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International Travel to affect Security Clearance?


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I'm new to this forum and have a pretty bazaar question I'm hoping to get some insight to:

 

I'm planning a trip to visit my grandparents in Russia whom I haven't seen in something like 14 years. I came across a warning that traveling to Russia is a red flag for anyone working for the government--which would include the military.

 

I'm super interested in submitting a packet for WOFT and I'm wondering if international travel would have any effect on getting into WOFT or acquiring proper security clearances or anything along those lines. Any info that could give me some insight on this would be super appreciated.

 

A little more background:

17 years old.

Never been to Russia before.

Both parents are U.S. citizens; one is an immigrant.

I'm not a spy.

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I'm new to this forum and have a pretty bazaar question I'm hoping to get some insight to:

 

I'm planning a trip to visit my grandparents in Russia whom I haven't seen in something like 14 years. I came across a warning that traveling to Russia is a red flag for anyone working for the government--which would include the military.

 

I'm super interested in submitting a packet for WOFT and I'm wondering if international travel would have any effect on getting into WOFT or acquiring proper security clearances or anything along those lines. Any info that could give me some insight on this would be super appreciated.

 

A little more background:

17 years old.

Never been to Russia before.

Both parents are U.S. citizens; one is an immigrant.

I'm not a spy.

 

Make sure the trip is less than 14 days and passport remains current. Make sure you notify your recruiter as well.

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I'm new to this forum and have a pretty bazaar question I'm hoping to get some insight to:

 

I'm planning a trip to visit my grandparents in Russia whom I haven't seen in something like 14 years. I came across a warning that traveling to Russia is a red flag for anyone working for the government--which would include the military.

 

I'm super interested in submitting a packet for WOFT and I'm wondering if international travel would have any effect on getting into WOFT or acquiring proper security clearances or anything along those lines. Any info that could give me some insight on this would be super appreciated.

 

A little more background:

17 years old.

Never been to Russia before.

Both parents are U.S. citizens; one is an immigrant.

I'm not a spy.

 

It won't be a dis qualifier. We had someone from my company (defense contractor) before I joined the Army (like in the last 2 years recent) and she had decided to backpack all around Eastern Europe for a week in all the former Soviet Union Countries right out of College. Needless to say, after two years of waiting for her secret clearance, being denied a interim clearance for foreign travel, she was let go from the company because her investigation was taking way to long because of the Travel.

 

You aren't really in the running anytime soon for a clearance since it will take you a solid 6-12 months to get selected.

 

Is it a Red Flag? Yes. Does that mean you would not get cleared? No. DSS will just investigate you a little further.

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It won't be a dis qualifier. We had someone from my company (defense contractor) before I joined the Army (like in the last 2 years recent) and she had decided to backpack all around Eastern Europe for a week in all the former Soviet Union Countries right out of College. Needless to say, after two years of waiting for her secret clearance, being denied a interim clearance for foreign travel, she was let go from the company because her investigation was taking way to long because of the Travel.

 

You aren't really in the running anytime soon for a clearance since it will take you a solid 6-12 months to get selected.

 

Is it a Red Flag? Yes. Does that mean you would not get cleared? No. DSS will just investigate you a little further.

Thanks for the info.

 

Are higher security clearances important to pursue a career as a pilot? If the trip doesn't have a profound effect on getting into WOFT, would it pose a problem with advancing my career or can you get by alright without bothering for higher access?

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Thanks for the info.

 

Are higher security clearances important to pursue a career as a pilot? If the trip doesn't have a profound effect on getting into WOFT, would it pose a problem with advancing my career or can you get by alright without bothering for higher access?

 

I'd rather not get any further into the Security Clearance arena. I'll just leave it at that.

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The only foreseeable issue you'll have is the time it takes for a clearance to approved when you are put in for one. No one can really tell you if you will be denied just on the location and travel history alone, even if it is in Russia.

 

We've had folks travel to seemingly harmless places (lets say Canada) get denied and other folks traveling to countries that are more adversarial than Russia get cleared. The vice-versa is true as well. It is really on a case-by-case basis.

 

The one thing you can do is keep track of dates, locations and people within your travels, because that will be needed for the forms you fill out.

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The only foreseeable issue you'll have is the time it takes for a clearance to approved when you are put in for one. No one can really tell you if you will be denied just on the location and travel history alone, even if it is in Russia.

 

We've had folks travel to seemingly harmless places (lets say Canada) get denied and other folks traveling to countries that are more adversarial than Russia get cleared. The vice-versa is true as well. It is really on a case-by-case basis.

 

The one thing you can do is keep track of dates, locations and people within your travels, because that will be needed for the forms you fill out.

Wow that's crazy. Thanks for the perspective.

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