French Foreign Legion INFO

Stop sending me PM's!!!!

I said ask the questions in the damn thread so that I could answer the questions for everyone to see, that way if someone didn't think about something and didn't ask but someone else did, they can see it and know.

Look, the FFL is a huge freaking decision, it is. I am going to break the little fantasies that a lot of you are having.

1. It is hard to join, really hard. They take 1 out of 10 candidates. You have to be faster, stronger, and smarter than the other guys. A lot of the guys that go to join the FFL were ex-military. That is only for the initial test to get in, after you go to basic training, they will cut people out, a lot of people. I been working out for a long time and I could easily get a perfect score in a PFT to join the Marine Corp, but I am going against people who use to be in the military, it is not going to be easy, because if someone does even a bit better than me, they are taking them, not me.

2. There is no contact with your family whatsoever, none, your family is dead once you join. Once you are there you have to give them your passport, they will give you a name to go by, you will no longer be you because you no longer exist for the time you are in the Legion. You can get your identity back after 2 years in the legion, but you go through a process, and from what I know, it can take a while.

3. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN FRANCE! You will not be hanging out with French people, the only French people you will see are the ones who will be in command of your ass! You will not be going to nice French towns, hanging out with cool French people, doing French shit! You will be in a nice little places call the 3rd world.

4. You cannot own anything, no car, no computer, no mp3's, and no clothing! Seriously, no fucking clothing, the only clothing you get is the one they give you and it is all uniforms. You will be in prison for the next 5 years, the only women you will see or will be able to sleep with are prostitutes. The only people who are allowed to have stuff like this are NCO's and that takes a long time to happen, it won't happen quick, more than likely you be the lowest rank in the Legion while you are there.

5. The death rate is bad, if I remember correctly 1 out of 8 will die before their 1st 5 year contract is up.

6. People desert the Legion a lot. For good reasons, they aren't allowed to beat you, but they will, it's not like you can do anything about it, you're a foreigner. Some miss the family and they leave. It will be hard, it's not the American military, you have no rights.

7. Even if you are able to make it through all that, citizenship will not be that easy. You will have to be in your best behavior, anything you do, anything that they don't like, they will write down, and it will effect you.


I am nervous, I am scared of doing this. I don't know if I will make it, but I will try. You are giving up a lot by joining, and it won't be easy, it won't be easy, it will be fucking hell.

Some of you sent me messages telling that you are going to try when you guys are finish with school. The thing about it is, you might not be able to work with whatever degree you got here for a lot of reasons, the name of your degrees will not be in your name anymore, if you are able to retain your own name then that will be great for you, but it seems that a lot of the people that join for citizenship will not be able to keep their names. I talked to a guy that had an Electrical engineering degree and went to join the FFL hoping that he would be able to work in France, he said that he couldn't get a single job because the names in his degree is no longer him. He went back to the Legion, no one would give him a job because of the Legion. A lot of French people frown on the Legion, they only see them as mercenaries trying to get money or citizenship.

I am joining, but I am joining to stay, I don't plan on getting out. Even if the DA passed and I was able to join the Marine Corp, I was going to join Infantry anyways, not really a huge difference but the Marine Corp does give a lot more freedom.

It is a huge decision guys, don't make up your mind right away, you are losing your family, and everything else that was you.

Don't PM with questions, ask them here! Please. That way if some of you are planning on leaving we need to make sure that you guys have everything straight, I am not going to be on here for long either, I don't leave for a few months but I am starting to sell everything already, I won't be able to answer a lot of your questions if you decide to wait and ask.

I know I sound very, very harsh, you guys. I am sorry, but that is the truth. It is nothing like a video game, it is nothing like the movies, this is real life... A lot of you have these really bad delusions about being in the military, especially the FFL, it is almost all infantry, except for a few jobs here and there but more than likely you won't be doing those jobs. From what people have told me, it is hell, it won't be easy, keep that in mine. IT WON'T BE EASY!

might as well join the taliban.

I tried, but I couldn't find the recruiters cave.

LMAO

Unlike FFL, at least Taliban members can participate in a band.



This band is guaranteed to blow you away.

wnsleepy,

I think you'll be successful. The reason I am saying this is because I have a family member in the legion. I think I posted about my cousin before. Anyhow, you have the right mind set, and you know what's coming. You seem like you are mentally ready, and that is priority number 1. I am sure you know what I mean.

I laughed at my cousin when he left in 2002. But now I think he made the right choice. He finished his first contract in 2007, during that time he got his French Citizenship, and now he is halfway through his second 5 year contract, and last time I hear from him was this past July, he has no intentions of leaving the legion. He is looking forward to retiring with a pension.

Anyhow, that mothereffer is tough as nails. He is now posted at the highest paid regiment in the legion, the 13 djibouti regimen.

Anyhow, I wish you good luck, and once you get accepted as I am sure you will, keep us posted in the rare instance that you get access to a computer.

Aaron clearly knows his stuff and its insulting that other members are bombarding him with silly questions. Aaron is clearly a man waiting to take initiative and I admire him for that.

Aw, my little Aaron wont be Aaron soon. You better come back and give us your French name.

LMAO!!! Good luck...

Best wishes

It sounds like hell, good luck! Hope you get to join.

I sure hope this guy made it... I have the same mindset and I've experience boot camp at 29 palms military base thanks to high school ROTC..

For some of us the Legion is all we got..