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Joseph Cosgrove

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It is nerve wracking basing your entire future on something that may be over in the first ten minutes!

Anthony, a lot of the time it is the candidate's fault if he gets binned. If it only takes him ten minutes, then he's obviously got something wrong. Pull-ups perhaps ?

Then it's the candidate's whole attitude during selection. There are, in my opinion four categories of candidates.
1) those that get themselves noticed for being enthusiastic workers, and volunteers.
2) those who are not enthusiastic and just coast along
3) The grey man who does not get noticed at all. He gets on with is work without need of supervision and occasionally volunteers.
And 4) The right combination of 1) + 3). Not hopping up and down waving his hand in the air every time they are looking for a corvée chiotte. Friendly with his fellow language speakers but not forming a clic. Gets on with his job without going over board.

Then it's down to the tests. Physical we have all been through. IQ, putting the square peg into the square hole, 2,4,6, ?, 10 etc. These questions can be found and studied on Internet.

Then it's the dreaded 'gestapo interrogation' Au secours ! Do NOT change your story.

Teeth and Medial have all been gone over.

The Psy, again be natural and do not change you story.
 
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Anthony Bank,

Welcome to the forum. Keep up with the training. However 'think positive' at all times. Your comment about ; Future may be over in the first ten minutes indicates a negativity. Put that nonsense behind you. When you turn up at the gate demonstrate a 'want factor'.

Don't accept the idea of rejection.

Chas- Brit Green Beret trained by former WW2 Cdos. 80 y.o.a. next b/day.
 

dusaboss

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It is nerve wracking basing your entire future on something that may be over in the first ten minutes! I'll never quit for sure.
Good observation. I also bring up that subject some time ago. It's weird that you have to prepare yourself like your gonna serve for 5 y. You have to farewell with you family and friends like you wouldn't see them for a long time and you can get back in one week, but hey that's way it is. That's why isn't good idea to burn all bridges behind you.

As for your worries about being American,I think most influence on you had story from guy, ex-soldier who did get rejected right away after doing pull ups and after guy asked him to take down his close. This story : https://cervens.net/forum/index.php?threads/learn-from-me.22418/
He was rejected for being too heavy, I'm sure and he was not rejected just been told to come back in 3 months and to lose some weight. They also like use that as motivation check. If you come second or third time your chances are significantly greater
 

GSP

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Then it's the candidate's whole attitude during selection. There are, in my opinion four categories of candidates.
1) those that get themselves noticed for being enthusiastic workers, and volunteers.
2) those who are not enthusiastic and just coast along
3) The grey man who does not get noticed at all. He gets on with is work without need of supervision and occasionally volunteers.
And 4) The right combination of 1) + 3). Not hopping up and down waving his hand in the air every time they are looking for a corvée chiotte. Friendly with his fellow language speakers but not forming a clic. Gets on with his job without going over board.

So when are you suppose to volunteer in the FFL? In the Argentinian Army, when a superior asked for a Volunteer to do something, they were expecting the whole group to step forward and then he/she could would select someone. In fact those who didn't step forward were punished in some way or another.
I'm glad that i read this, because everytime i saw the mention of the grey man, i was thinking about #1 (of course not overacting or being an a22licker)
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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So when are you suppose to volunteer in the FFL?

There is no golden rule. When to volunteer? when to look as if you don't understand? There is one dull brass rule and that is, if you are always looking as if you don't understand, you can forget about it.

Once in instruction they will ask for volunteers, everyone puts their hand up because they know that the Cpl is going to choose those that he wants to choose. The old saying is :"any volunteers? You are all volunteers, no-one came to get you"
 
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I am at the point where I am making steady progress but I want to push. I want to leave tomorrow! Not as planned. But it would do no good to go and fail one of the simple tests. And I know I am not physically ready.
 
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I broke my ankle doing hill sprints in the rain. Can you believe this shit. I wear a boot for five more weeks and I'll be ok. Minor set back but it really sucks. F*ck me I have no luck
 
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Joseph Cosgrove

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I broke my ankle doing hill sprints in the rain. Can you believe this shit. I wear a boot for five more weeks and I'll be ok. Minor set back but it really sucks. F*ck me I have no luck

That is too bad. But it could have been worse- It could have been me :cool:
But seriously, watch what you eat, because it's easy to snack when you are idle. Also once the boot comes off start off slowly. It's a set back, but the legion isn't going anywhere.
 
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That is too bad. But it could have been worse- It could have been me :cool:
But seriously, watch what you eat, because it's easy to snack when you are idle. Also once the boot comes off start off slowly. It's a set back, but the legion isn't going anywhere.

Thanks, I've had the boot for a week. I'm actually eating better than before-veggies, fish, chicken, and drinking lots of water. I won't let myself gain a pound back (hahah I hope). I'm back to the gym riding the stationary bike with my big cast . Everyone thinks I'm nuts and the doctor gave me a couple machines I can do which won't damage my ankle and I can do as much as I want depending on my pain tolerance. .

It's not running but it keeps me from going crazy. Still took off 1.5 pounds last week. I finished my sprints after I did it and luckily it was just a fracture with no surgery and no permanent damage (hopefully).
 

ricktn40

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My name is Anthony and I am from Erie Pennsylvania. I currently live in Southwest corner of the state. I wanted to join the Legion at 18 but was talked into doing all the conventional things in life by the people around me. Well, in the last 16 months my brother overdosed on drugs, my cousin died in a car crash, and my girlfriend left me. Then last week I was laid off from my place of employment. So I well and truly have nothing here.

I have learned a bit of French over the years and I have been to Paris and spoke very basic French passably. I am a typical slightly overweight 31 year old (will be 32 in a month) American but I started following Stoeng's excellent training regime three weeks ago and I can hardly believe the progress I have made.

I figure it will take me another 2-3 months to get into shape (I couldn't do a single pull up and now I can do 8 or 9 in a set). The hardest part for me is getting back into running-I was too heavy at first but I've trimmed off 12 pounds since February so I am getting that squared away.

This isn't a whimsical decision I have thought about the Legion everyday for the last 14 years and I simply don't want to live with regrets. I would like a new start, a military career, and out of the States.

I really have no connections left here, I hope that will be considered a positive by the Legion. I have listed my house for sale, sold most of my large things already, and I am renting a room in my buddies basement. I will run, practice my French and save and will hopefully be in Aubagne in the autumn.

I hope I have a chance as I'd like to make the Legion a career. I talked to both the Marines and the Army here and they really weren't interested. So the Legion is really all I have.

Best regards,
Anthony.

P.S.: Thank you for having me in your community. I hope anyone with any advice or suggestions will be willing to share.
I would like to thank Joseph Cosgrove for his kind suggestion. I have my first 5k race May 5 and I have a 10K race June 9. I am running with a group and my lower back pain is finally gone. My belly is wearing off and getting flat and my lifting is going well. I did 4 miles today and look to get up to 6 miles with the group on Saturday. I start speed sprinting on tues/thursdays the week after my 5k. I hope to be sub 21 minutes but we will see. At least sub 25 and I will be happy. It took be over an hour and a half of walking/jogging the first week of March to cover 5k so I will be happy either way.

I run everyday now. I will achieve my dream.

Thank you Joseph.
welcome
 

GuidoLovarini

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Thanks, I've had the boot for a week. I'm actually eating better than before-veggies, fish, chicken, and drinking lots of water. I won't let myself gain a pound back (hahah I hope). I'm back to the gym riding the stationary bike with my big cast . Everyone thinks I'm nuts and the doctor gave me a couple machines I can do which won't damage my ankle and I can do as much as I want depending on my pain tolerance. .

It's not running but it keeps me from going crazy. Still took off 1.5 pounds last week. I finished my sprints after I did it and luckily it was just a fracture with no surgery and no permanent damage (hopefully).

Well done mate. Just try take it a little easy you wouldnt want to damage it to much and conpletely ruin your chance of selection. Look up stretches and things you can do when you able to bend and walk on your ankle properly this will stop it getting stiff over time. My right ankle is extremely stiff due to a bad sprain years ago.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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Thanks, I've had the boot for a week. I'm actually eating better than before-veggies, fish, chicken, and drinking lots of water. I won't let myself gain a pound back (hahah I hope). I'm back to the gym riding the stationary bike with my big cast . Everyone thinks I'm nuts and the doctor gave me a couple machines I can do which won't damage my ankle and I can do as much as I want depending on my pain tolerance. .

It's not running but it keeps me from going crazy. Still took off 1.5 pounds last week. I finished my sprints after I did it and luckily it was just a fracture with no surgery and no permanent damage (hopefully).
Hi Anthony, are you back up running yet?
 
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I'm sorry I haven't posted. The leg has finally fully healed. The break actually healed within two months fully. I also had a grade three sprain. That took about 8 months to heal. I was very depressed because I thought my dream might be over. But I kept working hard. I'm back up to running 5K. Ran the entire month of June without a problem.

I run distance monday and weds and I run sprints and hills tuesday and thursday.

I should have posted more here but I was very embarrassed with my weakness. I kept trying to push it but I had to stay off of my ankle for three months before it would heal. The Sprain is SOOOO much worse than the break.

I really have no pain but sometimes, when it rains I get an ache. Nothing major and nothing I cant live with. The main thing is no surgery and no scars and the ankle is as strong as when it was broke.

Honestly, I spent most of the winter deeply depressed because I saw my dream slipping through my fingers. My life is a waste I really need this. I am 33 and I feel like I am an old man and every day wasted not in France drives me crazy.

But I've calmed down and planned everything again. I do 30 pull-ups a day, 160 push ups and I will be at level ten in thebeep test before I go. Planning for november 1.

I put my house in a power of attorney. I sold everything last year so I'm taking public transportation. I don't have cable or anything. I have studied french on my own and I can actually read and speak it at a basic level.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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If you ankle hurts in the rain, is it really a good idea to go in November. Because adding to the rain is cold weather and long periods of standing in the cold and wet.
 
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If you ankle hurts in the rain, is it really a good idea to go in November. Because adding to the rain is cold weather and long periods of standing in the cold and wet.
Honestly, it's fine, the only time it "aches" was when it was wet and when I first wake up. I'd have to stretch it. I've run off the scar tissue without surgery and I play Ice hockey, soccer and dek hockey.

My "bad" ankle is stronger than my"good" one with all the exercises I've been doing. Trust me, I can deal with a little ache first thing in the morning. No problem at all. I am not waiting any longer.
 
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Honestly, it's fine, the only time it "aches" was when it was wet and when I first wake up. I'd have to stretch it. I've run off the scar tissue without surgery and I play Ice hockey, soccer and dek hockey.

My "bad" ankle is stronger than my"good" one with all the exercises I've been doing. Trust me, I can deal with a little ache first thing in the morning. No problem at all. I am not waiting any longer.
Hello Anthony, keep up your regimen and I’ll see you in A few months probably. sounds like we are traveling around the same time, I know I’m not struggling with the injuries but I get the burn just work through it.
 
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Training and heavy manouvers are mostly done in (fall) winter time

Yes and Springtime I was still actively rehabing, and it was raining nonstop today and I felt nothing at all! I wasn't pain free fully until the beginning of May. I've slowly added activities and now I am completely back to normal. For awhile there I was truly feeling that I could never get back. But I am back. Added Sprints two weeks ago and not only did my ankle handle it there was literally no sorenessNow I am just tuning up and getting ready. I did a 15 mile ruck today!

Thanks for the kindness and advice everyone.
 
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