Whether you join in Paris or Aubagne you will be doing cleaning. Why, for one hygiene. Let's be honest the place has to be clean. And then, among other reasons there is the fact that people are coming from all walks of life. People coming from very poor countries will never have used a broom in their life, it's a woman's job. And then there are those who have lived at home all their lives, it's a mum's job.
The reasons are many. To keep people occupied, to see if they are wiling to take orders. To give them a taste of what they will be doing for the next five years.
Actually that last reason was a slight attempt at humour on my part. Here is how it works once you get into your new regiment, company, section. You are the new comer, it's understood that you will be given all the sh$tty jobs to begin with. This is not a legion trade mark, it happens in every army all over the world, even if you join as an officer.
But back to our legionnaire. After a while there will be others affected to you section. Then around the 10 months period you will be promoted to the dizzy heights of legionnaire 1ère classe
. Although it's not got the same merit as in the days of Le pertit Cpl, Mark and Pink Floyd, Papillion
et j'en passe (which was different to the days of Votigeur and Jonny) it still makes a difference to the
liste de corvées on the section's notice board.
And then you go on your corporal's course. When you have finished that you think that you will have have the good life ! You've got it made!!!
No way, you are the newest Cpl in your section. You will then start learning the ropes. Tradition has it that you will will be the next Cpl de Jour, contrary to what the name implies it is for a week. It will be you who makes the list of corvées. This is all good because it helps to distance (if that is the right word) from you old fellow 1st class legionnaires and you as a Cpl.
The next time that your section has to provide a Cpl de Semaine which as the name implies is for a week
, you as the new Cpl are the obvious choice.
Basically the Sgt and Cpl de Semaine, run the company after working hours, the Cpl de semaine is in charge of the company's corvée, waking up the company etc. There is a lot more involved than that. The good thing is that you are now accepted by the whole company as a caporal.
So if anyone is still cleaning toilets after 2 years, then he deserves to.