After attending my veteran father’s burial at Arlington, I carried a single expended brass casing from the X-gun salute—a small but meaningful keepsake to honor him. As I went through Bangkok airport security, I was stopped and informed that the brass casing had to be confiscated, classified as ammunition. In that moment, I faced an unexpected choice. Rather than surrendering it, I stepped back, found the airport post office, and mailed it to myself. A simple act of persistence ensured I could keep this tangible reminder of my father’s service and sacrifice.