I got accepted

[belabok]

many western nations (US included) now allow open gay service. Give it a few years and I bet the officers in the legion will have a fair share too.

They already there and some make no point hiding it either or trying to be sublte about it.

[gatorojo]

many western nations (US included) now allow open gay service. Give it a few years and I bet the officers in the legion will have a fair share too.

Pretty much a non-issue, gays have been serving in the military for as long as there have been gay humans. The change only affects their need to hide the fact.

[duke13]

mammikoura after your 5 years are you going to do your service in finnish army? that would be well funny well one FIn did he`s service after tour in vietnam whitt usmc and he was treated litlebit easyer than the rest of the folks.

[Legion-eire]

best officers i served with were all Kepi Blanc at one time or another. there was the odd exception out of St. Cyr but very rare.

Hey Martin,

Unfortunately with the continued de-romanticization of the Legion a lot of St. Cyr's top graduates are looking elsewhere in the French Armed Forces for their "affectation". These days the bulk (not ALL, as Mammikoura was correct to point out) of officers arriving at the Legion fresh from school are either enticed by the idea of a borderline hedonistic "Mess Officiers" or else as deluded as many blues on here in thinking the Legion is some fantastical beanstalk made of testosterone and medals.

Still, some good eggs do trickle through from time to time.

[Jefferson'86]

I must disagree with Legion-eire.

From my experience, the St Cyr products were pretty much good quality. Most of them had moneyed or political connections but on the whole, they could do the job. It was normal for the best of St Cyr to go to the Legion in their first or second posting.

In modern times, I acknowledge that things could have changed.

But what hasn't changed is that a young officer of the combat arms has his prospects for a career improved by seeing combat. Given that, and the fact that because the Legion does not bleed French blood and is more likely to be committed to combat than a normal Armee d Terre unit, a young officer would see service in a Legion regiment as a career step.

That said, I remember almost all decent officers in the 7th Special Forces Group had their career prospects damaged by too much service time in unconventional units.

[a1b2c3]

I don't think he's saying that graduates of St Cyr are, on average, are not of good quality (although the definition of what a "good" officer is differs), but rather that unlike before, they are LESS likely to join the Legion. In fact, it is no longer true that the top graduates of St Cyr go to the Legion. And there definitely still exists a St Cyr vs "everyone else" mindset.

I'd say now, with the further integration of the Legion into the armee de terre, legionnaires (and by extension their NCO's and officers) of regular line units are no more likely to see combat than their armee reguliere counterparts. This is based on my personal conversations with guys from the 27 BIM.

Legion-eire's CDU from his time in Afghanistan was my CDS. He was not St Cyr, but similar to what the Americans would call a "mustang".

[Pampaldo]

Legion-eire's CDU from his time in Afghanistan was my CDS. He was not St Cyr, but similar to what the Americans would call a "mustang".

Sorry to cut in this even though I'm not green, but he was not a mustang, the term "Mustang" meaning someone who enlisted as a private and then worked up his way to become officer. The Capitaine in question joined the NCO school in Saint-Maixent and was thus begun his military career as a Sergent.

Anyways he did rise up from that rank. May he rest in peace.

[a1b2c3]

Fair enough, I think it's just a different definition. For me (and others), enlisted means anything that's not an officer...regardless of whether he came in as a sous officier or MDR. But it's all a moot point...he was a good chef de section.

[Martin Scott]

I remeber a few good Officers from me service be it British Or French, But like any Army of Professionals.
I have always found that its the senior Ncos under the command of The Regimential Sergeant Major who really run the regiment.
A piece of advice given to any officer is if in doubt ask, you platoon or section will look to you for advice ect ect. But if you dont know the seniors are there, even if some of them dont really want to call you Sir!!

[gatorojo]

I remeber a few good Officers from me service be it British Or French, But like any Army of Professionals.
I have always found that its the senior Ncos under the command of The Regimential Sergeant Major who really run the regiment.
A piece of advice given to any officer is if in doubt ask, you platoon or section will look to you for advice ect ect. But if you dont know the seniors are there, even if some of them dont really want to call you Sir!!

It's that way in every army in the world. The officer who doesn't learn this early is not in for a happy, or successful career.

[newb]

True, but heck I'd rather be the guy who "sucks" with twice the pay and freedom if the option came about. Try not to suck, but I bet there are just as many enlisted that are bad at their job as there are officers. Easier to make PFC and suck than to make Cpt and suck I bet.

[Chas]

In my day in the RM it took six years to make Captain from subaltern. By then hopefully they knew their trade.
In the Army it was 3 years to captaincy ! Mind you the Corps numbered some 13,000. Now with 7,500 and
with ranks having been equated to the Army promotion is quicker. As an Lt. I received the equivalent pay of an
Army captain. Finally before all the equalisation of ranks RM/Army a RM Lt equated to a USMC captain and this
was recognised by both Corps.
Finally all good young officers seek advice from their SNCOs.

[gatorojo]

...
Finally all good young officers seek advice from their SNCOs.

Quoted for truth!