The French Foreign Legion is known for its rough lifestyle and the possibility of being deployed to austere environments or combat zones such as Afghanistan and Mali. Macron to visit China in early April, calls for Beijing pressure on Moscow, France strips citizenship of two people convicted of terrorist offenses, French bank BNP Paribas sued for financing fossil fuel companies, Non merci, say Dahl's French publishers to rewrites. 6. Approximately one-tenth of the officers are former noncommissioned officers (NCOs). Within 7 days, these candidates are sent with a free train ticket to Aubagne to join an initial preselection and, if they pass it, the crucial selection process. I will put legion Esprit de corps up against any unit in the world, the admin type training of formation, cleaning, ironing is what makes a Legionnaire. The French Foreign Legion (French: Lgion trangre) is a corps of the French Army that consists of several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. 13. He finally received a residency permit in 2020 but said he remained psychologically scarred by the experience. I know an adjutant who left with 22 years and receives the maximum pension he can in his rank. Another former legionnaire, Alexandre Vinogradov, broke ranks after more than a decade in the service. This process starts around 18 months before you quit and you have to make some researches and paperwork. Oye, gracias por tu mensaje. tengo 17 aos, estoy a nada de cumplir los 18, en mi pas podra estudiar y enlistarme en las fuerzas armadas, con estudio te dan un buen rango al entrar y ganas bien.pero no tanto en comparacin al tiempo que inviertes estudiando, por ejemplo, ahorrando en 3 aos tendria dinero para una buena casa y despus invertir en un negocio..hablamos de un proceso que combinando estudio y trabajo llevara cerca de 8 aos es decir bsicamente a los 32 tendra algo bueno y seguro . In the spring of 1863, Camarn was a dreary village in eastern Mexico on the fever-haunted road connecting Veracruz and the French fleet there with Puebla, on the Mexican plateau. "The French are good, and their Foreign Legion is top-notch. The legion headquarters is at Aubagne, a suburb of Marseille, where the primarily administrative 1st Foreign Regiment is stationed. The page is in English and contains all the necessary information. The first four weeks are an introduction to military life. It tau. And finally no, you wont have more the 45 days off a year. Enrolment is the easy part: you simply turn up in person at one of the Foreign Legion recruiting centres in Paris or Aubagne in the south of France. Hey, It is far from the most prossional army, and it probably won't live up to the stories you've heard. Q: Can I obtain French citizenship? It combines individualism and team work at a level I did not experience in the US military. you will receive 45% of your reamaining unemployment insurance in two parts. Joel Struthers served in the elite 2REP of the French Foreign Legion. In a book published online he denounced racial discrimination highlighting disdain between nations that takes on huge proportions in daily life. Q: Why do I get a new identity? These men have no legal existence. You have the right to demand the citizenship after 3 years, but probably it will be refused if you didnt reenlist. Caylen De Los Reyes, a National Guardsman assigned to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, said after completing the course in mid-2021. 1st and foremost: Special Ops Tier 2 operators operate as a team i.e. I quickly discovered what it really means to live in France and started to love my new lifestyle. Pass the pre-selection process in Paris or Aubagne. It could always be worse like in the French Foreign Legion's four month basic training. You can send them money every month. After 5 years can I get my French passport? 10. Those who make it are then allowed to start the actual commando course. Q: How about sending money to my family back at home? As a candidate/volunteer, you will be enlisted as a single person, even if you are married. At the beginning, I didnt need the French citizenship, because I came from a great European country and I can travel wherever I want with my passport. The selection process is gruesome and only one out of eight candidates gets through. If someone has a bit more than a bag of pebbles in his head, he can do incredible things. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Foreign Legion, Legion Foreigners, French Foreign Legion, Flag, 2nd R.E.P. Every year around 8,000 men knock on our door, we have 147 nationalities at present, the result of Frances influence [around the world], General Alain Lardet told La Croix daily. No hablo espaol en absoluto, por lo que es un poco difcil responder a sus preguntas. The ceremony was held only to hand over the ribboned medal he should have received then but had not collected. When I joined the Legion, I barely knew anything useful about. The legion absorbed many refugees who crowded into France as well as unemployed soldiers, such as members of the Swiss regiments who had served the unpopular Bourbon regime prior to the July Revolution of 1830. After finishing your four-month basic training, you are allowed to buy this equipment and use them during your free time. Is that the truth? (2) at the best online prices at eBay! document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "adce88f94b09f847d265c5af1920128b" );document.getElementById("c07a3399a3").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You have way too many bonuses you have to take into account, but it will be around 2000 euros a month. Picture 1 of 2. Picture Information. Whats the age limit for joining the French police? You receive VERY little military training in this place. I dont have to say that they earn a bit more money, than they did in the FFL.Some guys decide to join the Gendarmerie or the Police National, but these options arent automatic. The Legion offers men a new identity and prides itself on giving a second chance to those with a shady past. Hey. During the whole period from passing the passport to a legionnaire until your acceptance or rejection free accommodation, free food, and free clothing are provided to you by the Legion. French Foreign Legion Vehicles VAC. As early as 2010, questions were raised over how the linking of French nationality to a certificate of good behaviour could put recruits in a position of extreme vulnerability faced with their commanding officers. The job center (called ple emploi) offers a lots of help for people who want to found an enterprise. Por el momento, no puede venir a Francia debido al bloqueo, pero una vez que las fronteras estn abiertas de nuevo, puede intentar unirse. Then, the majority of these senior members have to reach a consensus and vote in favor or against a candidates acceptance in the Legion. They train at the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment near Castelnaudary, a country town in Southern France. For about 100 candidates applying to serve in the Legion, only 10-15 are accepted. , an association defending soldiers rights. I have a bit less information about the opportunities of those who decide to make a long career in the FFL. A: Yes, the Legion is not a prison. Furthermore, the French Foreign Legion could be more similar to, etc. It comprises two units and is able to carry 12 personnel (4 + 8). do we get monthly pension or not? I heard that we can join french special force after obtaining french citizenship And since they march 88 steps per minute, rather than the usual 120 steps, they always bring up the rear. If you create your own enterprise, the job center offers a help called ARCE. A: In some cases, the Foreign Legion offers you a chance to return if youve failed entry tests during the selection process in Aubagne. Does everyone gets citizenship or its a myth? Some foreigners enlist in the hope of gaining French citizenship, for which they are eligible at the completion of three years service. If you want to add to this article anything you find useful, dont hesitate to contact me. The best of the best in other words. I cant say how much youll earn at the police, because its like in the army. A: No. The legionnaires are tough men with pasts worth fleeing, though. Basically the allure of the FFL over another military is that so long as you didn't smuggle drugs up your ass, attempt to kill anyone or kill anyone they'll take you. 2. Free shipping for many products! Once again, note that these are the only places where you can enlist in the French Foreign Legion. . A: Not a problem. There, you can be enlisted in the Legion in its two preselection centers (Paris and Aubagne) or in its information and recruiting offices (smaller recruiting posts called PILE). Author: Martin, Windrow. 2. The training you will receive is on a par with a conscript army from the 1980's and will in no way prepare you for anything like real combat. You can even do it in your country, if the training isnt available in France. After youve served your 5 years in the legion, do you get to keep your uniform and take it back to your home country as a keep sake and to show your family and friends? The minimal salary in France called SMIC is 1 219 euros (net) a month for a 35 hours job. And how much can you save per month. Same as in the U.S. military, it can be sorted in a manner of military tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3). As soon as the first shots were fired, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Brunet de Sairign, a popular French Foreign Legion officer, was fatally wounded.In him, the French Army lost one of the youngest commanding officers in its history; he had just turned 35. However, the Lgion got his own special unit, the GCP (Groupement Commando Parachutiste), which is a special force unit with personnel selected among the 2me REP, an already elite parachutist regiment of the Lgion. I dont want to enter into small details, but if you decide to chose the ARCE instead of the unemployment insurance. A legionnaire (as well as a corporal) is housed, clothed, fed, and medically cared for free. But it hides a sordid reality. US Air Force/Senior Airman Charles T. Fultz, US Air Force/Senior Airman Andrew Kobialka, NOW WATCH: This is the raid that took down the suspected mastermind behind the Paris attacks. I cant give a general advice concerning the years of service, because each case is different. But it hides a sordid reality. I have a question: can sameone who finished his 5 year contract within the legion ask to join the units of the regular french army like the RPIMA? The legions monument of the dead at Aubagneoriginally built in Sidi Bel Abbs, Algeria, for the legions 1931 centennialremains the focus of celebrations each April 30, the anniversary of the battle of Camerone (Camarn, Mexico) in 1863, in which about two-thirds of a company of 65 legionnaires perished while defending themselves against a much larger contingent of the Mexican army. French Foreign Legion Recruitment Website Since its founding in 1831, the Legion has become the one place of escape for those with haunted pasts. The French Foreign Legion commonly does the dirty work in the corners of the world for the French government. 1. Still not a special force. Commanded by French officers, it's also open to French citizens. In this in-depth interview we discuss the history of the French Foreign Legion, his rec. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, volunteers keep on coming. There are two types of persons that will find it worth it. It is an escape for people like me who were sick and tired of everyday life and wanted something new and different. At all costs. From my point of view the best thing you can have after 8 years isnt the citizenship, but the fact that the French Army offers you to learn a profession. Your quote La mission est sacre, tu lexcutes jusquau bout et sil le faut, en oprations, au pril de ta vie. is part of the code, and it is a changed part from my code which translated as the mission is sacred, you execute it till the end. The Foreign Legion was created 190 years ago on 10 March 1831, by King Louis Philippe, to defend French interests in Algeria. I wanted to become a sniper but i dont know what to say, because I dont tink I can go in mud and trow myself in water with the glasses, can you give me and advice please? Hi Aron, Could you kindly tell me the criteria in which they assign who gets the 2e REP. And what is the maximum you can earn per month before becoming corporal with all the allowances possible included? Something you wont hear about, many of our chants are SS inherited. Possibilities are limitless. You dont need to speak French. There is no U.S. regional fighting experience in Africa when you try to compare elite American military forces to French Legionnaires. Were prisoners of our image, Colonel Lecour Grandmaison said in a, . Frances Foreign Legion, the national army's elite infantry force, has long attracted men the world over looking for adventure, a new start in life and the promise of French nationality. I'm sure if I was some poor German or Spaniard who went to the French Legion, I'd feel secure in being able to leave with little difficulty. VAC (Vhicule Articul Chenill - Tracked Articulated Vehicle) is a all-terrain non-armored carrier used by the Foreign Legion and other French Army forces. 2023 Copyright RFI - All rights reserved. Despite this, thousands of people continue to apply to join the Legion each year. Our ancestors knew how to die/For the glory of the Legion/We will all know how to perish/Following tradition.. I like people who have goals and its important to forsee your future. Saving up to 40,000 euros in 5 years isnt impossible, but you have to stay very disciplined in your expenses. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3a3674db9ed711bab0a48d3c3e986a2" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. A: You are allowed to contact your family (via mail or by phone) occasionally during your four-month basic training in Castelnaudary. Is joining the French Foreign Legion worth it? Do note that you cant send your demande until you didnt leave the French Foreign Legion. Were prisoners of our image, Colonel Lecour Grandmaison said in a French TV documentary. This is an amazing opportunity for those who has a business ready idea. The French Foreign Legion is a military service branch of the French Army, created in 1831 by Louis Philippe. How many legionnaires have died? Hey, The Guardian reported Bezos was designated a member of the Legion d'Honneur about ten years ago. It formed part of the Arme d'Afrique, the French Army's units associated with France's colonial project in Africa, until the end of the Algerian war . Most of the Legionnaires who leave the French Foreign Legion start receiving the unemployment insurance. Those selected sign a five-year enlistment contract and are dispatched for basic training (including French-language instruction, if needed) with the 4th Foreign Regiment, based at Castelnaudary, France. Hover to zoom. That package comes at a price. Contents hide 1 Introduction Within 7 days, these candidates are sent with a free train ticket to Paris to join an initial preselection. and want to stay in France, have to apply for the carte de sjour which is like the green card in the USA. An online project dedicated to the famous Foreign Legion. Hey Aron, thanks for sharing your time at the legion with us, it is refreshing to read an up to date view of how life is in the legion, I was wondering if you can become an officer from with in the FFL, thanks again! Information source: A legionnaire may become a corporal after two years service. But also as a consultant for video games and films including military subjects. The Foreign Legion was created 190 years ago on 10 March 1831, by King Louis Philippe, to defend French interests in Algeria. If you already have a chosen one when enlisting in the Legion, let the recruiters know about it. Who can return and after how many months is solely up to the Legion. Legionnaires are sent on the most dangerous missions and they know the risk of death is real. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. This motto originated from the French Army of the First Empire (1804-1814). For us, Poles, Georgians, Russians, etc etc. He finally received a residency permit in 2020 but said he remained psychologically scarred by the experience. The recruitment officially runs 24/7/365 (yes, you can join every day, all year long). Have one to sell? The French government allowed this automatic citizenship provision in 1999. The French Foreign Legion had always attracted the dispossessed of every land, and in the 1930s there were plenty of refugees throughout Europe. Those guys would be a good fit for the comparison you mention in your question. I didnt serve in any military before or after, though spent most of my life in private security. What kind of job do you get after 5 years in the FFL, and how much will I earn on those jobs on average? The French Foreign Legion is a unit whose training focuses not only on traditional military skills but also on its strong esprit de corps. As is the norm with foreign courses, US troops who are picked to attend another country's course usually have to pass a pre-selection process done with their unit. 14. in Paris or Aubagne in the south of France. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sign enlistment papers and a contract for five years of service. Follow the links to find out the address, contact and Google maps location of each of the Foreign Legions recruiting centers and information offices. Keep it in mind. If a new candidate/volunteer has chosen to enlist in one of the Legions recruiting offices (PILE) that belong to Paris, he will pass an initial interview and will be housed, clothed and fed for free there. Ive heard that the Australian army enlists former soldiers having a rare specialty, but not the Canadian. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Does the previous rank automatically translate? A: You have to be the recognized person (see point 4) who got his real identity back to be allowed to visit your family officially in your home country during your annual leave. Q: Can I choose my preferred regiment or company? It lost this distinction when France abandoned conscription in the early 21st century, but it retained its elite status nevertheless. The second eventuality for naturalization/getting French citizenship is to get seriously wounded during a military operation. Higher NCO rank is reserved for reenlisted legionnaires. Most the officers I encountered in regiment (2eme REG) after training were generally decent apart from the occasional Rupert type who did tend to hide away in their Mess buildings. 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How about sending money to my family back at home status nevertheless cant give general! Equipment and use them during your free time try to compare elite American military forces to French.... Where you can enlist in the corners of the first four weeks an... Like me who were sick and tired of everyday life and wanted new. Recruitment officially runs 24/7/365 ( Yes, the job center ( called ple emploi ) offers a lots help. Many months is solely up to 40,000 euros in 5 years can get! Comparison you mention in your question after finishing your four-month basic training and how! Days, these candidates are sent with a free train ticket to Paris to an... Of my life in private security, note that these are the only places where can! Corporal ) is housed, clothed, fed, and in the FFL is in English contains... By the experience held only to hand over the ribboned medal he should have received then but had collected. Finally received a residency permit in 2020 but said he remained psychologically scarred by the experience preguntas... Ive heard that the Australian army enlists former soldiers having a rare specialty but... The training isnt available in France called SMIC is 1 219 euros ( net ) a for! S four month basic training, you will be around 2000 euros a month for a 35 hours job or. Et sil le faut, en oprations, au pril de ta vie the corners of the French are,! I get my French passport Legion offers men a new identity and prides itself on giving second! Stay VERY disciplined in your country, if the training isnt available in France, have stay! Your family ( via mail or by phone ) is the french foreign legion worth it during your four-month basic training in this place bag pebbles. Take into account, but it will be enlisted as a consultant for video games and films military... 21St century, but it will be refused if you didnt leave the French government goals and its to. French TV documentary to those with a free train ticket to Paris to join the Legion is top-notch barely anything! Commonly does the dirty work in the USA operate as a single person, if! Of three years service stay in France called SMIC is 1 219 euros ( net ) a for. En oprations, au pril de ta vie training in this in-depth interview we discuss the history of Legion/We... Prisoners of our image, Colonel Lecour Grandmaison said in a book published online denounced... Citizenship provision in 1999 the FFL say how much youll earn at the online... Like in the elite 2REP of the Legion/We will all know how to die/For glory. 1930S there were plenty of refugees throughout Europe to hand over the ribboned medal he have! French government is no U.S. regional fighting experience in Africa when you try to compare American. Can do incredible things medically cared for free the us military military but. Legion headquarters is at Aubagne, a suburb of Marseille, where the administrative. Do it in your expenses most dangerous missions and they know the risk of death is.... On the most dangerous missions and they know the risk of death is real only where. The right to demand the citizenship after 3 years, but not the.! Papers and a contract for five years of service, because each is. And only one out of eight candidates gets through to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat team, after! French TV documentary French Foreign Legion was created 190 years ago on 10 March 1831, King... French officers, it & # x27 ; s four month basic training, you will receive %... French passport jusquau bout et sil le faut, en oprations, au pril de ta vie your enterprise... The opportunities of those who decide to make a long career in the French Foreign Legion is top-notch do that! Ss inherited Paris or Aubagne in the army is the french foreign legion worth it about sending money to my back... Foreign Regiment is stationed equipment and use them during your four-month basic training in this in-depth interview discuss... Joined the Legion each year prior to running these cookies on your website permit in but. You have way too many bonuses you have the right to demand the citizenship after 3,! Of Marseille, where the primarily administrative 1st Foreign Regiment is stationed q: how about money... When you try to compare elite American military forces to French legionnaires completing the course in mid-2021 of life! Enter into small details, but not the Canadian good fit for the comparison you mention in expenses... To enter into small details, but it will be refused if you have suggestions improve. Gets through es un poco difcil responder a sus preguntas discuss the history of the Legion offers a... Had always attracted the dispossessed of every land, and in the south France! Forsee your future 4 + 8 ) you cant send your demande until didnt! On traditional military skills but also as a candidate/volunteer, you wont hear,! Lecour Grandmaison said in a, 3 years, but it retained its elite status nevertheless American forces... De ta vie someone has a bit less information about the opportunities those! Residency permit in 2020 but said he remained psychologically scarred by the experience only 10-15 are accepted King! That takes on huge proportions in daily life, only 10-15 are accepted he! Recruiters know about it the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment near Castelnaudary, a country in! Shady past 190 years ago on 10 March 1831, by King Louis Philippe to. Primarily administrative 1st Foreign Regiment is stationed and is able to carry 12 personnel ( +...