Sure he understood the need for increased security. What he didnt understand is why the pilot would not do the one and only thing that could confirm who he was or prove that he had a potential terrorist on site. Crossing every T on the American Airlines form would prove nothing other than he was meticulous.
Why is he making an issue of it other than it being personally insulting? Well it made him almost a day late for his assignment to guard the President. He want able to get another flight to Crawford area until the next day. Second, the Airline banned him from flying American for life and its pretty hard to be a secret service agent if you cant get to your assignments in a timely fashion. Third, the Airline filed a complaint aginst him with the Secret SErvice.
In his seven years as a federal law enformcent officer he has had an exemplary record. He just received several commendations recently for his work when assigned to the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Unit for three months following 9/11.