Stolen RAF vice files spark blackmail fear

Sensitive files detailing the extra marital affairs, drug taking and use of prostitutes by very senior officers in the RAF have been stolen, raising fears within the Ministry of Defence that personnel could be vulnerable to blackmail.

Up to 500 people in the service could be affected by the theft. They have been interviewed individually about the possible consequences to them and to their families.

The potentially damaging information was stored on three computer hard drives that went missing from RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire, last September. The files were not encrypted, so could be opened easily. The RAF disclosed the loss of the hard drives two weeks after they went missing, revealing only that the bank details and home addresses of 50,000 servicemen and women were on the computers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/ma...olen-blackmail

Oops.

It's late. I'm tired and maybe a little emotional but am I missing something here?
Drug taking, prostitutes and extra-marital affairs yet still serving. WTF?

Vetting information, all admitted to the investigating officer. The truth shall make you free; one of my PV referees was the local National Front chairman in Beaconsfield while another was a lefty agitator at Edinburgh University. Didn't seem to make any difference to ASVU, nor did revelation of my record of dismal failure to score at the village's weekly disco. If that had ever been used against me by an HIS, I'd have spilled the beans.

It all goes to expose the b0llocks and hypocrisy that is modern British life.

Many people from all levels of society including the Royal Family, Government and the rest of us, lie, cheat, steal and fornicate.

If we were to get over that it would not be an issue, but the absurdity is we all pretend that we are not ‘like that’.

Originally Posted by western

It all goes to expose the b0llocks and hypocrisy that is modern British life.

Many people from all levels of society including the Royal Family, Government and the rest of us, lie, cheat, steal and fornicate.

If we were to get over that it would not be an issue, but the absurdity is we all pretend that we are not ‘like that’.

As mentioned above, and in common with the media, I think you have have missed the point that these may be things that people have not necessarily done while in service but have admitted to during vetting interviews. That said, if they are not willing to admit them publicly then they are susceptible to blackmail, and therefore potential targets for HIS.

People in glass houses etc............

Originally Posted by Bound_Apprentice

As mentioned above, and in common with the media, I think you have have missed the point that these may be things that people have not necessarily done while in service but have admitted to during vetting interviews. That said, if they are not willing to admit them publicly then they are susceptible to blackmail, and therefore potential targets for HIS. People in glass houses etc............

Sorruy mate, but you have missed my point entirely. The reason that people are not willing to admit their entirely normal human behavior is a false set of values which we pretend to live by.

Also, if they have admitted to them during vetting, they are not susceptible to blackmail, or are you missing that point as well?

The military perpetuates this mythical set of values, while stealing, fornicating and cheating.

Originally Posted by western

Also, if they have admitted to them during vetting, they are not susceptible to blackmail, or are you missing that point as well?

"Meeeeeester Smeeeeeeeeeeth, eef you vill not spy for uz, ve vill tell your vife about your threesome with a ladeeboy and a cocker spaniel."

"Ah ha! You can't blackmail me - i've told the vetting man about it!"

think it kind of depends on not having anything to hide, not just whether you've told the vetting man. you won't lose your vetting for what you disclose to them, but it doesn't make you automatically immune to blackmail, does it? unless you've told your wife / family / loved ones as well.

in the above case, you report the approach... and what do you think the vetting men will tell you to do? removing the threat of blackmail means removing the hold someone could have over you - not just telling that friendly ex-copper about all the hedgehog porn you look at.

i'm pretty sure that the vetting man would say "go tell your missus immediately, and anyone else you don't want to know" to remove that blackmailing grip on your testicles.

i tell the missus everything. and i mean everything. she already knows i'm sick and deranged. i secretly suspect that's why she married me

Alright, you win CR, I didn't really think that one through did I?

Quite apart from anything else discussed above, it should be remembered that the people involved here are senior RAF officers. The 'blackmail' issue is academic, since it's generally well known that nobody in that group has actually experienced an erection since the V-bombers went out of service.

I hope HMA is OK after the attack today

Is it almost 10 years since the DA in Athens was assassinated?

Lessons identified,or lessons learned?

I wonder if Whiskeybreath has a view when he next comes off shift?