Ask US anything about life in the Forces

[millidonk]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

[millidonk]

women on frontline abs fine imo. I have seen some utterly useless males when it comes to combat training etc. Seen 9. 5st men who can barely carry their own bergen and I've seen 14st women who could throw you over their shoulder.

Sisters = yes
Daughter = not in a million years.

[Woodsey]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

I remember seeing jobs for MI6 a few year ago and thought it might be interesting to look at in more detail. Part of the conditions were you didn't have a gambling or drink problem, I binned the thought at that second as they no doubt would have looked through my financial details and seen gaming transactions a couple of times a week lol.

Tattoos wtf? Half of servicemen have them surely?

[Tal]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

I remember seeing jobs for MI6 a few year ago and thought it might be interesting to look at in more detail. Part of the conditions were you didn't have a gambling or drink problem, I binned the thought at that second as they no doubt would have looked through my financial details and seen gaming transactions a couple of times a week lol.

Tattoos wtf? Half of servicemen have them surely?

No gambling or drink problem?

James Bond?

[Woodsey]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

I remember seeing jobs for MI6 a few year ago and thought it might be interesting to look at in more detail. Part of the conditions were you didn't have a gambling or drink problem, I binned the thought at that second as they no doubt would have looked through my financial details and seen gaming transactions a couple of times a week lol.

Tattoos wtf? Half of servicemen have them surely?

No gambling or drink problem?

James Bond?

That's what I thought! 

[redarmi]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

Out of interest, if you can say, where would be the kind of places you wouldnt be able to travel or have a gf from?

[Marky147]

Does it sometimes feel like this sort of life puts constraints on your freedom? Most people can do what they want in their free time, like jet away to Spain for the weekend on a whim. Seems like prison in regard to lack of liberty. Then again suppose rig worker and lighthouse keeper are just as fcked.

Massively, I couldn't get a tattoo without permission, grow a beard, gamble as much as I wanted,  couldn't travel to places without getting permission, if allowed at all. Couldn't have gfs of a certain nationally.  (fwiw not all of these apply to your average service personnel) Couldn't apply to go on big brother or state political affiliations. obviously no drugs etc. There are lots of good things but the lack of freedom I had to endure to keep my security clearances did play a part with me leaving.

I remember seeing jobs for MI6 a few year ago and thought it might be interesting to look at in more detail. Part of the conditions were you didn't have a gambling or drink problem, I binned the thought at that second as they no doubt would have looked through my financial details and seen gaming transactions a couple of times a week lol.

Tattoos wtf? Half of servicemen have them surely?

I was in the same branch as Millidonk, but Navy and several of those were why things didn't work out

[millidonk]

yeah tonnes of people have ttattoos but we were supposed to apply for permissionn. You get a blank person and you have to draw on what you are planning on getting. normally fine if not political or on ur face or whatever. Also gives them a record to help identify you. I forgot about not being able to have long hair or dye it.

In my trade they go through your bank statements and all that, thoroughbackground cchecks into you and your family, ask very probing questions about eeverything you can imagine. (basically if it's been disclosed you are unlikely to be blackmailed over it) 

Woodsey I did get into trouble over drinking and gambling, they hate gambling full stop when DV is concerned but you had to drink a fair bit to be pulled up on tha.

@red I know a guy who left (before he was booted) as he had an Israeli gf who he is now married to.  for me Russian, Iranian, Chinese, Syrian,  eastern block and middle East really. I had a gf who was half Italian / half Polish but born and bred in England and they investigated her. Jamaican is fine tho.

I'm not actually sure if normal servicemen have any restrictions? I know Germany and French are fine.

[millidonk]

Apologies for my god. awful posts btw. on phone and contacts drying out.

[redarmi]

yeah tonnes of people have ttattoos but we were supposed to apply for permissionn. You get a blank person and you have to draw on what you are planning on getting. normally fine if not political or on ur face or whatever. Also gives them a record to help identify you. I forgot about not being able to have long hair or dye it.

In my trade they go through your bank statements and all that, thoroughbackground cchecks into you and your family, ask very probing questions about eeverything you can imagine. (basically if it's been disclosed you are unlikely to be blackmailed over it) 

Woodsey I did get into trouble over drinking and gambling, they hate gambling full stop when DV is concerned but you had to drink a fair bit to be pulled up on tha.

@red I know a guy who left (before he was booted) as he had an Israeli gf who he is now married to.  for me Russian, Iranian, Chinese, Syrian,  eastern block and middle East really. I had a gf who was half Italian / half Polish but born and bred in England and they investigated her. Jamaican is fine tho.

I'm not actually sure if normal servicemen have any restrictions? I know Germany and French are fine.

That another out gone then.......FFS!!!

[Woodsey]

Apologies for my god. awful posts btw. on phone and contacts drying out.

All good stuff mate, this is an interesting thread.

[leethefish]

Gambling has always been a big no no in the army !

[Marky147]

We had most of the same stuf as you Milli, but tattoos were fine as long as they weren't on display iirc, and we deffo didn't have to draw what we intended on getting

We were allowed sideburns to the bottom of the ear, but no tache and needed permission to grow a full beard.  I think the mob was a bit more lapse on the hair side of things than RAF and Army.

All the DV stuff is pretty much universal isn't it, so we all the same restrictions there I  think. The clearance interviews were pretty com, I remember having them when I first got to Chicksands and going through clearance levels.(Blue B to Red A?).

[Woodsey]

What is DV?

[Marky147]

What is DV?

Sorry mate, should have written it out... It's 'Developed Vetting'

It was all done while going through career course training at Chicksands, so that you can have access to all the stuff needed to learn how to do the job.

Remember it being a pain in the ass as we got deeper into the course, you had to study in the classrooms and then the books went back into the cupboard. You weren't allowed to take any notes out, nothing written down and had to just revise from memory for exams.