Older Recruits

[dkaiser]

I am 37 and I want to join the Legion. I am in excellent shape and have almost twenty years of construction experience, the last few years of which I have led and managed crews on jobs. I feel that being older can be a true advantage in terms of mental toughness and simple life experience and the ability to solve problems that comes with it.
For those Anciens on here, please share your experiences on this. Did you know many older men who enlisted? Did they have any limitations imposed upon them or face any discrimination from training staff or fellow legionnaires? In general, were they less or more successful than the younger men?
Thanks

[voltigeur]

a few members of this forum were in your age bracket when they joined the Legion. They may answer your other questions.

[Zartan]

I found this thread informative, at least in regards to your chances of getting in at all....

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[a1b2c3]

I was 30 when I joined.

In my experience, those of the older age bracket did not get any different treatment. You either could hack it physically and mentally, or you couldn't. There wasn't any overt age discrimination that I saw, but while physical fitness may not be an issue...recovery can be. Frankly, younger guys tend to recover faster...that's just the way the body works.

The only negative thing I can think of (and ran into) is going for sous officier/NCO ranks...if you're over age 30 it can be a bit more difficult as the Legion is trying to encourage those that go sous officier to stick around (career) versus getting out at the minimum (6 years but normally 8 years), as the Legion invests time and money into them. A longer-term investment, if you will.

But I completely agree on the mental aspect of it. Having had some life experiences definitely helped in some circumstances, but I wouldn't count on just that. As it is repeated ad nauseum here...there's only one way to find out.

[dkaiser]

Joe,
I don't see the link here.

[voltigeur]

Joe,
I don't see the link here.

You mean the link that zartan posted???

[RMD]

I was 30 when I joined.

In my experience, those of the older age bracket did not get any different treatment. You either could hack it physically and mentally, or you couldn't. There wasn't any overt age discrimination that I saw, but while physical fitness may not be an issue...recovery can be. Frankly, younger guys tend to recover faster...that's just the way the body works.

The only negative thing I can think of (and ran into) is going for sous officier/NCO ranks...if you're over age 30 it can be a bit more difficult as the Legion is trying to encourage those that go sous officier to stick around (career) versus getting out at the minimum (6 years but normally 8 years), as the Legion invests time and money into them. A longer-term investment, if you will.

But I completely agree on the mental aspect of it. Having had some life experiences definitely helped in some circumstances, but I wouldn't count on just that. As it is repeated ad nauseum here...there's only one way to find out.

Were you the oldest when you joined & throughout your training?

[Soltario]

There is an Italian I know that is finishing his instruction next week and he is 38 years old.
Don't think too much about the age. If you think you can do it. DO IT!

[a1b2c3]

Were you the oldest when you joined & throughout your training?

Affirmative.

[section8kffk]

I qualified for Advanced SWAT School at 35 last year and I was up against guys that were 19-25. I blew most of them away. Its not a matter of age. The human body is a miraculous machine, just train yourself to your maximum potential and there is nothing you cant do. If you have the mental toughness then that will get you through the aches and pains that the younger guys dont have because they recover faster. There is always gonna be faster, stronger guys but that is true no matter what your age. You can train yourself to be in the top tier and that is an accomplishment in itself.

[RMD]

Affirmative.

You old fart.

[Tonyus]

Now, now, Mr. RMD (Robert), don't you know it is not nice to call people name's? Specially old people...
And now, I think I'll move up in the mountain's, to a remote location for a couple of year's, until Mr. a1b2c3 forget's my reply...

[a1b2c3]

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

or the non-PC response:

Don't sweat the petty stuff, pet the sweaty stuff.

[Ex-Pongo]

Now, now, Mr. RMD (Robert), don't you know it is not nice to call people name's? Specially old people...
And now, I think I'll move up in the mountain's, to a remote location for a couple of year's, until Mr. a1b2c3 forget's my reply...

i'm sure Mr a1b2c3's spent his time in a mountain regiment, so probably not the best place to try and evade him

[Madmonk 7.5]

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

or the non-PC response:

Don't sweat the petty stuff, pet the sweaty stuff.

Only if it is a MUFF!!