Travel Abroad as a tourist

[bradymccarthy]

As an officer in the United States military are you restricted to countries you can visit? I'm asking because I have a friend and some relatives who are ex-pats in Shanghai, China. Common sense tells me there is no way in hell the U.S. Government would let a military officer visit a foreign communist country, but I just thought I would ask, since a U.S Navy ship recently went to Vietnam

 

[rare21]

One of my friends did a study abroad in college paid for by the Navy in China while he was in the ROTC. It seems that if the Navy paid for it I doubt they would look down on you for visiting.

 

[thumper]

Some countries are obviously offlimits (Philippines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba), but I went to Most of SE Asia when I was in BDCP. This included Vietnam and Cambodia. Double check with your command, but China shouldn't be an issue.

 

[wink]

Definitely check with your command. I can say that at least as late as the mid '90s you had to inform your command before traveling to a communist country if you held a security clearance. Once you returned you had to make yourself available for debrief if requested.

 

[E5B]

Originally posted by thumper
Some countries are obviously offlimits (Philippines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba)

Our ARG pulled into Philippines in 95, but I bet things are a little different now.