Join french foreign legion

carlmwan

Ye im really thinking of joining the foreign legion. When i leave school im 17 i will be 18 in August. So is there anyone here who can give me advice about the legion eg is it hard to get in. I no they teach you french but should i start taking lessons or is there no point. Im doing spanish for the leaving cert pitty the Spainish legion is not taking foreigners do they plan to let in foreigners any time soon?:cool:
-Thanks for reading

RMD

carlmwan wrote: »

Ye im really thinking of joining the foreign legion. When i leave school im 17 i will be 18 in August. So is there anyone here who can give me advice about the legion eg is it hard to get in. I no they teach you french but should i start taking lessons or is there no point. Im doing spanish for the leaving cert pitty the Spainish legion is not taking foreigners do they plan to let in foreigners any time soon?:cool:
-Thanks for reading

If you're serious about it definitely worthwhile picking up at least the basics of French. No army is easy to get into, you'll need to be fit physically and strong mentally, especially for the legion. They're a hard bunch of lads, certainly wont be easy.

Lab_Mouse

Do a quick google and you can find what they do for there fitness tests which might help you prepare.*Also dont mention any family attachments as this can hinder your selection(as in ah love my family.Could you manage with no contact for 5 years?)

Not having french doesnt matter as it is drilled into you,literally.
As a poster above says they are tough.

The spanish foreign dont have the same rep as the french.They have a fascist taint to them after franco

*as said to me by an ex soldier.

carlmwan

Thanks lads im in pretty good shape swim and play football ALOT also i have quite high navigation skills. But is it true you have to go to france to put your name down or can you got to the french embassy? Also I heard you interview is a motivation interview what is that?:rolleyes:
-Thanks again lads

pablomakaveli

I was considering joining the french foreign legion a few years ago. I'd really recommend you do a lot of research beforehand because if your there a few months and you decide it's not for you, you won't be able to leave.

There's a lot of info on the net and some good books written by former legionnaires. I read one called "The Naked Soldier" by Tony Sloane which gives a good account of life in the legion.

groundshaker

carlmwan wrote: »

Ye im really thinking of joining the foreign legion. When i leave school im 17 i will be 18 in August. So is there anyone here who can give me advice about the legion eg is it hard to get in. I no they teach you french but should i start taking lessons or is there no point. Im doing spanish for the leaving cert pitty the Spainish legion is not taking foreigners do they plan to let in foreigners any time soon?:cool:
-Thanks for reading

You obviously don't have an interest in joining the PDF, but what about joining the British army? Alot handier in terms of leave and excellent training. It could take well over a year to be allowed home on leave with the Legion, depending on how quickly they can sort out your 'military regularization of situation', ie returning you to your original identity.It can only be done after a year, every new recruit is required to adapt a temporary identity.

What's your level of fitness in terms of Pull ups and push-ups? Are you a good runner?

Monty Burnz

I know of one and have heard of severaly young guys who ran off to join the legion out of school - it all seemed terribly exciting to them. They didn't last long. The guy I knew from school went AWOL after a few months of it.

Be sure you know what you are getting into, and that you are doing it for the right reasons! As another poster suggested, the British Army may make more sense. Ignore criticisms thrown at you by those stuck in the 19th century

xflyer

I would think hard about joining the Legion. It isn't quite like joining the Irish army or even the British army. It's a harsh often brutal regime until you are fully indoctrinated and turned into a Legionaire. You won't be allowed home, own a car, get married, have a computer, a bank account or wear civilian clothes for up to five years without meeting certain criteria. Are you ready to leave home straight from school?

Do plenty of research and reading before you make any decision. The Legion is not for most people.

discus

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I was considering joining the french foreign legion a few years ago. I'd really recommend you do a lot of research beforehand because if your there a few months and you decide it's not for you, you won't be able to leave.

This is the problem with the internet. You pretty much spoil the surprise by over-researching things, and then don't bother.

Don't bother research, you're either gonna go for it or you're not. If you're anyway serious, take a one way flight to paris and book a hostel for 3 nights.

Kinza

As everyone else has said you should do a lot of research and thinking on this. I think the Legion would be a very tough place for an 18 year old although maybe your age could be an advantage too.

There really is some good books out there on the Legion, I went through a phase of reading anything I could get my hands on about the FFL a while back and it really opens your eyes to the training and lifestyle of a Legionnaire.

There is a FFL forum on the internet which has endless info and guys writing about their experiences of the selection process as it is now which would be invaluable to anyone seriously considering it. Some good documentaries online also which give you a feel of what it would be like taking orders in french while not even speaking the language.

In answer to your questions yes you have to make your own way to France to give it a shot, probably best heading straight for Aubagne near Marseille where your training would begin before heading to the 'Farm'. The interview would be a very thorough interrogation of your life so far and motivations for joining the legion.

pablomakaveli

discus wrote: »

This is the problem with the internet. You pretty much spoil the surprise by over-researching things, and then don't bother.

Don't bother research, you're either gonna go for it or you're not. If you're anyway serious, take a one way flight to paris and book a hostel for 3 nights.

That would be a really really bad idea especially in this case. It would be advisable to do research on any career you were pursuing. Even if he does his research and still decides he wants to go ahead with it having knowledge of the legion will be of benefitto him.

As Roy Keane put it "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail".

Silent Runner

You would have to prepare well for it, I think they do daily 12 mile runs along with basic training! Bear Grylls did a programe on it, (though he was propably lappin it up in a 5 star motel when the cameras were off:rolleyes:)

Isn't there supposed to be a lot of eastern europeans and south americans in the legion these days going into it for the money and/or french citizenship and not the other reasons, so the legion isn't the same as it used to be?

beagle001

We had a couple of x legionaires as security for our camp in Chad a couple of years back,some were sound others pure head cases.
Also knew a northern Irish lad who went into the legion mid 80`s,he lasted well over 10yrs and became their champion kick boxer.
Worked private security after in Paris where I met him,told me it was hard as nails back in the day and they treated you like s-ite.
Many of them come out addicted to alcohol or other substancesa and find it hard to adjust to civilian life.
Loads desert it,some do well out of it but if I was 18 again I would look to the Brits for a military career if you want to gain great training and experience,or the pdf if you want the army life with a bit of cotton wool.

RMD

discus wrote: »

This is the problem with the internet. You pretty much spoil the surprise by over-researching things, and then don't bother.

Don't bother research, you're either gonna go for it or you're not. If you're anyway serious, take a one way flight to paris and book a hostel for 3 nights.

Do you have any idea about the legion? Enroll in the legion and discover you don't like it or aren't made out for it? You're ****ed, hugely.

discus

RMD wrote: »

Do you have any idea about the legion? Enroll in the legion and discover you don't like it or aren't made out for it? You're ****ed, hugely.

Since when did my suggestion against "over-researching" become "don't read into anything at all"?

I know a tiny bit about it, as in, I've never been in it. I know of 3 local lads in the past few years who went and did over 5 years and came back. I know 1 lad who deserted and made his way back via holyhead... No trips to Paris for him for the rest of his life!

edit: I've just realised I wrote "don't bother research" in my original post... I didn't mean it literally, more like Just don't "over research" and live the adventure through someone elses books and stories.

BigDuffman

discus wrote: »

This is the problem with the internet. You pretty much spoil the surprise by over-researching things, and then don't bother.

Don't bother research, you're either gonna go for it or you're not. If you're anyway serious, take a one way flight to paris and book a hostel for 3 nights.

Possibly the worst advice I've ever heard...

Spend A LOT of time thinking about it. Could you deal with essentialy putting English on the back burner. Not being able to jump on a ryan air flight and be home in 40 mins to see the friends + family. Even simple things like shaving EVERY day and having a strict regieme to live your life off for the forseeable future.

From what I've heard its a tough and brutal experience. Massive achievement and I'm sure the satisfaction is huge if you pass out. But its tough and no-one will thank you for what your doing.

If you want a challenge look at the Royal Marine Commando's. Still means your only less than an hour away from home. In a familiar environment.

citizen_p

carlmwan wrote: »

Thanks lads im in pretty good shape swim and play football ALOT also i have quite high navigation skills. But is it true you have to go to france to put your name down or can you got to the french embassy? Also I heard you interview is a motivation interview what is that?:rolleyes:
-Thanks again lads

dont make the mistake a friend of mine did, went to france with very little money by air, found out they werent recruiting or he just didnt like it. he then had to hitch home.....FROM FRANCE. he didnt ring any of us, just arrived back with a couple of photos of him walking etc... im sure we could of spared 20 quid for a ryanair flight...

Leadership

If you want to run away from your current life and would love a military career then the legion is great. However if you want a military career only then the Legion is a bad choice IMO.

They are poorly equipped, trained and their tactics still treat them as cannon fodder to a certain degree. The conditions are pure military, non military possessions are limited to a few items of civi clothes and a ipod and sometimes a TV for the barracks. The BA for example still allows for a fairly normal lifestyle out side of military time so you can build relationships regularly visit family (Irish based soldiers get extra travel allowance) and are fairly well paid considering.

MagicIRL

I would advise having watch of that Bear Grylls Series, in which he and some lads join the FFL. Although it features Bear, it would give you an idea into what you may experience when you join.

Local-womanizer

MagicIRL wrote: »

I would advise having watch of that Bear Grylls Series, in which he and some lads join the FFL. Although it features Bear, it would give you an idea into what you may experience when you join.

That wasnt actually the FLL,just ex members running the thing,but as you say if gives a great insight into life during Recruit training,I can only imagine!

I think its one of the first shows Bear done too,very young in it but I thought he was very good.

BuckJamesRogers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQhFFhF6eUA

that's part one anyway fella

source

Read Simon Murray's "Legionnaire", It's his account of the Legion from the late 50's and early 60's when he joined.

It's a much different organisation now, but the basic principles are the same.

For a young man from Ireland I think it'd be a massive culture shock to go into the Legion. Young people these days live lives of almost no boundaries, most have self funding jobs or are looked after by the parents. The life of a Legionnaire is very strict, and confined. Make sure you make the right choice, make the wrong one and desert and you will wind up unable to travel to France or any of it's protectorates for the rest of your life.

There has been situations documented where people in their 50's and 60's have chanced going to France after deserting from the Legion, only to be picked up by the Gendarmes on arrival and shipped to a Legion prison.

It's a massive commitment and one that needs to be thought about thoroughly before any decision is made.

IF you do, do it....can handle the military style of the Legion, and then on discharge can handle the change back to civilian life, then brilliant......Simon Murray is a good example of a success story with the Legion, he used the focus that he got in the Legion to get into business and eventually he set up the mobile phone company orange.

I'm not saying that if you join the Legionnaire that you'll wind up being a multi millionaire, many ex legionnaire's hit the bottle and wind up either working as mercenaries for PMC's or driving taxi's in the streets of France.

Think long and hard about it. It is a decision not to be taken lightly.