French Foreign Legion

[paraiso]

Originally Posted by SField

Because they've come out on top in situations where their victories have been considered miracles by military authorities from Westpoint to Sandhurst.

I respect what the IDF has done but you have to consider their opposition. The arabs weren't exactly organized in the six day war. The Syrians, Iraqis and Jordanians didn't go into that war very enthusiastically. Just look at all the problems Nasser was having bringing the other Arabic nations together.

Westpoint and Sandhurst? What war have the British and Americans won, since WWII, for them to be authorities on anything?

I agree with SField on this. And how can you consider the Viet Cong better than the IDF? Or even the Muhjadeen? Both were good guerilla forces, but thats it.

So what if they were guerilla forces? They each took on a super power and repelled them. This, with little to no air force by the way.

 

[eg1]

Originally Posted by SField

And yet despite all that the IDF remains one of the most effective armies in history.

History is long, and as has been stated by other posters, opponents of the IDF have been less than stellar.

That being said, the IDF is probably as good as a nation of that size and in those geographical circumstances might be expected to produce.

 

[Poomba]

Originally Posted by paraiso

So what if they were guerilla forces? They each took on a super power and repelled them. This, with little to no air force by the way.

The muhjahideen accomplished nothing without massive US technical and monetary assistance, and even then they only won because the Soviet Union was already crumbling and the government lost the will to fight.

And the Viet Cong ceased to exist as an effective fighting force after 1968 and the Tet Offensive. After that the NVA took over most of the fighting. And once again, in Vietnam we were never beaten militarily, but the will to fight was lost and the war was mismanaged.

 

[paraiso]

The muhjahideen accomplished nothing without massive US technical and monetary assistance, and even then they only won because the Soviet Union was already crumbling and the government lost the will to fight.

Sort of like the Israelis then. The difference being that the mujahideen wasn't fighting a coallition of bickering countries. They were fighting a well trained, well funded, organized Russian force.

And the Viet Cong ceased to exist as an effective fighting force after 1968 and the Tet Offensive. After that the NVA took over most of the fighting. And once again, in Vietnam we were never beaten militarily, but the will to fight was lost and the war was mismanaged.

The Viet Minh (Viet Cong) and NVA were basically one in the same. They kicked out the French and the Americans.

All of Viet Nam became communist. Weren't we there to prevent that?

 

[globetrotter]

one big difference between the IDF and the viet kong and mujeiin - the IDF has kept a half dozen invasions off israeli soil, where both the mujaiin and the viet kong esseitially lost any battles they fought and won the war by attrition, by lookins huge numbers of their fighters and civilians.

tens of thousands of terror attacks have been launched at israel, and better than 99% of them have been stopped before they get 500 m inside the border.

as to being armed by the US - the first 3 wars israel fought were fought without american assistance. as a matter of fact, when france reniged on selling naval ships to israel, israel send naval camandos and took the ships from a french dock by force.

while israel has fought disorganized enemies, remember that the jordaniains, syrians and egyptians had a lot of english and german mercenaries and officers in the first wars israel fought, and many of the egptian and syrian officers were trained by the british, and the syrians by the french and german. in 67 and 73, russian advisors and officers were supporting the arabs.

like I said, I think probrably the number 20 is about right - the IDF is probrably in the 20 best military forces in hisory, especially when counted as man for man for the punch. what israel has done very well is extremly good field communications, extremly good low level leadership, excelent development of new tactics, and then a lot of the behind the scenes stuff like electronic warfare and weapons development - things like reactive armor, for instance, drone planes, a lot of the tools used to clear minfeilds in battle, etc are israeli inventions.


actually, I would really say that forces like the viet kong and the mujiin are really not examples of good fighting forces. they are jsut desperate, tough men who are willing to sacrifice themselves for a political concept, and had a much better knowledge of the territory and the support of the local people. if you put 12 IDF infantry men and 12 vietkong or 12 mujiin on some type of ground for a firefight, I think that the IDF would exterminate the other forces with almost no causulties

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

one big difference between the IDF and the viet kong and mujeiin - the IDF has kept a half dozen invasions off israeli soil, where both the mujaiin and the viet kong esseitially lost any battles they fought and won the war by attrition, by lookins huge numbers of their fighters and civilians.

tens of thousands of terror attacks have been launched at israel, and better than 99% of them have been stopped before they get 500 m inside the border.

as to being armed by the US - the first 3 wars israel fought were fought without american assistance. as a matter of fact, when france reniged on selling naval ships to israel, israel send naval camandos and took the ships from a french dock by force.

while israel has fought disorganized enemies, remember that the jordaniains, syrians and egyptians had a lot of english and german mercenaries and officers in the first wars israel fought, and many of the egptian and syrian officers were trained by the british, and the syrians by the french and german. in 67 and 73, russian advisors and officers were supporting the arabs.

like I said, I think probrably the number 20 is about right - the IDF is probrably in the 20 best military forces in hisory, especially when counted as man for man for the punch. what israel has done very well is extremly good field communications, extremly good low level leadership, excelent development of new tactics, and then a lot of the behind the scenes stuff like electronic warfare and weapons development - things like reactive armor, for instance, drone planes, a lot of the tools used to clear minfeilds in battle, etc are israeli inventions.


actually, I would really say that forces like the viet kong and the mujiin are really not examples of good fighting forces. they are jsut desperate, tough men who are willing to sacrifice themselves for a political concept, and had a much better knowledge of the territory and the support of the local people. if you put 12 IDF infantry men and 12 vietkong or 12 mujiin on some type of ground for a firefight, I think that the IDF would exterminate the other forces with almost no causulties

Also, consider the fact that the IDF is one of the most experienced fighting forces. Their special ops is second to none, as they've been tested more often than others and have been more successful, at least moreso than Delta Force which had failures in Iran, Somalia and Afghanistan. The way the IDF is trained and the average level of competence within that army is very high. Considering that Krav Magga is the rubrick upon which many other armies have developed their own fighting systems, and that urban/desert/counter insurgence/counter terrorism has benefited greatly by IDF efforts, I think that what I've said will become more and more true with each passing decade.

 

[TyCooN]

Frequently Asked Questions about the French Foreign legion

Table of Contents
How do I join the French Foreign Legion?
What are the requirements for joining the Legion?
What if I have a criminal record?
What should I bring with me when I enlist?
How fit should I be, and how fit do I need to be?
What sorts of tests will I do in Aubagne?
What happens if I get rejected?
Do I have to change my name when I enlist?
Can I contact my family during basic training?
How can I get into the REP / REI / REG / REC or any other regiment of choice?
When will I get to go on a "tournant" overseas?
How do I go about being a sniper in my regiment?
Does the Legion have a "Special Forces" unit that I can join?
What are my career prospects within the Legion?
Can I change regiments if I wish to do so?
How soon can go back to using my real identity (ie. How soon can I be rectified?) What advantages does this bring?
Can I own a mobile phone / computer / automobile / motorcycle / TV?
What if I am married, or what if I want to get married during my service with the Legion?
How often will I get to go on holidays? Can I go where I like on my holidays? **

How do I join the French Foreign Legion?

The question that is asked most often; and there is a simple answer. Buy a return air or train ticket to Paris or to Marseille. Once in Paris, ask any taxi driver to take you to the Fort de Nogent. If in Marseille, ask to be taken to La Malmousque. The main entry gate is clearly marked and easily recognisable. Take a deep breath, knock on the door or go to see the posted sentry. There's no secret handshake, no magic phrase, no special gesture. Blurting out "volontaire pour Legion" is more than sufficient to make them see what your business is and everything will be taken care of after that. There are other recruitement centres around France aside from Paris and Marseille - those individuals that are a bit more resourceful might like to enlist directly in Aubagne (Quartier Vienot) which will save a few days of processing time. For exact adresses see official French Foreign Legion website. *

What are the requirements for joining the Legion?

All the required criteria are clearly listed at the official FFL website. Anyone who satisfies these and is a volunteer for the Legion can apply. Whether you suceed or not is a different matter. *


What if I have a criminal record?

Times change, and the era of people joining the Legion to escape from the law is long gone. The Interpol regularly sends profiles of its wanted criminals to Aubagne, which are cross-checked with all the new recruits' files. Minor civil offences can be overlooked (for example, traffic offences, non-payment of child aliments, etc.) but criminals will NOT be accepted. For those that have a past criminal history, they can either truthfully give all details during their questioning by the gestapo or they can deny any criminal past, keeping in mind that the personnel at the gestapo are surprisingly resourceful (it is their job, and they're very good at it) and it would NOT make a good impression in one's dossier that he tried to hide a criminal history. Additionally, the Legion particularly cracks down on people with past drug offences, and anyone with a record involving drug use should seriously rethink his reasons for enlisting. *


What should I bring with me when I enlist?

Another common question, and another simple answer: the bare minimum! Naturally, you'll need to surrender an official piece of identification, which basically means a valid passport. Aside from this, as far as personal belongings are concerned, the less you bring the better. The first procedure in enlistment consists of making a list of all the items in your possession, so the less you'll have to start off with the better. On top of this, when you finish your four-month basic training you will go through Aubagne where you'll be allowed to take all of the possessions with which you enlisted; you'll be already overloaded with plenty of issued kit as is, and if you've got another two sacs marin full of civilian affaires to add onto this you'll have a difficult time carrying all of your paquetage when you're being transferred to your regiment. A simple overnight bag with a change of clothes, essentials for washing up and shaving, a good pair of runners, a reliable watch and a dictionary are all that is necessary. I recommend bringing a Mach3 shaving kit with enough spare blades to last a month. Bringing a lot of money (cash) is not recommended, you'll only be allowed to keep around thirty euros or so on you. If you must bring currency, get the maximum in traveller's cheques, this will give you a certain guarantee that you will get your money back once you finish basic training. In addition to these, you should also arm yourself with as much French as you can, for whilst it is not a prerequisite, even a minimal understanding of key French words will be of immense help in the first few days. Learn what words like travail, corvÃ

e, balai, sepillière, douche, lavage, rasage, toilettes, appel, lit, couverture, draps, armoire, musette mean, learn how to count to twenty, learn the days of the week. *


How fit should I be, and how fit do I need to be?

The only physical fitness test that you will undergo in Aubagne is the standard "Cooper" test: running the maximum distance in 12 minutes. The minimum standard accepted is 2800m (or 7 "tours" of the running track), although exceptions can be made in some rare cases. Running is the most important facet of physical training in the Legion, and you will do a lot of it in basic training as well as throughout your entire Legion career. You must have a level of fitness that enables you to run at least 5km to be able to cope with the initial jogging sessions at the "farm". As far as physical strength is concerned, the focus is on endurance and aerobic exercise, thus muscle-clad bodybuilders usually have a difficult time adjusting to the low-calorie diet and long distance runs during basic training; being able to do thirty pushups and five pullps is all that is needed. Also, bear in mind that rope climbing is an important facet of physical training, both with and without using your legs. Whilst climbing using the legs is fairly straightforward, even if you are very strong you will not get very far without using your legs if you do not know the correct technique. I highly recommend that all potential recruits have at least some practice climbing a five metre rope without using the legs - especially for those that will eventually get into the 2e REP. *


What sorts of tests will I do in Aubagne?

A battery of psychological tests to give the recruiting staff an idea of your clear thinking and problem solving capacity, and to assign you a Niveau GÃ

neral (NG) - a rough IQ score out of twenty. These can range from standard IQ tests involving matching patterns, simple calculations and hypothetical situations to psychological profiling using tree-house-person tests and others. All of these written tests will be given to you in your native tongue or the one closest to it if your particular language is not available. I suggest that you should take these tests seriously, as the NG will then determine which stages you can or cannot do later in your career as a legionnaire. You will also do the "Cooper" test and a large variety of medical checkups and examinations - including an HIV blood test and dental x-rays. You will be given some initial vaccinations including a flu shot which in most cases will provoque hayfever-like symptoms for a few days. Finally, you will undergo various interviews with the recruiting staff, in your chosen language, including at the "gestapo" where you will be asked to detail your past history and your reasons for joining. Be honest and consistent with your answers and you have nothing to fear from the interviewers. *


What happens if I get rejected?

You will be called out with other unsuccessful applicants during the afternoon assembly, you will be given a brief explanation of why you are being turned away and your belongings will be returned to you. In most cases, you will be invited to re-apply after a certain period, particularly if the reason for being rejected was due to physical insufficiency or a personal problem which you should take care of before joining. There is no reimbursement of fares induced by your travels to and from France.

Back to top

Do I have to change my name when I enlist?

As part of the enlisting process, you will be given a new temporary identity - known as l'anonymat .This means that you will be issued with a new name, a new date and place of birth and a change of your parents' names as well. Generally, the new names are chosen so that the initials remain the same, although this is not guaranteed. The process of choosing the name is arbitrary (apart the initial), and sometimes the recruit can even make the choice himself or select a name from a phonebook - this depends on the recruiting official who is in charge of processing your application formalities. In Aubagne, you will also be asked to sign an official form on whether or not you want your presence in the legion kept a secret, in which case you will be considered sous-anonymous and not be allowed to receive mail, make phonecalls or public appearances (TV, radio) during your contract. For those that are not sous-anonymous, the lead recruiting officer will normally give you permission to send and receive letters and make phonecalls once you get to Castelnaudary. For those that choose to be sous-anonymous and then are caught writing letters or making phonecalls, serious penalties apply.


Can I contact my family during basic training?

Following on from the question above, if you are not sous-anonymous you can contact your family by telephone, mail or email after your initial four-week training period at the farm. You must of course have all letters addressed to you by your legion identity.


How can I get into the REP / REI / REG / REC / DBLE or any other regiment of choice?

As early as when you part of the "bleu" in Aubagne you will be asked which regiment you want to go to after your four-month initial training period in Castelnaudary. You will be asked this many times again during basic training, eventually having to write a list of your three most preferred regiments, in order of preference. The final decision rests with the human resources commander in Aubagne whom you will see after your basic training is over, but if you have been consistent with your demands and meet any special requirements (aptitude TAP for the 2e REP for example) you will get sent to your chosen regiment. For initial postings to an overseas regiment (13e DBLE in Djibouti or 3e REI in Guyane), keep in mind that places are very limited and generally filled by mutation (changing a regiment after your initial posting) rather than by fresh legionnaires straight out of Castel. It doesn't hurt to ask though, you might get lucky and happen to fall into a period when a larger amount of soldiers are needed to fill vacancies overseas and thus score an initial posting in Djibouti or Guyane.


When will I get to go on a "tournante" overseas?

After your initial posting and transfer to your combat regiment, you will most likely undergo some sort of specialist instruction (the "promo" jump course in the 2e REP for example) related to the combat role of the regiment before being assigned to one of the operational compagnies within the regiment. Each of these compagnies has a month-to-month schedule of activities previewed. All of the combat compagnies of the various combat regiments undertake missions of short duration or "tournants" on a regular basis as part of its schedule, whether it be training missions in Djibouti, Gabon, Guyane, New Caledonia, Mayotte, or any of the other former French colonies. Furthermore, many compagnies are also sent regularly to various "hotspots" as part of a peacekeeping mission in, amongst others, Chad, Kosovo, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. How soon you will get to go on one of these missions depends solely on what period you happen to fall into when you are integrated into the compagnie. If the compagnie is previewed to go on a tournant to Djibouti one month after you get there, you are going to Djibouti in one month. Or, you might have to wait a whole year or so before the compagnie gets posted on a mission. There is no set time bracket of when you will get to go. On the other hand, you might be lucky enough to fall into a period of high tension in one of the African or Middle Eastern countries and be sent on an operational mission, or "OPEX", to protect civilians, defend against rebel or insurgent attacks or assure the evacuation of French nationals. I was lucky enough to be sent to the Ivory Coast on a true OPEX a week out of my promo -a fortnight after completing my jump course I was in DuÃ

kouÃ

in a potential war zone. Nothing can predict incidents like this, and one can tell when your company, or in fact the entire regiment, might be sent to Africa or the Middle East on an OPEX mission.


How do I go about being a sniper in my regiment?

Practically every combat regiment has soldiers specialising in precision shooting in one form or another. However the one thing that they all have in common is that they have exceptional track records of shooting performance. Even as a young recruit, during every target firing drill, try to get the maximum number of rounds on target, and strive to achieve perfect reglage on every weapon, be it FAMAS, FRF-2 or a MINIMI. As part of your final exam in Castelnaudary you will do a shooting exam with a FAMAS at 200m range, in lying, kneeling and standing positions. For those that get all of their rounds on target during this exam, an "excellent shooter" certificate awaits - essential for being selected for Tireur de Precision training later on. Of course, you must also show your willingness by volunteering for the stage TP and by having a favourable all-round record with your superiors and your peers. There is no fast-track method into sniping; hard work and a hint of talent combined to consistent above-average shooting is the only key.


Does the Legion have a "Special Forces" unit that I can join?

Whilst the definition of "Special Forces" has lately become blurred somewhat, with terms such as "anti-terrorism", "rapid intervention" and "special forces" becoming buzzwords that many armed units are claiming. The French Foreign Legion can lay claims to having some units that can be termed as "special forces": the 2e REP's Group Commandos Parachutistes or GCP, the 2e REG's UnitÃ

de Recherche Humaine or URH and 1e REG's Plongeurs de Combat or PAT. Each has its own speciality in a particular area, and each is trained for commando tactics and for autonomous operation behind enemy lines. The selection process is highly competitive, and generally you will need to spend at least two years in a regular combat unit before being able to apply for one of the special forces units. As for further or detailed information concerning these units, I am only familiar with the operations of the GCP, the REP's own HALO-trained "chuteurs ops" . Whist their primary role is as a pathfinding unit for drop zones for the regular airborne troops, the GCP train extensively in commando warfare and special warfare tactics, urban combat, amphibious assaults, deep infiltration methods and covert observation/intel work. All of the GCP members undergo a freefall course in Pau, France's para academy, earning the coveted five-blue-stars chuteur ops para badge. As such, they operate autonomously as a unit and often partake in operational missions of various duration to Senegal, Kosovo/Macedonia, Ivory Coast, Gabon and other hot-spots around the globe.


What are my career prospects within the Legion?

Contrary to popular belief, the Legion does not churn out "only" infantrymen. Whilst at heart, each legionnaire is a rifleman and a foot soldier, there are many specializations on offer to a legionnaire that has the potential to make the Legion a career. The four primary specialities are mechanic, field medic, signaller (radio transmission) and "pen-pusher" (administration). Several factors determine which stream (if any, you can alway remain a pure infantryman) you will be integrated into: your aptitude, past experience (civil or military) and your willingness to become a specialist. You will then be sent to Castelnaudary for an initial four-month formation, called an FSE. Afterwards, and this varies with each regiment, you will either be transferred to a dedicated specialist unit (for example the section transmission for the signallers, or a vehicle repairs atelier for the mechanics) within the regiment or you will be a specialist within your old infantry section, being for example the platoon radio operator or the platoon medic. For those that choose to follow the path of sous-officiers (NCO), a further four-month in-depth formation called an FS1 awaits which provides the skills to lead and command within each speciality, as well as the knowledge to enable one to become totally familiar with all the intricacies of the speciality. Furthermore, there are other specialities which exist for those that are willing, including but not limited to: IT (information technology), food-preparation, telecommunications repairs and various regiment-specific jobs such as the 2e REP's SEPP, where one can make a career out of folding and repairing the many different parachutes used by the regiment.


Can I change regiments if I wish to do so?

Changing a regiment after your initial posting is called mutation . Whilst there are various reasons why you might be "mutated" involuntarily (medical reasons being the most prevalent) it is less common to ask to change regiments simply because you wish to do so. The exception are of course the regiments outre-mer , in Djibouti (13e DBLE) and Guyane (3e REI): you have to ask for a mutation to these regiments before you can go, and in the vast majority of cases you have to have spent at least two years at your initial posting. There are many processes and administrative issues that lie behind regiment mutation, all of which must be managed by the various human resource personnel within the Legion, and generally it is best to make one clear choice of a regiment before you sign up, and then stay with that regiment for the length of your contract.


How soon can I go back to using my real identity? What advantages does this bring?

The process of returning to your real identity is called RSM ( rÃ

gularisation de la situation militaire ) or simply rectification. Having satisfied the initial prerequisite conditions (not being sous-anonymous being the key one) you can ask for rectification after one year of service. Your request will be sent to Aubagne, processed and you will receive a piece of paper telling you whether you can or cannot be rectified. If the response is positive, you will be asked to provide an original birth certificate and its French translation, which will then be sent to Aubagne once again with other documents supporting your application. In the old days before computer databases were put in place, this actual process of rectification took many years, and most legionnaires were lucky to be rectified before their first five year contract was up. Nowadays, the process is a quick administrative procedure and lasts two months at the longest (given no major complications such as children). Thus, for those that ask for rectification straight away and can get their paperwork squared away quickly can have their RSM at one year and five-six months of service. There are a multitude of advantages this brings for the legionnaire, the main one being the ability to go out of France for holidays. You can also have a French driver's licence made out in your name, get a proper bank account and credit card, own a computer and mobile telephone on a contract basis and so on. It is also the first step towards naturalisation, for those that decide to eventually adopt France as their home and become French citizens.


Can I own a mobile telephone / computer / automobile / motorcycle / TV?

There are rules that govern the private ownership of these luxuries, and each regiment has its own code concerning this. Generally, you can own these after satisfying some prerequisites, the primary one being the accord of your unit's Captain. You will need to lodge a formal application asking to own one of these items, pass an interview with your Captain and he will decide whether or not you can buy the item. Normally, you can own a mobile telephone as soon as you get your initial posting, but only with prepaid recharge cards whilst you are not rectified. Furthermore, it is forbidden to own mobile handsets with inbuilt photo cameras due to security issues. As far as computers (laptops) go, each regiment differs; in the REP you must be rectified, and have the FSE 03 (signals), FSE 11 (admin) or FSE 12 (medic). An automobile is a significant asset and you must be either a sous-officier or a caporal-chef and have the accord of the Commanding Officer of the regiment. Naturally, the vehicle must be insured. The same applies for motorcycles, or any motor vehicles. A TV can be purchased by any legionnaire without accords from authorities, as can be DVD players, radios, walkmans and mp3 players, however the use of these is prohibited during working hours.

What if I am married, or what if I want to get married during my service with the Legion?

Marriage whilst serving with the Legion is a tricky subject. By strict regulation, all recruits must enlist as single. If they are married, their family status will be noted as single. After five years of service, or as a caporal-chef or sous-officier, one can apply for a marriage demand. Again, first of all accord of the regiment's commanding officer is essential, and then much paperwork results, the whole process taking many long months before the final decision is reached. One of the reasons for this is to ensure that the relationship can last, to prevent lovestruck legionnaires marrying Djiboutian brides on a whim. If one eventually does obtain the accord for marriage, he must then supply the original marriage certificate which must of course be dated after the date when the application was put forward. If the marriage certificate is dated earlier than this, it is considered as a contravention of the single recruit regulation, and the individual is liable for punishment. This poses a catch-22 situation, and one which is difficult to circumvent. The best advice is not to overly stress about this issue, as it will take at least until the end of your first contract before you can apply for marriage, and by that stage the regulation might have changed, or if not, you will have enough experience and know-how to decide on the best course of action.


How often will I get to go on holidays? Can I go where I like on my holidays?

In your first year of service, you have a right to claim 15 days of leave, not counting saturdays and sundays and public holidays: thus three weeks in total. This increases to 25 days in your second year of service, 35 in your third, 45 in your fourth up to a maximum of 55 days of leave in a single year. However, you cannot take this leave whenever you like and there is no guarantee that you will get all of this leave. In a combat compagnie, leave is allocated for all of the personnel in accordance with the monthly and yearly schedule, usually in blocks of two or three weeks. Outside of special circumstances (return from a long stage, leave of convalescence and so on) you will be only allowed to go on leave within these designated leave periods. The amount of leave then varies on your time of service. As an example, typically within a single year a combat compagnie will have two 3 -week leave periods and one 2-week leave period. Those that are eligible will be able to take leave during all of these periods, those that have lower allowances might only go on leave during the two 3-week periods, or on one 3-week period and one 2-week period, or for the youngest legionnaires, for only one 3-week leave. Generally these leave periods are evenly distributed throughout the year, with always one leave period during summer. As for the question of where one can go on leave, the answer is that you cannot leave France if you are not rectified. After rectification, you will have the right to apply for leave overseas, however bear in mind that permission to go on leave to certain countries can be denied - examples are Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other obvious hot-spot countries, but also can include countries such as Poland and Czech Republic for citizens of these countries as laws prohibit the citizens from joining the Foreign Legion. Strict penalties apply for those that leave French territory during their leave without authorization.

Articles by former recruiting officer of the Legion (chief ajudant Charles Stoeng)

Once you come to Aubagne, the first test is of course the medical test,(if you are going to live among us we must be sure that you are in the medical condition needed to live in community). The doctor who sees you will decide if you are ok or not. Be fit, clean and without problems!! No eyes problems, no heart problems, no knee problems. No ****ing problems at all. After all, it is the doctor who will decide, so dont complicate the work for him. If he is in a bad mood he might send you home because he doesen't like your face. And he has the right to do what ever he likes. He is the doctor and nobody argues with him,(this is not democratic at all!! it is the legion). We got plenty of candidates, so be fit and without problems. You must convince the doctor that you are in fighting condition and we do not have to spend thousands of dollars to fix you before starting you. If you have an medical problem, you are wasting everybody's time, yours and ours. Stay home.

Considering that you have passed the medical test, next stop is the running test. The final GO from the doctor might take up to one week (blood tests and x-rays must come back from the hospital before the final decision is made) meanwhile you will do different un-interesting/boring tasks inside the camp. No sports, because we have no medical clearance, so if you have a heart attack and die we are in deep ****. Finally one morning it will be the running test. This is the standard cooper test, you will run around an 400m track for twelve minutes. The score will be between 0 and 20 points which is the maximum possible score reached after 3200m. Once again do not create any ****ing problems. Be ready, and do your best. No shoe problems, no leg problems,no cold or any fancy diseases early in the morning. These points ARE obtainable, so you want to make sure you can do this with no problem as it is an easy way to get 20 points. (prepare yourself for this before joining).

If you pass the cooper test the next stop will be the IQ test. (I almost forgot, the running test! If you are doing it with 20 russian ex officers and they all do 3600m. You with your 3200m and 20 points wont get very far, and you will be going home before the end of the day) So as you can see there is an certain luck needed to pass. Therfore it is very important to choose the right moment to join. Personnally I suggest to join in december (few candidates, so little competition).

The IQ test. Do not worry. I know plenty of idiots who have passed. It starts off easy and gets worse and worse until it gets impossible. Do not panic, and you will get the score that you deserve. There is no miracle solution juste use common sense and do your best. As always be awake and try to understand what is going on , do not **** up and look like an idiot before the test has started.

So finally you have a GO from the doctor and 3200m on the running test, with an normal IQ. You are ready for the security test. Basically this test has 3 differents meanings: First of all, create your security file that will follow you through your career. Second we want to know your whole life from day one to yesterday. And finally the NCO will have to decide if he thinks that you are an interesting candidate to the legion and if he believes that you will adapt to our system and way of life.

The most important thing to know about the legion's way of recruiting is that we do not work like the rest of the world. We do not give a **** about the candidates, there are plenty. You have no rights (you are free to leave whenever you like). The word why?? is forbidden(it is not your ****ing business) just do it. We dont care how fit or good you are, but when we ask you to do something, be ready, do it, and do it good. How to be ready? that is your ****ing problem. Just be ready and do not complicate things or create problems.

If you are ready to adapt our way of life, way of thinking, way of working, and ready to forget the past. With an complete devotion. You might be the right man.


Charles
___________________________________________

and some more infos from the same guy he gave to somebody:
______________________________________________________

Question:
Can I use my own shoes in the cooper test or do I have to run with the ones that the Legion gives me.(I've heard they're quite uncomfortable and will make your feet ache for the next two months ) Thanks!

Reply:
A reply by Charles about running shoes


Name: Charles Stöeng Nobody cares if you find the shoes uncomfortable or not. JUST RUN. If you have a concern about the shoe type, you are already in trouble. Be prepare to run barefooted if needed.

STOP F.....G around. JUST RUN. Shoes, no shoes, rain, snow, big homosexual bear running behind you, makeup, blisters, bleeding nose, cold, no breakfast. Nobody gives a F... JUST RUN.

This is not a US NAVY SEALS test, not a UNIVERSITY entrance test. There is no PT instructor in a fancy track suit. There will probably be an old, fat, alcoholic Caporal/chef who is 6 months away from retirement. He doesn't give a F... about you and your worries. But he has seen things in life that you haven't dreamed about, so do not underestimate him. There are few rules and many assholes. So RUN RUN RUN.

Do not misunderstand my words. Nothing personal. I joined at the age of 19, strait from my Norwegian village knowing F...all about life or the Legion. I had a hard time. So it is better to get things clear before joining.

Good luck!

_________________________________________________

maybe you´ve got an better idea what it means to become a legionare, is different and can´t be compared to other military forces on the globe...

AH

 

[Reggs]

I just watched this and remembered this thread.



It's not the real thing, but probably the closest thing to a FFL reality show. The participants drop like flies.

 

[lasbar]

My father was a Para officer during the Algerian war and he has the greatest respect for the Foreign Legion..

He wanted to transfer to then ]m but finished heading an artillery unit..

The Foreign legion has evolved from the days of criminals ,murderers and adventurers...

The recruits now tend to be former soldiers especially from the former Eastern block..

They are great fighters