British Army Security Clearance & the RDF

[Ambassador]

Hi guys,

I’m applying to join the British Army as an officer. If all goes well I’ll start Sandhurst in September. After reading the thread about join the UK forces I thought I might get an answer to the question below on this forum.

I’m worried about the security clearance because I know the British will contact the Guards here to get me cleared, but since I’m an NCO in the RDF will they contact the Defence Forces too? I don’t want my RDF staff to know about this, and if they are going to find out I’d rather be the one to tell them, or more likely resign, which I don’t want to do in case I fail at UK officer selection.

Thanks!

[DeV]

To the best of my knowledge they will not contact the DF & an NCO seeks their discharge (only officers resign).

[silverside]

not an expert, but i would thought all clearances would be dealt with by the Gardai (civil authority)

anyway your unit shouldnt have a problem with people thinking about moving - people do it all the time, australia , or just go non effective - dont worry so much about it...

[pmtts]

All applicants for the Armed Forces are required to nominate a referee in order to assist the authorities in confirming your identity and character. Depending on your entry route or career/job choice, you may be asked for further referees

at a later date as part of the selection process. The CA will contact the nominated referee(s) as appropriate.

Your referee should be:

• EITHER your head teacher or tutor (if you are currently in full-time education or within 12 months of
having left that school, college or university);

• OR your current employer (or most recent employer if you are not currently employed). (Please indicate

if you do not want us to contact your current employer until you have had a formal job offer from
the Armed Forces).

[Goldie fish]

If they are looking for your records, they won't deal directly with your unt.

[Vanguard]

Hi guys,

I’m applying to join the British Army as an officer. If all goes well I’ll start Sandhurst in September. After reading the thread about join the UK forces I thought I might get an answer to the question below on this forum.

I’m worried about the security clearance because I know the British will contact the Guards here to get me cleared, but since I’m an NCO in the RDF will they contact the Defence Forces too? I don’t want my RDF staff to know about this, and if they are going to find out I’d rather be the one to tell them, or more likely resign, which I don’t want to do in case I fail at UK officer selection.

Thanks!

No they just check with the Garda that you are not a criminal or subversive.

[colonel decker]

Has a foreign power the right to your personal information off the GUARDS I must look up the Data Protection Commissioner website. Unless they get your prior permission.

[pmtts]

Has a foreign power the right to your personal information off the GUARDS I must look up the Data Protection Commissioner website. Unless they get your prior permission.

Yes because you are granting them permission to access such information. The only time you have not got the right is when it's an official investigation being carried out by a foreign police force that has gone through the correct channels.

[colonel decker]

I would presume that they have no right unless they have your permission.

[DeV]

It is the information holder that has the legal obligations not the person/organisation requesting the information.

As part of your security clearance you would have to sign form giving permission to the Garda Commissioner to provide the information.

[piper_69]

There may be a point being missed here.
AFAIK if you sign up, you will have to declare that you are NOT a member of any other countries military/police and you will have to show your discharge papers if you have already told them you are currently in the RDF.

[rod and serpent]

Has a foreign power the right to your personal information off the GUARDS I must look up the Data Protection Commissioner website. Unless they get your prior permission.

If you are applying to for a job in a foreign country ex armed forces civil service etc ,the foreign country will contact your own police force regarding criminal convictions , official warnings etc. This is done as a security counter measure ie to prevent persons with serious crimimal/terrorist convictions joining.

[colonel decker]

I just don't see the Department or Unit complying unless they have my permission.

[hptmurphy]

I just don't see the Department or Unit complying unless they have my permission

.

They won't but by submitting the application in the first place and agreeing to the terms and conditions of the 'competition' you have given your permission.

By entering in the competition in originaly it would be part of the critera that certain parts of your back round would be checked out before progressing to the next stage.

The only reason they will contact the DF is to substantiate that you are indeed a member of the reserve and even this must be done through the Garda vetting.

There is no provision for Forces of either country to deal with each other directly..it must get legal approval from the Gardai first.

[spider pig]

How long would one be waiting between the security clearance and the continuation of the process of recruitment, roughly?