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foreign legion option

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C

cryptic

Member
Long rant, just need to vent, but this is what I'm considering. I apologize if anything's illegible or doesn't make sense, I wrote it fairly quick to give a brief idea of how I've come here, with the occasional needless embellishment. Thanks.


I'm considering leaving the country with my last dime to try for the foreign legion. If not, I'll be homeless on the street begging for work until I can afford a ticket back.

I'm fairly confident in my physical abilities though, I think I can make it.

My reasoning for this decision?

I'm still young, but all my life, 22 years, I've been worrying about money,family money, and my own money when I began to earn it.
I see everyday others in the outlying towns of small city, rich and young, given everything. I've tried working, but I get no where. I'm not trying to be a dishwasher forever like I was told to consider at 19.
Anyway, I don't want to give my life, potentially, for anyone in this country where it's all about who you know and hard work, as far as the physical, is not valued.
I've been told all my life I'm very smart, 12th grade reading comp, 8th grade writing in 2nd grade(probably bullshit), but I can't succeed in college if I have to put all my money into it, aka everything I have, where if I fail I know I'm just falling back on nothing. The stress killed me, and the job I worked into the school schedule was the worst, nearly killed me.I'm all alone, always have been besides my father, so i actually hoped I died, and was excited when I nearly passed out and slipped into the intersection on the way to that job after school.
Anyway,I tried that, I am now 15,000 in debt with nothing to show for it, I returned back home with no help from the trade school. Now it's all on my pops as I'm pretty shaken and not ready to go back to dish washing, if they'd even return my applications.
The worst feeling in the world is going from paying bills to help your pops, your family, to taking a leap to help out, maybe even let my father relax when I get a good job, then seeing that shit blow up in your face.
So I know I'm beating myself up over that, hell, I was talked down by my father from taking the amtrak to detroit, hoping I could make my way in a city where everyone struggles and you don't feel the taunts always. Even if they're in my head, I can't shake the fact that I know I could do good things, be a nurse, be a doctor, but that's all just a pipe dream in this country.
I couldn't be in the top to get to the top, so I'm at the bottom.
The only hope I have, seeing as I don't have any friends here(my best friend from childhood jacked me for a grand when I was at my worst), I feel now, is some branch of the military.
This feel's like the only time I can get out of here, this country, maybe set up my children, if I ever have any, with a better place to live in.
I could put my family in a place where the healthcare is free and so is the education, essentially enabling them to do what the US will not in allowing them to be what they want to be in regards to the latter.
I'm sure shit's not sweet, never has been, but 22 years of living, most of the time, just feigning happiness, always worried in the back of your mind, dying isn't so bad if that's what the course steered me to, just the last weight to slip.

Anyone have any experience/ opinions on the foreign legion/ france in general regarding immigrants turned citizens through the legion? Thanks.
 
W

wsoxfan1214

Banned
cryptic said:
Long rant, just need to vent, but this is what I'm considering. I apologize if anything's illegible or doesn't make sense, I wrote it fairly quick to give a brief idea of how I've come here, with the occasional needless embellishment. Thanks.


I'm considering leaving the country with my last dime to try for the foreign legion. If not, I'll be homeless on the street begging for work until I can afford a ticket back.

I'm fairly confident in my physical abilities though, I think I can make it.

My reasoning for this decision?

I'm still young, but all my life, 22 years, I've been worrying about money,family money, and my own money when I began to earn it.
I see everyday others in the outlying towns of small city, rich and young, given everything. I've tried working, but I get no where. I'm not trying to be a dishwasher forever like I was told to consider at 19.
Anyway, I don't want to give my life, potentially, for anyone in this country where it's all about who you know and hard work, as far as the physical, is not valued.
I've been told all my life I'm very smart, 12th grade reading comp, 8th grade writing in 2nd grade(probably bullshit), but I can't succeed in college if I have to put all my money into it, aka everything I have, where if I fail I know I'm just falling back on nothing. The stress killed me, and the job I worked into the school schedule was the worst, nearly killed me.I'm all alone, always have been besides my father, so i actually hoped I died, and was excited when I nearly passed out and slipped into the intersection on the way to that job after school.
Anyway,I tried that, I am now 15,000 in debt with nothing to show for it, I returned back home with no help from the trade school. Now it's all on my pops as I'm pretty shaken and not ready to go back to dish washing, if they'd even return my applications.
The worst feeling in the world is going from paying bills to help your pops, your family, to taking a leap to help out, maybe even let my father relax when I get a good job, then seeing that shit blow up in your face.
So I know I'm beating myself up over that, hell, I was talked down by my father from taking the amtrak to detroit, hoping I could make my way in a city where everyone struggles and you don't feel the taunts always. Even if they're in my head, I can't shake the fact that I know I could do good things, be a nurse, be a doctor, but that's all just a pipe dream in this country.
I couldn't be in the top to get to the top, so I'm at the bottom.
The only hope I have, seeing as I don't have any friends here(my best friend from childhood jacked me for a grand when I was at my worst), I feel now, is some branch of the military.
This feel's like the only time I can get out of here, this country, maybe set up my children, if I ever have any, with a better place to live in.
I could put my family in a place where the healthcare is free and so is the education, essentially enabling them to do what the US will not in allowing them to be what they want to be in regards to the latter.
I'm sure shit's not sweet, never has been, but 22 years of living, most of the time, just feigning happiness, always worried in the back of your mind, dying isn't so bad if that's what the course steered me to, just the last weight to slip.

Anyone have any experience/ opinions on the foreign legion/ france in general regarding immigrants turned citizens through the legion? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Isn't that essentially what will happen if you don't make it?

Take a week or so and let it sit on your mind. Only you can really answer this for yourself.
 
C

cryptic

Member
wsoxfan1214 said:
Isn't that essentially what will happen if you don't make it?

Take a week or so and let it sit on your mind. Only you can really answer this for yourself.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I probably didn't make it clear, I'm basically running out of all my money now just on food alone. If I wait too long I'm going to be forced to join the US military, which I don't want to do as poor people like me are the first to be blown up to support the rich in becoming richer.
I presume the ideals of the French for sending people off to war are ignoble in their own way but I prefer the ignorance of that to what I feel I know regarding the US military.

captainraincoat said:
do you know french...???? pretty sure you cant get in if you don't understand basic french
Click to expand...

I know the basics just need to work on learning all the words. I've read that they teach you anyway. I also feel I can be an asset as I have some classical french cooking training under my belt from the best "Culinary Institute in the World".
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
Aren't the French in Mali now? Or maybe they left already.

But what about the Navy? You probably won't get blown up.
 
A

akira28

Member
I think the french foreign legion is going to tear him apart and remake him. Or it's going to rip his ass apart and leave it that way.

But..interesting choice. Kind of like locking yourself in the airlock and setting your ship to self destruct, but it'll get you moving for sure.

Are you comfortable with being ordered to take a life though? I mean...the military is for killing and taking, and that's pretty much it. Everything on top of that is just window dressing. Is that really where you want to take your life, simply because you think that the CBA of going to school would give you a net loss? I mean...do you know some of the things Legionnaires have gotten into in the 20th century? Like Indochina?
 
Alx

Alx

Member
captainraincoat said:
do you know french...???? pretty sure you cant get in if you don't understand basic french
Click to expand...

Not needed, it's the foreign legion, they'll teach you basic French and won't ask you any question. And once you're in, you're French.
It's a hard experience though, both physically and mentally (or so I heard), and those that go through it return changed, for better or worse.
 
C

cryptic

Member
akira28 said:
I think the french foreign legion is going to tear him apart and remake him. Or it's going to rip his ass apart and leave it that way.

But..interesting choice. Kind of like locking yourself in the airlock and setting your ship to self destruct, but it'll get you moving for sure.
Click to expand...

Yeah I mean I've read into it, corporal punishment, forced drownings and resuscitation.
It's scary but I'm looking at it like I don't have a choice, and besides, it's something I can be proud of for once in my life.

To the person above regarding the navy.
My father and other relatives were in the navy. My father says it was a good option, but he didn't seem to really get anything out of it.
I also know other marine and navy individuals through school.
They seem to be well off but they're still ultimately stuck in the US permanently, I can get out of this jail.

Thanks everyone for offering what you could. I'll let you know if anything comes up. Applying for my passport soon.
 
F

Fritz

Member
Sorry, no experience with the Foreign Legion. I just wanted to say that it sounds a bit like you're making that decision out of spite and frustration which sounds like it wont bode well. I don't think the Foreign Legion is a bad thing per se though.
 
C

cryptic

Member
Fritz said:
Sorry, no experience with the Foreign Legion. I just wanted to say that it sounds a bit like you're making that decision out of spite and frustration which sounds like it wont bode well. I don't think the Foreign Legion is a bad thing per se though.
Click to expand...

I am frustrated. I screwed up I spent too many ears working dead end jobs and became frustrated with the system before realizing I had trapped myself by settling for subsistence.
I jumped at school when my last job shop closed up, and now I'm raging at the country for my stupid mistake.
Oh well, only thing I could do now is hop the cliff or try something drastic which I'm finding in the foreign legion.
What I'm saying is, I'm probably always wrong in one way or another but all I can do is believe in my bullshit.
 
B

BigDug13

Member
US Military is a better deal, especially the Navy if you can get in. After 3 years, you're looking at nearly 100k in free college money, factoring in housing allowance for 36 months of full-time scheduled classes plus all tuition paid and $1k per year for books.

For me in San Diego, I'm looking at $77k in just the housing allowance over 36 months. The rate paid is E-5 with dependents no matter what your situation was while Active Duty, that's what you get paid. In SD, that's $2139 per month.

If you wanted to pursue college overseas, they'll still give you a decent allowance, something like $1400 I think it was plus tuition up to 17k per year or something long those lines.

3 years is all it takes and they don't advertise that. They try to get you to sign up for 4 or 6, offering a bonus or a promotion.

3 years of a paycheck, job, training, and a phat college fund when you're done.
 
C

Cereal KiIIer

Member
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
 
A

adamsappel

Member
When I was a younger man, I fantasized about joining the Legion. There are plenty of books about what it's like. Read every one you can find at the library. Imagine all the difficulty of a boot camp, but you're also getting your ass kicked and being screamed at in French. It's tough. I think you also have to renounce your American citizenship. Where do you live? What's caused this despair about America? Politics? You mention possibly being a nurse. I'd recommend joining the Air Force, substantially less threat of being killed, transferable knowledge, everyone acknowledges it's the easiest branch, etc. Why not use them to train?
 
F

Fritz

Member
cryptic said:
I am frustrated. I screwed up I spent too many ears working dead end jobs and became frustrated with the system before realizing I had trapped myself by settling for subsistence.
I jumped at school when my last job shop closed up, and now I'm raging at the country for my stupid mistake.
Oh well, only thing I could do now is hop the cliff or try something drastic which I'm finding in the foreign legion.
What I'm saying is, I'm probably always wrong in one way or another but all I can do is believe in my bullshit.
Click to expand...

Nah dude, you have every right to be frustrated. I reckon the Foreign Legion can be a great experience. Just look into it thoroughly and make sure it's not turning out to be another dead end. But yeah, that's probably just what you are doing here.
 
I

IGotBillySoSpooked

Low moral character
Unless you are involved with drugs and crime, the United States military is a much better option.

I don't know much about the Foreign Legion, but I can't imagine the benefits package comes close to that offered by your own country's military service. If education is something you seriously want to pursue, you cannot beat tuition assistance while in the military and the GI Bill when you leave the military. Free college with a pay check to go along with it.

If you seriously want to leave the States, try your hardest to get an overseas assignment. Pick Korea as your first choice of overseas assignments and you stand a decent shot at getting it.

If you are smart, do well on the ASVAB and try to get a job in intel. There are good jobs out there for folks with a military intelligence background.
 
W

Wubby

Member
I thought of joining the legion myself at one point. No French is necessary to join. You give up your old life once you are accepted, get a new name (iirc) and they teach you French. Though if even after all the training you can't pass their French test then they'll give you le boot. If you do pass you'll get sent to some crap hole in Africa probably.

US Navy is probably the better bet. You will get out of it what you put in. Find a job that gives you some skill that can be applicable in the civilian world.
 
B

BigDug13

Member
Vagabundo said:
Don't do it.

It will be something you regret for the rest of your life.

Join the US army instead.
Click to expand...

No way, Army, right now? He'll spend most of his 3-4 years in the sand. At least the Navy usually does one 6 month deployment every 2 years, and that deployment is spent floating on the water with a store, air conditioned spaces, a cushiony bed, decent food (sometimes), no bullets whizzing by, internet access, college classes offered while out to sea, etc.
 
A

AAequal

Banned
Wubby said:
I thought of joining the legion myself at one point. No French is necessary to join. You give up your old life once you are accepted, get a new name (iirc) and they teach you French. Though if even after all the training you can't pass their French test then they'll give you le boot. If you do pass you'll get sent to some crap hole in Africa probably.

US Navy is probably the better bet. You will get out of it what you put in. Find a job that gives you some skill that can be applicable in the civilian world.
Click to expand...

You had to enlist using pseudo name back in the day but no longer, you can't even apply for the citizenship if you cannot produce legal passport and name for the legion. US military does give more benefits tho, and since they have bases all over the world you don't have to stay in states.
 
L

lenovox1

Member
Cereal KiIIer said:
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
Click to expand...

So it looks like you get no benefits after doing six years of mandatory service, besides becoming French vs. all of the benefits listed above for doing three years of service. And you might not even get in to the Legion, though I reckon you're smart enough.

Come on, guy. If you're an American citizen, the choice is pretty clear. And like said above, you can take your three years of military experience to other countries if you'd still like to leave after your contract is up.
 
A

alstein

Member
captainraincoat said:
do you know french...???? pretty sure you cant get in if you don't understand basic french
Click to expand...

They teach you French as part of basic. That said, the Foreign Legion has a high mortality rate- the French don't care that much if you die. You'll go to places the US military won't and with less gear and support.
 
J

jason10mm

Gold Member
No offense, but if you can't even hack college + job without wigging out from the stress, the military, any service, is going to crush you, and not in a good way. Maybe the peace corps is more up your alley.
 
C

ComputerMKII

Banned
From what I've heard, the FFL has very strong esprit de corps. When you'll join you will find a new family. Also, you will have to learn French whether you like it or not.

Official English website, with FAQs, etc: http://en.legion-etrangere.com/

Some documentaries on the Légion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GDdeAdPks8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zguD9y3j_HA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jObAiil0pNU

Edit:

Cereal KiIIer said:
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
Click to expand...
Great post. I confirm/agree with (most of) what he said.
 
A

akira28

Member
jason10mm said:
No offense, but if you can't even hack college + job without wigging out from the stress, the military, any service, is going to crush you, and not in a good way. Maybe the peace corps is more up your alley.
Click to expand...

The structure of that life might do him some good, if he's having real trouble of making structure in his life right now. That doesn't mean the end result will necessarily be good. Some people figure out how to take more control of their lives, some people never learn and keep needing outside forces (authority, bureaucracy, etc)to reinforce that structure.
 
G

grimshawish

Banned
jason10mm said:
No offense, but if you can't even hack college + job without wigging out from the stress, the military, any service, is going to crush you, and not in a good way. Maybe the peace corps is more up your alley.
Click to expand...

Military becomes your life so I strongly disagree. It simplifies things.
Lots of people join the military just like the OP.
 
R

Row

Banned
Times are tough, lots of people can't find work, and many of them have a good education, experience, and references. Could be worse though, you could have dependents.

Your idea is unrealistic, don't waste your time thinking about it. At 22 you have your whole life ahead of you, life doesn't have to always be shitty. Having a job, any job, is important since it seems a lot of your issues are based on money.
 
H

Herne

Member
The Legion declines many more recruits than it takes in, and the training requires you to be the fittest you can be as it is seriously taxing on your body. Many sign up convinced they can take it, pass the first test then drop out somewhere through training because it's so damn difficult. If you pass training and become a legionnaire, you are now an expendable meatbag for the French military to send into horrible conditions that could lose you your life.

Be 100% sure that you can take whatever they're ready to dish out. Good luck.
 
S

Simplet

Member
Cereal KiIIer said:
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about all of this? I just had a look at the website and they don't seem to agree with you. They say that you enroll for 5 years and not 6, that you can become french after 3 years and that any légionnaire can become an officer.
 
K

King Mystery

Member
I don't know if he'd be able to join the U.S. military. I've been reading news articles and posts on military forums for the past 3 years that since the economy tanked, all branches have been more than meeting their recruitment goals because a lot of people have been enlisting to "weather the economic storm". They've become super selective in who they let in supposedly. From what I read, the Air Force would probably be the hardest branch to join and the Army would probably be the easiest.

Also, if you have a lot of outstanding debt, it can bar you from jobs that require a security clearance.

On the bright side, if you join the Navy, you might bump into this cutie.

I'm not a stalker.
 
D

Deleted member 1235

Unconfirmed Member
Alx said:
Not needed, it's the foreign legion, they'll teach you basic French and won't ask you any question. And once you're in, you're French.
It's a hard experience though, both physically and mentally (or so I heard), and those that go through it return changed, for better or worse.
Click to expand...

if you return. you get to be french as well if you want.
 
S

SteveWD40

Member
I read an interview with a Brit who was in the Legions Frogman division, he said it was pretty cliquey iirc, the French guys tended to shun the "non French".

Still, kudos if you can do it, it's probably one of the manliest things you could ever tell a women ;)
 
V

Violet_0

Banned
I thought you have to be Eastern European for this nowadays

you should probably consider the army if you really don't see any other options
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
Cereal KiIIer said:
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
Click to expand...

I know someone who did this.

add
- can't contact (or very limited) your familly or even talk about where you are/ what are you doing for the first 3 years.
 
W

Wazzim

Banned
Cereal KiIIer said:
Ok you want to join la Légion étrangère. Here's what you need to know:

  • They will do a background check. They don't accept criminals anymore
  • They have so much applicants nowadays that they are very selective on who they choose. Even if you pass all their tests you could be refused because someone is better like having a better education
  • Only 1 out of 5 pass all their tests. There is no second chance and you have to pay all expenses (going to France for 3 days)
  • You don't need to learn french before. If you don't speak french, you will be taught by another Légionnaire (half the applicants are frenchmen from France)
  • 1 out of 10 dies in the mandatory 6 years service. 4 out of 10 will be seriously wounded
  • You will gain french citizenship at the end of you 6 years service only if you chose to let go your old one.
  • The pay is shit and you cannot leave the base. You don't really have a civil life during weekends like most armies. You basically stay 6 years straight in service. Most of the old Légionaires retire in retirement home from the Légion
  • You will never be an officer. You need to be French.
Click to expand...
Welp, good luck OP.
 
C

Corky

Nine out of ten orphans can't tell the difference.
I have rosy dreams of the FFL. For every day that passes I get just a bit closer, I need to get physically strong and get better endurance before I take the test though.
 
C

cryptic

Member
Hi. I was sleeping through the snowfall around here, preparing to shovel.

I've read everything.

First of all, this is why I had trouble in school:
I was going to a culinary college where I became afraid as my unemployment ran out, so I got a job as a dishwasher.
A typical day in a week went like this, get up at 5 AM, sharpen knives, go to class at 7 AM until maybe 1:-130PM doing very physical, mentally demanding work. It was a military style school. Soon as I was done with that, I ate, savagely, it was probably my last meal of that day, lunch.
Next, a 4 mile walk to work as a dishwasher, where I was also the prep cook if it was slow besides accounting for all the restaurant cleaning per the pecking order.
I'd finish maybe at 11 some nights, sometimes 12. On weekdays I could get a ride home.
I'd start my homework soon as I got home, taking until 2 Am to 3 Am sometimes as the answers had to be found using the internet/books and the questions were vague so you'd have to really explore and make sure you had it right.
Then I would get my 3 or so hours of sleep and repeat for the week.
After several months like this I was doing fine, then I reached a test you need to pass to continue, I couldn't as I had difficulties multitasking alone and not part of a group. I was trained in a large group and I feel I needed more hands on time.
I failed the test twice, became severely depressed, found no help coming in, and when I was asked to introduce myself to a new teacher through parchment. I was asked what do you want to do, "I don't know, have a job, pay the bills. Make it past 28."
I basically said I was fearing killing myself so i had to be oosched out of the school until I could gather a psychologists permission to return. Plus my semester was up.
Point is, it took a lot to really get me there. Also, I had no friends there due to widely varying backgrounds, I was the only kid from the "streets" so to speak, without financial aide a semester was 20,000. The only guy I know and liked broke down himself due to loneliness and left me when shit started heading south.

Back to the military,The US navy sounds like a better option. I'd honestly rather be screamed at in French, but like was mentioned, I could be deported, this complicates things.
I was thinking I'd find some work in a restaurant cooking food in the interim and broaden my resume if I couldn't join right away in the case of the legion.

The idea of it being tougher was one of the most interesting things to me as I figured it results in better training.
I also heard the foreign legion is no longer the bastard of the French Army, that members lives are greatly valued, and deaths are more uncommon than in the US branches due to more veteran direction/ better training.

I don't know, I'll definitely look at things again but everyday I'm trapped at home with the folks, no friends anymore, no work opportunities, no car.
I just don't know man, to think, all my friends who I left to their street life, trying to go straight and work hard to earn my way. They're all set up in their illegal ways, well connected and happy while I'm out here cursed for dirt, smiling and shaking hands of people who just bullshitted me to this hell I'm in.
I really hate my country sometimes, I don't know how good I can hide that.

Thanks everyone, I'll let you know what becomes' of me.
 
P

Polari

Member
cryptic said:
I was thinking I'd find some work in a restaurant cooking food in the interim and broaden my resume if I couldn't join right away in the case of the legion.
Click to expand...

In France? Unless you're an EU citizen good luck with that.

Anyway, no offense but it sounds like you might have some psychiatric issues you'd want to work through before doing something so drastic. Keep in mind once you're signed up for the six years you're in it for six years. If you really think military service is your best option as others have said you could try the Navy.
 
C

cryptic

Member
Polari said:
In France? Unless you're an EU citizen good luck with that.

Anyway, no offense but it sounds like you might have some psychiatric issues you'd want to work through before doing something so drastic. Keep in mind once you're signed up for the six years you're in it for six years. If you really think military service is your best option as others have said you could try the Navy.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm definitely depressed but I feel I'm rightfully depressed. If I had any hope of getting shit together, found good work. I'd be fine.
It's also five years, not six, and I hear a good year or so is training.

When I said I would look for work I was hoping I could do under the table work for lodging and food, I'd even shovel shit all day on a farm.
 
D

Devil Theory

Member
cryptic said:
I also heard the foreign legion is no longer the bastard of the French Army, that members lives are greatly valued, and deaths are more uncommon than in the US branches due to more veteran direction/ better training.
Click to expand...

I just posted a similar thread to yours last night about being overcome by life, and using the Military as my choice. I didn't make a point of it in my thread, but the FFL was my first choice originally. The history of the FFL essentially was a group of expendable criminal rejects that they used for missions that no other registered Army could do due to the high chance of losing most of their soldiers, or something that was politically frowned upon. Eventually, the French saw it fit to use them under the umbrella of the regular Army to avoid controversies and to keep some secrecies under control.

This means that even today they're viewed as expendable, and more FFL groups are immediately sent after training to the most dangerous places in the world that the French have a part in. There were documentaries I watched where they were interviewing FFL Officers, and they themselves noted how expendable they were, and how comfortable the soldiers are being that way due to the average soldiers history and training; most of them come from broken families, or have a criminal history from places like the US.

The training is very difficult, but one thing they need you to have is psychological strength, you need to be mentally strong in order to handle the kind of conditions they expect you to endure -- especially overseas in worse places than some other Militaries may go -- and be successful. The only things that matter are your mission, and your family (unit). Nothing else.

It's a option if you have very little to stay for where you are, mostly meaning family. If you think you can handle the training (which includes much worse than your 30 mile marches to get your White Kepi') and being comfortable with the very real chance of dying, then go. I'll always encourage someone to take a risk that is a once in a lifetime change; you'll never do anything great without a risk, but that can include your at-home Military too.
 
C

cryptic

Member
Devil Theory said:
I just posted a similar thread to yours last night about being overcome by life, and using the Military as my choice. I didn't make a point of it in my thread, but the FFL was my first choice originally. The history of the FFL essentially was a group of expendable criminal rejects that they used for missions that no other registered Army could do due to the high chance of losing most of their soldiers, or something that was politically frowned upon. Eventually, the French saw it fit to use them under the umbrella of the regular Army to avoid controversies and to keep some secrecies under control.

This means that even today they're viewed as expendable, and more FFL groups are immediately sent after training to the most dangerous places in the world that the French have a part in. There were documentaries I watched where they were interviewing FFL Officers, and they themselves noted how expendable they were, and how comfortable the soldiers are being that way due to the average soldiers history and training; most of them come from broken families, or have a criminal history from places like the US.

The training is very difficult, but one thing they need you to have is psychological strength, you need to be mentally strong in order to handle the kind of conditions they expect you to endure -- especially overseas in worse places than some other Militaries may go -- and be successful. The only things that matter are your mission, and your family (unit). Nothing else.

It's a option if you have very little to stay for where you are, mostly meaning family. If you think you can handle the training (which includes much worse than your 30 mile marches to get your White Kepi') and being comfortable with the very real chance of dying, then go. I'll always encourage someone to take a risk that is a once in a lifetime change; you'll never do anything great without a risk, but that can include your at-home Military too.
Click to expand...

I read a bit of your Op yesterday and that's what prompted me to start writing this, actually.

I have little to no family, most of my family died while I was growing up and I've found that I tend to, at times unfortunately, latch onto others quickly as I have little experience with true family. The idea of being a part of a family versus a body to be picked up for a medal in the US is greatly influencing my decision.
On the other hand, I've heard of people enlisting in the foreign legion and being abandoned by their squad during fire fights with little to no recourse for those leaving you to die.
That sounds terrible and all but after those five years I can leave and be free to do what I want.
I won't just be a puddle jumper or a coast guard or a member of the men's room or whatever the loudmouths come up with in the US military.
Yeah I'm also very quiet and I fear being surrounded by loud mouths all day like I'm sure there are more of in the US branches although I can deal.
Physically and mentally I'll definitely be fine, I have 10+ years of getting shit on and basically being scum that has to work at killer hard physical jobs to prepare me.


Damn man I'm so stumped as to what to do, I appreciate everything from everyone. I'll probably talk to a recruiter first.

I also could look into buying a return trip ticket for if I go to to France if shit doesn't bunk out and then strap in for the Navy.
 
S

Simplet

Member
I don't know where you guys get the idea that the french think of the foreign legion as "expendable". It's full of french soldiers and it's a very very prestigious unit.

Those are elite soldiers and they have a reputation and a status, so I think it's true that they do a lot of the heavy lifting, but they have some of the best training and best equipment.
 
R

Roude Leiw

Member
cryptic said:
Long rant, just need to vent, but this is what I'm considering. I apologize if anything's illegible or doesn't make sense, I wrote it fairly quick to give a brief idea of how I've come here, with the occasional needless embellishment. Thanks.


I'm considering leaving the country with my last dime to try for the foreign legion. If not, I'll be homeless on the street begging for work until I can afford a ticket back.

I'm fairly confident in my physical abilities though, I think I can make it.

My reasoning for this decision?

I'm still young, but all my life, 22 years, I've been worrying about money,family money, and my own money when I began to earn it.
I see everyday others in the outlying towns of small city, rich and young, given everything. I've tried working, but I get no where. I'm not trying to be a dishwasher forever like I was told to consider at 19.
Anyway, I don't want to give my life, potentially, for anyone in this country where it's all about who you know and hard work, as far as the physical, is not valued.
I've been told all my life I'm very smart, 12th grade reading comp, 8th grade writing in 2nd grade(probably bullshit), but I can't succeed in college if I have to put all my money into it, aka everything I have, where if I fail I know I'm just falling back on nothing. The stress killed me, and the job I worked into the school schedule was the worst, nearly killed me.I'm all alone, always have been besides my father, so i actually hoped I died, and was excited when I nearly passed out and slipped into the intersection on the way to that job after school.
Anyway,I tried that, I am now 15,000 in debt with nothing to show for it, I returned back home with no help from the trade school. Now it's all on my pops as I'm pretty shaken and not ready to go back to dish washing, if they'd even return my applications.
The worst feeling in the world is going from paying bills to help your pops, your family, to taking a leap to help out, maybe even let my father relax when I get a good job, then seeing that shit blow up in your face.
So I know I'm beating myself up over that, hell, I was talked down by my father from taking the amtrak to detroit, hoping I could make my way in a city where everyone struggles and you don't feel the taunts always. Even if they're in my head, I can't shake the fact that I know I could do good things, be a nurse, be a doctor, but that's all just a pipe dream in this country.
I couldn't be in the top to get to the top, so I'm at the bottom.
The only hope I have, seeing as I don't have any friends here(my best friend from childhood jacked me for a grand when I was at my worst), I feel now, is some branch of the military.
This feel's like the only time I can get out of here, this country, maybe set up my children, if I ever have any, with a better place to live in.
I could put my family in a place where the healthcare is free and so is the education, essentially enabling them to do what the US will not in allowing them to be what they want to be in regards to the latter.
I'm sure shit's not sweet, never has been, but 22 years of living, most of the time, just feigning happiness, always worried in the back of your mind, dying isn't so bad if that's what the course steered me to, just the last weight to slip.

Anyone have any experience/ opinions on the foreign legion/ france in general regarding immigrants turned citizens through the legion? Thanks.
Click to expand...

i just want to point out that health care is not free and so is education. you need to pay a certain amount a month from your salary to get coverage which is mandatory (the more you earn the more you need to pay if you have public insurance). education can cost something too in France if you cant manage to get into a state owned university. at least thats what my French friends told me. but nevertheless overall its way cheaper than in the US.
 
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