French Foreign Legion

[the 48th regulator]

Unfortunately this is arm.ca, not armee.fr

But the computer is a Magical item

French Foreign Legion Q & A

dileas

tess

 

[paracowboy]

well, if I were interested in joining a specific unit belonging to the military of a foreign government, I would look for websites devoted to that military, and specifically, that unit.

I wouldn't go to a website devoted to the military of a seperate nation altogether. If I did, though, I would certainly search through any forum on that website for info.

But, I'm crazy like that.

 

[big bad john]

Searching on "French Foreign Legion" will result in three pages of thread links, some of which may provide you some of the information you're seeking:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php?action=search

Try Mike's suggestion.  It has been discussed here before.  Be warned that they are pretty selective.

 

[George Wallace]

Unfortunately this is arm.ca, not armee.fr

But the computer is a Magical item

French Foreign Legion Q & A

dileas

tess

Once again the questions are being asked.....Why?........Times have changed, so has the Legion.

 

[tomahawk6]

New article about the FFL .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201478.html

 

[Benny]

knowledge of the French language is not necessary because it will be acquired during the contract.

That's a laugh! An old mate of mine joined the legion about 6 years ago (after having some pretty severe things go wrong in his life and getting a bit screwed up). He didn't know french, and what the instructors would do to 'encourage' its use, would be to have the troops singing french songs when moving. They would move from troop to troop and listen to each person singing. Anyone whose french wasn't perfect was punished. Not really how I'd like to learn a language.

 

[wildman0101]

curios whats hte maximum age requirement???
just curios as im 54ish
                    best regards,,,
                              scoty b...
anyone laughing ill be the last man standing
or maybe ill just go for a beer and do some wishful thinking
or better yet some serious drinkin..
dems the rules..
                                scoty b

 

[HItorMiss]

From    http://www.ambafrance-us.org/atoz/legion/enlist.asp


To be between the age of 17 and 40 years old (Parental or legal tutor authorization is required for minors),

 

[Michael OLeary]

To be between the age of 17 and 40 years old (Parental or legal tutor authorization is required for minors),

Does said "minor" have to be going willingly as long as parental permission is provided?

 

[HItorMiss]

I would say probably, but it is the Legion after all one never can tell with them

 

[SiG_22_Qc]

damn it, why enlisting in a foreign army when your army's own standard exceed by far except maybe for that UNICORP beret(which i dislike) in every aspects(pay, equipment, our playstation uniform, social benefits, our military tradition). Plus if you wanted to enlist just for the french immersion, you can ask for a posting to Valcartier. :blotto:

 

[Chain]

I was in the Canadian Armed Reserve forces for about a year and a half May 2005-Dec 2006. Went thorugh the BMQ,SQ and most of BIQ but had to pull out a few weeks before grad because of a family situation. I was completely bored out of my mind when I was in the reserves(also few others told me its not much different in the Reg's) excpet more indept training and preperation. Physically this was the easiest job I had. I dreamed of Joing the French Foreign Legion. I heard about it when I was 15 years old from my cousin on my fathers side who is a Lieutenant in the Polish 1st Special Commando Regiment. He is a para and trained(Currently is in the South eastern side of Afghanistan but iell return home in about six motnhs its his second tour of duty) with the 2REP of the Legion and told me "Some of the finest if not the finest soldiers I have ever served ,seen, heard about and been with". The rumours alone fascinated me and I read books about it. There were stories that when the US Marines trained with the 3rd Infantry Regiment in French Guyana they could only stay for about 15 day's in the jungle with full kit,canteens,clothing,GPS,5 full mags of ammo while legionnaires carried on another 30 days in which they had no food water shelter(in which they had to catch it themselves) nothing but the clothes and 5 rounds for their FAMAS(This proves their toughness). Another report say that the Jungle course in French Guyana is the most Difficult in the world and that one time 5 marines actually NO BULL started to cry during the jungle course while Legionnaries stood on laughing and taunting them. The rumours and stories of these men made me want to join. I have all the requirements so so Freench speaking tongue,In good physcial shape,knowlege of the Military life and full knowledge of what I'am getting myself into. Some other interesting info I found:

-During basic in the Legion you sleep for about 5 hours a week, the basic lasts for about six months, though you sleep more as time passes in the basic training,

-For breakfast you eat only a small bread and drink a half cup of coffee so not only are you sleepy your starving to death(Book Legion of the Lost).

-Brutality is common in that you get a punched in the chest or have to crawl on gravel until your whole front is covered with blood and deep scar wounds.

-You have a 1 in 10 (Now its 3 in 10) chance of dying during training or comabt.

- On May 12 1978 1978 in Kolwezi,Congo over 2000 Europeans were rescued by the 2REP and lost only 6 Legionnaries and killed some 500 Rebels.

- During the First Gulf War The French Foreign Legion was tasked of protecting NATO and especially American Forces from Iraqi Attack, they were also the first to storm Hueseign Airport and take out key Iraqi ministers.

This is just a sniff of things that happen in the Legion. But after seeing Legionnaires while I was in Paris last summer and hearing the stories about them and that army, this is probably the finest and most tough Army in the world. No other Army or Special Forces can match the Legion except maybe the SAS or SPETZNAZ although I do have my doubts about that.
Anyways Currently I will be going to the University of Alberta, and my major will be Criminology, but the temptation to go over to France and give them my passport is getting stronger and stronger.

To all those leaving and joining the French Foreign Legion good luck and here are some links to go into more indept info about the Legion(Maybe you've seen it before)

Video on The French Foreign Legion
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-6777372516104300363&q=French+Foreign+Legion&total=131&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Video on the Jungle Course in French Guyana part 1
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=6128019645198718700&q=French+Foreign+Legion&total=130&start=20&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

Part 2
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=4473457483938531433&q=French+Foreign+Legion&total=130&start=20&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

Old French Foreign Legion Documentary
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=6891712989544727424&q=French+Foreign+Legion&total=131&start=110&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7

Books:
Legion of The Lost
Making of a Legionnaire
The Naked Soldier(HIGHLY RECOMMEND!)

I'll get more info maybe tommorrow.

 

[Franko]

During the First Gulf War The French Foreign Legion was tasked of protecting NATO and especially American Forces from Iraqi Attack, they were also the first to storm Hueseign Airport and take out key Iraqi ministers.

Strange, the Legion took the Al Salman airport. No resistance met by most accounts as well. No ministers either.

Regards

 

[the 48th regulator]

I ate french rations in 1994.

I like them, not only were they neat, but tasty.  My uncle wasn't in the military though, he was a baker.

dileas

tess

 

[Jungle]

The rumours alone fascinated me and I read books about it. There were stories that when the US Marines trained with the 3rd Infantry Regiment in French Guyana they could only stay for about 15 day's in the jungle with full kit,canteens,clothing,GPS,5 full mags of ammo while legionnaires carried on another 30 days in which they had no food water shelter(in which they had to catch it themselves) nothing but the clothes and 5 rounds for their FAMAS(This proves their toughness). Another report say that the Jungle course in French Guyana is the most Difficult in the world and that one time 5 marines actually NO BULL started to cry during the jungle course while Legionnaries stood on laughing and taunting them. The rumours and stories of these men made me want to join.

Chain, be careful about the FFL rumours; there are a lot of misconceptions and exagerations about the Legion. They are not some kind of super Soldiers, and they have their problems as an organization.
The account of the jungle trg in Fr Guyana is good; I did the course a few years before they made that video, and at the time we had beat all the records on the obstacle course. The casualty evacuation seen during part 2 of the videos (around 26 min) was one of the hardest parts of the course. The trg is tough, both physically and mentally, but the Legionnaires are not all they are cracked up to be.
Just to clarify: when they go on long-range patrol for 30 days, usually on the Brazilian border, they are resupplied with rations and water by helicopter regularly.
Finally, it is important to know the Legion belongs to the French Army; it is governed by the same rules and regulations, and uses the same kit. The approach to trg is a bit different, but there is a strong "French Army" flavour to it.

 

[Chain]

I think I enjoyed the Legion's approach to training in that its physically and mentaly draining but overall very good. But alone I still do belive the Legion is what its cracked up to be. But then agian I never met one nore been in training with them so I can't say. The book I read Making of a legionnaire said that his training was over 45 days in the Jungle with no rations no water nothing, they were to catch there own food and water. But there is only one way to find out I guess. But yes at the same time I do know that some of their equipemnt is dated and that there tactics are along the lines of "Waffen SS bravery than smart ones", alone make it a suicide army. But still the stories that were proven true do make the Legion above all other armies that I read about.


Here is an article on their Jungle training http://www.voltigeur1.net/jungle.html

 

[Jungle]

But alone I still do belive the Legion is what its cracked up to be.

Sweet dreams !!

But then agian I never met one nore been in training with them so I can't say.

Then don't... it's called "staying in your lane".

The book I read Making of a legionnaire said that his training was over 45 days in the Jungle with no rations no water nothing, they were to catch there own food and water.

The course is built around the the French Army Commando trg : 3 weeks, divided in 2 phases. The first phase is the "learning" portion, and lasts 2 weeks. It is followed by a week-long "raid", carrying everything you need for the duration. The entire course is run in the jungle, either in the main CEFE installations at camp Szut, or in a bivouac on the shore of the Approuague River. The raid is conducted in the area of the "Monts Tortue", to make it interesting...
Nobody is sent in the jungle for 45 days without food or water...  : they would suffer 50% dead and 99% failure on the rest of the candidates if they did that.

But there is only one way to find out I guess.

Have a good trip to Castelnaudary !!!  ;D

 

[George Wallace]

This has got me wondering what Chain listens to and believes, and what he listens to and doesn't believe.  What he claims to have heard about the CF seems to be valued as very dismal, as opposed to what he has heard about the French Foreign Legion (FFL) in their employ by the French Army (FFA).  I wonder if he has heard from any foreigners, who have worked with Canadian Forces personnel, as to what they think, as opposed to a short time Reservist's inexperienced impression.  Did that Reservist even get past BMQ/SQ and actually work with Regular Force people, or was it just a quick summer job in a local Armoury?  Seems that some fabulous flights of fiction (FFF) are ruling the day in this conversation so far.

 

[the 48th regulator]

One of the neatest meals was the Sausages with lentles, very tasty.  However, the curry chicken spiced the day up.

dileas

tess

 

[Chain]

I told you I got by BMQ/SQ and most of BIQ but had to quit because of a family emergency. Why all hostile? I met two people who got out of the Reg's and into the Reserves and told me Reg's since its the real real thing go into way more indept on battle tactics training, and real life exercicies but it alone is not very different from the Reserve forces. So don't take my word for it. As I said the SAS and SPETZNAZ maybe the only army's who can match the Legion and perform better. I never knew so much Hostility can grow. When I quit the Army I told them in a joke like status that the reason was for joing the FFL.(But mearly kidding and not serious) Almost everyone in the room including a corporal that I had gotten into a good friendship gave me a cold stare and the same type of hostility,  I would just like to wonder why? I mean I never said the Canadian forces are wusses, and was honoured to be part of it for a year and half but mearly told you the facts. Anyways right now my mind is on getting my degree and seeing what will happen later on in life, and if joining the Legendary (and I do mean Legendary as many documentaries and Military men have called it) French Foreign legion is part of it in my life well then I guess I'll see some of you out on the field cuss I know the Legion is in Afghanistan now.

And I quote from my link

"They had their supplies, including water, brought in by chopper and left after 15 days. The Legion continued on for 30 days, subsisting on fruits and berries."("So although maybe I made a mistake I ASSUMED that they meant wild food and food in the Jungle)