Hi
Strange request, not sure if this is the right forum.
I am student at University and I am also in the TA. As part of our studies, there are trips abroad to African and Asian Countries. Are there any lists about on JPA or at RHQ that do require permission? so I know at least where I stand if I can actually go or not.

Cheers



f88

Don't go to Iraq (or Norway if you're a labour party supporter).

Standing by to be corrected, but as TA, the world is your oyster. Except when you're receiving TA pay, you can't be told what to do.

That said, it's a good idea to inform your unit of your intentions and use caution when travelling to a country on the blacklist. There are generally good reasons why they're blacklisted. You may not realise it, but your appearance and general demeanour marks you out as a soldier and therefore a potential target for the naughty people. They may not wish to kill you - they may prefer to embarass you (and thereby the Army), acquire intelligence or use you to obtain political favours.

If you're going with a gang of students, your rowdy, obnoxious behaviour should go some way to concealing your military background. Just remember to say "What?" instead of "Say again" and point at things with your index finger. And if you can manage to wander round town without your cock hanging out, that'll be a bonus as well.

Your best point of contact to find out the current list of dodgy countries will be your PSI or RAO if you have one handy.

Originally Posted by putteesinmyhands

Standing by to be corrected, but as TA, the world is your oyster. Except when you're receiving TA pay, you can't be told what to do.

That said, it's a good idea to inform your unit of your intentions and use caution when travelling to a country on the blacklist. There are generally good reasons why they're blacklisted. You may not realise it, but your appearance and general demeanour marks you out as a soldier and therefore a potential target for the naughty people. They may not wish to kill you - they may prefer to embarass you (and thereby the Army), acquire intelligence or use you to obtain political favours.

If you're going with a gang of students, your rowdy, obnoxious behaviour should go some way to concealing your military background. Just remember to say "What?" instead of "Say again" and point at things with your index finger. And if you can manage to wander round town without your cock hanging out, that'll be a bonus as well.

Your best point of contact to find out the current list of dodgy countries will be your PSI or RAO if you have one handy.

I hate it when you're clever.

It's strangely arousing though.

Originally Posted by putteesinmyhands

Standing by to be corrected, but as TA, the world is your oyster. Except when you're receiving TA pay, you can't be told what to do.

Your best point of contact to find out the current list of dodgy countries will be your PSI or RAO if you have one handy.

Wrong, the TA have to declare where they are going just the same as the Regular Army. The degree of grilling you get when you get back depends on whether you're SF/MI/JHQ or the Kings Own Mess Tin Repair Unit. The best point of contact should be your unit Int Officer if you have one. The PSI's won't have a scooby unless they're Int Corps. As I did this in April I know that the Ukraine is on the list because I went there, also Russia, Belarus, North Korea, China (including Hong Kong) and for some reason Egypt if you're wearing military uniform but otherwise not. From memory nothing in Africa was on there but It seems obvious that Lybia will have made the list. I'll ask at work today to fill in the blanks.

The obvious drills in these dodgy countries are - don't try and bribe people and don't break the laws especially regarding Drugs (not that you should be taking them anyway). Don't wear more that the usual amount of military clothing, an old DPM rucksack that could have been bought in the Civpop market will be fine but leave those unit T-shirts at home. Oh and when two women clearly beyond your pay grade offer a threesome, either fax your resignation to your unit on the spot and wade in or have a cold shower and a Jodrell and stay in the Army. Ditto hookers. And if you have been compromised, declare it when you get back.

That was my 1000 post

Here is the list that was issued recenlty by my unit, may be of some help. Excuse the dodgy formatting but DII and ARRSE don't mix well

The following countries are classified as Countries to which Special Security Regulations Apply (CSSRA):

Ser Country Criteria Remarks
1 Belarus Tier 1
2 China Tier 1
3 Cyprus Tier 1 Sovereign Base areas. Threat from Russia is SEVERE
4 Egypt Tier 1
5 Iran Tier 1
6 Libya Tier 1
7 N Korea Tier 1
8 Russia Tier 1
9 Syria Tier 1
10 Ukraine Tier 1
11 Vietnam Tier 1
12 Armenia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
13 Azerbaijan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
14 Belgium Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
15 Bulgaria Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
16 Estonia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
17 Georgia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
18 KazakhstanTier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
19 Latvia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian & Belarus threat is SEVERE
20 Lithuania Tier 2 3rd Party Russian & Belarus threat is SEVERE
21 Slovakia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
22 Tajikistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
23 Thailand Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
24 Turkmenistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
25 Uzbekistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE

All Tier 1 countries, less Cyprus, visits and contacts should be briefed according to current regulations.

All Tier 2 countries visits and contacts and persons travelling to Cyprus, should be warned of the third party threat to a level appropriate to the visit/contact and by a means appropriate to the time and resources available.

Dunno how seriously this gets taken now, but I had to go to what was then Czechoslovakia for work, right at the end of the Cold War. I was in the TA back then, and was told this had to be reported. On returning to my job (in the Netherlands) I got a call from some Int type in Belgium who insisted on meeting me for a debriefing. Which duly took place in the chip shop across from my office. The Int guy took it all ever so seriously, but I had trouble keeping a straight face.

Originally Posted by cursedveggie

Here is the list that was issued recenlty by my unit, may be of some help. Excuse the dodgy formatting but DII and ARRSE don't mix well

The following countries are classified as Countries to which Special Security Regulations Apply (CSSRA):

Ser Country Criteria Remarks
1 Belarus Tier 1
2 China Tier 1
3 Cyprus Tier 1 Sovereign Base areas. Threat from Russia is SEVERE
4 Egypt Tier 1
5 Iran Tier 1
6 Libya Tier 1
7 N Korea Tier 1
8 Russia Tier 1
9 Syria Tier 1
10 Ukraine Tier 1
11 Vietnam Tier 1
12 Armenia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
13 Azerbaijan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
14 Belgium Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
15 Bulgaria Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
16 Estonia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
17 Georgia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
18 KazakhstanTier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
19 Latvia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian & Belarus threat is SEVERE
20 Lithuania Tier 2 3rd Party Russian & Belarus threat is SEVERE
21 Slovakia Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
22 Tajikistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
23 Thailand Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
24 Turkmenistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE
25 Uzbekistan Tier 2 3rd Party Russian threat is SEVERE

All Tier 1 countries, less Cyprus, visits and contacts should be briefed according to current regulations.

All Tier 2 countries visits and contacts and persons travelling to Cyprus, should be warned of the third party threat to a level appropriate to the visit/contact and by a means appropriate to the time and resources available.

Thanks, you've saved me a bit of time as I couldn't remember the CSSRA title. The briefing will be a brief leaflet you have to read on the country in question, about who it is that will try it on if you're not careful. And what you shouldn't do. You will need to have a daily diary when you're there about what you did and people you meet. On the way back they will interview you.

If you are in the TA you have to report any intended travel to CSSRA countries irrespective of your level of security clearance, capbadge and employment; however, this need not present you a problem and realistically you cannot be banned from travelling to CSSRA countries, although this may mean having future employment considerations taken into account therefter. For example, I visited Minsk in Belarus for a five day holiday in April this year. Being a STAB I reported it to my SO1and the Bde COS, neither of whom were unduly concerned; being a Home Office employee on civilian strasse, I reported my intended travel through my line manager and counter-signing manager to the Departmental Security Unit, again no-one seemed overly bothered and I did not receive any sort of security brief from either the Army or HO and I was not debriefed upon my return, other than the COS asking me if I had had a good time and if the local beer was (a) any good and (b) cheap - the answer to yes is both. Ultimately, it depends on what you are going to do I suppose. I am going back to Belarus in October to go bison watching and visit the Pripyat marshes of all things - I tend to spend my bounty on a Naturetrek holiday each year, but I can do it more cheaply by using the state tourism agency rather than paying the £1495-00 that Naturertek want. Again, I don't anticpate any problems - everyone at my unit and at the HO knows that one of my hobbies is wildlife watching so it is not as if I am acting out of the ordinary. The bottom line is this, I wouldn't worry.

I was surprised to see Belgium on the list.


And then I remembered where NATO is Head Quartered.....