TSA Precheck for Retired FOGO

TFGON is pleased to announce that we have reached agreement with the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] Transportation Security Agency [TSA] to provide special consideration for all participating TFGON Retired Flag & General Officer Members to be given the same TSA PreCheck access at USA Airports that is currently afforded to US Armed Forces active duty. 

TFGON signed a Memorandum of Agreement [MOA] with DHS/TSA outlining the parameters of this program, which is being offered free of charge to TFGON retired members in recognition for their 30+ years of honorable service in the US Armed Forces. TFGON will manage and administer this program in partnership with DHS/TSA.

Participation in the program is voluntary, and simple. To participate, send an e-mail to precheck precheck@tfgon.org with the following:

• Name:  Last, First, Middle.
  
• Card number on your retired DOD ID Card:  (this will become your “Known Traveler Number”)
  
• Rank
  
• Branch of Service
  
• Gender
  
• Date of Birth
  

TFGON will enter your data into the TFGON Access List and provide in encrypted form to TSA.  Once in the program, simply provide your Known Traveler Number (KTN) when you make reservations, and you should get TSA PreCheck status.

Very special thanks to TFGON Member BGEN Lew Roach for working with our TFGON leadership to make this new program a reality for our members.

TSA often uses the term "Common Access Card" on their website and in written communications since it relates to an identification card used by federal employees and active duty military. For the TFGON program, your equivalent is your retired military ID Card, which is accepted as valid proof of identification for travel.  However, without the TFGON Access List, your retired military ID Card is not sufficient to gain access to TSA Pre✓® expedited screening. For that you need to have TSA PreCheck printed on your airline boarding pass, and to get that done, you need to add your KTN to your airline reservations, frequent traveler profiles, reservations services such as Orbitz and others, etc. Also, if you somehow end up getting a boarding pass without TSA PreCheck printed on it, go to the airline ticket counter, tell them you have a TSA PreCheck KTN number and have them enter it into your reservation and then print you out an updated boarding pass with the TSA PreCheck designation printed on it.

TSA Pre✓® is a risk-based, intelligence-driven program and uses information to identify low-risk travelers who are eligible for expedited security screening. In most instances, spouses have not held the top security clearances that we as Flag and General Officers have. As a result, they do not on their own meet the criteria for being identified as low-risk travelers, and thus are referred to the standard screening lane. That said, when you and your spouse travel on the SAME flight booking / reservation, your spouse will sometimes receive the TSA Pre✓® boarding pass indicator. When not traveling with you, there is a usually no likelihood of receiving TSA Pre✓®.

If your spouse frequently travels unaccompanied by you, the best way to ensure the most consistent TSA Pre✓® experience is to enroll in TSA Pre✓® on their own. They can pre-enroll online here: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck , then visit a TSA enrollment center near you to complete the process in just a few minutes and then enjoy five years of TSA Pre✓® for just $85 [approx. $17 a year] .

For a current list of participating airports and airlines, please click here: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/participating-airlines.