Should I join the French Foreign Legion?
Hi, I'm really thinking of joining the french foreign legion.. but I want to ask you guys what you think about it.. and also if you guys was at the FFL, I want to know how was it like.. how much do I get paid etc.. because 5 years contract.. it's a long time!! :) About me: I'm 18 years old, german & half asia, 1,73m for 74 KG and I live in Italy, near the French border. I'm not that sport type of guy, actually i'm a computer guy who is still studying..(but i'm not that typical fat / skinny computer guy lol) but somehow i want to change my (shitty) life, I want to be proud of myself, and also gain respect from the others e.g. family friends and also to honor my family etc.. So..should I join the FFL or ... ? :) Nagative answer welcome! Thanks, Charles
Will I still be able to join the French Foreign Legion even if I have Asperger's syndrome?
Maybe. Most military organizations will take people with various disabilities--if they can still perform at the same level as any other soldier. If AS means you would hesitate to decipher an order before obeying it, or be overloaded by noisy, chaotic situations, or be unable to communicate efficiently with superior officers, then they wouldn't be able to take you. Unfortunately, like any employer, the military can be prejudiced; and they may refuse you even if you are able to do the job. However, people with autism--usually undiagnosed at the time--have successfully served in the military. Some of them have noted that the organized military life helps them. Others were unable to make it through basic training and were given a medical discharge. If you still want to be associated with the military and it turns out you can't enlist, you have to consider that the military hires many, many civilian employees--some of them for very crucial positions. The military couldn't function without these people--and many of them are, indeed, disabled. The civilian employees are hired under the same non-discrimination standards as anyone else--that is, if you can do the job, you're considered the same as any other applicant.
Is It Worth Joining French Foreign Legion?
Here are your options [1] before you even think about going over there you MUST be able to speak fluent french if you don't you'll be beaten up until you do learn [2] The selection for the legion is fairly tough and you HAVE to be really fit [3] It's 5 years of your life there's no getting out early unless your dead or badly injured [4] Imagine the very worst neighbourhood you've ever come across then imagine your a beat cop or on your own in that neighbourhood and you have to fight your way out of trouble 24/7 THAT's the legion job go to trouble spots, sort out the mess, keep the peace [5] There is a good chance that you will be killed, or maimed , or badly injured in the service of another country . So the question has to be asked if your willing to do that for another country WHY don't you do it for your OWN country [6] Think long and hard Dude it's not the glamorous life it's made out to be
Considering joining the French Foreign Legion, has anyone ever done it?
In 1997 I was study abroad in Provence and when the summer was over I didn't want to leave. I went down to the recruiting office in Aubange and started processing. The BSLE will interrogate you over again, you will be given kitchen or yard work... the entire time they are watching your behaviour. Every little thing during selection is a test. They are very selective and make you take IQ and PT tests. You go through 3 phases and at last sign a contract. Good news is you get paid during the entire selection process. You are shipped off to the 4th training regiment for 4 months of the hardest boot camp in the world. You start language lessons day one, you drill, learn infantry tactics, do regular PT and march your *** off. Your training is harder than regular army but you are treated the same. The old sayings about being treated like **** in La Legion are not true now. Chow time is the best of any Army, even the MREs are gourmet. You will be stationed in remote areas in jungles or deserts, you will do things for the community, likely do peace keeping. I was an ISAF trainer in Astan for a tour. You will bivouac more than most soldiers but when you get into deployments you get access to internet. You will know the FAMAS inside and out and whatever specialty you are in. You will know more hookers than most men should as you aren't allowed to marry until a second contract. Sports and workouts are a big part of a soldiers life in France. The facilities on base are like health spas, very nice. Healthcare is first rate. Essentials of life are provided. Looking at the pay schedule you won't think it is much, but I was able to save enough for a small house. After 15 years you get a pension. If you are wounded they let you live on a vineyard on Sainte-Victoire mountain relaxing with wine and sun. FFL wine is served everywhere in the service so I hope you like it. After 3 years you are given a French passport and entitled to all benefits of citizenship. I married a young French girl and live very happily.
Could I join the French Foreign Legion even though I have sciliosis?
I want to join the Legion because of the same reason thousands join:I feel like a failure in life and I hate myself! Here are the reasons 1)I can't stand living with my parents.They keep criticizing me,telling me to do things I hate such as become a doctor,and say things to lower my selfesteem such as calling me hideously ugly.Iam the most hated in my family.They hate me for not being a high grade student.All the attention goes to my intelligent brother( who my parents call handsome). 2)There is a girl in my school who is dating a marine.I have a huge crush on this girl!She is so beautiful!She has pretty blonde hair,is tall,has nice fair skin, and has gorgeous blue-green eyes!She refused to be my girlfriend and has chosen that marine over me!I hate MYSELF! 3)mANY KIDS LOOK DOWN ON ME FOR BEING FAT and use to being the smartest kid who everyone though will go to college.I want to join the Legion so I could become way tougher than they will ever be and way better than they are!
Considering maybe joining the French Foreign Legion?
I was a Trooper in the TA for 2 years and I'm considering maybe joining the French Foreign Legion. Reason is theres F*** all for me back here. Trouble was I was discharged on a medical for a stupid reason. Anyone whos been and done it, like to hear from you with advice and experiences.
If I join the French Foreign Legion, can I come back to USA?
Many have joined, served and returned to the United States. That will be the least of your issues. The bigger is going back to the life/ area you used to live because you’re not the same person at all.You spent the last 5 years being called let’s say “Steve Rogers” and you spoke French, you swore in French, you dreamt in French, you had sex in French, you met/talked/got drunk/argued with people from all around the world with different view points but it was in French, you were in a war speaking French as “Steve Rogers”. So now go back home to your old name of “Hank Stevens”, but who is this “Hank Stevens” guy? Your name may be your old name, but is the “new Hank Stevens” a better version of the old one? Or worse or some of both? What if anything did you tell your family about joining/being in the French Foreign Legion? I told my family I was serving in various NGO's in Africa. When I came back and they saw my leg and it missing part of my quad and hamstring, I told them I got caught in the middle of a civil war and was wounded trying to provide medical aid. ( I was shot in a civil war, providing medical aid, they did not need to know I was in uniform when it happened.)One thing brought up to me from back in the days before the internet, we did not know what was happening back in our old country: sports, politics, what is hot or new or trendy. I remember reading the year in review magazines to catch up with some of those things.For me I went to school and got several degrees in Medicine, that time allowed me to use the good I learned and unlearn a couple of the bad things and I was around people who did not know me prior to joining so they along with myself got to learn who the new person was in my old name.Plus if you’re the type of person who wants people to say thanks for your service or have a FFL bumper sticker on the back of your tuk tuk or big mud tyre jacked up truck you won’t get that from anyone. And if you’re having PTSD issues you won’t get help from the military medical services in the states, nor in my country in Scandinavia either.