Context is your friend. These were not a couple hundred soldiers that happen to come to catch a flight. They were in uniform ( most likely) returning from deployment UNDER orders. But do keep playing your word games, your so good at it.
But they could have just as easily been bringing contraband into the country including drugs, weapons or other items not permitted. Also, context has nothing to do with it. To even suggest that I could be detained for hours and not allowed to leave the plane because I am not a soldier while soldiers are free to go into an airport terminal as the airport security screens their baggage is just outrageous. I don't care who they are. Even if they were a plane of Congressman they would be expected to be treated the same way.