A California Marine Corps veteran was removed from a Delta Air Lines flight after a flight attendant deemed her T-shirt, which raised awareness about veteran suicide, to be “threatening.”

Catherine Banks, who served 22 years in the Marine Corps, was scheduled to fly out of San Francisco on Wednesday. However, her trip was interrupted when a flight attendant asked her to leave the plane, citing her shirt as the issue. The shirt, which read, “Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide,” was intended to raise awareness about the high suicide rates among U.S. veterans.

Banks, who now advocates for veterans’ mental health, was shocked by the flight attendant’s response.

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T-shirt sparks flight delay

According to Banks, the flight attendant approached her before the flight took off, saying: “Ma’am…you need to get off the plane.” It wasn’t until she was escorted off and standing on the jet bridge that she was informed her shirt was the reason for her removal. “He said, ‘That shirt you’re wearing is threatening,’” Banks told NBC.

She expressed disbelief, emphasizing her military background: “Are you kidding me? I’m a Marine Corps vet. I’m going to see my Marine sister. I’ve been in the Marine Corps for 22 years and worked for the Air Force for 15 years.” Despite her service record, the flight attendant reportedly told Banks he didn’t care about her military background, only allowing her to return to the plane if she removed the shirt. Not wearing a bra, Banks had to put on a sweatshirt to cover herself.

Banks was finally allowed back on board, but not to the extra-legroom seat she had paid for. Instead, she was relocated to the back of the plane. The delay caused her to miss her connecting flight, further exacerbating the frustration. Reflecting on the incident, Banks said: “I feel like they just took my soul away. I’m not a bad person and that T-shirt…I should be allowed to support myself and veterans.”

Rising concern over veteran suicides

The T-shirt Banks wore is sold by the Til Valhalla Project, an organization that raises funds to support families of fallen soldiers and provides therapy to struggling veterans. The message on her shirt reflects the work she does in veteran support, a cause close to her heart. According to the United Service Organizations (USO), veteran suicide rates are at a record high. Research shows that since 9/11, 30,177 active-duty personnel and veterans have died by suicide—four times more than those killed in combat.

Delta’s response and investigation

Following the incident, Delta Air Lines issued a statement expressing a desire to connect with Banks. “Delta is seeking to make contact with the customer directly to hear more so we can begin to look into what occurred,” a spokesperson told SFGATE.

Banks, who has previously garnered media attention for her work raising funds to help wounded veterans, remains adamant that her T-shirt was simply a symbol of her advocacy. The airline has yet to release further details regarding the incident.