French Foreign Legion (crime, tax, military)

[unsmicck]

Does anyone have any information on this? I am a U.S. citizen, currently in The U.S. Marines (and lovin' it) but I hear that you can get French citizen-ship if you join?? is this true? also, how long are enlistment contracts for? Money..age limit...any info would be helpful. Thanks folks

[Ripley6174]

Lots of info here it seems: The French Foreign Legion

[pigeonhole]

They are ****ing criminals (it's the only Western military where criminals are openly recruited) , fascists and drunkards and traitors to their own countries .
A high percentage of the rank-and-file and nco desert and then go back to their criminal activities including murdering (they are expert at using combat knives).

[Mooseketeer]

I can't really comment on the French Legion as is now but certainly 20 years ago they were less than a savoury bunch and criminals were often recruited and granted "pardons" for the privilege of getting killed on behalf of the French State in the darkest corners of the world.

Basically they were considered an almost "suicide" branch of the French Army and pretty much mercenaries with little in the way of integrity or morals. Considered the toughest of the tough, with little moral imperative and with a reputation for murder and rape abroad.

I do not know how that has changed but my father who was an officer in the French Army certainly did not have any kinds words about them.

They are an elite force of sorts but I personally would not touch them with a bargepole. In France they have a pretty bad reputation .

It may all have changed though and I am sure the recruitment process is now a lot more rigorous and demanding . The majority of the force is made up of Germans for some reason and as far as I know there are only a few hundred Americans.

[pigeonhole]

there are only a few hundred Americans

In my book, in a force that's only a few thousand strong, that's a lot! are you sure of your statistics ?

[Mooseketeer]

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

there are only a few hundred Americans

In my book, in a force that's only a few thousand strong, that's a lot! are you sure of your statistics ?

No , as mentioned before I am not really up to date with current statistics. In fact it's probably about 20 years out of date or more.

My father was garrisoned in North Africa for a while and we encountered quite a few Legionnaires , even staying in one of their outposts . There are as far as I know about 8000 of them at present.

[Frank_Carbonni]

Originally Posted by unsmicck

Does anyone have any information on this? I am a U.S. citizen, currently in The U.S. Marines (and lovin' it) but I hear that you can get French citizen-ship if you join?? is this true? also, how long are enlistment contracts for? Money..age limit...any info would be helpful. Thanks folks

A good book that has a fair bit of information on the Foreign Legion is The World's Most Dangerous Places by Robert Young Pelton (who was the first Westerner to interview the Taliban), it has a chapter on the Foreign Legion.

Since the Foreign Legion has been downsized their mostly interested in former special operations soldiers. As a Marine, you'd have a pretty good chance at joining, but there is a lot of competition.

Also, the training is probably worse than the Marines, I know that the USMC has some of the most rigorous physical training in the world and that is true, but the French Foreign Legion has a few things that the USMC doesn't have like having trained legionaries urinate on the heads of new recruits while they are crawling through mud.

I don't care how tough you are, being pissed on is not something most people will be proud of.

Keep in mind that the Foreign Legion is also viewed as the most disposable arm of the French military. It was originally created because some French Generals theorized that foreign nationals payed for their service would be less willing to complain about being mistreated and that their would be less uproar about sending them on virtual suicide missions than conscripted French citizens.

So if you are accepted, expect your time to be spent between spartan bases in places like Djibouti and the occasional firefight in another former colony and French citizenship after six years.

Unless you really want to say that you have served in the French Foreign Legion or if you really love the military lifestyle and want to try it out in another place, I suggest you find another way to become a French citizen.

Also, Canada, Australia, and the UK also give you citizenship if you join the military in those respective countries.

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

They are ****ing criminals (it's the only Western military where criminals are openly recruited) , fascists and drunkards and traitors to their own countries .
A high percentage of the rank-and-file and nco desert and then go back to their criminal activities including murdering (they are expert at using combat knives).

The Foreign Legion hasn't gone out of its way to recruit criminals for quite some time and they cooperate with Interpol to weed out murderers and other serious criminals. Although someone like a tax evader or small time drug dealer will probably get through (assuming they have the skills the Legion is looking for).

That being said, they have been known to recruit members of organized crime groups and gangs (especially if they have former military experience).

[Moth]

Do it!

Its one of the last throwbacks to a different time. Gallantry, honour, adventure- it all awaits you. You will defend the frontiers of the former French Empire.

Remember, what a man has done before the Legion is of no interest to the Legion.

A Legionnaire has no past....

[What!]

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

They are ****ing criminals (it's the only Western military where criminals are openly recruited) , fascists and drunkards and traitors to their own countries .
A high percentage of the rank-and-file and nco desert and then go back to their criminal activities including murdering (they are expert at using combat knives).

The United States military has been recruiting neo-Nazis and gang members from places like Detroit to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan for quite some time now. If I can find the pic of a swastika next to a gang sign on a crumbling wall in Iraq I will post it.

[glenn72]

They are ****ing criminals (it's the only Western military where criminals are openly recruited) , fascists and drunkards and traitors to their own countries .
A high percentage of the rank-and-file and nco desert and then go back to their criminal activities including murdering (they are expert at using combat knives).

Wow, you are incredibly misinformed. It is a highly respected organization that does not accept murderers. It is difficult to get in, and men of questionable morals and ethics would not last. In fact, many French citizens now join. You can accept citizenship after five years if you want it. If not, you take your old identity back.