Posted on Aug 22, 2020
Is it possible to hide service and early discharge from the French Foreign Legion when going to OCS?
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I'm working on a concept for a novel, and I think the main character may try to do this. How long could you get away with it? What would happen if you got caught before or after commissioning? Would service in the FFL be something you could hide at all?
OCS
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
French Foreign Legion
09S: Commissioned Officer Candidate
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 5
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The problem is you never know who the background investigator is going to check with. So, at best it would have to be a period of time that is outside of the investigation time line, and that just happens to never come up in all the folks he interviews. But since it is with a clearance with the Army and not one of the upper tier Agencies this is actually entirely possible.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
Would it work to say you were backpacking across Europe during that time? And what if he wanted to go to SF?
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SGM Jeff Mccloud
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - Backpacking across Europe for five years straight?
While technically partially true, (most "backpacking" after boot would be in Africa though), it would be tough to conceal from anyone who might get interviewed in your background investigation that you were in the FFL.
We have had prior FFL in SF.
They didn't lie about it on their SF 86.
While technically partially true, (most "backpacking" after boot would be in Africa though), it would be tough to conceal from anyone who might get interviewed in your background investigation that you were in the FFL.
We have had prior FFL in SF.
They didn't lie about it on their SF 86.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
SGM Jeff Mccloud - the character would get kicked out of the FFL within a year. Do you think he could hide that?
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SGM Jeff Mccloud
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - The part that would be hard to hide on a background is leaving the US for France with nobody really knowing why, then on the background investigation for that year of "backpacking" who on the list of names is going to corroborate that it was all backpacking? if nobody really knew anything else, might get away with it.
If the reason for getting kicked out wasn't also a crime reported to INTERPOL.
But really, the first contract is five years. In the context of the story background, if this guy told anyone before leaving the US that he was just going to backpack Europe, what was his story going to be after the first year if he didn't get kicked out? Someone among the family or friends was likely to know what was really going on.
If the reason for getting kicked out wasn't also a crime reported to INTERPOL.
But really, the first contract is five years. In the context of the story background, if this guy told anyone before leaving the US that he was just going to backpack Europe, what was his story going to be after the first year if he didn't get kicked out? Someone among the family or friends was likely to know what was really going on.
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NO, it shows on background checks pretty quick. I had 2 former FFL's during my career. Good people- tho they served their 8 yr hitch and came home. Caught after- discharge possible UCMJ for fraudulent enlistment.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
The FFL guys I knew were high quality. How does it show on a background check when you serve under a different name?
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I am assuming that the background check would find this out, even if you lied on the application. Since there would be a period of time in which you "didn't exist" and you'd have to explain why. I could be wrong, however, as I've obviously never attempted to get into OCS.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
I figured he could say he was just backpacking across Europe. I'm not sure if that would work.
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It may/may not get picked up, but the large “unaccountable “ gap in your life would be a red flag that be a showstopper.
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In theory your background investigation should catch it. When you commission, you still have to go through the same enlistment paperwork to list where you lived, worked etc., You are going to have a ghost period of whatever your FFL time was that you will have to explain on paper and in person.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
SSG Brian G. - the character would get kicked out of the FFL within a year. Do you think he could hide that?
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SSG Brian G.
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - Possibly. Just have to make the lie convincing enough. Probably just not mention going overseas at all. Say he or she was taking time off and just backpacking across the US, working odd under the table day labor jobs... just enough to cover a meal or hotel room or some such for a bit and then off you went to the next leg. Live off grid, not like there is a paper trail.
Less of a chance that the CIA/NSA would be requested. And as long as he did not mention he was FFL to any close relative ... could be plausible.
Less of a chance that the CIA/NSA would be requested. And as long as he did not mention he was FFL to any close relative ... could be plausible.
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