Would you consider joining the French Foreign Legion if your life is beyond repair?

[enragedgorilla]

No thanks, I served my time already....no desire to serve a nation who hates / shows nothing but disrespect and disdain for my home.

[McFuu]

From what I've heard from people who have tried to join the FF Legion, it's difficult for a couple of reasons. Mainly language and psychological factors. They will teach you French, but if they don't think you have the aptitude to learn it, they don't bother.

Would I join? If I still felt like war dogging it, yeah I probably would have 2-3 years ago. Now I'm fat and happy, so hell no.

[Rudkobing]

I don't think it was around when I was 20. My life being beyond repair??? Considering I've done it all, I don't think I'd be up to joining the French Foreign Legion.

[tomonaghan85]

Out of curiosity, why would I join them instead of the US military?

Im not sure what the U.S Army is like.I do know what the Irish Defence Force and the British Army is like.After basic training you are assigned to a unit,I was Artillery,after check parade you do nothing but wait for the day to end.Ive been asking around and what Ive been told about The FFL its what I want to do.You should ask around.

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[Beefsquatch]

Out of curiosity, why would I join them instead of the US military?

The requirements are less strict for the Legion. All you need is a passport, to be healthy, to be in decent shape, and not have a felony. That's literally it. For the US...that list is quite a bit longer. Don't think you can join with a GED anymore, actually.

The Legion is also very, VERY oldschool when it comes to military training and overall general attitude. That appeals to many, even those who have served their Nation's military before.

For example, there was this Lieutenant in the US Army that deserted to join the Legion. He felt depressed and suicidal, didn't feel challenged in the US mliltary so he bounced. After he served his 5 years as a Legionnaire, he was cured of his depression and he came back to face the consequences of deserting.

Here's the article for that interesting story if anyone is interested in reading it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/us...duty.html?_r=0

[Deleted]

Im planning on heading over in August just after my 31st Birthday.Im a Father of two beautiful girls and I know I will miss them terribly but to get a good job in Ireland you either have to know somebody or have degrees coming out of your ears.

Well, firstly, being a legionnaire isn't exactly a "good job". Secondly, I'm pretty damn sure your girls would like to see you more than a couple of times a year over the course of five years.

[Deleted]

Are you french by any chance?

I am not French, but I am curious too. Please tell us why.

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

why would you join the FFL and not just your country's army?

The army/navy/AF will take anyone in the US

[freezion]

why would you join the FFL and not just your country's army?

The army/navy/AF will take anyone in the US

because you can enlist under declared identity, and are not forced to use your real identity.
This effectively means that you can start over if you have done something bad that prevents you from getting anywhere in your old country (you are not allowed to be wanted for certain crimes, but you can still enter if you have served your sentence for horrible crimes).

[Deleted]

Or you could become a monk.

Don't need to be fit, don't need to die for a foreign country, just sit and hum.

[Deleted]

Or you could become a monk.
Don't need to be fit, don't need to die for a foreign country, just sit and hum.

Would be a much, much better life than serving in some kind of (foreign) army.

[Deleted]

Nothing wrong but the french foreign legion.
They have good international rep and are supposed to train good soldiers.
The physical fitness required to join is not that low. You have to be able to run pref 3km in 12 min, being able to do around 15 strict chin ups (hands facing away) and manage to travel 8km under 40min with 10kg backpack.
You also have to have clean medical record.

My buddy worked with them in Afghanistan and said around 1/8 applicants manage to pass the tests/training to become a legionaire. Those trying to join are probably not your avarage joe either.

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

because you can enlist under declared identity, and are not forced to use your real identity.
This effectively means that you can start over if you have done something bad that prevents you from getting anywhere in your old country (you are not allowed to be wanted for certain crimes, but you can still enter if you have served your sentence for horrible crimes).

oh, i did not know this.

[Reeve]

If your life is that far off the rails, I'm not sure how the Foreign Legion would help.

[Dystemper]

If not the FF, then I hear the Merc business is booming

[Deleted]

Nope.. not even sure if they take women tbh. But even if they do, I wouldn't even consider it. Assuming Id lose all the people I could lean on and would be alone. Well, I never wanted a purpose, Im very chaotic and always try to do things more effectively or just toss is aside and try another approach. A military organization is the opposite to that.

[SLSAMG]

It is not that easy to join them. They are elite fighting unit. Very few make the cut

It's pretty easy to join them provided you're able–bodied and have thick skin. The SAS, spetsnaz and seals - these are specialized elite fighting units. The FFL doesn't meet the strict requirements hence it'll never qualify as an elite unit.


To answer the OP's question though, no - I wouldn't die for any country other than my own.

[Independent voter]

I'm not a fan of colonialism so no.

[tithian]

because you can enlist under declared identity, and are not forced to use your real identity.
This effectively means that you can start over if you have done something bad that prevents you from getting anywhere in your old country (you are not allowed to be wanted for certain crimes, but you can still enter if you have served your sentence for horrible crimes).

Exactly. Also, someone mentioned that you need to not be a felon, which is technically incorrect. The requirement is to not be wanted by INTERPOL. That means joining the French Foreign Legion effectively gives you a new identiy as a French citizen, after certain years of service, allowing you to start from a clean slate. For people that have fucked up their lives, this can be a godsent.

Personally, asumming I was in a very bad state (i.e. former convict etc.), and I was in the appropriate physical condition, I would seriously consider joining. But I'm pretty happy with my life as it is now, however.