Egypt's National Railway Authority announced Sept. 14 it would eliminate rail fares for military and police personnel effective mid-September. The move has raised questions about preferential treatment for the country's security forces. All railway stations have been notified that uniformed security personnel and those who present their National ID cards to the fare inspector are exempt from paying for train rides.

The decision came on the heels of a viral video showing a uniformed army conscript being reprimanded by a train conductor after he refuses to pay. As the argument heats up, a female passenger offers to pay for the conscript's far of less than $2. "I have sons your age at home," she tells him.

The woman, referred to as "the train lady" on social media, was later identified as Saffia Abu El-Azm, a schoolteacher from the Nile Delta governorate of Menoufia. She became an instant celebrity after Egypt's largely pro-government media branded her a national hero on talk shows and in news articles.

Both she and the conscript were honored by Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki at a Sept. 13 ceremony to pay tribute to retired army officers. Handing Abu El-Azm the Shield of the Armed Forces, Zaki said, "Her act reflects the virtues of the authentic Egyptian woman. No reward can do her justice, for the Egyptian mother is the symbol of kindness and compassion." He also praised the conscript for his "discipline" and "self-restraint. "