Joining the French Foreign Legion

[sbovisjb1]

I have decided that I want to have a purpose in life, while experiencing some excitement. I would wish to join the Foreign legion and was wondering what you think of it and if you have had any experience with them.

[TreverSlyFox]

Hmmm, nothing first hand but I did have a friend that joined in the 1970's and some of his stories would make your hair stand on end. Recruits are the dregs of society from all over the world, usually running from the law and this is their last stop. Discipline was harsh to say the least and brutial would be a better word for it. Officers are French and the Legion does the dirty work that French forces can't touch.

Living conditions were spartan, the latrines filthy and the chow normal for military food. Equipment wasn't too bad but not the latest issue, if you survived the training you were one tough SOB. If you survived your enlistment you were given a French passport and citizenship in a new name.

He survived and lives somewhere outside of Paris the last I heard but that was over 20 years ago. He was a tough SOB in the first place as an Airborne Ranger with a tour in Nam behind him already and a Bar fight that ended bad sent him to the Legion.

Tough way to go just to learn French.

[Rbick]

When I was in 2/75th Ranger Batt. one of the guys who was diagnosed with a mental illness left our unit to join the French Foreign Legion. He was getting discharged for his illness (schizophrenia or something) and then he got in trouble with the law. He left before he was arrested. This may sound like some crazy silly story, but its true.

The night before he left, a few of us had some drinks with him. He told us pretty much what trever said. You'll be serving with some tough guys, but they're all criminals. Many of your missions will be ridiculous and will probably get you killed, or so he told us. So if you don't value your life and like to live in shitty conditions, go for it. The fact that I would be working for the French is enough alone to deter me from even thinking about joining. Besides, my wife would kill me ;)

[tomu]

Have a look at http://www.legion-recrute.com/en/ it will answer a lot of your questions.

And against common believe the legion etrangere will not take anyone, you will have to pass some test and if you manage to get accepted you will have a period of qualifiying. Not only will you have to master physical fitness courses but also theoretical military, technical and french language courses and they teach you very well how to iron your shirt and they stress this quite bit.

You will get basic training in France and abroad in Africa and in the french osverseas departments like french guiana. It will be tough and is certainly not for the faint of heart but you will be rewarded with one of the best military trainings you can get.

And in stead of being just a big mouthin' fart who will start crying when some raghead starts shooting at you you will fight back and not start crying for mama and a coke.

Have fun and do it at least give it a try!

[sbovisjb1]

I read up on them and it's supposed to be a five year term. And the "elite" unit in this elite unit is the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment. (The first tried to assassinate the president at the time, after they felt betrayed when France pulled out of Algeria)

[Anformula]

Last I was reading about the Legion, their accepting of criminals is pretty much a thing of the past (although at one time it was definitely the case). Supposedly they do an extensive background investigation now to weed out undesireables. Although if one is fleeing from minor legal problems, I doubt that would be discoverable to them. But why join the Legion just to flee from minor legal difficulties?

Apparently a LOT of legionaires are fleeing from domestic situations (psycho wife whom one for whatever reason does not want to divorce, for example) and the Legion does facilitate and even encourage these types of recruits.

Also, the legion will give enlistees a false identity, but will not allow you to sign up as "John Smith". They need to know who you really are.

Finally, they act like the ultimate prize is to become a French citizen, like that is desireable or something......:p

[sbovisjb1]

Apparently they still do, but its the excitement and adventure I want. They pay me about 24K Euros a year. (not that great) I get free lodging, food and transport.

[condor_b75]

Contrary to the popular belief the Legion does not accept criminals any longer apart from some minor offenses. Todays Legion is a relatively small force and they can choose who they let in. Things like training, organization, punishments etc. are the same as in the rest of French military. The Legion of Marche Ou Creve (March Or Die) fame is pretty much a thing of the past. Those days are long gone.

(The first tried to assassinate the president at the time, after they felt betrayed when France pulled out of Algeria)


It was the 1st Parachute Regiment that did that not the 2nd. During the war in Algeria
1e REP by Colonel Jeanpierre was probably one of the best airborne units of all time.

[The_Duke]

They pay me about 24K Euros a year. (not that great) I get free lodging, food and transport.

I thought the same way. But if the Legion is anything like the Canadian army, your "free lodging and food" will be coming off that 24K a year. Not to mention the taxes...

But then again, who really joins a professional army for the cash? :p

Its all about the adventure and especially about the combat. Hell, I'd do this job for free if I had to!

[sbovisjb1]

I have friends in the Canadian army. They are EXTREMELY well paid. I'm told a private can expect to make $80 000 dollars in Afghanistan. (Reg pay + Over seas + Hazard Pay) Apparently the Canadian military is the best paid military in the world, trailing only the Australian military.

[Hirudinea]

Just remember the reason the Legion Etranger is the best in the French Army is because there are so few Frenchmen in it!

[sbovisjb1]

Zing! :P But seriously I have started to brush up on my French and am buying a ticket to Paris, France.

[megalomania]

Anformula, so what you're saying is the elite FFL is mostly composed of men running away from women? Don't let the feminists hear you say that, you will give them ideas :D

[hatal]

I had a friend who served ten years in the legion. They mostly had too deal with settling "tribal-conflicts".

You can learn french very fast (if your life depends on it :)

You wont see too many places where you can spend your hard earned money. But there will be a few option: african-whores, having a drinky or gambling with your "friends".

Good Luck !

[Rbick]

Well it seems like the FFL is being more selective from what people have been saying. Still, the fact that the guy I knew who was considered to have a mental problem went to join leaves me a bit suspicious. I lost touch with him when he left, so I don't know if he actually made it through. I hope not... :D

If you're looking for adventure and combat, why not try out for your military special operations unit? I'm not sure what country your from, but usually enlisting with a special ops contract is an option, at least in the United States. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.

[JohnG]

You wont see too many places where you can spend your hard earned money. But there will be a few option: african-whores, having a drinky or gambling with your "friends".


With the AIDS rates in several African countries over 25%, that is a game of russian roulette that I would not be willing to play. :eek:

[Rbick]

Russian Roulette with 2 bullets instead of 1! Whores are gross in general. I for one would never get a whore, its so degrading. Jacking off is much more appealing. Plus I got married, so getting sex is pretty easy :D

You'll be too busy running around killing people and jumping out of airplanes to think about it anyway. Right?

[Bugger]

Originally Posted by hatal: You wont see too many places where you can spend your hard earned money. But there will be a few option: african-whores, having a drinky or gambling with your "friends".
With the AIDS rates in several African countries over 25%, that is a game of russian roulette that I would not be willing to play.
That all goes to show that soldiers do not only go to war - they also go to whore at the same time! I wonder how much U$ taxpayers' money, and more borrowed from the Chinese, ends up in the brothels of Baghdad and Kabul, as well as being simply stolen by corrupt contractors and local government officials.

Also, with regard to men running away from domestic situations joining the French Foreign Legion - La Legion D'Etranger - who was it who recorded the song "If You Turn Me Down Once More, I'll Join the French Foreign Legion" in the 1950s or 1960s? I think it may have been Frank Sinatra. There was also a novel and film called "Beau Geste", about a Legionnaire, out at about the same time. Anyway, you would probably do better to become a mercenary, after doing your 5 years in the Legon, - see http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071026051941AAot5AH

Some years ago, I heard the story of an Englishman who decided, on a whim, probably inspired by "Beau Geste", to join the French Foreign Legion, and signed up for the usual 5 years. However, after a year or two, he had had enough, and simply could not carry on. So, that summer, when he was on furlough in the north of France, on the Bastille Day holiday, 14th July, he illegally crossed the border into Belgium near the coast without going through Customs, discarded most of his clothes and identity documents, and then went to the nearest British Consulate in Belgium to report that he had gone swimming at a beach near Ostend while allegedly visiting Belgium from England, and while swimming had had his British passport and valuables stolen, and he requested a new passport and the ferry fare back to England from Ostend. Of course, after arriving back in England, he was never able to visit France again, without the risk of being arrested by the French Military Pigs for desertion or being AWOL.

BTW How does a recruit get to become a NCO - Corporal, Sergeant, or Warrant Officer - in the French Foreign Legion? How are the Commissioned Officers (presumably initially appointed as Lieutenants) selected and trained? Besides French Guiana, and some former French colonies in West Africa, where else in the world are Legionnaires still posted? I wonder if there are any in Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion, Kerguelen, and French Polynesia?

Eh bien, bon voyage à Paris!

[sbovisjb1]

From what I've read, all the NCO's are French (The legion was put under French army control after the assassination attempt in the 50's) About 10% are Foreign Legionaries who rose up in the ranks.

[condor_b75]

You'll be too busy running around killing people and jumping out of airplanes to think about it anyway. Right?

Wrong! Most of the time you will be bored out of your mind. Even in times of war ninety percent of your time is pure boredom and BS and the rest is stuff you joined up for.

BTW How does a recruit get to become a NCO - Corporal, Sergeant, or Warrant Officer - in the French Foreign Legion? How are the Commissioned Officers (presumably initially appointed as Lieutenants) selected and trained? Besides French Guiana, and some former French colonies in West Africa, where else in the world are Legionnaires still posted? I wonder if there are any in Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion, Kerguelen, and French Polynesia?


Just like any other military after a few years if you meet the requirements and if somebody thinks you should be a NCO they go ahead promote you. What follows is some schooling and you become a NCO. In the Legion it takes three years to make corporal, after few more years to make sergeant etc. IOT become an officer you have to be a French citizen, go through academy with no guarantees to be posted back to the Legion.

The Legion is posted pretty much anywhere where France has any interest (former colonies, UN deployments etc.). I remember watching some stuff years ago about the Legion and they were in some places you mentioned. I don't know if that is the case any longer.

From what I've read, all the NCO's are French (The legion was put under French army control after the assassination attempt in the 50's) About 10% are Foreign Legionaries who rose up in the ranks.

You read wrong. All officers are French (IOT to be an officer you have to be a French citizen/legionnaires are foreigners). NCOs however come from the enlisted ranks. The Legion was always part of the French Army or its colonial troops. After the coup in Algeria it was almost disbanded but the French citizens decided against it so it was reduced in size, some units were disbanded (1st Parachute Regiment) and it never got to play the same role it did during its time in Algeria. After leaving its home (Algeria) the old Legion died. Don't get me wrong, the Legion is still a fine unit, just not what it used to be.

[Rbick]

You'll be too busy running around killing people and jumping out of airplanes to think about it anyway. Right?

Wrong! Most of the time you will be bored out of your mind. Even in times of war ninety percent of your time is pure boredom and BS and the rest is stuff you joined up for.

I was more being sarcastic, but yeah. Damn the lack of expression inherent with text communications! ;)

When you say you have to be a French citizen to be an officer, does that mean you can become a French citizen after living there X number of years and then becoming an officer?

[condor_b75]

When your contract is up and you decide to get out you are eligible to apply for French citizenship.

[joffe]

Of course, after arriving back in England, he was never able to visit France again, without the risk of being arrested by the French Military Pigs for desertion or being AWOL.


That's a thing of the past. Nowadays, If you desert, they usually just throw away your papers. Which can be a really shitty thing if you're in some god-forsaken place of the world without your passport.

BTW How does a recruit get to become a NCO

To become an NCO, you first have to attend the corporal's course, which used to be four months long (I don't know how long it is these days). If you don't attend the sergeant's course later, you'll remain a corporal for the rest of you career in the Legion. You might eventually be promoted to Caporal-chef or Senior corporal, which is roughly equivalent to the lowest rank of sergeant. Your career in the Legion will probably be a squad leader and/or drill instructor at one of the farms. If you attend the sergeant's course later, you'll become an NCO. The highest rank you may reach is "Major" - roughly equivalent to a Regimental Sergeant Major. If you really show promise, they may send you to the Military Academy for officer training, but don't count on it. Roughly 10 percent of the officer corps in the Legion used to be of non-French origin. Don't know how it is nowadays.

So a bit of advice to sbovisj1 (probably the best piece of advice you've ever received). Don't go!!! (You'll probably not heed my advice, but at least I've cleared my conscience and warned you). But if you still want to go, stay away from 3ème REI, jungle warfare really sucks. 2ème REP also sucks pretty much. Headquarters duty is usually good.

[condor_b75]

But if you still want to go, stay away from 3ème REI, jungle warfare really sucks. 2ème REP also sucks pretty much. Headquarters duty is usually good.

Why join if you don't want to do anything?:rolleyes:

[joffe]

Well, not joining would be the wise thing to do. But if he still decides to go, why pick the units in the Legion that suck the most? Well, I'm sure 3ème REI would be great for someone who loves guarding French rocket launch sites in French Guyana. But I've been told that their jungle warfare course is arguably the toughest in the world. 2ème REI is great if you feel really macho - well, the Legion is macho, but 2ème REI is the ephitome of macho. There are plenty of other units to choose from - 9 other regiments, if I remember correctly. All of them elite units by any standards.

[condor_b75]

I guess it all depends on one's goals. If one was looking for the best training, discipline, espirit de corps in the case of the Legion I would go for the 2nd REP or 3rd REI. Believe it or not, a lot of people want to be in the suck no matter how you cut it military service is tough in any serious unit. You will be hungry, cold/hot, eaten alive by all kinds of insects, bored out of your mind - and all that just to do fun stuff (and stuff is just a small part of the whole deal).