PJ24 said:I've worked with the FFL, many of those guys kept in touch with their families.
Wow, I didn't know that. Last time I was in contact with a belgian Legionair was in 1995, so a lot could have changed. So I learned something new today!
PJ24 said:I've worked with the FFL, many of those guys kept in touch with their families.
zander_0633 said:So is the training there tough? Are you from French? A france citizen?
zander_0633 said:Oops! Sori! Am not very sure. So no one in this forum is in the FFL? Saw the viedo, they said that those who go in are expecte to DIE FOR FRANCE!
I just came from Aubagne (French Foreign Legion)rejected, If anyone has any questions, here are the few I can answer.
1. Just about everyone who was on my bus from Paris to Aubagne got a new name.
2. Not being able to speak any French (although I understood alot) didn't seem to matter
3. If you are American (like me) they will ask you repeatedly if your sure you want to do this
4. There are more than alot of Eastern Europeans in the ranks.
5. The initial Medical check-up at your parent recruiting station (not Aubagne) will be far from thorough, it will be by a nurse practitioner of sorts. I went through an eye exam and EKG, he checks the ankles, not for scars or scar tissue, but for a strong pulse, if you have a weak pulse in your ankles you have a weak heart pumping your blood, next, the commanding Physician will check your ******* without pressing hard against the Abdominal Wall and (checking respiration) by removing the stethoscope before your inspirations and the Otoscope for the Ears and Throat. Very thorough. (sarcasm)
6. The Psychometrictechnique tests (which there were 4 of them, and LISTEN CAREFULLY! If you do not make it to the 4th test you will be sent home) are strong, this will be assured to you prior to going to Aubagne and I am assuring you now. Also, if Aubagne is not your recruiting station (meaning outside of Aubagne) you will undergo a mock cooper test. If you fail miserably you might be turned away there, if you barely pass the cooper test you will still be sent to Aubagne, but will have to retake the Cooper test in Aubagne. The Psychometrictechnique tests consists of pattern recognition with numbers i.e a succession of numbers within triangles with you, finding the missing one (number), AND being able to reform unfolded 3-d tetris shapes in your head w/o pen or paper, each of the 4 answers will have the unfolded shape reformed in a specific position. The unfolded shapes will have corners either shaded black or shaded with lines, when reformed they will have to match up to 3 of the possibilities, it will be up to you to decipher which answer is correct and there is more than one answer and it is timed. Given the fact that I must be a total idiot to have failed this test and sent home has given me an unquenchable desire to study for the next 18 months and return for another shot at it.
7. If you fail this test you will be discharged with 2 pieces of paper. (1) will be the relinquishment of your new name, the (2) will be the reason for rejection. If you fail the Psycho it will say inaptitude for enlistment and subsequently will not be eligible for another 18 months.
8. Considering the showmanship in the courtyard with the pull-up bar, and dip-bars with a small looped track for running I was among the top 10 of the fittest individuals out of the 120. There are some extremely fit Europeans that are capable of between 12 and 19 pull-ups. However, this was in a resting capacity and not during the physical test so there actual aerobic capacity I could not measure, but their level of fitness I would still not underestimate.
9. The time you may spend there is incalculable. I went into Paris on Monday and was sent to Aubagne on Thursday Morning, Psyche-tested on Thursday afternoon and sent packing on Friday, but there were guys in Paris that had been there two weeks. I caught a nasty flu which peaked Tuesday and coincidently abated on the day of my departure, which brings me to another testament. Eastern Europeans are not very sanitary, so watch as you are in the marching and chow line to the people that are blowing snot-rockets bare-handed or coughing into their hands and plunging them into the huge bread baskets, this is probably how I became sick.
10. I have no regrets and no ill will towards the Legion. I want to be a Legionnaire and vow to return smarter and stronger than my previous plight. I do have to mention that some of comraderie looked too close for comfort, but then I guess somethings you have to deal with considering the laws over there are different and homosexuality is tolerated by far.. more than the U.S.
11. They will give you around 70 euros on the day of your departure.
If there's any other questions you think I might now, ask me....
Johndoe
How good is your French?
I know they say there's no language requirement but believe me you will want to speak good French.
My Korean isn't 100%... more like 95% and even THAT brings problems.
If your French isn't good or if you don't speak French at all, go do that first.
Check here for specifics:
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/atoz/legion/enlist.asp
As for fitness you should be able to run 10 kilometers at the drop of a hat.
Go to Cervens net.com. He runs an excellent foreign Legion site with a forum and a newbies/wannabies Q and A section.
Also:
Get extremely fit.
Run run and run. Climb a rope only using your arms.
Lotsa push ups.
Learn French.
Learn how to keep your mouth shut and do whatever you are told to do unquestionably.
Be prepared for a tough 5 years if you pass all the tests and get accepted.
I'd also like to add that to the recruiters previous experience doesn't really count as you all start from the same level.
Though previous experience may make life a little easier
Age is 18 to 45.
They seem to be accepting a hell of a lot of Eastern Europeans the past few years.