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29JUNE2026 IWC Board

To any lurkers here who have been through the IWC pipeline, do you know if/how international travel between FINSEL and OCS could jeopardize one's ability to qualify for security clearance? Pending selection (knock on wood), I'd like to travel abroad to Europe for leisure while I still have the chance. I was also recently invited to an American friend's wedding in Turkiye, which, given the trend in OCS matriculation dates, would probably fall during post-OCS school in Dam Neck--can I attend that? Obviously one makes personal sacrifices to serve, so I'm expecting the worst, hoping for the best.

Feel free to DM if that's the smarter, but this info may be of general interest.
 
skibum said:
To any lurkers here who have been through the IWC pipeline, do you know if/how international travel between FINSEL and OCS could jeopardize one's ability to qualify for security clearance? Pending selection (knock on wood), I'd like to travel abroad to Europe for leisure while I still have the chance. I was also recently invited to an American friend's wedding in Turkiye, which, given the trend in OCS matriculation dates, would probably fall during post-OCS school in Dam Neck--can I attend that? Obviously one makes personal sacrifices to serve, so I'm expecting the worst, hoping for the best.

Feel free to DM if that's the smarter, but this info may be of general interest.
Click to expand...
Long story short, some locations are blacklisted for personal travel for active duty service members. I don’t know the exact website for it but I’m sure it’s just a google away.

For your security clearance they don’t care about personal travel as long as you are truthful and it’s not suspicious or with suspicious people. There is a lot that can come from that but there is nothing wrong with traveling Europe.

I will say, if it is during any type of schooling, you are not allowed to take leave during classes so that everyone is on the same page and no one falls behind. I was at Dam Neck for a C school for 160 days and there was no leave, you couldn’t miss more than like 5 class dates for any reason otherwise they’d recycle you to the next class or you’d be dropped. Not sure if with officer it’ll be easier and they’ll be nice, but I doubt it. I’d advise to communicate your travel with your recruiter or whoever your POC is so they can get it documented by an SSO or whatnot, and then plan to be completely available from your ship date to OCS until you arrive at your first duty station.

Hope this helps.

V/R
 
Vrabel said:
Long story short, some locations are blacklisted for personal travel for active duty service members. I don’t know the exact website for it but I’m sure it’s just a google away.

For your security clearance they don’t care about personal travel as long as you are truthful and it’s not suspicious or with suspicious people. There is a lot that can come from that but there is nothing wrong with traveling Europe.

I will say, if it is during any type of schooling, you are not allowed to take leave during classes so that everyone is on the same page and no one falls behind. I was at Dam Neck for a C school for 160 days and there was no leave, you couldn’t miss more than like 5 class dates for any reason otherwise they’d recycle you to the next class or you’d be dropped. Not sure if with officer it’ll be easier and they’ll be nice, but I doubt it. I’d advise to communicate your travel with your recruiter or whoever your POC is so they can get it documented by an SSO or whatnot, and then plan to be completely available from your ship date to OCS until you arrive at your first duty station.

Hope this helps.

V/R
Click to expand...
I'm glad someone brought this up actually, and thank you for replying and sharing the info.

I've got a trip that is significantly further out but my sister is getting married in Mexico next year. If all goes well I'd hope I'm already done with NIOBC at that point. How early should something like that be communicated? Assuming I'd be going to my first command, I was planning to mention it then.
 
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