Well, I know that this forum is generally about UK military matters, but given that it's a 'military' forum I think that it's appropriate to post this here. It seems there's been a distinct lack of info about the FFL on the forum, so I thought I'd rectify....
To begin with, here's a reasonably comprehensive post from a Foreign Legion board.
La Legion Etrangére
Joining the French Foreign Legion is a relatively simple task. In simple terms all that is required is to present yourself in front of the gates of the French Foreign Legion and inform the guard that you wish to enlist. When you arrive at the gates of one of the recruiting centres ,most people, wherever they come from, manage to mumble a few words to express a wish to join - some of which include Legion Etrangere. The Legionnaire on duty knows exactly what you've come for - particularly if you've got a bag over your shoulder. For the most hassle free route into the Legion you should make your way down to Aubagne near Marseille in the south. This approach will cut out 2-3 days administration at one of the other "sub recruiting centres". It is illegal for France to advertise a career in the Foreign Legion in any other country than its own, but you will see posters all over France saying "Regarde la Vie Autrement" promoting you to "Have a look at the alternative life" - images of hardened Legionnaires stood in their Tenue De Garde gazing across the desert sands. When you first arrive they will take your details and kit you out with a track suit. Apart from an initial medical and the signing of a provisional five year contract there is little to do here. Your time will be spent working on the Quartier (Camp) doing any jobs that are in need of being done until a reasonable number of engages volontaires have turned up. Once you have been at the sub-recruiting centre for a few days and there are enough recruits ready, a Caporal Chef or a Sergent will accompany you down to Aubagne itself to start the three week selection procedure. This journey is nearly always taken by train. The age limits are officially 18-40. Candidates over seventeen and one day are accepted but must have a written consent from either parent, made out in front of an official witness. All expenses to get to France must be paid for by yourself. Although the recruiting ages will extend to forty years of age - they will expect you to be in good shape if you are of that vintage. If the Legion does not think that you look like you're going to be up to it - they can turn you away without even giving you a crack at the first test. Once you have walked through the Legion gates you are allowed no further contact with the outside world - neither by phone or by mail, for at least three to four months.
The sooner you're speaking fluent French and are classed as a "Francophone" (French speaking person) the sooner life becomes easier - You don't have to rely on the French members of your Section or Groupe to translate after every assembly. It will also mean less press-ups and running around because of misunderstood orders.Remember that the top dogs during basic training are given a choice of which Regiment they are sent to on completion of "L 'Instruction" (Basic training). If you are deemed to be a good enough recruit they will probably offer you a place as a Caporal (Corporal) at Castelnaudary. This assessment will depend very much on the standard of your conversational French as well as your soldiering skills. The written side of the French language is not so important at this stage and will not become really important until much later on in your career.
Aubugne and the Selection Procedure:
Aubagne is situated about an hour's train journey north of Marseille and it is here that you will begin and end your service with the French Foreign Legion. It is also the home of the ler REI and the Legion Band. The guartier (Camp) is sometimes known as the Mother regiment of the Legion. The Legion must now decide for sure whether or not to take you into the fold. It is here that they will find out about your past,they will test you mentally, physically and psychologically. You will be assessed and watched very closely. Any misconduct (Particularly fighting and ill-discipline) will leave you standing on the outside of the Quartier gates. The Legion are not looking for nutters, psychopaths or macho men. They will also attempt to find out any details about any crimes that you have committed in the past. They work very closely with Interpol and if you happen to be on their wanted list you can expect little refuge in the Legion. You will be handed straight over to the Gendarmes. Similarly, anybody found to be still serving with a foreign army will be denied entry to the Foreign Legion. It is therefore advisable to carry your discharge papers if you have recently left the forces and have the appearance of having had a military background. In days gone by the Legion used to accept almost anyone into their fold. Today however, the story is a little different and they are much more choosy as to who they accept. About two thirds of those who arrive at Aubagne will go on to commence basic training at Castelnaudary. Although the Legion is more choosy they are still keen to recruit.Because there is so much mis-information about the Foreign Legion there are sometimes men who resemble little more than beggars who turn up at the Legion's gates to join - people whose teeth are rotting, are grossly overweight or have vile infections - they are all turned away. On arrival at Aubagne your belongings will be removed and deposited in a plastic bag with a record of all its contents put on file. If during the first three weeks you decide to leave (And you are allowed to do this at any time prior to "La Declaration"- a solemn declaration of fidelity to serve the French Foreign Legion) or are deemed to be unsuitable for service with the French Foreign Legion they will all be returned to you. The only items of kit that may be retained by you are toiletries, a watch, underwear and socks and a French dictionary/phrase book. If however you are accepted into the Legion the clothing is lost forever - do not therefore wear expensive clothing when you come to enlist. Your passport will also be removed until you either opt to leave within the three weeks selection or at the end of your contract. For these first three weeks you will be assigned to duties around the Quartier. They may be cleaning, gardening, administration, loading or unloading of vehicles or just helping in the stores. In fact you can be assigned to just about anything. Even here you are being watched and if a bad attitude is shown it will be noted. There will probably be up to about fifty or sixty engages volontaires at Aubagne at any one time, all at various stages of their three weeks selection. A coach load of new recruits arrives every couple of days and likewise, every day, some are rejected. Once every couple of weeks a coach load of the successful E.V's (Engages volontaires) are taken down to the train station to make their way to Castelnaudary to begin their basic training. During your first few days you will be amazed at the diversity of nationalities that have managed to get themselves all the way to France - people from China, Japan, America, Africa, Iceland. In fact - any country in the world. There are approximately ninety to a hundred different nationalities serving in the French Foreign Legion at any one time. Officially however, there are no Frenchmen in the Foreign Legion (Apart from the Officers). Any French people who join have their identity changed along with their nationality to one of French Canadian or French Swiss for the purpose of their records. They have no choice in this matter. There are some people amongst you though, who have had a very colorful life - some have been terrorists, drug traffickers, mercenaries - you name it they've done it. But for all these people the same
rule applies that if they are wanted by Interpol -it's no go. If for any reason you want your identity changed and you are open and honest with the interviewer, it is nowadays a very simple step to take and probably 80% of Legionnaires choose to take this road. For some it is a very serious business and if ever they have inadvertently had their picture taken by swarming journalists (As in the Gulf war) and are aware of it they will very quickly see their Section Lieutenant to arrange a quick change of identity. (Normally if any journalists are known to be in the area, the Legionnaires present are asked it they have a problem with journalists - if they do - they are taken out of that area and kept well out of the way until the media have left. If, during your stay at Aubagne any relatives come looking for you they will be kept at the main gates. You will be asked if you wish to see them and if you do not they will be told politely that you are not in the Legion and asked to leave.
After a minimum of three years service in the Legion a legionnaire is allowed to rectify his name - meaning to revert back to his original name or to confirm that the name being used is correct. Once this is done a Legionnaire is allowed to wear any foreign medals earned in a previous army, he may also leave the country during permission. For the first week you will be in a track suit and thereby identifiable as having just arrived. During the second week you will be issued a set of combats and will wear a green flash on the shoulders. In the third week you will wear the same combats but wearing a red flash on the epaulettes. When you depart for Castelnaudary you will be wearing the uniform that has officially been issued, which includes the Legion beret. There are five main areas that you will be tested/assessed on during the three weeks. They are as follows:
Physical health-Psychotechnical Test-Security clearance-Physical fitness-Two interviews.
You will pass before the doctors at Aubagne and given a full medical. Tests will include good all round general health, bone structure, flexibility of limbs and all bodily movements, heart and lungs, eyesight, hearing, ear, nose throat inspection, drug tests, blood tests, urine tests. Every area that is imaginable will be inspected. If there are any areas that require further investigation, you will be taken to the Hospital in Toulon. You will be asked various questions on your medical history with someone of your own tongue. If your eyesight is only slightly defective then you will probably still be allowed in and glasses will be provided for you at Castelnaudary. The glasses are specifically designed for use with the NBC (Nucleaire, Biologique, et chimique) respirator.
Pschotechnical Test. (Groupe D'Evaluation Psychotechnique)
This is broken down into two parts. The two parts will examine the aptitude of the candidate, the level of intelligence and the psychological stability. Niveau General et Niveau Culturel. These written tests will be taken in a classroom with other engages volontaires. They are done to try and find out what you trade or skill you might be suited to in the Foreign Legion. You might be technically minded or have a mechanical way of thinking. The test will show diagrams of pulleys or levers and you may be asked to work out which one would be the most effective at carrying out the task illustrated in the diagram. Another part of the test takes the standard form of a mathematical questions. This test of intelligence test is not particularly hard and most pass without any real problem. Some of the questions may be using shapes and asking which one fits into the other or working out the next number in a sequence. A final written test done in the classroom are in your own tongue and will pose questions of an opinionated nature - perhaps requiring some form of self assessment. Your answers will be assessed by a specialist afterwards. Questions may seem bizarre to you - they could be something like: Do you like nature? Are you considered to be a hard man in your home town? Do you prefer male company to female? This test will take about twenty minutes. Depending on your score - you will be allowed entry into the French Foreign Legion. The scores achieved will also determine whether or not you will be able to progress higher up the rank structure at a later date.
Security Clearance. (Beaureau Des Statistiques de la Legion Etrangere - BSLE)
Here, it is up to the Legion to decide whether or not to accept you into their fold from the security point of view. But they will make every effort to find out every detail about you starting from the year dot. The information will be gathered by means of a personal interview between yourself and someone of your own tongue. This is part of the French Foreign Legion Intelligence service and they are very good at their job. They are referred to as "Le Gestapo" by the Legionnaires. Although the Legion will accept people of various backgrounds they will not accept murderers or those they consider to be of a dangerous nature. They have in the past accepted former terrorists and people caught up in the troubles of their country. For these people it is a chance to escape any danger they might be in and to start life again. The interview will take about two hours and they will delve into every minute detail of your life; your family, your schooling - your previous jobs - why you want to join. They will ask you about your friends, where you have been in the world. And if they feel they are not happy with your story they will invite you back again for further interviews until they are happy. Your fingerprints will also be taken during this stage and held on record.
Physical Fitness. (La Forme Physique)
These tests are done to ensure that you are in a reasonable condition to take on the tasks that lie ahead at Castelnaudary. As well as various upper body tests in the form of pull-ups and sit ups there is a 2600 metre run to be completed in twelve minutes. If you take longer than the time allowed then you will have failed selection. (this equates to just over a mile and a half in 12 mins or just over eight minute miles). Failures are allowed to re-apply in three months time.
Interviews. (Les entrevues)
There will be a brief interview, probably with a Caporal Chef and a second interview with the Major. Both interviews will take on a similar line of questioning - Why do you want to join? What have you done in your previous life? Have you done much physical training in your life? Do you know and understand what the contract means? Soon after you have had your second interview you will be informed of whether or not you have been accepted into the French Foreign Legion.
At Aubagne the days will start early, probably at about 5.00am, firstly with Le petit dejeuner (breakfast) - a bowl of hot coffee or chocolate with some bread, butter and jam. The coffee will be served in a bowl which you drink from. This is France now and you will learn to do everything the French way. As you become known to more and more Legionnaires you will quickly learn that it is also customary to shake hands first thing in the morning or for the first time you meet them during the day. This happens every day. There is much to do during the three weeks at Aubagne, so you will quickly be marched back to the block to start cleaning. After this the days' activities will begin. It could be any one of the tests previously mentioned or it could be something more mundane like cleaning or helping out in the I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!!. Throughout each day you will be working in one place or another, getting called away to carry out another test or interview and then returning to your present job. If you're not doing either of these things then you will be getting to know the other engages volontaires in a sort of a recreational area at the back of the building. Here there is a pull up bar and trees to sit under and relax. The days are long and they can be tiring but it is also an interesting time for you. You are on the edge of an unknown quantity - about to embark on a great adventure - with some fairly bizarre and adventurous members of your planet. You will probably come across those that like to pull up a sandbag and tell tall stories - take the things you hear with a pinch of salt. Especially when it comes to what lies ahead. You are essentially now in the French Foreign Legion and it is a tough army with a tough lifestyle. You must stand up for yourself and don't get walked over. But be warned that if you are caught fighting and causing trouble - then you will be turned away. At Castelnaudary they will be more lenient - and it is sometimes required in life, to earn some respect, not least of all in the French Foreign Legion. Here, however - if they see you as a trouble maker then you will soon find yourself packing your bags. There will probably be two days out of the three weeks that will be spent at one of two Legion camps helping out:
Malmousce and Puyoublier.
Malmousce is a small Legion complex situated on the seafront close to Marseille. It is an idyllic setting and it's purpose is to provide for Legionnaires who have no family or friends, a place for them to spend their Permission(Holiday). They will go here or alternatively to "Fort De Nogent" in Paris. As an engage volontaire you will more than likely be taken here to Malmousce to carry out any jobs that are necessary - such as odd jobbing or helping out in the I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!!. There will probably be about ten to fifteen Legionnaires there at any one time, all at various stages of their contract. For them, during the weeks they spend there, life is easy and they will probably be more than happy to tell you about life in the Legion and what's in store for you. The food is normally of a high standard as it is on most Legion camps. The other place that you, as an engage volontaire will be likely to visit is Puyoublier. This is the home for the former Legionnaires who have completed more than three contracts in the Legion. In the Legion such men are known as "Les Anciens ". Most of them have seen action on more than one occasion during their careers.Some have seen a lot of action in some of the Legion's most memorable battles. They are friendly people and only too happy to talk to "Les Jeunes "(The in-experienced or latest to arrive). At Puyoublier the men make their own wine and work the land. There are livestock to look after and even a crafts centre where they make souvenirs to sell to tourists. It is their home - they eat well - have company they can relate to - and they of course drink well. Puyoublier continues to give them a purpose in life. Your job whilst there will again be to help out wherever needed. By this stage you will be beginning to learn what hard work is all about. During your time at Aubagne you will be getting paid a small amount of money. With this money you will be allowed, probably once a week, to go to the Foyer (A bar with small shop attached - There is one on every guartier) - you will be allowed an hour or so to have a beer or two and buy anything you need such as razors, cigarettes etc.
At some time during the three weeks you will also be interviewed (albeit it in a very casual manner) on the subject of music. That is whether or not you play an instrument or have any inclination to become a musician and any desire to play in the Legion band. The Legion band is always keen to recruit - any hint of interest and you will be encouraged all the way in this direction. No- one is ever forced to join the band however. All bandsmen go through French Foreign Legion basic training just the same as any other Legionnaire. After a long three weeks of cleaning, tests and interviews you will finally be told whether you have passed the selection procedure or not. The successful ones will be issued with the Legion haircut and be taken down to the stores to be kitted out with Le Paquetage. This is the equipment that you will take with you to Castelnaudary and last you through your contract. It will be contained within a large green sausage bag called a Sac Moraine. When you have been issued your paquetage you will know that very soon you will commencing basic training with the French Foreign Legion. At this stage there is only one more thing left to do - that is the solemn declaration of honour and fidelity to serve the French Foreign Legion. For this you will be assembled in a large room which oozes tradition. Thirty to forty of you will be assembled to form three sides of a square. There will be a short speech by the Major declaring that you have been officially accepted into the ranks of the Foreign Legion, with whom you will serve for five years with honour and faithfulness. The Major will then go up to each engage volontaire, call his name out and hand him his contract. The Legionnaire will acknowledge receipt of the contract by coming to the gardez-vous position (attention position) and calling out "Present Major". At approx 5.00 am the next morning you will be assembled ready for pick up by coach to be taken to the Aubagne train station. There you will board a train to take you to Castelnaudary. The Sergent and the Caporal who escort you in the morning will be part of your training team during the four months that lie ahead. Castelnaudary - L 'Instruction - Basic Training. "Quite singly the best way to get on during instruction is not to get noticed, keep your head down, work hard, don't moan, mix with the French and start learning the language. It will come amazingly quickly and if you can speak French, you'll get less hassle"
This is the real beginning of your time in the French Foreign Legion "Arbeit macht Frei".
Everything so far has been merely selection. It is now that the real work begins. You are brand spanking new to the system and are about to embark on a very steep learning curve.... Basic training is not aimed at producing elite soldiers out of you. It is aimed at bringing you all into a military way of thinking and to start instilling some form of military discipline. Coupled with this, they must start getting you to grips with learning the French language and conditioning you physically to the rigours that lie ahead. There is therefore a lot of work to be done by both the training team and the recruits during the four months basic training. It is after basic training that soldiering skills are taught in depth at the Regiment that you are posted to. That is not to say that you are not taught military skills during basic training - only that the skills may not be so in depth and so well honed at this stage. This four months basic training will also be teaching you one more thing - and certainly the hardest element of all to an engage volontaire - and that is the "Legion way of doing things".
It may not be the most logical way or the simplest way, it may seem like the most stupid, ridiculous method in the world - but it is done that way and you are going to do it that way - even if it takes all night and all the next day. They may send one man to do the job of ten or ten men to do the job of one. It will drive you to insanity at the time but what it is doing is re-affirming military discipline into your very new way of life. If you can prepare yourself for this and accept their way of getting the job done, then you're well on your way to becoming a "Bon Legionnaire". This is the part of Foreign Legion life that is most difficult to adapt to. Physically the Foreign Legion is not that hard - mentally it can crack you down the middle - especially those from the Western world. It may take you the whole of your five year contract to become fully at home with this mentality and the Legion way of doing things. You may find that there is a Caporal or Sergent of the same nationality as your own. Often they will be more friendly to their own nationality and keep you slightly more informed as to what is on the agenda during the coming days. Tread carefully in this area however and assume nothing.
On arrival at Castelnaudary railway station you will be picked up by a Legion coach and taken to the Quartier (guartier Capitaine Danjou). You will at all times be accompanied by the Caporaux or Sergents. Having unloaded all the Sacs Moraines (Long sausage shaped green bags) into the corridor, there will be a briefing by one of the Caporaux telling you what is next on the agenda. The first day will be spent unpacking bags and getting you into the routines that will very quickly become a way of life. Depending on the training team - and they all have their own way of doing things - your first day will probably be even more stressful than usual. In most armies around the world there is a routine of traumatising the recruits during their first days - creating as big a shock for them as possible. There will be silence in the corridors when lined up. Feet will be exactly in line with the second row of floor tiles. Anybody talking, whispering or behaving like a civilian will be reprimanded in the most extreme manner probably in the form of a good dig to the body. Head and eyes to the front and best you keep it that way. For those that come from Eastern block countries this is not at all easy. They have come from backgrounds far removed from the culture of the West. They are inherently less disciplined and prone to being the target of the enthusiasm of the Caporaux. You may well find yourself doing press- ups on account of them. Throughout the day they will run you through what is known as the "Apel". This is a routine of lining up in the corridor and calling out from left to right a number. The number starts at one and continues up to however many there are of you. You may all be lined up in a different order every time you come out into the corridor, so it is important that you learn very quickly how to count in French.Whatever you are doing in the room - it is dropped immediately and you must get out into the corridor and line up against the wall before the Caporal has reached the count of four. The Apel is always done first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but initially you will do it perhaps twenty or thirty times in a day. This is purely to teach you how to count and as a method of asserting discipline and authority upon you. It will not obviously stop everybody else making mistakes and you will still be going in and out of the room like a yo-yo. But at least you will get it right and it's one less thing for you to have to learn. When you later have to line up for a Company parade you will have to learn the rest of the numbers in French, but this is not worth worrying about at the moment. There are two other reasons for needing to learn the numbers as soon as possible. Firstly; you will have been issued a service number and there will also be a number for your FAMAS. Your service number is known as your "Matricule" and is a six figure number. You must learn how to say it in French and learn it by heart. The Caporaux will teach it to you and you will be expected to know it by heart after a week or two. It will not be very long before you are introduced to your FAMAS assault rifle - This number must also be committed to memory. If you can learn these numbers quickly then you will not be the one that feels the might of a size ten boot when the Sergent has been calling out the weapon number six times at the armoury doors (Le Magasine). Apart from learning your numbers there will be the allocation of beds and lockers and a demonstration by one of the Caporaux on how to arrange your Paquetage into the armoire (locker) in the correct way. There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything in the Legion - if the kit is not placed in the correct place it will soon end up on the floor. There is no food to be kept in the locker at any time and there is a very small shelf which is allocated for personal belongings. (Of which you will have very few). As an engage volontaire you will be assigned to another - he will be referred to as your "Binome". It is up to you to help each other. If he's French - he can help you a lot, and he will be expected to. "It goes without saying that as a recruit you must always carry a pen and notepad. Carry three pens - One for yourself, one for when it stops working and one for the binome next to you who has forgotten his" For the first two weeks there are only a few items of kit that you have to worry about. The first is the boots. These must be well polished and there is plenty of opportunity to do that. If nothing is happening - i.e. between lectures, then the Legionnaires will gather downstairs and polish their boots. You may well find yourself polishing the boots five, six or even seven times a day. The green combat uniform that is worn on a daily basis is not ironed in the Legion ( I still have my Jacket). Neither is the Tenue de Sport (PT kit). But it must be clean at all times. There are no washing machines in basic training so all the kit is cleaned by hand with a block of Savon Marseille (Soap) in the wash basins. Then hung out to dry on the clothes lines of the balconies attached to each room. (The clothes lines are below balcony level and therefore not visible from the outside of the building). The beret that has been issued to you will last only two weeks before being replaced with a smaller neater one which sits much more neatly on the head. The tassel at the back of the beret should lie directly down the centre of the back of the head. The Legion badge will then sit slightly to the right of the right eye. Unlike some armies where a blue beret is issued until training has been completed - in the Legion it is the Kepi that you earn. The beret issued in the Legion is green in colour from day one. The flap being folded down to the left. If you wish to shape the beret to your head, you can make it wet and then squeeze it until damp, then put it on your head for shaping to the exact shape and position required. You will be paid approximately F1500 per month during L 'Instruction. This will be paid into your CNE account which is held by the L 'Adjudant de Section. When you are allowed to go to the Foyer - you will be given some money. This is not likely to happen very often during the four months of Instruction. Everything will be provided for you during basic training, even down to your toothbrush, toothpaste, razors etc. At some time during your Instruction you will be allowed to go into the town for a few hours. Here again you will be paid about F200-F300 to have a beer and buy anything you need. Once you have been posted to your regiment, the foyer will become a regular watering hole - chosen in preference to going through all the hassle of preparing your tenue to exit the Quartier. No formal dress need be worn in the Foyer - even Tenue de sport is permitted.
Les Chants
It will not take long for the instructors to introduce you to the singing which forms an integral part of the French Foreign Legion's tradition. The Legion sings on the march, at the Gardez-vous (attention position), sometimes on the run as a section, and around camp fires when on non-tactical exercises at the end of a long day. You will probably first be taught Le Boudin along with Le Chant (de la) Companie plus Le Chant Du Regiment. There may be as many as fifteen or twenty songs learnt during the four months basic training. How many you learn depends very much on you all as a Section. The more French speaking people there are in the Section, the easier it is to learn, and so the more songs you will learn. If there are only a few Francophones (French speaking people) in the section the songs may well be taught to you phonetically. What this means is that a German will read out the words as they should sound in German and you will write them down as they sound to you in your tongue. Le Boudin is probably the most famous of all the Legion Songs.It is also the only song that must be sung at the Gardez vous position. The first verse of Le Boudin is often all that is sung, for example prior to eating a meal. It goes like this:
Le Boudin:
Tiens. Voila du Boudin, voila du boudin, voila du boudin, Pour les Alsaciens, les Suisses et les Lorrains, Pour les Belges y en a plus, pour les Belges y en a plus, Ce sont des tireurs au coup, Tireurs au coup.
The first few weeks singing will undoubtedly result in some very sore arms. This will be through all the press-ups that you will be doing in a bid to get you to sing in tune.
Cleaning.
Each room is responsible for its cleanliness. There is not an excessive emphasis on the rooms but they are inspected on a daily basis. They are also walked around at the end of the day by the Caporal Chef/Sergent who is taking the evening Apel. There is no smoking allowed in the building but engages will often try to sneak one on the balcony. Smoking is however allowed, but downstairs and outside. Everyday, first thing in the morning and after lunch before being fell in there is the daily Corvet Quartier. This comprises of the Company forming a line and walking very slowly around the building. At each corner of the building the line is stopped and reformed to face a new direction. Since the buildings at Castelnaudary are in an "L-shape" there are six straight lines to form before progressing in each new direction. All the time you are looking for cigarette ends, litter or rose petals that have fallen in the wind. There are constant yells of ?Silence by the Caporal du Jour which often fall on deaf ears and inevitably ends up in everybody doing press-ups. This ritual of Corvette Quartier will continue until you have reached Caporal status or above. (About two years normally). In each building there are two Sections of Legionnaires undergoing basic training. The older Section will be able to socialize with you almost everyday when downstairs polishing boots or smoking cigarettes. As you might expect they will try to fill you full of horror stories about what lies ahead. They will more than likely exaggerate to the extreme. So take anything you hear with a pinch of salt. Most of it will be rubbish.
Bel Air, La ferme - Bel Air, the farm.
The big horror story you will undoubtedly hear about from day one is Bel Air. This is a large farm building situated in the countryside about ten miles from Castelnaudary. All the Sections go to Bel Air after about four weeks for a period of three weeks. Whilst there you will undergo training in weapons handling,(Particularly stripping and assembly of the FAMAS), weapon cleaning, physical fitness, navigation (By compass and by the stars), French language, an introduction to fieldcraft (setting up bivouacs, camouflage and concealment, target indication, first aid, fire control orders, patrolling, ambushes), drill and arms drill, marching and of course lots of singing. As mentioned previously - they are not out to make you into elite soldiers at this stage - more to get you into a military way of thinking, improve your physical fitness and to try to get you talking in French. The soldiering skills are honed later on in your career. There will be pressures placed upon you and these will take the form of sleep deprivation, keeping you as stressed and traumatized as possible by shouting and requiring everything to be done in double quick time. Coupled with that there will be very little to eat. The days will be long and you will become very, very tired. Still the pressure will be on you. Here there will be many inspections of your equipment, your boots (Polish the whole of the boot whilst at Bel Air - the underside as well). Also mark them well, as they may be thrown out of the window with everyone else's (even if yours are clean). Ideally, you will want the same pair back when you go to recuperate them at the end of the night. Each day at Bel Air will start early, at around 5.00 am and by six o'clock you will be doing the morning Sport or Le Petit-footing. This will take about an hour and because there are varying degrees of fitness amongst you, the Section will normally be divided up into three groups of varying ability. You will all do the same training - just that you will all be pushed to the maximum. There will be four to five mile runs,un-armed combat, sit-ups, press ups, pull ups, rope climbing (No legs allowed), firemans carry and any other games the training team can devise to get the blood flowing faster. Although the running will tend to get faster over the three weeks the upper body strengthening exercises may not achieve as much since the food intake is limited and the pull ups, press ups and rope climbing exercises are carried out as much as two or three times a day. Before each meal the Caporaux will gather you round and there will be what is referred to as the L 'Aperitif - a series of three or four of the above exercises which are carried out.
The three weeks at Bel Air culminates in a fifty kilometre non-tactical march with Sac a Dos (Rucksack) and FAMAS. You have three days to complete the march but it is normally done in two. This is the only test before you receive your Kepi Blanc. It is often argued by Legionnaires that the Kepi Blanc should only be received after the Le Raid at the end of basic training when a much longer march is carried out. This thirty-miler is not hard and by this stage you will already have marched many times from Bel Air back to the Quartier. If you have been a soldier in any army prior to joining the Legion, you will have heard of many methods of how to harden your feet. Examples may be rubbing white spirit into your feet, urinating on them, switching them from the hottest water you can bear to the coldest water you can bear. Most people find that the best way to wear in your feet is to march a lot - and that you will. And preferably in boots that are well worn in. Legion boots generally are not a bad fit anyway, even when new. There may be some truth in the notion that submersing badly fitting boots in water when new and going for a couple of miles on a run will help wear them in quicker, but you are unlikely to be in a position to put this method into practice in the Legion. Feet do heal very quickly and there is always a foot and body inspection after every march. Do not, if you have the chance however rip the skin off a blister to expose open flesh. Any insertion into a fluid filled blister should be made with a sterilized needle merely to drain the fluid inside the blister out. The foot should of course be cleaned before such action. Do not bother with ointment or dressings unless it's really bad; just put a clean pair of socks on. Before you know it you will have different set of blisters to worry about.
Quartier Libre - Time off down the town.
At some time before the Section departs for a weeks training in the Pyrenees there will be guartier Libre (Time off down the town) - Assuming that is if the Section has performed reasonably well up till then. For this you will be allowed four hours out down in the town of Castelnaudary and you will be given about F200 francs to spend. The Section is transported in Tenue De Sortie (uniform for going out in) by camion (Lorry) to the old Quartier - Quartier Lepasset, again in Castelnaudary where basic training used to take place. You are on your own whilst out in the town, but there are Police Militaire (PM's) everywhere and the rules are strict. Nobody is to eat in public, drink or be loud. Most Legionnaires go to a bar and get drunk and then try their best to act sober. Most of them do a pretty good job and the training team does not really mind so long as the Legionnaires behave themselves. This is prime time to get ahead. Spend the first two hours sorting out your admin - i.e. getting anything you need and making phone calls. (A paintbrush is worth buying. It can be used for weapon cleaning and is invaluable as a cleaning tool for the likes of the magazines and the bayonet. (There is a brush in the weapon cleaning kit but the bristles are too thick). A bottle of iodine is also worth getting, for sterilizing infections or blisters). Most of the things that you need on a day to day basis are available in the Foyer back at the Quartier, but there is always something you might need and it may be some time before you're allowed out again. This will also be your first opportunity to make a phone call. If there has not been too much trouble on the first trip then a second trip may be allowed about a month or two later. There is also a town called Carcassonne not very far away from Castelnaudary which is the home town of the French Paras. The Legion is reluctant to allow engages there due to the trouble that normally ensues. When you arrive at your regiment you are allowed to leave the Quartier in the evening after work and stay out until six o'clock the next morning assuming that everything is in order and ready for the next day. You will pass before the Bureau Compagnie who will inspect you. Then you must present yourself before the Chef de Post at the main gate - who will decide whether or not to let you out or not. Quartier Libre on a Regiment refers to a thirty six hour period over the week end. Not every weekend is Quartier libre allocated. The same routine applies when it is granted however. Shortly after having been on guartier Libre, there will be a trip into the Pyrenees - a small village called Camurac. An idyllic farmhouse setting in beautiful countryside where you will be continuing your training but in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. There will be the usual Petit footing (Running) at some time of the day but most of your time will be spent marching in the Pyrenees. It may be tactical or non-tactical, depending on the training team. There will be an introduction to climbing and abseiling at some stage during the week's stay. At least a few evenings will be spent in the mountains drinking wine around the camp fire singing Legion songs. (The fires that the Legion make are not small bonfires - but more like mini Guy Fawkes nights). It is a slightly more relaxing time than usual - but as always assume nothing. On arrival back at Castelnaudary it will be back to business as usual and this, if it hasn't happened already, could well take the form of the La Piste De Cornbat (The assault course). This pleasure is experienced about once a month and is located about five kilometres up the road from Castel. It must be said that this is one of the hardest assault courses in the WORLD and in total, makes up a length of about five hundred metres; an internal circuit followed by an external circuit. All the obstacles have a certain amount of technique required and they will all be shown to you by the training team. Although no equipment is worn it is very, very knackering, but it is good. Now that the greater half of your training is completed there is now a large proportion of training which comprises of Guarde and Corvet around the Quartier. This is, in a way - a sort of training for what to expect at your Regiment. Every day, or for at least a few days of each week, some or all of the Section will be involved in such tasks as corvet mess officiers (Working in the Officers mess), corvet mess sous-officiers Working in the Sergents and above mess), Le Garde (Guard duty on the main gate) Corvet refectoire (Working in the Legionnaires mess) or Corvet Foyer ( working in the Foyer). None of these jobs are particularly hard, but it will certainly teach anybody who doesn't already know what a good days work is all about. You will work long hard days - and that is life in the French Foreign Legion. If you are working in the refectoire, mess ogiciers or mess sous-officiers you will have the bonus of extra food during the day. All this will be done when you arrive at your regiment as there is always a Compagnie de Corvet responsible for the chores and the guard to be done around the Quartier. Each company takes it in turn to carry out these tasks.
Le Garde - The Guard Duty.
The one task that does require intensive preparation is Le Garde - this is a privileged position of responsibility. Although under the direction of the Sergent and the Caporal du Jour, you are the front line in the Quartier's defence. You will be armed with FAMAS and have live rounds in the magazine. For the Guarde there will be six Legionnaires, a Caporal and a Sergent. There will also be a "Clairon" (a bugler) allocated to your Groupe. The guard takes place from six in the morning until six o'clock the following morning. The preparation is just as important as doing the Guard duty itself. The weather can vary enormously throughout the year but in the summertime temperatures can reach up to a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. The Tenue de Garde is worn, which in summertime means fifteen creases in the shirt. If it is wintertime then the brown jacket and trousers are worn. This is easier to iron and there is not the heat to contend with. Whatever uniform is worn, the Epaulettes de Tradition are also worn on the shoulders. The FAMAS (Personal weapons) are drawn early in the morning and wiped thoroughly to remove any excess oil. Even the slightest mark will stain the summer shirt badly. Make sure you have a hanky with you. There is normally an assistant attached to each group of six to assist in tucking up the trousers under the elastics to make a neat finish and to fetch and carry. They are basically there to perform any other tasks necessary to ensure a smooth operation of the Garde. Although the Legion does not normally bother too much about bullshit and ironing of the normal working uniform - in this area of turnout they really do excell themselves. The boots are still not bulled however, but the ironing must be spot on. It is also here that you will wear the "Centurion Bleu" - the wide blue band that is worn underneath the combat belt. Because the blue band is so long (about six feet) it requires two people to put it on, one holds it out straight and the other holds the start of the band to his side and turns his body until it is wrapped tightly around his waist. The blue sash must end with the tail at the front of the body in the centre, folding itself over to form a neat finish. The normal working day belt (Le centurion) is the positioned over the top. This item is again worn whether it is winter or summer. All the idiosyncrasies of getting it right are also the responsibility of the Caporal and the Sergent in charge. (The Sergent is referred to as the "Chef De Poste" on this day). If there is one man whose turnout is a mess, then it is not only he who will go to jail but also the Caporal and the Sergent, since the culprit is their overall responsibility. The duty starts at 6am when you replace the previous night's guard from another Section. This is in itself is a ceremonial procedure. It will only take about ten minutes to do, but in this time the Chef Du Corps will have had brief words with everyone taking up the new shift. He nearly always has a friendly disposition and is a likeable character. He will ask you questions like, What did you do before the Legion? Are you enjoying the Legion? What did you do in training this week? and Are you in good spirits? These questions obviously are all asked in French but he is not un-used to encountering communication problems. By the time you are doing a stint of guard in the Legion you will probably have no problems in understanding and answering any of these questions in French. Once the Chef Du Corps has had his say, the Garde commences, two men on duty at a time. The shift works on a two hours on, four hours off basis. But the four hours off is not totally relaxed since it is forbidden to sit down (In case it creases the trousers), coffee may be drunk but woe betide the man who spills it on his uniform. There are usually magazines to read in the guard room. The Sergent may let you sit on two stools one on top of another with a blanket on top. (To lessen the chances of creases appearing on the trousers). The meals are brought to you by the current prisoners, who will also take away your dirty plates etc. For the two that are on guard it is a long two hours. One of the two guards has a FAMAS slung across the front of the chest in the traditional manner. Although it is not a particularly heavy weapon it does become that way after two hours standing motionless. The only movement permitted by him is to come to the "Gardez-vous" and to "Presente arme" when a Sergent or senior rank passes or drives through the gates of the camp. The man facing him and who operates the barrier does not have a weapon, and has the luxury of being able to move slightly more often. During the shift you are not allowed to wear a watch and there are no clocks in view. For two hours you are not permitted to move a muscle. You are on show for the French Foreign Legion and must show absolute discipline. The time passes hideously slowly. The ability to judge the two hours does come after a fashion, but there are times when you're out there and you're certain without a shadow of a doubt that your relief is late. They never are. The other duties of the Guard are to raise and lower the flag on the Place D'arrne in time with the Clairon. This happens at the beginning and at the end of each day. The flag must be lowered in exact time with the Clairon's tune. The lowering starts when the tune starts and should end when the tune ends. There are numerous threats on route to the flagpole by the Sergent to shoot you if you mis-time the procedure - but it rarely happens. As evening approaches you are allowed back to the block to get changed into Tenue de Combat (Normal working green uniform). This is worn from 2000 Hrs onwards and comes as a great relief for everyone. From hereon you patrol the area in front of the gates with a riot baton in hand. Check peoples ID cards as they come in and get the Chef de Poste out of the guard room if there are any problems. In the morning the guard goes through the same ceremonial changeover with the next shift and you return to your Section. There is no time off for working through the night - you go straight into the next day. It is the Section's responsibility to collect your petit dejeuner. Whilst you have been doing the guard duty there will have been another Groupe that will have been acting as a "Force d'Intervention Rapide" to react to any potential threat to the Quartier.Their shift starts at the same time as yours but they will wear Tenue de Combat at all times. La Legion c'est Dur - Mais Gamelle c'est sur.The food is of an exceptionally high standard, probably as good as you would eat in many a restaurant. But the fact that there is rarely enough to eat; leaving the Refectoir feeling really full is a rare experience. At Castelnaudary the food is of the highest standard I have ever seen on a military camp anywhere in the world- but again there was not enough to feel completely full. Most people would probably agree that they would rather leave the refectoir having enjoyed the meal and slightly hungry than full to the brim of some sludge that the duty cook has thrown together in a pot out the back. Food is after all, a morale booster and you will always look forward to in the Legion. The feeling of hunger however is one you will become accustomed to during basic training. It is, if you like; a feeling which goes hand in hand with being an Engage volontaire. It is worth remembering that when in the field and rations are issued, it is vital that you eat the food hot. The difference between eating hot and cold food can mean the difference between passing and failing a march or run. Likewise, chocolate and cakes will not give you the stamina and energy that a full meal in the refectoir will. Do not therefore pack your Sac a Dos with Mars bars thinking that this will carry you through Raid Marche. There really is enough food supplied by the refectoir and the ration packs during your training to get you through, but when you join your Regiment and you are able to miss a meal and slope off to the Foyer, remember that proper hot food will serve your body better.Before making ready for Le Raid there will be a few days spent at one of the French army camps towards the centre of France. Here you will undergo training in the firing of a variety of APILAS (Armour Piercing Infantry Light Armour Systems) and various small arms. The weapons fired include the RAC112, the LRAC89, the FAMAS rifle grenade and the two inch mortar. There will of course be various shoots done using your personal weapon - the FAMAS, one of which will be a night shoot. There will also be an introduction to explosives as well - how to put together a charge and each Legionnaire will experience firing a small charge in a controlled environment. You may also be given the chance to throw a grenade, of which there are two types - Offensive and Defensive. The Defensive grenade is the more powerful of the two. The trip will last about five days and you will be staying in French army accommodation. There will of course be Le petit footing done in the morning or when time permits during the stay.In the lead up to Raid Marche there will be further lectures on the differences between the Regiments and what to expect in the line of Regimental roles and the lifestyle to be expected after basic training. As regards the system for allocating which recruits go where, it works on the basis that those that perform to the highest standard during L 'Instruction are given the first choice as to which Regiment want to serve in. If anybody is deemed to be good enough they may be offered a position as Caporal.
Le Raid - Raid March.
The final week of basic training is when Le Raid takes place and the Section will be taken up into the mountains and dropped off at Perpignan near the coast to start their long march back to Quartier Capitaine Danjou. The Section marches about 150 kms in three days and culminates in a series of tests which will certify you as fully trained legionnaires. This final test is known as the CTE/00. The test will examine your ability at voice procedure on the radio (Le PPll), first aid, fieldcraft and personal weapon handling. The march is tactical and apart from crossing open areas of ground in a tactical manner, hard targeting (Moving quickly) and pepper potting (One covers - one moves), you can expect to be ambushed at any time. You will pass through villages and small holdings in the country which must likewise be approached and negotiated as if in combat. The Caporaux and Sergents will map read during the week. Evenings however will take a non-tactical line and there will be the customary wine drinking and singing of Legion songs in front of a camp fire. The route is very hilly to start with but as the Section nears Castelnaudary it begins to level out more. This will be the longest march that you will have done in the Legion. If you are hoping to go to the 2REP(Regiment Etranger Parachutistes) then this will be taste of things to come. (it is tradition in this Regiment to march across the island of Corsica, where they are based once every year - a distance of over two hundred kilometres). By the time that you do Le Raid your feet will be well used to marching and the boots will be well worn in. The night before the Section is due to re-enter the Quartier the Capitaine Compagnie will join you and there will be plenty to eat and drink. The following day the Section continues the remainder of the march straight back in through the camp gates, where you will be looked upon by any other passing Sections with envy and respect. This is the point at which most Legionnaires believe that the Kepi Blanc should be issued - when the job is done. However hard you might have found the march, the lack of sleep, the sudden ambushes - there is still more work to be done before you can relax. It is a tradition of the Foreign Legion to prepare the equipment for return to the stores immediately on return to the guartier after the final march. Since this is the end of your basic training, ALL the equipment must be immaculate. Tables are brought outside into the morning sun, all the Section weapons are cleaned to the extent that there is no trace of oil, grease or dirt anywhere. You may well be using pure alcohol to remove all such traces. Likewise the Le Brouillage (The webbing) is scrubbed, scrubbed and scrubbed again. The Section will be cleaning, scrubbing and polishing for the following twenty four hours non-stop after arriving back at the Quartier. Your feet will be blistered and bleeding - you will be so tired that you are delirious. Only once the work has been done can you start to relax. This is undoubtedly the hardest part of L 'Instruction, and you will by now be looking forward to your first posting more than ever. There are always foot and body inspections after every march or excercise in the Legion. If it is just a matter of minor blisters or ailments then one of the Caporals in the training team will see to you. Anything more serious and you will become a subject for the Infirmiers who are undergoing their training at Castelnaudary to deal with. Castelnaudary is also where the "Infirmiers" (Medics) undertake their training and who better to practice their new found art on than a Section of EV's. Within a few days Chef De Corps will have you all assembled on La Place O'Arme for a final talk before sending you back to Aubagne for Regiment selection.There is various paperwork to be done at Aubagne, and it is here that anyone wishing to leave the Legion has the right to do so. (They can give notice that they wish to leave but cannot actually get out of the Legion until the end of the sixth month. Any remaining time waiting for the leaving date would be spent carrying our menial tasks around the Quartier)
The hardest part of training that you will experience, from the physical side of things will be the Piste de Combat and Le Raid. From a mental point of view, the Legion does apply considerable pressure on recruits. Whatever your expectations are when you walk through the gates of the Foreign Legion for the first time - you can be guaranteed that it will not be what you expect. Things will be sometimes done in a way which seems illogical and unnecessary. If you can accept that it is being for a reason, then you will not have a problem. In order to instil military discipline into a batch of raw recruits from a wide variety of cultures - it is necessary that they learn not to question authority, but to obey it - no matter what they might think of the concept or method. It is unlikely that you will find the physical side of things your greatest obstacle in becoming a "Bon Legionnaire ".
Brutality.
Yes, the Legion can be a violent place, but as time goes by, the Legion is finding itself coming more and more into line with the French army and with it, French military law. The cases of violence subjected on recruits are nothing like they were even ten or fifteen years ago. The worst brutality you will hear about will probably be on your ears at the Selection centre where you will be bombarded with "War stories" by other Legionnaires or "engages volontaires" (Raw recruits) in the Aubagne sick bay. Don't listen to stories; most of it is rubbish. Sometimes a guy will get a beating, but he will probably have deserved it. It may not be by an instructor, it could well be by one of the other Legionnaires in the Section. Sooner or later there will come a time in the Legion when you must stand up for yourself. If you are weak -then you will be walked over. The Legion is a tough army and you must abide by it's unwritten rules. Respect is earned, not only as a soldier, but also as an individual - as in all walks of life. OK now you are on your way to become a Legionnaire, everything else after basic in Castelnaudary, you have to find out for yourself.
Have fun.
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The French Foreign Legion (long)
OK, now if that's whetted your appetite, here are a few links to check out.
The first recommended place is the Cervens Foreign Legion Board. It's probably one of the more up to date places to ask questions and get information, and is sometimes visited by serving legionnaires. It's where the post above came from.
The online recruitment page - and in English.
The Foreign Legion magazine, Kepi Blanc has a site.
And so does 2REP, the elite para regiment of the legion.
Someone's put a book about joining online, which is a bit outdated, and mostly covered by the article I posted above.
And finally, a few personal websites, with pictures, information etc:
Voltigeur
Denny - an Australian bloke, who's currently serving as a sniper.
Brewster, with some quite old pictures - from the '80s.
Robert Peterson's page - more pictures from the '80s.
Collin Smith's page.
A Russian site, with a photo page here
and finally, Cerven's page.
Hope that's of some interest.
Craig
The first recommended place is the Cervens Foreign Legion Board. It's probably one of the more up to date places to ask questions and get information, and is sometimes visited by serving legionnaires. It's where the post above came from.
The online recruitment page - and in English.
The Foreign Legion magazine, Kepi Blanc has a site.
And so does 2REP, the elite para regiment of the legion.
Someone's put a book about joining online, which is a bit outdated, and mostly covered by the article I posted above.
And finally, a few personal websites, with pictures, information etc:
Voltigeur
Denny - an Australian bloke, who's currently serving as a sniper.
Brewster, with some quite old pictures - from the '80s.
Robert Peterson's page - more pictures from the '80s.
Collin Smith's page.
A Russian site, with a photo page here
and finally, Cerven's page.
Hope that's of some interest.
Craig
craigm.....
Thanks for the above.....But...least for me.... Far too much in one go!! I'm sure I'll read it some day......When is the problem.
But thanks anyway
Aye
Mike
Thanks for the above.....But...least for me.... Far too much in one go!! I'm sure I'll read it some day......When is the problem.
But thanks anyway
Aye
Mike
The Honourable Lord Mike of Loch Borralan
.........................Because I AM Worth IT..xxxx.......Never Mistake Motion for Action
.........................Because I AM Worth IT..xxxx.......Never Mistake Motion for Action
Boxingmad
I haven't been in the legion... but it's something that has interested me for a long time. Also, I can't take the credit for writing that - I basically copied it straight over from the Foreign Legion forum I mentioned.
I didn't realise exactly how long it is - prints out to about 10 pages! Anyway, I'm glad you found it interesting, guys.
Craig
PS if you are interested in contacting serving or former legionnaires, try the Cervens forum link above.
I haven't been in the legion... but it's something that has interested me for a long time. Also, I can't take the credit for writing that - I basically copied it straight over from the Foreign Legion forum I mentioned.
I didn't realise exactly how long it is - prints out to about 10 pages! Anyway, I'm glad you found it interesting, guys.
Craig
PS if you are interested in contacting serving or former legionnaires, try the Cervens forum link above.
ive had the pleasure of meeting two legionaires, both were cracking guys and both had entirely different opinions on them
1st is that its crap, training is basic and they only get by on the fact they are as tough as they come
2nd was that they are brilliant and time in the legion will prepare you for anything you can face in life.
draw your own conclusions!
1st is that its crap, training is basic and they only get by on the fact they are as tough as they come
2nd was that they are brilliant and time in the legion will prepare you for anything you can face in life.
draw your own conclusions!
SP
The line between BS and PC is thin and blurry
The line between BS and PC is thin and blurry
But they'd lose their arms, mate. The actual test is lying down between the tracks of the tank as it rolls over you and you touch the tracks with your hands as they go by. I think it's a 2REP thing.Greg S wrote:One of the final tests involes putting your arm under a moving tank, sounds like fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How much space is there between the bottom of a tank and the ground?Mince wrote:But they'd lose their arms, mate. The actual test is lying down between the tracks of the tank as it rolls over you and you touch the tracks with your hands as they go by. I think it's a 2REP thing.Greg S wrote:One of the final tests involes putting your arm under a moving tank, sounds like fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ghost
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goldie ex rmp
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we did a thing like this in VOGELSANG in south germany, an old ss training camp but we had to sit in a trench with our head showing while a tank ran over the top, you couldnt duck until the trank hit the top of the helmet..........mmmmmmmmmm what fun lolGhost wrote:How much space is there between the bottom of a tank and the ground?Mince wrote:But they'd lose their arms, mate. The actual test is lying down between the tracks of the tank as it rolls over you and you touch the tracks with your hands as they go by. I think it's a 2REP thing.Greg S wrote:One of the final tests involes putting your arm under a moving tank, sounds like fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ghost
Exemplo Ducemus (By Example We Lead)
"Do not confuse your rank with my authority....Sir!"
"Do not confuse your rank with my authority....Sir!"
Depends on the tank really but usually enough for it to drive over you, you only get it wrong once.How much space is there between the bottom of a tank and the ground
Been there done that seemed a bit pointless but good for a laugh.we did a thing like this in VOGELSANG in south germany, an old ss training camp but we had to sit in a trench with our head showing while a tank ran over the top, you couldnt duck until the trank hit the top of the helmet..........mmmmmmmmmm what fun
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Frank S.
- Guest
Depends if we're talking wheeled or tracked tank, but I think somewhere between 10 to 15 inches on French armored vehicles.Ghost wrote:
How much space is there between the bottom of a tank and the ground?
Ghost
Thing is too, on many roads, the cambre of the road is markedly different if heavy vehicles use them often, making the center appear 'raised and reducing ground clearance...
Hey Craig m,
Thx so much for that! Very much appreciated.
But i have a small question,
Im with a girl who im very much in love with and who is very much in love with me. Would it be advised to join the FFL if that is the case? What im saying is, how long would it be before i could spend time with her?
I know this isn't a dating advice forum
but im just wondering. Cause the legion has always fascinated me.
For now though, im joining the brit army, but i was thinking of the FFL after i'd had some experience in a professional army.
Cheers!
Thx so much for that! Very much appreciated.
But i have a small question,
Im with a girl who im very much in love with and who is very much in love with me. Would it be advised to join the FFL if that is the case? What im saying is, how long would it be before i could spend time with her?
I know this isn't a dating advice forum
but im just wondering. Cause the legion has always fascinated me.For now though, im joining the brit army, but i was thinking of the FFL after i'd had some experience in a professional army.
Cheers!
Redhand mate
I think you'd be advised against it - Once you've signed up (assuming you're accepted) you don't have any contact with the outside world for up to four months... no phone calls, letters - nothing. If your family comes looking for you, they'll be politely turned away.
After the initial period of basic training, you could end up being posted to South America, Djibouti, West Africa - depending on where the legion needs you. Bear in mind that the minimum contract is five years. Added to that, the fact that you're not supposed to leave France when you get leave, it could mean a long time before you get to see your girl.
Everyone, married or not goes into the legion as a 'single' man. Also, I think that you can only ask to get married once you've reached the rank of sergeant (after about seven years).
Incidentally, I believe that if you went for selection, and indicated that you had strong external ties (family, girlfriends etc) they'd be less willing to accept you, due to the risk of desertion. Only a very small number of the thousands of men who apply are selected, so they'll take any reason not to accept you.
Don't want to put a downer on your aspirations, but see how the British Army goes. I understand that life can be hard on the partners of Forces guys anyway - and they get to see each other significantly more than legionnaires see their families. Also, you might find that the British Army gives you all you want, and that you and her settle down perfectly happily.
Good luck!
Craig
I think you'd be advised against it - Once you've signed up (assuming you're accepted) you don't have any contact with the outside world for up to four months... no phone calls, letters - nothing. If your family comes looking for you, they'll be politely turned away.
After the initial period of basic training, you could end up being posted to South America, Djibouti, West Africa - depending on where the legion needs you. Bear in mind that the minimum contract is five years. Added to that, the fact that you're not supposed to leave France when you get leave, it could mean a long time before you get to see your girl.
Everyone, married or not goes into the legion as a 'single' man. Also, I think that you can only ask to get married once you've reached the rank of sergeant (after about seven years).
Incidentally, I believe that if you went for selection, and indicated that you had strong external ties (family, girlfriends etc) they'd be less willing to accept you, due to the risk of desertion. Only a very small number of the thousands of men who apply are selected, so they'll take any reason not to accept you.
Don't want to put a downer on your aspirations, but see how the British Army goes. I understand that life can be hard on the partners of Forces guys anyway - and they get to see each other significantly more than legionnaires see their families. Also, you might find that the British Army gives you all you want, and that you and her settle down perfectly happily.
Good luck!
Craig
