|
|
|
How To Join The French Foreign Legion |
Tips For Joining The French Foreign Legion
Established in 1831, this unit within the French Army was created to be comprised of foreign volunteers (although French citizens are eligible) and commanded by French officers. Members learn valuable military skills, but qualities such as honor and fidelity are also highly prized. Most of the members of the French Foreign Legion tend to come from Europe (especially France, Germany and Britain), but members from other countries often surge during periods of political crisis. For example, numerous recruits from Balkan and African countries have signed up in recent years. In case you don’t know where to start, I’ve put together these tips for joining the French Foreign Legion. Follow them, and you’ll be embarking on a life of danger, excitement and honor. Conduct Yourself With Honor The French Foreign Legion values a life of honor above all others. In fact, each Legionnaire is required to know the Legionnaire’s Code of Honor by heart. If you’re thinking of joining the French Foreign Legion, you might as well start memorizing the following code:
Travel To France To join the French Foreign Legion, you’ll first need to travel to France. While travel and visa expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate, you will be given free lodging, food and clothing once you reach an application center for the Legion. Centers can be found in the following cities in mainland France:
Keep An Open Mind Joining the French Foreign Legion will put you in contact with people from all walks of life. Muslims and Christians will serve side by side, and this fraternity of the fighting man is what gives the Legion its strength. During your time of service, you may be called upon to travel the globe and defend peoples of all possible nationalities. It is therefore important that you keep an open mind and demonstrate a willingness to assist those of differing ethnic, religious and geographical backgrounds. During the last few decades, the French Foreign Legion has been deployed in the following locations and conflicts: the Gulf War, Kampuchea, Somalia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Chad and the Ivory Coast. Be Of Sound Mind And Body The French Foreign Legion wants their men to be both strong of mind and strong of body. To assure this, applicants will be required to undergo both rigorous physical and psychological testing. Once you become a member, you will be expected to maintain your physical conditioning at all times. Since the Legion can be sent to global trouble spots at a moment’s notice, constant mental and physical preparation is an absolute necessity. Plan For The Future Even if you don’t decide to make a career of the French Foreign Legion, you’ll learn numerous skills which can turn into a profession when you rejoin civilian life. Here are just a few of the career paths which are available:
(NOTE: Men looking to continue their military service will learn skills such as machine gunner, sniper, tank driver, paratrooper, sapper, armored vehicle driver, anti-tank rocket launcher and much more.) Leave Your Past Behind While the French Foreign Legion does allow members to leave their past behind, there’s one fact which needs to be cleared up from the beginning of this section. While criminals may have been accepted into the Legion in the past, modern requirements seek to weed out all undesirable elements. To this end, background checks are performed on all applicants, and you must present a valid ID. Once you are accepted, Legionnaires are required to enlist under a false name. French citizens will also be required to declare their citizenship as somewhere other than France. After completing a year of service, legionnaires can then choose to resume their true name (or keep their alias). All legionnaires will be enlisted as single, regardless of their marital status. After three years of service (a minimum of five years is required), soldiers may apply for French citizenship (although they must do so under their true name). Those wounded in action may also apply for French citizenship under a provision known as “French by spilled blood.”
More Articles
|
