CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Officials are implementing stricter airline rules and regulations due to heightened nationwide security.
Recent incidents, however, have shown that many are still unaware of rules and regulations that govern what passengers can and cannot take aboard aircraft.
Passengers have been apprehended trying to take knives, a practice grenade detonator, a smoke grenade, an explosive core of a practice grenade and pieces of a claymore land mine.
Here are a few things service members and their families need to keep in mind when traveling by air.
All checked baggage is now inspected for traces of explosives. This includes any type of souvenirs from explosive devices, said Jerry Vickers, the director at Albert J. Ellis Airport, Jacksonville, N.C.
"The best advice I received while on active duty was if it was issued to you on a range, make sure it is turned in or stays on the range," said Vickers.
"Also, a lot of Marines like to buy knives as souvenirs. These are fine if they are packed in the checked baggage. These items need to be kept in a box or have some sort of case on them so they do not injure the screeners while doing a hand search."
Some of the items permitted in carry-on baggage include the following:
Cigar cutters
Corkscrews
Cuticle cutters
Eyelash curlers
Knives, round-bladed butter or plastic
Nail clippers
Nail files
Tweezers
Camcorders
Laptop computers
Pagers
Medication and specially needed devices
Some of the prohibited items include the following:
Scissors with metal-pointed tips
Box cutters
Ice axes or ice picks
Knives
Meat cleavers
Razor-type blades
Baseball bats
Bow and arrows
Ski poles
Spear guns
Hockey sticks
Tools
Martial Arts/ Self defense Items
All of the items listed above are allowed in checked baggage, according to the Transportation Security Administration Web site at www.TSATravelTips.us.
Once a screener detects an unauthorized item, the person whose luggage it is gets turned over to law enforcement officers. The Federal Bureau of Investigation must also be notified to see what actions it wants to take, said Vickers.
In some instances the person will be given the option to get rid of the contraband or store it in his or her checked baggage, according to the Web site.