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New member introduction , questions

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Hello my name is Kev a 29 year old from Scotland hoping to join the French Foreign legion next year , the reason I'm waiting a year is that'll give me time to get myself in shape for the selection process.

Why do I want to join the Foreign Legion? Well basically I want to be a soldier and have that experiance. I tried to join the British army when I was 16 but failed the medical due to still having some very mild athsma symptoms however I think due to the fact that its been so long since I was tested I may have outgrown it , please give me your thoughts and opinions on this.

Also when I was 18 I broke my right hand , the bones going to my pinkie and ring finger this required a metal plate to be put in place to help them set so that they could heal properly and it was left in place as it was deemed to be an unecassary operation to have it removed , it is unintrusive and could only be noticed by a doctor and I have no loss of power in my hand , your thoughts and opinions woild be greatly appreciated , thanks in advance
 

Le petit caporal

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Hi Kévin and welcome
Am from Scotland too
I see you are from Grange Mouth
Do you know the family Mc Kinnons? Liam in paricular?
Am no Doctor but will give you my tuppence worth. ..
Slight Asthma = if you can reach level 7 on the Luc Léger test (beep test ) should be fine
Métal plate in your Pinky (left hand?) As long as you can do 7 pull ups, it should be okay. ..would of been better for you If you had it removed
Hope this helps
 
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Hi mate , can't say I know them but the name rings a bell. Thats good news about the athsma I can work on my fitness to pass a beep test , its my right hand that was broken and it was the bones in my hand leading upto my pinkie and ring finger, the metal plate was put in so they would heal better and the doctor didnt remove it because the plate would have no adverse side effects , I'll be able to manage 7 pull ups as I have no problems with my grip strength , thanks for your help mate
 

Le petit caporal

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Asthma, like many other 'light', pathological problems are more common amongst boys, than girls
Am sûre you have out grown it
Keep your dream and do not let any one tell you other wise (except the medical board at Aubange)
 
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I'll just have to give it my best shot , been thinking about it since the day I failed selection at penicuick nearly nearl 13 years ago , I need to go for it otherwise the time will come when I'm too old to join and I'll always wonder what if.
 

Le petit caporal

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Do not make personal failure an obsession. .belive me, you will live life happier
"Give it your best', is all you can do
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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Hi Kev and welcome to the forum. Can you climb a rope? Although it may not seem important at the moment, it will be later on. I too had broken my fingers on operations and had pins put in them.
4609

Because I could no longer climb a rope -because the tendon never set right in my pinkey - I had to leave the REP. They still kept me in the legion, but I had a little over 14 years of service at the time.
In Castel you will be expected to climb a rope. If you can not and it comes from the fact that you have had broken fingers you will be sent out of the legion.
At 29, you must be in the top of the range physical wise. It;s good that you've taken a year out to get your self fit, but strive for very fit. And start learning French.
 
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Hi Joseph , I can't climb a rope yet but thats something I can work towards it , it wasn't my fingers but the hand itself that was broken , I'll attach a pic to give you a better idea. Yeah I'll need to be in top physical shape and fitness I do weighlifting the now but I doubt very much the Foreign Legion would care how much I can bench press , it's going to be a year of burpess, running , pull ups and press ups
 

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Joseph Cosgrove

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OK, what I would strongly recommend is that you get an X-Ray of your hand just before going and a note from your GP saying that your hand is fit to go. Make sure the date is visible on both and that you have an official translation of the letter. Don't go overboard on the rope climbing, but do make an early start.
 
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You should bring an x-ray with you .In the first medical examination (before the blues stage)the doctor will ask you and he will be probably tell you to go civil to get an xray and then come back.,But if you lie and reach the rouge stage (the yare doing more serious medical exams )the doctors will notice that and 80% will sent you home with inapti definite.
 
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That sounds like good advice , I'll get that organised nearer the time. Thanks for your time
 

Ex-Pongo

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Try for the Brits again. Its been some time since you were 16.
 

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Does Mr Bloby know you have stole his hand, call me a fattest but that ain’t a fit hand.
It’s not the X Ray that will get you up the rope it’s you! My advise is if you can’t do any rope work then bin the fantasy what’s the motivation at 29 to suddenly want to join the Legion? Don’t know why but it’s the hand photo I have a mental picture of a room full of cans and crisps and pastie crumbs all round a big comfy computer chair and a poster of rocky on the wall.
Good luck.
 
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Joseph Cosgrove

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Try for the Brits again. Its been some time since you were 16.
Hi Ex-Pongo, it's good to her from you. The guy is 29, so unless he tries for the TA, I can't see it. Actually if Kevin has his heart set on the legion in a year, then going for the TAs in the meantime might be a good thing.
In fact it would even help him during the recruiting.
 
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Does Mr Bloby know you have stole his hand, call me a fattest but that ain’t a fit hand.
It’s not the X Ray that will get you up the rope it’s you! My advise is if you can’t do any rope work then bin the fantasy what’s the motivation at 29 to suddenly want to join the Legion? Don’t know why but it’s the hand photo I have a mental picture of a room full of cans and crisps and pastie crumbs all round a big comfy computer chair and a poster of rocky on the wall.
Good luck.

Yeah I'm not going to lie I am very unfit and I would probably struggle to run half a mile hence why I'm taking a year to get fit. As for the motivation and reasons for wanting to join I mentioned them in my opening message and it certainly isn't all of a sudden , I've been telling myself for nearly 13 years that wanting to join the legion is a daft idea and talk myself out of it but it always comes back into my mind. Trying to join the british army is a non starter as I was told I wouldnt be able to apply again due to failing the asthma test during my medical.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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Right then Kevin listen up ! I'm thinking of selling this info in an app. The only way that you are going to get yourself motivated is by joining clubs. The local gym is alright, but if it's like the gym I go to, forget it : more talk about Brexit and the new law passed in Thailand for expats than pumping iron ☕ Dusa by PM for the coffee cup meaning.
Running club, boxing club, rowing club, cycling club, you name it club. You then have to look around for the local running races and cross country races.
Don't tell me that there are no races in your area. No-one is expecting you to come in first, just that you finish the race. Because if Papillion's vision of

of a room full of cans and crisps and pastie crumbs all round a big comfy computer chair and a poster of rocky on the wall.
is true then you absolutely have to get in the Kay Gees on the road and through the meadows.
Have you read the book 'the loneliness of a long distance runner?' ☕
I thought not. It's about a youth who is in prison but is allowed out in the early hours of the morning to train for cross country races.
Keep us up to date with your races 🆒
 
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Hi Ex-Pongo, it's good to her from you. The guy is 29, so unless he tries for the TA, I can't see it. Actually if Kevin has his heart set on the legion in a year, then going for the TAs in the meantime might be a good thing.
In fact it would even help him during the recruiting.
Infantry i think it"s too late but other Corps will take him & The royal Marines Till i think 32..but 29/30 is still a chance for the Légion too. He's still young
 
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