French Foreign Legion

Originally Posted by TyCooN

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I talk to the Chaplain a bit, then he refers me over to medical. They end up sending me to the Mental Health Unit. MHU discovers I had depression in the past. I get kept in the Recruit Separation Platoon for about 1.5 weeks as they process my papers for an Entry Level Separation. The last day there a civilian strokes you off, as he tells you getting an ELS is actually a good thing. When people get an ELS it's as if they don't know the military and the military doesn't know them. "Mental" health problems are the ones least likely to get waived. Boot camp isn't like the old school one anymore. Kids can't get hit by the drill instructors, we even had one get fired for kicking sand into someone's face. People can get out now if they're gay, suicidal, extremely tall, "can't do pull-ups", horrible at firing a rifle, etc. There were even a few guys who faked and lied about asthma just to go home. People even desert in boot camp, and they get sent home with a slap on the wrist for it.
Figures. A couple years ago i went through an army phase cause i was really bored and wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I went to a recruitment center and started the process. The depression thing came out in the interview for me as well. I was reading up on the canadian forces site that they really don't like that sort of thing either. One of their concerns is what happens to you in the field if you don't have meds or run out. Would you not function well and possibly put yourself and your squad in danger because of it? It seems like they just don't take the chance. I wasn't even on meds and hadn't been for years. Personally, I think that if you're perfectly functional without meds, they should leave the decision up to you after observing you in boot camp. Anyway, there's other ways to do something different than your peers besides the military. I never looked at the FFL myself, and from what i've heard of it, it's probably a little extreme for someone like me (I'm a little squeamish and rainforest warfare courses really don't do it for me). That's part of why I'm going to South America next year. I just want to cut myself off from the western world for a while and wander around alone.

Originally Posted by Steve Smith

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There are plenty of books about the FFL. Search Amazon. It would be a way to get some adventure and extreme experiences under your belt, maybe more than you want. Your cohorts would tend toward the brutish and non intellectual. That is something which you should seriously think about. IMHO, the military life is not always best for a person who is the cerebral type, and the FL is on the extreme of that. Legionaires are quite expendable.
I would not mind being one of those flamboyant generals that were fairly prevalent some time ago; Douglas MacArthur was known for using an extremely long cigarette holder. My family has some military backround--my grandfather flew for the Flying Tigers back in WWII.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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I would not mind being one of those flamboyant generals that were fairly prevalent some time ago; Douglas MacArthur was known for using an extremely long cigarette holder.

My family has some military backround--my grandfather flew for the Flying Tigers back in WWII.

Thing is, LK, you have to be a grunt before you can be a general.

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Figures. A couple years ago i went through an army phase cause i was really bored and wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I went to a recruitment center and started the process. The depression thing came out in the interview for me as well. I was reading up on the canadian forces site that they really don't like that sort of thing either. One of their concerns is what happens to you in the field if you don't have meds or run out. Would you not function well and possibly put yourself and your squad in danger because of it? It seems like they just don't take the chance. I wasn't even on meds and hadn't been for years. Personally, I think that if you're perfectly functional without meds, they should leave the decision up to you after observing you in boot camp.

Anyway, there's other ways to do something different than your peers besides the military. I never looked at the FFL myself, and from what i've heard of it, it's probably a little extreme for someone like me (I'm a little squeamish and rainforest warfare courses really don't do it for me). That's part of why I'm going to South America next year. I just want to cut myself off from the western world for a while and wander around alone.
Can the military even run through your medical records in Canada without your consent?

I remember the Marines believing things by mouth from kids who had a "history of asthma". At the most they would call a kid's parent to confirm that the kid has had that medical problem in the past.

Originally Posted by SField

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Probably the fact that he was born in israel.

exactly. that and the IDF actually has a good reason for fighting. but I seriously considered joining after I got out of the IDF. but I got a better offer.

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Thing is, LK, you have to be a grunt before you can be a general.
Are LT(N)'s or CPT's grunts? If you have a university education you enter as an officer no? From there you're a lot closer to general. Senior Officers, particularly in Canada have it great. Just look at them. They're all fat. They can't have to work that hard. Didn't Canada just increase it's physical fitness requirements because the fitness levels of Officers were appalling? Now I think they have to do like 7 push ups or something ridiculous?

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Rough trade like the Spartans?


More or less. The Legionnaires seemed to be bisexual in a rather brutal way.

The Spartans et al. would probably be considered pedophiles by today's standards. Young boys were okay, but continuing the relationship after the by reached maturity was considered shameful.

In the old days, a lot of middle-class and upper-class boys probably entered as officers since they went to certain prestigious military schools.

Originally Posted by JLibourel

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More or less. The Legionnaires seemed to be bisexual in a rather brutal way.

.

I hadn't heard that, but it wouldn't surpirse me.

Originally Posted by 83glt

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Are LT(N)'s or CPT's grunts? If you have a university education you enter as an officer no? From there you're a lot closer to general. Senior Officers, particularly in Canada have it great. Just look at them. They're all fat. They can't have to work that hard. Didn't Canada just increase it's physical fitness requirements because the fitness levels of Officers were appalling? Now I think they have to do like 7 push ups or something ridiculous?

I think that if we're talking the infantry, then yes, they are grunts. They have extra training so that they can lead men and have an understanding of tactics, but they are still grunts for a good long while. If there's a fight, they will be right in the thick of things with their men. But ya, if you want to be a general, that's the way to get there. People that enlist with no education typically advance up a different ladder and become NCOs.

Originally Posted by TyCooN

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Can the military even run through your medical records in Canada without your consent?

I remember the Marines believing things by mouth from kids who had a "history of asthma". At the most they would call a kid's parent to confirm that the kid has had that medical problem in the past.

Not sure, but they ask. I read that it's best to be upfront with them because they will find out anyway. I wanted to do IntOps after a stint in infantry and there would have been heavy screening, so I figured what's the point if I won't get to do what I want?

For them to reject you based on psychological evaluations usually means you're a little far gone. You'll find a lot of really sick people in the military with every type of personality disorder and addiction.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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My family has some military backround--my grandfather flew for the Flying Tigers back in WWII.

That can't be. They were all (White) Americans weren't they?

Originally Posted by Mustapha

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That can't be. They were all (White) Americans weren't they?

No, they had some Orientals.

Their hats are very practical & pragmatic under the hot sun.

Originally Posted by SField

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For them to reject you based on psychological evaluations usually means you're a little far gone. You'll find a lot of really sick people in the military with every type of personality disorder and addiction.

I can only relay things that were told to me by people on the canadian forces board. They're more picky for things like IntOps/officer. Anyway, i was never rejected, I just discontinued interest because I thought i'd run-up against resistance for the occupation that most interested me. Then I re-enrolled in classics to finish university. I still think about it on occasion cause it would be totally different from what I do now. The only thing is I would make far less money, and that would kinda suck.