I have had 4 TSA patdowns (one at the Aruba preclearance outpost, the rest at domestic airports)thanks to a metal rod in my leg (since removed) before the backscatter/millimeter wave machines were up and running everywhere. Each time it was exactly the same, go through metal detector, it goes off, tell the TSA agent I have a medical implant. Twice it was a woman at the detector so they showed me to the little glass booth, ask me to wait, go get a man. Wait a couple minutes, they apologize for the wait, wand me until they find the rod in my leg, then they say they are going to perform a patdown using the back of their hands, proceeded to have them check arms, front/back/sides of torso, legs up to groin, all professionally and politely. I am guessing this is how 99.9% of the screenings go. Also the exact same screening I get when going to an NFL game. The reason you hear about the bad ones is because they are noteworthy, no one is going online to post about their great TSA experience. And to the people who have had issues at screening locations, get the agents name, contact the TSA/congresscritters/press because there are always going to be bad apples who go on power trips. And to call all TSA agents goons is pretty unfair, I work right next to an airport and see TSA agents all the time getting lunch, etc. They are all pretty normal looking people, and seem pleasant when I have interacted with them.