Anyone interested in joining the french foreign legion?

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 13:17

Just out of curiosity, thought I'd ask.

Personally it seems a nice thing to "run away to", and the constant and relentless work would certainly take the mind of "outside" woes.

Maybe for when I'm older

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 13:20

kgi said:
Surely there are better ways to deal with your problems than running away from them?

I guess. Nice option to have though.

Forde said:
I think if you told that to the recruiter he'd strangle you with his Kepi Blanc!

Are they actually any good in actual wars?

haha, I'm sure he wouldn't

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 13:22

Sp00n said:
Contrary to belief they are actually pretty solid soldiers, unfortunately they are still french.

Most of them are not. It's incredibly diverse.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 13:34

FTM said:
I think they prefer just to be called The Legion

and by all accounts they are hard as nails

can you still get a new identity when you join?

Indeed you can.

Infact for the first year its compulsory.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:38

Castiel said:
I wanna go.

+1

Not sure if I'm ready at 21, but by God I'm tempted. Give my life some breathing space.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:39

Stolly said:
I believe they were in common use for pioneers back when pioneers did what they were created to do...ie clear obstacles from the path of formed bodies of infantry on the battlefield. Which also explains the axes and why they still march at the head of any parade that includes Legion troops.

Shock troops of the shock troops.

Because of the extreme danger and massive loss of life they used to experience (probably still do

), they were granted the right to wear beards.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:48

VeNT said:
that pay doesn't seem very good really!

Pay dosen't bother me. Money dosen't fufil me, I'm beginning to see this now.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:57

Chojin said:
I believe food and accomodation is included for the first few years according to the website so maybe not as bad as it seems.

Sounds like you're on the right track about money, whether the foreign legion is the answer or not. Don't think you'd get the same comradery working 9-5 though!

Food and accomodation is included up to the later ranks (til like 4k a month pay).

I don't know what I want out of life. Thoroughly disillusioned with everything. The world is at my feet but I'm lacking the will for anything.

Pate · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:59

Castiel said:
Join the RM, same job, better pay, and no Frenchies bossing you about.

But then I'd be just the average soldier chap? I'm not just looking at a career in soldiery, I'm looking to see where I fit into the world. Also, don't want the stigma of joining the UK armed forces.

Pate · 13 Jan 2011 at 00:11

Castiel said:
The FFL are just soldiers though.

I never suffered from any stigma either.

What you need to do is travel a bit, find yourself, and see where you end up.

But I'm hopeless. I have everything most people in this world don't have. I'm fed and watered, have a warm bed etc I have a reasonable brain, I have family support and love. I am halfway through a decent degree but fundmentally I'm useless.

I know myself well enough to know that I won't end up travelling. With motivation I know I will end up where I want to, but at the moment I'm going to tread upon a very unfufilling road.

Maybe surrending my liberty and freedom to such a organisation will awake a determination in me . If not, then the world won't miss me anyway.

Pate · 13 Jan 2011 at 12:44

^ Did they say how difficult it is?

Pate · 13 Jan 2011 at 16:43

a1ex2001 said:
Thats a very weird response especially given that in British Armed forces interviews the interviewing officer will flat out asked me if you would be prepared to kill someone, apparently they have to ask everyone that as Armed Forces personel who don't want to kill people are not much use.

I think he meant in the eagerness to kill. I'm sure taking a life might be a necessity, but wanting to kill surely isn't something the army would want.

Couldn't see myself doing the army myself. To much of a rote career. Could easily see myself hitting 40 and being just a........

Also isn't the service a minimum of 12 years?

Pate · 13 Jan 2011 at 17:22

Repta said:
I've looked into it and still see it as an option but at the minute im still aiming to get into sandhurst. well if i stop picking up injuries, been 3 years now since ive been injury free for more than 2 months

Sandhurst is a possibility I guess, but I'm not sure its the "career" I want.

Castiel said:
Just being a what?

What do you mean by rote career?

Not sure how to describe it. However if I joined at the same level as the FFL, I would be known as a squaddie, and they seem to have a terrible reputation.

By a rote career I mean one which is actually a profession.

Pate · 8 May 2011 at 15:29

And this pops it's head up.

Things are not looking ideal in my life at the moment. My degree is on the road to nowhere due to me being a lazy ******* earlier in the year (got 30 weeks of work to do in less than a month), I'm in a complete quandary as to what to do with my life etc.

If only I could get some breathing space. There are so many things floating around my mind at the moment. Gah.

Pate · 8 May 2011 at 17:00

Garonazz said:
French Foreign Legion is probably the sole reason France had an empire at first. They are amongst the finest in the world. Much like the Gurkha's.

Lol at people saying they are cannonfodder.

Interesting!