Quora Answer: Does a Foreign Spouse of a Singapore Army Officer Affect His Chances of Promotion?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does being a foreign spouse to a Singapore army officer, affect his chances of promotion, or compromise his security clearance?  Is there a way to overcome this?”

Security clearance is not commensurate with rank.  Security clearance pertains to access to information, and that affects postings.  A person of a higher rank, in a less sensitive unit, will naturally have a lower security clearance than a person in a more sensitive unit who has a lower rank.

Depending on where your foreign-born spouse is from, it will affect your security clearance.  Some nations are deemed a greater potential threat than others.  That is entirely reasonable, since married couples talk, and we cannot take the risk that some information may bleed through.  Security clearances are reviewed regularly, and may be adjusted up and down. Simply prove yourself.  If you are good enough, if you need to know, and you know how to manage information, you will eventually get that clearance.