Okay: I wear glasses, all the time. I just finished basic training at Castel. I understand how much anxiety people with glasses would have before they go to join la Légion. And I also understand how annoying it is seeing stupid threads asking the same question about eyesight over and over again. So here it is: the frigging ultimate thread about eyeglasses/eyesight and joining+basic training. I will try to tell what I know and experienced and answer the questions if anyone got any (not much free time during the weekday though).
That's all I can think of now. Post any question if you have and I will answer them when I have a chance.
- People with glasses can still join. Usually in one rouge section at Aubagne there will be one or two guys wearing glasses, it's not unusual. The only disadvantage for people with glasses in selection process is probably just the "sport aptitude" score (how 'athletic' you looks, not how much you can run or pull-up), which is not a big deal. If you can still do running and pull-up, be reasonably intelligent, then its fine.
- But if your eyesight is horribly bad like more than -8.0 and you need to wear the lens of 2 cm thick then you will fail the medical test in the pre-selection in the fist time. Other than that it's fine. I'm -3.5 and could get pass the selection, like lots of other eyeglasses wearing people.
- Mild colour blindness is Okay. as long as you can manage to get pass the colour test. A buddy of mine is mildly colour-blind, he just got a crappy markmanship score in basic because he couldn't see the orange triangle at the target and that's all.
- If you wear contacts, bring them to Aubagne, but don't wear them there. Wear your glasses instead. Because in Aubagne you will not have time to wear and take care of them. But later when you're leaving for Castel you can access your civil stuff and take your contacts (along with dictionary and shit) with you to Castel. There you will need them.
- Don't wear fancy glasses. In Aubagne it's probably fine but in Castel you will have to tape your pink-coloured glittering playboy eyeglasses with black duct tape for the camouflage. So go find a low-profile dorky glasses one before you leave for Aubagne.
- If you want high markmanship score, get yourself a prescription glasses with ballistic clip-on (like mine). Because it's obligatory to wear protection glasses in the shooting range and the ones they provided in Castel is foggy and shitty, not to mention encumbering with your prescription ones. So I got my own ballistic clip on in and scored higher than most people with normal eyesight (cuz they got foggy glasses and couldn't see the target). This is very important if you want to choose specific regiment, because shooting score is highly weighted and if you're good at shooting you will get very high placement, hence the first to select the regiment.
- Forget 2REP People with glasses will got "inapte TAP" No problem with other regiments.
- Bring a pair of back up glasses with you. Lots of harsh activity in basic training. Also make sure you have a hard-shell case for your main glasses.
- You can take your glasses maintenance kit or contacts with you in Aubagne and Castel. Just tell the CPL/CCH that's they are for your glasses/contact.
- You will get a pair of dorky heavy shitty army-issued glasses at nearly the end of basic training in Castel, along with a pair of insertion for gas mask. I tried them one day and never used them again (the one for gas mask is neato though).
- If you have a prescription swimming goggles, bring them along for using later in Castel (not in Aubagne). There are some swimming/diving test and some weekend if you're lucky you can go to the swimming pool.
- A sunglasses clip-on would be nice for your holidays in the Pyrénées mountains. Not necessary though.
That's all I can think of now. Post any question if you have and I will answer them when I have a chance.
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