Catherine Banks, a Marine Corps veteran, was forced to leave a Delta Air Lines flight after a flight attendant deemed her shirt “threatening.” The shirt carried a powerful message: “Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide.” Despite its supportive message, the attendant insisted she remove it before being allowed back on the plane. Banks, who wasn’t wearing a bra, was humiliated as she had to strip off her shirt in the jet bridge before donning a sweatshirt.
Banks expressed her frustration, recounting how the attendant showed no respect for her military service. Even after changing, she wasn’t allowed to sit in her original seat, which she had paid extra for, and was instead moved to the back of the plane. Banks missed her connecting flight due to the delay, further adding to her distress.
Delta issued a brief statement acknowledging the incident and thanking Banks for her service, but many have criticized the airline’s handling of the situation. Banks’ story has drawn attention to the high rates of veteran suicide, which her shirt was raising awareness for, with over 6,000 veteran suicides annually since 2001.
The incident has sparked outrage online, with people defending Banks’ right to wear the shirt and highlighting the importance of raising awareness for veteran mental health issues.
