Workout routine

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Another North American bites the dust. For anyone going to join, ask yourself if the legion is for you. Then ask yourself are you for the legion. It's a long way to go to return home with your tail between your legs. At one time Aubagne was for weeding out those who would not stay and to a certain extent it still is. Now it seems that it's Castel's role, especially as going civvi is so easy.

Well he tried and can say it wasn't for him. For others try and remember that no-one, most of all Castel, says it's going to be easy. Do not try and compare it to your own army where everyone is from the same country and speaks the same language and supports the same national football team. The legion is made up of around 100 nationalities who support their own county's football team.

In time you will all be speaking the same language and drinking in the same downtown bar. Just give it a chance.

 

[dusaboss]

Tanks for respond shadow.

Looks like many guys have wrong impression on what FFL actually is. So, like you, get disappointed ones they are there. Others wasn't ready to do 5 years and many restrictions at first place.

Many go civil after earning kepi. And me still sitting here and typing.

 

[Chas]

An interesting wake-up call for dreamers.

I thought of joining years ago and took a different avenue HKP & Queen's Regt TA.

I have heard that many former RMs' go and leave dissatisfied. I believe Shadowhideyou808 was correct to take the option of 'parti civile'. He left with the correct procedure for opting out. Far better than deserting later.

In my opinion 'adventure seekers' and dreamers should go elsewhere. You must have a real and genuine personal reason as an aspirant.

Chas: Trained by former WW2 Cdos.

 

[Chas]

Tanks for respond shadow.

Looks like many guys have wrong impression on what FFL actually is. So, like you, get disappointed ones they are there. Others wasn't ready to do 5 years and many restrictions at first place.

Many go civil after earning kepi. And me still sitting here and typing.

Dusaboss,

I have no wish to insult you and refer you to our recent private correspondence. I genuinely believe that you should retain your interest in the Legion. However do not go. You have others great talents. (If you do and succeed then there is Euros Fifty in your kitty.)

 

[shadowhideyou808]

I do advise people, to remember that the French Foreign Legion is far different than most imagine.

Apparently, when France joined the EU, the FFL integrated with the French Regulars.

It’s far different from a western military.
Old vehicles like GBC’s and P4’s, some new apcs, and French Law. By this I mean, there is a lot they are not able to do, that they used to be able to. Thanks to the EU.
It’s not what it used to be.

That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s just different.
I went in expecting it to be like the usmc at the least or more difficult. It did not meet my expectations.
For others, with less physical fitness and less military knowledge, I’m sure it was exactly the bill I hoped it would be. For me PERSONALLY, after some months of regimental training (this is when you finish Kepi March and start training for regiment) I had to make a decision, and for the first time in my life, an actual adult decision where I had to sit and think for a few weeks about the outcomes and my future, and ultimately it was not something I would be happy doing for 5 years.

I don’t regret going. I don’t regret my decision. It’s bittersweet because I’ve dreamt of it for so long, but unfortunately, my idea of, and the actuality of the FFL were not the same thing. Not even close actually.

YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL VARY !! I cannot stress that enough.

If there is anything bad I could really say, is that I wish the capitaine didn’t offer for me to come back in 2 years.
It’s like leaving a door half open. And I hate that.

I dont know how many were offered to stay, but the ones I spoke with iit seemed like only four of us got offered.

A Canadian with 0 military experience but with good physical scores. Francophone and anglophone.

A Portuguese with 0 military experience but who had good physical scores. Spoke 5 languages. Including French.

A young Finn who was 18 with prior army experience and average physical scores. They said they though he was making a big mistake due to his young age.

And myself.
Good physical scores. Prior service.

I think the defining factor in all of these is we waited till after the Kepi March, did some regimental training, and had decent enough scores or prior service.


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[Nickfury]

Sorry I still don't understand what you mean by regimental training as that only happens when you get to your regiment and you go through the basic training for each regiment. It sounds like you were still in Castel before deciding to leave? So where is the regimental training, that is all basic training, you undergo another 6-8 weeks when you actually get to a regiment which is a step up from the training you get in Castel.

 

[rickyN7]

Interesting. Thanks for the sharing. It sounds like you made the right choice for yourself. Still, congratulations on getting as far as you did.
I’m going in December. Can I just ask what the initial selection process was like?
How many blues went rouge?
How did the interviews and medicals go?
What do the gestapo look for in candidates?
What are the main reasons people get sent away?
Any hidden stones I’d need to prepare for during selection? Any tips for a wannabe?
Also, would you say a level 8 on the beep test and 16 pull-ups is above or below average?
Thanks in advance. I can only hope to get as far as you did.

 

[rickyN7]

Sorry I still don't understand what you mean by regimental training as that only happens when you get to your regiment and you go through the basic training for each regiment. It sounds like you were still in Castel before deciding to leave? So where is the regimental training, that is all basic training, you undergo another 6-8 weeks when you actually get to a regiment which is a step up from the training you get in Castel.

Hi Nick,
My understanding is that the period of training in Castel AFTER getting the Kepi Blanc is referred to as ‘regimental training’, during which you are prepared for any one of the regiments you could be assigned to at the end.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

?
I can only hope to get as far as you did.

The idea is to hope to complete your first contract otherwise stay home.

 

[voltigeur]

The idea is to hope to complete your first contract otherwise stay home.

After a lot of diplomatic wrangling because I was under age, which was 21 at that time in the Netherlands, I was asked by the Legion if I wanted to go home.
You know now what my answer was.

 

[rickyN7]

The idea is to hope to complete your first contract otherwise stay home.

Hahaha of course.
What I meant is to make it past selection, which I’m confident is the only thing that could stop me from completing said contract. If I am selected and reach Castel, I know I’ll see it through to the end.

 

[Crotalus Atrox]

Shadow, I have a mixed reaction to this thread. All you kept talking about was wanting to go 2 REP, to be a para. Why did you not follow that through until you saw what the Promo was like in Calvi? (Yeah, you probably don't know what that is either. You didn't do your homework and it shows, tisk, tisk... They selected you because of physical performance, and attitude; and I really liked your spirit too.)
Seems you had a lot of expectations and preconceived notions as an 'aspirant elite'. Couldn't it have gotten better and more challenging as you progressed with training? You have to remember tier three status isn't just going to be handed to you. They are dealing with people from all over the world (everyone must learn and understand French and military mannerisms and maneuvers). No one should be taken solely on their word, you must be tested. The impression I get is that 4 RE is not where the 'cream de la cream' hangs out, and that is all you saw (again with the homework).


... Well... There's still A56 out there for team America....

 

[Hansenmann]

Any word from A56 yet?

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Any word from A56 yet?

That would be welcome Hansenmann. Also has anyone had a krav manga update? His time in the park bushes must be up by now. I just hope no news is what we want to hear.

 

[Hansenmann]

That would be welcome Hansenmann. Also has anyone had a krav manga update? His time in the park bushes must be up by now. I just hope no news is what we want to hear.

Maybe his time in the park has been over for some time now and he's already gone to selection. In any case I'm excited for an update.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Thank you Chas. I've dreamt of this since I was 13. I'm currently 25, maybe 26 during selection.
Due to many reasons I never pursued this, and now it seems I'm finally chasing the dream. I am very excited to make this happen. I am well aware of military life and the hurry up and wait, as well as doing things which make no sense.
I whole heartedly accept these challenges to make it come true.

I hope I can show them I do belong there and want to be there.


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Shadow, we all heard about your exploits on the track and the gym. The only thing to remember, and I'm addressing those wanting to join, the legion does not end there. This is not college football. The contract is for five years; track and gym exploits are for 5 minutes. Ok maybe a little longer.

The point I am trying to make though is, there will be a lot of idle moments when you are bored and would prefer to show the others how many burpees you can do. What makes a legionnaire is his endurance. And I'm not talking about carrying a heavy sac à dos on a road march. It's going out on terrain when it's wet and cold for a week and coming in and finding that the company is on service the next day for the following week. Garde, corvée, section d'intervention and so forth.

It would be preferable for anyone wishing to join NOT to tell us how long they have waited for this moment to join the legion. 5 months later to then tell us that they were disappointed because it was not what you expected and have decided to leave.

 

[DanSorin]

I’ll post more and answer any questions when I get to my computer. It’s challenging on a phone

I have some questions for you:

1. Did you notice in Aubagne candidates who were over 30 years old? You know if any of them was accepted for basic training?

2. From the things you brought with you, what remains in your possession at Aubagne and in basic training? Can you keep your t-shirts, underwear, socks? or the legion give you new ones?

3. When you are given boots before you go to basic training, do you have time to try them out? Can you change them? Do you get thick and good socks? Can you buy good thick socks from Castelnaudary's foyer? I was warned that boots will not take the shape of my feet, but my feet will take the shape of the boots. At the moment I'm more scared of the boots I'll wear than the long marches I'll have to do if I'm accepted!

4. Do they give you back your SIM card with your phone? or they destroy the SIM card?

5. Have you been bullied because you tried physical to do more than the other guys in training and not only when you were tested and notate?

I can appreciate you trying your best in basic training, but some others guys, let's say other eastern europeans like me, could see you as a "first world problem" and decide to "f#ck with you". On this forum it is said over and over again to try to be "grey", or like you put it "monkey see, monkey do", because in the legion you will have time to prove yourself and if you want challenges, I know that 2e REP and 2e REG have commando groups, and you being fit and in your mid twenties, maybe you had a shot to get in them.

I understand that the ones responsible for basic training, they notate everyone evolution and at the end of the basic training, when it's time for the new legionnaire to be send to a regiment, it's better for everybody to have what progress to show to the officers. I was advised that if I get in basic training, not to give all I have at first, to blend in, to observe how things go, and in the final tests, to do the best I can.

I wish you good luck!

 

[SnafuSmite]

Maybe his time in the park has been over for some time now and he's already gone to selection. In any case I'm excited for an update.

I believe his 1 month inapte expired on the 22/23 September, he is most probably through selection or sitting in a prison cell in Aubagne for vagrancy( not sure on french laws regarding such). Anyways I think we'll only here from him in Jan/Feb next year, fingers crossed!

 

[Hansenmann]

I believe his 1 month inapte expired on the 22/23 September, he is most probably through selection or sitting in a prison cell in Aubagne for vagrancy( not sure on french laws regarding such). Anyways I think we'll only here from him in Jan/Feb next year, fingers crossed!

Yeah most likely he's already in selection. Fingers crossed!
I'm sure he will do well. He was willing to live like a hobo for a month in order to fulfill his dream which shows his dedication.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

It should not be long now before a Krav Mega update!