So you want to join? need information?

here it comes, you can also leave a question on the Web Board, but read first this page and the archives'pages: archives1 and archives2

otherwise,to be informed

• you can write to one of the 17 recruitment’s places in France, the main ones are:

around Paris:

in Aubagne ( 15 kms far from Marseille, in the south of France)

• if you phone, they don’t give lots of explanations, they ask to write...
• they will send you a letter with a small banner
• the letter tells you that you have to introduce yourself and warn you that there is a selection for joining, since the number of candidates is higher than needed...
• the small banner is a very brief introduction of the Foreign Legion: f.e the sites of the Legion

Contents of the banner is here....

ENLISTMENT

I receive lots of mail about this topic: here I summarized the initial process

On the small banner

you will receive the items are:

• What is the Foreign Legion ?
• Conditions to join
• Formal procedure
• The initial contract
• Foreign Legion’s specialties
• Pursuit of the career
• Pay
• Misc.

What is the Foreign Legion ? back to top

• part of the French army, professional troop
• volunteers, all nationalities, all races, all religions
• elite warriors, unattached, ready to go anywhere, anytime

Conditions to join back to top

• between 17  and 40 years old
• identity card or identity declaration
• physically fit for service
• the knowledge of the French speaking is not necessary, will be learned during contract

Procedure back to top

• initial contract = 5 years
• you need to personally introduce yourself in a recruitment’s office
• then the candidate is presented to the Selection’s Center in Aubagne (15 kms near Marseille) to perform:
  • medical tests
  • psycho and technical tests
  • physical tests
• if it’s OK, the candidate signs an unconditional 5 years contract

Initial Contract back to top

• the new legionnaire begins with a military instruction during 4 months in Castelnaudary (4eme Regiment Etranger).
• then he is posted in a regiment according to his capacities et to the Legion’s needs.
• there are possibilities of promotion in the different ranks of the hierarchy

Foreign Legion’s specialties back to top

• the legionnaire can get specialization: paratrooper, elite marksman, diver etc.
• he can also get a qualification in
• the administration
• communications
• driving
• misc: musician, photograph, cooker, mechanic...

Follow-up back to top

• after the 5 years first contract, the legionnaire continue with successive contracts (6 months, 1 year, 3 years).
• after 15 years, a pension is granted to the legionnaire

Pay and bonus back to top

• the legionnaire gets bonus according to the place
• and the kind of activities

Misc. back to top

• a foreign legionnaire may ask for the French nationality after 3 years of duty AND if he owns the military certificate
• he can get a resident’s card [ to stayÊ 10 years in France] after 3 years of duty

back to top