Wait: is the Marche Képi Blanc really 60km?

[Hitsuji]

I don't know of a single professional soldier who would go on a long march with only 1 liter of water. Water is THE most important thing you can carry. Yes: even more important than your weapon or ammo.

I agree but it takes time to learn the trade, If I had to go now I would carry extra water, we were advised to take more though but no one took that serious.

[Martin Scott]

Water. weapon. ammunition, the Legion way the rest we can improvise as we go along as for Marche de Kepi Blanc and the Raid Marche I didnt know the distances just at the end of them my feet bloody hurt and so did the small of my back but i passed both. As for the guy with the confidence ego trip do your walking with 70kilos on your back plus weapon and see how you do then. I saw guys who were racing snakes (very fit) fail and collaspe, and fat little bastards like me pass as we put one foot in front of the other and kept going.

[Martin Scott]

The length depends on the platoon Commander that will make the program.

Just like almost everywhere in the world, the platoon Commander will prepare and submit an exercise file to the regimental operations and after their approval everything will go as planned.

Obviously he has guidelines and surely plenty of old examples, but it will finally be up to him

Clearing out the attic I found a old note book its very funny what you find up there and at the back of it found a few pages
that were about Marche De Kepi Blanc well mine anyway we covered 65 k in two days and one night en terr no wonder i had blisters and was knackered for the un educated on me chinstrap.

[nemuksis]

Yea Martin at the last 5 km are always the worst... marching like this is always shit... don't even think its anything the same as marching without equipment and your weapon, but the best way of doing it is not knowing the distance at all or the time... you should just find the switch to your mind and put the damn thing off... before you know it, you will be at your destination...
We did our Marche Képi blanc at Calvi... lol Mountains pff hate them... and our Raid Marche we mounted 2000m above see level in the first day... The downhill was rainy, muddie and hurt like shit... Worst march I've ever been on, but we all made it... Except the trois blessés who got a lift with the camion until the last day -_-

[Mudhumper]

Just a question regarding water that was mentioned in an earlier post. How strict is the Legion on water discipline??? Is the one water bottle to teach legionaires to strictly ration their water and not guzzle??? The Képi March would be a good way for staff to observe how the engagés volontaires handle water discipline and team work I guess, especially when you are down on your bootstraps!!!

[nemuksis]

lol Mudhumper. You gave me a good laugh now... No, it's not anything like that, you should always have plenty of water because you only really get chance to drink a bit every 5km and every 12 hours you should have a lunch break where you refill your water... Just one tip, stop worrying about futile shit. Go and try out for the recruitment and take everything as it comes...

[Tonyus]

Ok. So wait, is it true that at the 12 hour lunch brake's the NCO's are giving you foot massages and the officers are rounding up the beauties from the surrounding areas to serve you with chilled/hot drinks (depending on the season, although some say it's better to do the march in the summer because the said beauties will have less clothes on while serving you) and snacks? And if you complain about he quality of food they give you, they will make it so, that the next stop will be close to a, (at least) 3 star restaurant...? Not to mention that if the march is longer than 60 km, even by 100 m they will pay you extra... and supplement the time you have to recover by a week, in a nice nursery home at some beautiful part of the world, where (again) the above mentioned NCO's will give you foot massages and will make sure that you have everything you need to enjoy a well earned time off, for passing that march. After all, you done your Marche Kepi Blanc and that means, you are one tough SOB...

P.S.: I hope I did not offended anyone (specially the Legion NCO's) with my post. It would make me very sad (almost depressed) to annoy anyone...and when I'm sad I usually drink...a couple of hours ago I was very sad... so I drank... now I'm still a bit sad, because I have no more beer... and I'm not really drunk... I think...

[Sarajevo1992]

Ok. So wait, is it true that at the 12 hour lunch brake's the NCO's are giving you foot massages and the officers are rounding up the beauties from the surrounding areas to serve you with chilled/hot drinks (depending on the season,

Do not tink it is true Tony but I heard of a (so called) army where they give you 72 virgins after completing your mission. Never met anyone though who can confirm this cause after their mission they all disappear in thin air.

[Tonyus]

Do not tink it is true Tony but I heard of a (so called) army where they give you 72 virgins after completing your mission. (...)

I honestly don't know why 72 virgins seem like a good deal. Having to deal with “does it hurt?”, “can we turn off the light, please?”, “are you sure that, that goes in there?”, etc. 72 times, is more like a punishment... I'd rather have 72 professionals, or at least experienced, eager to prove themselves, women and I'll do (almost) anything... If I can walk, of course...

[Martin Scott]

When we did get a brake frist thing you check before anything is your transport ie your feet, then eat and drink something me i always carried at least two spare water bottles in my sac à dos. Why? Just a habit I had from my prior service. Nobody in the training cadre worried, as I was looking after myself and some of the guys with me in my équipe.
As for switching off I learnt a great thing in the British Army. Put the mind in neutral and the thumb up your arse and put one foot on front of the other. It got me through, but the raid marche is something totally different.

[Chas]

Martin,
100% correct, feet first, draw blisters, then intake of liquid and scran. Thumb up arse and march on again correct.
I kid you not at the end of a seven day field ex, rousted 0.300 hours from our havens of rest i.e. bivvies do a pre-dawn
15 mile march. Some marched in what appeared to be their sleep simply to the sound of boots. This idiot as a Y.O.who was
under training was lumbered by an evil NCO (Actually ace) with the Bren gun. And I was the shortarse ! All character building and prior to the final CCse.
Still if you can't take a joke you should never have joined.

[Martin Scott]

Yea Martin at the last 5 km are always the worst... marching like this is always shit... don't even think its anything the same as marching without equipment and your weapon, but the best way of doing it is not knowing the distance at all or the time... you should just find the switch to your mind and put the damn thing off... before you know it, you will be at your destination...
We did our Marche Képi blanc at Calvi... lol Mountains pff hate them... and our Raid Marche we mounted 2000m above see level in the first day... The downhill was rainy, muddie and hurt like shit... Worst march I've ever been on, but we all made it... Except the trois blessés who got a lift with the camion until the last day -_-

So i take it your old school before instruction was moved to mainland france.

[Martin Scott]

Martin,
100% correct, feet first, draw blisters, then intake of liquid and scran. Thumb up arse and march on again correct.
I kid you not at the end of a seven day field ex, rousted 0.300 hours from our havens of rest i.e. bivvies do a pre-dawn
15 mile march. Some marched in what appeared to be their sleep simply to the sound of boots. This idiot as a Y.O.who was
under training was lumbered by an evil NCO (Actually ace) with the Bren gun. And I was the shortarse ! All character building and prior to the final CCse.
Still if you can't take a joke you should never have joined.

I can take a joke although at the time didnt feel like one and yes i learn a old trick sleeping as you march