Reporter stopped by TSA agent who didn't know District of Columbia is in US

[Reality Orlando]

Wow.

"Gray, who lives in Washington, D.C., was flying out of Orlando International Airport when a TSA agent said Gray's District of Columbia driver's license wasn't a valid form of identification. Gray said his license is legal and up-to-date, but the TSA agent didn't seem to know what the District of Columbia was when Gray arrived at the security checkpoint over the weekend."

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/orlando-tsa-agents-getting-geography-refresher/ngfmH/

 

[Ruby]

Will this TSA agent start letting people in from Columbia without a passport :giggle:

To give the benefit of the doubt to the agent:
District of Columbia vs Republic of Columbia (official for the county) seems similar.
Drivers license just had District of Columbia no Washington - did not think of US, due to location (FL) being close to South American Countries.
Probably had people with Columbia or maybe Republic of Columbia ID's and did not recognize "District" on the ID.
Could of thought British Columbia?

One would think that training would cover at least what IS part of the US.

One good way to look at it - at least this agent's doing his job - questioned what he did not know (or think was right) and did not just give him a pass on by.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Will this TSA agent start letting people in from Columbia without a passport :giggle:

To give the benefit of the doubt to the agent:
District of Columbia vs Republic of Columbia (official for the county) seems similar.
Drivers license just had District of Columbia no Washington - did not think of US, due to location (FL) being close to South American Countries.
Probably had people with Columbia or maybe Republic of Columbia ID's and did not recognize "District" on the ID.
Could of thought British Columbia?

One would think that training would cover at least what IS part of the US.

One good way to look at it - at least this agent's doing his job - questioned what he did not know (or think was right) and did not just give him a pass on by.

I think you make some good points here. We so often refer to it as Washington D.C. in this country that when you hear District of Columbia, you might not immediately jump to Washington D.C., particularly if you're also dealing with international travelers.