[highspeedmdd]

OK. here is my perspective from having been the S2 in 3/3 SFG.

We had no 18As that did not have a TS.

With the background given, living in various foreign countries, etc, you will have a difficult time getting a TS. Not to say it will not happen, only that it will be difficult. The sooner you can put in for the TS, the sooner they can start the process. When we were processing clearances, typical time to process a TS was 2 years.

So, since training does not really take a whole 2 years to complete, the sooner you can get someone to accept your SF 86, the simpler your life will become.

I know that during certain parts of the SFQC certain MOS's had to have a SECRET in place. All Army Officers must have at least a SECRET to receive a Commission, so 18A candidates are safe in that regard.

In saying that a guy is elligible for a TS means he has one in the process of adjudication. It does not necessarily have to be complete. Some guys got their clearances completed during language school.

But if you finish the SFQC and try to go to Group w/o the TS completed, you will not get out of the Group HQ. In fact, SWC might even have to hold you over until it is complete. Unsure. Must not happen too often. As said before, we had no 18A or 180A that did not have TS.