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Serving in foreign armies. - French Foreign Legion, etc.

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  • 17-09-2011 1:34am
    #1
    KickstartHeart
    Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭


    Hi.
    I am currently in my final year of a university degree, and my life long dream has to become an officer in the Irish Defence Forces. Ive been trying ever since my leaving cert, and continuously doing quite good in the competition, but have still not managed to secure a place in a cadet class.

    I am putting up this thread in hope of getting responses from people who may have served in foreign armies, the Irish army, or generally know what they're talking about.

    At the moment I am thinking of giving the cadets another shot after college, and if I am rejected once again, leaving the country, serving in a foreign army for a short time, and returning home here, to continue my attempts at becoming an officer in the PDF.

    I am looking for advice from people in relation to this. I have mates in the British Army, but i think it is not for me.

    What do people think of the french foreign legion? I dont want to hear all this 'horribe tough life' muck, because i know, that the legion is not all its craiced up to be. its the same as being in the french army as a soldier, it just involves more restrictions as regards living in barracks etc. It is not special forces, and is not a deadly band of mercenaries as some youtube documentaries would have you believe. I also know via various bits of research that it is very old fashioned. I also know that this whole 'giving up your life' lark no longer exists. you do not have to change your name, and you do not have to become a french citizen. So logical comments on the legion would be appreciated. Whats life like? after hours do you have to stay in barracks? Is the french hard to pick up? How much choice do you have as regards what unit you go to? and how much freedom of travel do you have within France when your not on duty?

    Does anyone know of any other English speaking armies anywhere in the world that recruit foreign people (without having to become a citizen, and without having to have residency there for long periods of time)? I know the Legion is not English speaking but it specifically teaches french. So the language would not be a barrier. Also just to say, the American forces are ruled out. It takes to long to get a green card of whatever you need to serve and I really wouldn't want to live in America.

    In general, advice on my situation from experienced people would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks


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    #2
    OS119
    Registered Users Posts: 2,518 ✭✭✭OS119


    KickstartHeart wrote: »
    ...In general, advice on my situation from experienced people would be greatly appreciated....

    1. from recall the PDF has a pretty strict age criteria for commissioning - if you're 20/21 now, leave Ireland to serve somewhere else for a few years and then return looking to join as an officer, you're going to be pushing very hard against that age limit.

    2. any army worth joining is going to be deeply unimpressed with someone who wants to join for a few years then sod off to do what they really want to do - training in any decent army is going to be long, hard and expensive, you will be found out, and when you are found out you'll get a hard time from your 'comrades', possibly a 'not the kind of person we want' discharge, and a very sh1t reference when you leave.

    3. the Irish Army is going to be pretty suspicious of your motivation on two fronts: (i) you will appear to them to able to chop and change your loyalties with both consumate ease and regularity, and (ii) you will have to answer a very hard question 'so, Mr X, now you done a tour in Helmand Province, played with fast jests, heavy Artillery and taken part in the heaviest combat since the Korean war, why do want to spend the next 20 years doing CIT's?

    personally, i can't see them being particularly impressed with any answer you can give - joining an Army is not like joining McDonalds instead of Burger King, it requires dedication and is a serious commitment, if you can first drop the Irish Army, then drop another, the IA is unlikey to see you as a sure bet.


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    #3
    booom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 236 ✭✭booom


    apologies if i sound caustic, but you say you want to do some soldiering but the british army isn't for you, even though you have mates there? you then seem to know plenty about the legion and give it a good old slating without knowing the first thing about it. you make it sound like you want some 9-5 monday-friday post. even your life long ambition of being a cadet doesn't sound too convincing.
    like i said, apologies if i'm coming across too negative but standing on the line isnt something you do as a'ah feck it, i couldnt do what i wanted to do, so i'll just do this instead'. pm me if you want my take on the legion.


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    #4
    KickstartHeart
    Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭KickstartHeart


    booom wrote: »
    apologies if i sound caustic, but you say you want to do some soldiering but the british army isn't for you, even though you have mates there? you then seem to know plenty about the legion and give it a good old slating without knowing the first thing about it. you make it sound like you want some 9-5 monday-friday post. even your life long ambition of being a cadet doesn't sound too convincing.
    like i said, apologies if i'm coming across too negative but standing on the line isnt something you do as a'ah feck it, i couldnt do what i wanted to do, so i'll just do this instead'. pm me if you want my take on the legion.

    Thanks for your reply. But I think you havn't really grasped what I was trying to say. Im not looking for 9-5. etc. etc. I know what soldiering entails. And I am not here to convince anyone of how much I would like to be an officer in the Irish army. I am here to ask for opinions on serving in other armies for some time. The British Army isn't for me because if I was going to go foreign for some time, I would want to do something a bit different to the likes of the Irish or British Army. They are very similar. The training is very alike. I'd want a different experience, if you get me? I do know quite a lot about the legion FYI. My opinion on it has been formed from speaking to people who serve (in the British Army) with ex-legionnaires who have themselves enquired into it, and by personally speaking to a serving member of the legion about these things.

    Anyway, since posting this thread I have decided to stick with my own country.

    Thanks for commenting


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    #5
    holdfast
    Registered Users Posts: 1,150 ✭✭✭holdfast


    Mikey

    Hit up the DF press office, the south are heading to Lebanon now, so they would have guys from Kerry and surrounding counties. It's not war fighting, but I would think the experience would be similar for the families.


    Kickstartheart get a mock interview from serving officers if you can, they will guide you and be of great help.There are key areas the board will look for, you may not be aware of them. You should stand a better chance this year as a graduate.
    Study the aptitude test over and over.
    Holdfast


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    #6
    pablo1979
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭pablo1979


    Hey

    just some info for you on service in the FFL.make sure your physically fit before u attempt to join ...especially when it comes to running ...if you dont like running..dont join the legion.There are several regiments in France and and few abroad as you probably know.You can get about 3 weeks leave a year and your regiment noramllt depends on how high u score in ure tests after basic training .Your contract will be 5 years to start then you can renew for six months or a year etc ! Its hard to become an NCO for a foreigner but possible .I think the FFL is a better option than the british army as they legion always looks after its own .... legio patria nostra .I hope this info is helpful .good luck with your adventure .


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    #7
    tac foley
    Registered Users Posts: 5,504 ✭✭✭tac foley


    I'm pretty certain that ALL this has been covered before in EXTREME detail by posters who has actually served in the FFL.

    Recently, too.

    tac


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    #8
    xflyer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭xflyer


    I'm pretty sure most if not all countries require either citizenship or permanent residency to join their armies. You have to overcome that hurdle first before you'll be considered. Then there's the issue of security clearances, which is a problem coming from Ireland.

    So the choice is basically made for you. If you don't get into the Irish army and you don't want to join the British forces. You won't have a military career.


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