna-be cops, or ego trippers. I have seen and experienced too many scenarios that could only be the product of such people, most with more power than they can intelligently handle. This applies to both sides of the border!

[MadMax]

I am going to remain civil in my comments, but you can rest assured I have much stronger feelings about this than what I am about to share...

First, while the Customs Officer is a Federal agent and therefore can only enforce Federal laws, if Maine requires a front license plate than he was absolutely correct in pointing it out to you.

Secondly, it doesn't matter if you're the retired CJCS, you are not above any laws because you are a vet.

Lastly, you were in no position to chastise him for doing his job.

The bottom line is that you were wrong and condescending towards a Federal officer doing his job. I hope you show him more respect next time instead of demanding it yourself.

And before you try to lecture me, I have 25 years of service in uniform and will match my military record against yours any day of the week.

[goliath1812]

Originally Posted by MadMax

I am going to remain civil in my comments, but you can rest assured I have much stronger feelings about this than what I am about to share...

First, while the Customs Officer is a Federal agent and therefore can only enforce Federal laws, if Maine requires a front license plate than he was absolutely correct in pointing it out to you.

Secondly, it doesn't matter if you're the retired CJCS, you are not above any laws because you are a vet.

Lastly, you were in no position to chastise him for doing his job.

The bottom line is that you were wrong and condescending towards a Federal officer doing his job. I hope you show him more respect next time instead of demanding it yourself.

And before you try to lecture me, I have 25 years of service in uniform and will match my military record against yours any day of the week.

I completely agree.

[TURBO YARIS]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

So I went as I have done several times over the last 7 months since being back in Maine across the border to visit with a friend in New Brunswick. Normally when I come back into the States I show my passport and registration and all is peachy, but tonight I happened to have a young agent that just floored me in regards to apparent lack of respectful upbringing. This is how it went down pretty much verbatim:

US Customs Agent: You don't have a front plate.
Me: Yes sir I definitely do.
US Customs Agent: It is not a legal plate.
Me: It isn't going anywhere and will not be replaced with anything else.
US Customs Agent: It needs to be a legal plate.
Me: How old are you if I may ask?
US Customs Agent: I am 23 why?
Me: That explains it.
US Customs Agent: Excuse me?
Me: While you were learning fractions, the states, and counting your milk money I was taking fire while performing classified missions in an undisclosed location 10,000 miles away. Instead of giving me shit for my "non-legal" plate I would think you could instead say, "thank you for your service sir, have a nice evening". I could then reply with, "thank you for yours and helping to keep our borders safe."
US Customs Agent: Hear is your passport and registration. Have a safe drive home.




/end rant

Well done sir......

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by MadMax

I am going to remain civil in my comments, but you can rest assured I have much stronger feelings about this than what I am about to share...

First, while the Customs Officer is a Federal agent and therefore can only enforce Federal laws, if Maine requires a front license plate than he was absolutely correct in pointing it out to you.

Secondly, it doesn't matter if you're the retired CJCS, you are not above any laws because you are a vet.

Lastly, you were in no position to chastise him for doing his job.

The bottom line is that you were wrong and condescending towards a Federal officer doing his job. I hope you show him more respect next time instead of demanding it yourself.

And before you try to lecture me, I have 25 years of service in uniform and will match my military record against yours any day of the week.

Well said.

[fnkngrv]

You have a right to all of your opinions as do I. I know for a fact that he did not serve prior. As for the Veteran plates. Yes, I have them. It is posted on the rear of the vehicle. As for respecting a federal officer, well if you act in a professional manner then you will have my respect. When it comes to rank...I can tell you that I was enlisted not an officer therefore I had no immunity. People can disagree with me all they want, but from my point of view a Customs Officer is there for federal matters not critiquing on which state they are keeping watch of. He obviously is not even versed in the laws in the state in which he sits on the border of otherwise he would not have started off the entire conversation with the fact that my state inspection sticker just expired at the end of January. I legally have 30 days to get a new one. He also began by plainly stating that I was entering the country illegally because it was expired and informed me that if I attempted to cross back into the country again without a new one "I would have real problems". Bottom line is that he was acting a fool from the get go and did not extend me any courtesy whatsoever out the gate. And oh yeah, he stated as well that he found it suspicious that I work for a company in a different state and have stamps on my passport from the Middle East. in between his comments about my inspection and my front plate. Lastly, I generally don't flaunt the fact that I served, but when someone that should be showing a professional accord with having also served this great nation in one capacity or another I tend to get a bit chapped.