You welcome.
Serving Legionnaire, will answer any questions!!
- Thread starter adam975
- Start date
You welcome.
Hi hows it going, Well ill start of my name is Algis, from Lithuania but live in Ireland for the past 11 years.
Im 17, currently in the process for the Irish Defence Force. ( Just done my interview ).
Been interested in the French Foreign Legion for some time now...
I am considering it if i do not pass the recruiting stages of the PDF.
Ive got a few questions for you current or ex Legionnaires.
Im wondering has the Legion changed much for the 80s - 90s era??
I mean as in do you get abit more respect nowadays treated more humanly ?
I know the trainings most likely the same which is great.
Another question is whats it like in the French Guiana??
Many difficulties with the hazardous animals there, like getting bitten by snakes etc.. is it often??
Thanks for taking your time to read this, much respect for you Legionnaires.
Hope to hear soon...
Im 17, currently in the process for the Irish Defence Force. ( Just done my interview ).
Been interested in the French Foreign Legion for some time now...
I am considering it if i do not pass the recruiting stages of the PDF.
Ive got a few questions for you current or ex Legionnaires.
Im wondering has the Legion changed much for the 80s - 90s era??
I mean as in do you get abit more respect nowadays treated more humanly ?
I know the trainings most likely the same which is great.
Another question is whats it like in the French Guiana??
Many difficulties with the hazardous animals there, like getting bitten by snakes etc.. is it often??
Thanks for taking your time to read this, much respect for you Legionnaires.
Hope to hear soon...
SCT
Security Directors
Firstly, if you fail to get in the Irish Army you will definitely fail to get into the Legion. The criteria is higher.
Since my time (70's/80's) it has changed immensely, mainly due to the human rights bullshit. Contrary to popular opinion, it was not inhumane. It was a character building exercise on steroids. As for respect.... respect is EARNED. I earned the respect of my NCO's and Officers and it took time to do it. They certainly earned mine. The training is not the same as it was then. Tactics, weaponry and a world view have changed for the Legion as they have for all armies.
If you are worried about "hazardous animals", then maybe it isn't for you.
I have a question regarding the legion in comparison to the royal marines. Why in basic training is the amount of food a recruit consumes so poor? i'd have thought they would want you to eat plenty to keep your energy levels high. During my short time in the marines we were eating 4 large meals a day and it was a chargeable offence to miss a meal. Thank you in advance
Hi Chris,
about the lack of food during the basic instruction within the FFL, there are several reason's.
Firstly, it's merely a test, especially a psychological test. During the basic instruction the instructors try to push you toward your limite, you have to learn to work under pressure, stress and without food. Another reason is to find out the guys who like be enlisted at the FFL only for food and immigration paper's for France. So, during the basic instruction you work hard, you make a lot of sport and you don't eat much, of course, it's as a second selection, we call this "la selection naturelle", or, in english, "natural selection". I have to say, this system is marching very well. So, a lot of guy's deserte because they think, "fkg hell, what a hard live", and that's as well. You know, we don't need "social cards", if you know what I mean. To resume, we try to build up the character of the guy's which it merit, on the other hand we try to kick out "dreamers and profiteer".
The second reason is, the FFL "build you", or, "shape you". A lot of volunteers are merely to fat when they comes over to Castelnaudary (4th Foreign Regiment, responsible for the basic instruction)!!!
To be a good Legionnaire, you have to be endurent, very fit and Dry. Why, because you go to run for a lot of kilometers nearly each morning, sometimes in sport closing, sometimes in combat closing with helmet, weapon, and a full bag on your back. The aim is to be rapide and get a good endurance level. Of course, you has to do musculation too, sit ups, push ups, climbing the rope, etc. During the basic instruction, we build up they guy's for their future combat regiment, so we give their a physically and psychological base for.
So, be dry, rapide, reactive and hard with yourself. If someone like to join the Legion REALLY, the basic instruction will not be a problem for him, even without much food.
Hope that's helps, stay safe and take care,
MAY
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Carl Dowd
Longterm Registered User
Because they're cheap bastards the same as at Hereford... It was ridiculous!!!!!
I think its more of your reason carl.if you have two units both going through the same types of hard training (rm and ffl) the unit thats fed well will perform better-both physiologically and psychologically (brain runs on food) its a fact.Its the reason why the us navy seals upped their caloric intake during training in the mid 90s
Never forget the day I joined at Malmousque (apart from excercises in the British Army my first taste of France) and then was taken to Aubagne the next morning - as we had not had any food since the previous day I was looking forward to breakfast - a big fry up , bacon , eggs mmmmm............. how wrong I was a piece of bread, a bit of butter and a portion of Jam with a bowl of cofffee!!! To make it worse it was a Friday so thinking I would have a big lunch when it came round it was what became known as ****ing 'Fish Friday' head, acales and tails and all with some cous cous (which i hate to this day!!!) - You soon learnt to eat once you got to Castel.
Hi bro,
what, you didn't like it the "the good balanced fish and other food", lol, me too, but this was not killing us. Now, when I remember this time I smile, I never forget when I had to wait up my incorporation in Aubagne during 3 weeks outside the recruiting building to length of the day in old fkg sport's clothing in november, lol. That remains a "good souvenir" when same, lol.
To be honest with you at Castel - the weight dropped off you but the right balance of calorie intake must of been there or you probably would not have survived. Today I participate in Ultra Marathons both in the UK and France and whilst I am not the greatest of sports nutritionalist fans (I do like a chinese and indian along with a fry up) I eat the correct amount and have cut down on when it is eaten.
Can honestly say this is due to taking a leaf out of the Legion.
Still could not eat a fish with the head, scales and tail though and cous cous is definately not on the menu!!!
Can honestly say this is due to taking a leaf out of the Legion.
Still could not eat a fish with the head, scales and tail though and cous cous is definately not on the menu!!!
SCT
Security Directors
Castel..... pussies
My basic was in Corte, when it used to be hard
What MAY says is absolutely true it is a second selection. It got rid of 12 from my intake
I eat anything that is put in front of me so I didn't give shit. Admittedly, to this day, I still don't know what some of the things they gave me to eat in Corte were )On another note, does anyone on here remember the little Welsh bird in the pouf?
SCT
Security Directors
So, then explain why fitness levels in the Legion are so high
im not im just explaining how the body works,you starve it,it will decrease in performance.ffl levels will be high to a level but so will rm/paras/seals etc take two training troops both following a demanding training routine,ones fed on coffee and bread for breakfast the others fed on eggs/carbs/protein the one thats fed well will perform better its basic physiology
Hi boropete,
it's just my two cent's opinion, but, as I said before, the lack of food during the basic instruction within the FFL are merely a test, nothing other. Also, I mean, a young soldier has to learn to survive with the food he have, especially if he is into a dangerous mission, under pressure and stress. To learn to be able to do long marches with a lot of kilos on the back, so, to learn to manage their food and water. And believe me, their performance, after a good and intensive training, are very well.
I remember the 90s of course, to put into his body a lot of "Calories" was very in "vogue", also within the FFL. Well, I remember some of my comrades who takes a lot of "calories", and I remember also, they got a lot of troubles, first with their health, after with their weight and, finally, with their performance.
I'm not a nutrition specialist but I think, too much calories has not the right effect and can decrease your performance. Normally, the aim of increasing calories is to get stronger, okay, but you get larger too, and, therefore, much heavier. In my carriere, I test a lot of differend military meals, french as foreign's, personally, I think they are all too fat.
However, you said "brain runs on food", well, its a fact, but I think the brain has to turn around the mission first!!! I remember some missions when I been in French Guiana and later in Afghanistan, a lot of guy's (from the regular french army and some foreign armys too) was merely too heavy, because of the famous "calories", they break down and had to be evacuated (hmmm...if the helicopter was available...).
In resume, I think, meals have to be balanced well, too much calories are not good, without calories are not good too. And about the performance, I think, they is first in the head and in the legs after.
Well, sorry for my bad written english.
Best regards,
MAY
thanks for the informative reply friend,its appreciated.How long are they fed poorly for?
does the food get better once at the regiments or when they continue the rest of the training?
during rm training their not fed aswell on exercise but back at camp,the amount of training their doing with the amount of caloric loss requires 4 meals a day and theirs still some amount of weight loss
does the food get better once at the regiments or when they continue the rest of the training?
during rm training their not fed aswell on exercise but back at camp,the amount of training their doing with the amount of caloric loss requires 4 meals a day and theirs still some amount of weight loss
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Well, during the basic instruction, the "poorly meals" generally not change.
Indeed, you get better meals within the Regiment where you are affected. Of course, depending of the responsible of the kitchen too. So, sometimes you eat better in Castelnaudary where you do your basic instruction, without a joke!
In resume, sometimes you get good meals, sometimes not so good. Don't confound the Legion with sports center for high athletic guys. The FFL don't serve a personalize meal for each guy. The best way is to eat what each comrade eat. After, you can, buy some food in town too (if you have enough service) or eat in a restaurant during the weekend.
Well, hope that's helps a bit.
Best regards
MAY
Hi!
I`m from Macedonia.Work in Special Police Unit since 2002.Providing security of the Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Macedonia,senior foreign delegations and VIP's,resolving hostage situations,arrest of dangerous criminals and armed gangs,fight against terrorism and security the border from incursions by militant terrorist group,drug and arms traffickers.
Temporally I`m seeking job in Afg or Iraq.Some info please.
Thanks!
I`m from Macedonia.Work in Special Police Unit since 2002.Providing security of the Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Macedonia,senior foreign delegations and VIP's,resolving hostage situations,arrest of dangerous criminals and armed gangs,fight against terrorism and security the border from incursions by militant terrorist group,drug and arms traffickers.
Temporally I`m seeking job in Afg or Iraq.Some info please.
Thanks!
At your regiment we used to skip evening meal on a Friday and pig out from stuff from the Foyer - weekends where up to you.
Dinner time was mandatory Mon- Fri and as a section you had to attend by marching as a squad to the scoof hall.
At the @Farm 'Raissac' during instruction - you where lucky on some days to get fed it solely depended how sadistic and evil your staff where feeling at the time.
Hi mate,
look around you...there are a lot of threads about work on oversea. Throw a eye on current vacancie's and send out friendship request's, you would see, you can find out a lot of information about working worldwide on CPW.
Cheers
MAY