So if he had experienced so many horrors (first hand?) then a booth operator asking a probing question should be easy to shrug off. Or does having been in a war zone now shelter you from ever being challenged on anything ever again? I'm sure the asylum seekers in detention centres and on that godawful barge will be pleased to hear it...
Interesting that the manager's rant may have acted in your favour. Sorry the racists got away without an earful!