QUESTION Some questions about medical and advices

[Kotkata]

Hello all, first of all I'm genuinely sorry if this was the wrong place to post this. Just warn me if that is the case and I'll gladly delete this post.
I checked previous posts on this subject but decided to post a new one because I'm getting anxious.
I'm 22 years old, very fit and a sportsman. I'm a cyclist and runner, not professional just hobby. After I graduate from university, I will do my obligatory service then I'm planning on joining LLE. I want to stay in LLE until I become I pensioner, my wish is to become a combat vehicle operator or gunner, being a medic would also be nice.
However I have a very small crack in my left tibia (hairline fracture) with edema, also have torn meniscus on both knee, left one is worse though. I learned these this week. They are due to sports I practice. I have seen a doctor about this and he said I can do everything in 6 months at worst. I told him about my wish to become a legionnaire and he said It would be ok to join armed forces because I wouldn't have any loss of function. However he suggested that I should have meniscus surgery via arthroscopy (probably on both knees), which will leave very little scars on the side of the knee. I will use scar removal cream or gel etc. on them, but should I lie to the medic or show the records of these surgeries? If I show these records, I fear that I will be shown the way out. (I'll try it anyway, better to be defeated than not having tried once.) By the way, I'm fluent in English, Turkish and Russian. Can knowledge of these languages increase my chance to get elected?
Do you know any people who had a case like mine but got selected?

Thank you very much, I hope you have a very good day!

 

[Le petit caporal]

Will get back to you on this one
Avé
L.P.C.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Hi Kotkata and welcome to the forum.
You will have a form to fill out before you even go into the doctors office which will ask you if you have had any operations, any deceases*, any broken bones etc. Contrary to what my learned friend Dusa may think , the doctor is not dumb. There are 3 things which suffer during your basic training - and consequently your entire career: feet, knees and back.
Although none of us are doctors on here, we have had questions about flat feet, scars and of course operations of various types.

*Which includes Leukemia

 

[Kotkata]

Hi Kotkata and welcome to the forum.
You will have a form to fill out before you even go into the doctors office which will ask you if you have had any operations, any deceases*, any broken bones etc. Contrary to what my learned friend Dusa may think , the doctor is not dumb. There are 3 things which suffer during your basic training - and consequently your entire career: feet, knees and back.
Although none of us are doctors on here, we have had questions about flat feet, scars and of course operations of various types.

*Which includes Leukemia

Thanks for your comment.
I should have an all clear paper on military career then. The scars should vanish with todays technology. But I'm not sure which would be better, I mean telling them a lie and increasing my chance to get accepted or tell them the truth and later on my career don't get punished for telling it and so on.
There is still a lot of time for me knock de door at Fort De Nogent, at least 2 years
I'm aware that you had your share with these questions yet you replied me with a friendly manner, so thank you!

 

[Le petit caporal]

Scars never disappear
Try your best but you will have to be honest as to why they are there
L.P.C.

 

[Kotkata]

Scars never disappear
Try your best but you will have to be honest as to why they are there
L.P.C.

Ok, I should focus on getting fit for duty report and get that translated with MR and X-Ray records as well when I go then.
I feel that my chances are slim, but I will go for it anyway. Thanks!

 

[Le petit caporal]

Take a full blood test also
L.P.C.

 

[Kotkata]

Hello! I have good news, very good news in fact. Today doctor told me that edema healed completed and thanks to collagen pills and good physiotherapy meniscal tears healed a little. I will keep having physiotherapy for another 45 days. Doctor told me that because of my age and good figure they should heal and I should have no problem in military. I have no pain and started running again with the doctors advice. (of course much slower tempo, just as a precaution)

If I had the financial means, I would go after recovery but I sadly don't. So I will wait 2 years more.
What do you suggest? I started saving money, because it is good to save.
If this virus pandemic doesn't end in summer I'm thinking of trying my luck but I think France is a bit tight about visas out of the Schengen area due to pandemic.

Take care!

 

[Kotkata]

I couldn't edit the message, but after looking up it costs very little to travel to France in summer, I can afford that easily. I could really try my luck in this July. However I might face legal problems. If I come to Turkey they will take me to army for my obligatory service. Is there way to avoid that? I mean does Legion provide with me a new identity for it? Acceptance rates seems to be higher than ever according to some guys in FFL. Just wanted to ask the men in green.
Cheers and thanks!

 

[dusaboss]

I couldn't edit the message, but after looking up it costs very little to travel to France in summer, I can afford that easily. I could really try my luck in this July. However I might face legal problems. If I come to Turkey they will take me to army for my obligatory service. Is there way to avoid that? I mean does Legion provide with me a new identity for it? Acceptance rates seems to be higher than ever according to some guys in FFL. Just wanted to ask the men in green.
Cheers and thanks!

Yes, but you couldn't go back to Turkey with that new identity for long time.

 

[Kotkata]

Yes, but you couldn't go back to Turkey with that new identity for long time.

For how long? Maybe I can go after getting French citizenship maybe?

 

[dusaboss]

For how long? Maybe I can go after getting French citizenship maybe?

Hmm, Yes that is period I'm thinking of but I don't know how that new identity works out of France... especially in origin country. I guess traveling is possible if they don't look for you really badly.

I know something about guys from my country coming back from FFL during 90s. I heard stores that some of them were sent to war immediately after coming home. They were approached from people of military intelligence and politely asked would they serve their country in time of need. I guess saying no wasn't option. But they wasn't French citizens at the time I have intuition that intelligence of my country have people infiltrated into FFL.

How long is Turkish army service? How old are you. Until when they can call you to serve? If that is your only problem why you don't do that first and go to FFL after? (You'll be asked this question if you go)

 

[Kotkata]

Hmm, Yes that is period I'm thinking of but I don't know how that new identity works out of France... especially in origin country. I guess traveling is possible if they don't look for you really badly.

I know something about guys from my country coming back from FFL during 90s. I heard stores that some of them were sent to war immediately after coming home. They were approached from people of military intelligence and politely asked would they serve their country in time of need. I guess saying no wasn't option. But they wasn't French citizens at the time I have intuition that intelligence of my country have people infiltrated into FFL.

How long is Turkish army service? How old are you. Until when they can call you to serve? If that is your only problem why you don't do that first and go to FFL after? (You'll be asked this question if you go)

I'm 22. I will be called for my service in 2024 January but I can do it earlier if I want and I will do that. Turkish military service is around 6 months but being graduated from university with foreign language diploma, there is high chance of me being a reserve officer or reserve nco, if that is the case I will serve one year. I can choose not to be a reservist but it pays really good and I can sign a contract if my service is rated good. I also keep that in mind. Going to France seems unlikely nowadays because I can't get a visa. My plan is to go reserve officer or nco then with the money I saved going to France to try my luck, if it doesn't happen will come back and try to join my forces.

The reason I wanted to go to FFL first was the high acceptance rates nowadays.
I think it would better to do military service here and then go to the FFL. By the way, Turkey keeps track of people who haven't served but only in country, but if you are living abroad for 5 or more years, you can pay a sum of money (around 3000 euros?) and avoid it. But FFL is not like civil life which you can prove you're 5 years away for work etc. If I come back to Turkey and in that time and get caught, I will be shipped to army straight away, probably with a fine or prolonged service. I heard stories about 45 year old guys doing obligatory service.

I hope I answered all your questions clearly.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Hi Kotkaka, I would recommend that you took the 6 month option. Make sure that you ask for the toughest unit that is available for your category and once you have done your time, then you are free to join the legion. The legion is not going anywhere and you will be asked if you have done your time in the Turkish army, normally it will be done by someone who has lived in Turkey or is Turkish, so he will know if you try to bulls$t him concerning the army.

 

[Kotkata]

Hi Kotkaka, I would recommend that you took the 6 month option. Make sure that you ask for the toughest unit that is available for your category and once you have done your time, then you are free to join the legion. The legion is not going anywhere and you will be asked if you have done your time in the Turkish army, normally it will be done by someone who has lived in Turkey or is Turkish, so he will know if you try to bulls$t him concerning the army.

There is a question asked to all the conscripts on paper in Turkish army, which is "Do you want to serve as a commando?". If you answer yes you can do it if you are seen fit for it. You can either be infantry commando or mountain commando. Reservists can do it too. It is the toughest thing army offers to conscripts. Proffessional soldiers do much harder stuff though. My reply to this question will be yes. My reason for taking the one year option is the FFL, I want to save some money for the trip. Because usually tickets and hotels are very expensive. Nowadays they're cheap, except accommodation.,

My brother was a commando back in the day he did 15 months (it wasn't 6 months back then), he took 6 months of training here. It is in Turkish but you could scroll through the photos at the end of the site and translate it via google if you are interested. Mountain commando training are really important in Turkey because most of the borders are mountainous areas and Turkish Army clashes with PKK usually in mountains.

http://egirdir.gov.tr/dag-komando-okulu-ve-egitim-merkezi-komutanligi

Training takes place here for mountaineers.


Edit : There is also a video about it, you can skip through it to get the idea.

 

[dusaboss]

There is a question asked to all the conscripts on paper in Turkish army, which is "Do you want to serve as a commando?". If you answer yes you can do it if you are seen fit for it. You can either be infantry commando or mountain commando. Reservists can do it too. It is the toughest thing army offers to conscripts. Proffessional soldiers do much harder stuff though. My reply to this question will be yes. My reason for taking the one year option is the FFL, I want to save some money for the trip. Because usually tickets and hotels are very expensive. Nowadays they're cheap, except accommodation.,

My brother was a commando back in the day he did 15 months (it wasn't 6 months back then), he took 6 months of training here. It is in Turkish but you could scroll through the photos at the end of the site and translate it via google if you are interested. Mountain commando training are really important in Turkey because most of the borders are mountainous areas and Turkish Army clashes with PKK usually in mountains.

http://egirdir.gov.tr/dag-komando-okulu-ve-egitim-merkezi-komutanligi

Training takes place here for mountaineers.


Edit : There is also a video about it, you can skip through it to get the idea.

Than serve army first. You're young you have all time in the world for ffl letter.
Also even if you decide to go first I'm sure you can strike a deal with with Turkish army once you beck not to pay 3000€ instead to give them back by serve.
Usually they are more than happy to have fully trained professional soldier and not paying a cent for him. (in contrary to 6 months of not so good training of others). Probably give you a rank immediately.