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What it's like to be American

Auroris56

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I would keep the “I was a SGT in the USMCâ€￾ out of the chit-chat, if you make it to basic training. They will only victimise you more.

I have a guy in my section that claims he was a LTN in his army but the guy can't even work his FAMAS correctly, even after 8 months of service in the Legion. Here, you start over from zero, keep what you learnt at the USMC and use it to push you forward and give you an edge. Don't start making comparisons like “Oh by the way in the USMC we used to do it like thisâ€￾, etc. We don't give a sh*t, here we do it our own way.
Awesome I wasn't really planning on to. I was just hoping to kick some ass by doing what I was told without questioning. As well as being really physically fit and being able to hold my own on the field. That's how I received my promotions in the Marines: following orders, being physically fit, shooting straight, and studying Marine Corps knowledge.
I'm not as bad as I seem, just have a lot of energy. :)
 

Rapace

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We have not been able to make contact with the "boss" for some time now. If we do, we shall try to have some things changed.
Well... To be fully honest, he reacted quite swiftly to the request I sent him for 176607Mick. For DownAnOut, the request is on its way, after I received the credentials proving he's a currently serving legionnaire. Let's see how long it'll take...
 

DownAnOut

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Well... To be fully honest, he reacted quite swiftly to the request I sent him for 176607Mick. For DownAnOut, the request is on its way, after I received the credentials proving he's a currently serving legionnaire. Let's see how long it'll take...
No stress, don't need the colours to make me a legionnaire hahah I passed that main test already. [emoji1303]

Just happy to contribute to the anglophone mafia and whoever else contacts me for help.

But again thanks guys for pushing my request through with the boss man.
 

dusaboss

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Awesome I wasn't really planning on to. I was just hoping to kick some ass by doing what I was told without questioning. As well as being really physically fit and being able to hold my own on the field. That's how I received my promotions in the Marines: following orders, being physically fit, shooting straight, and studying Marine Corps knowledge.
I'm not as bad as I seem, just have a lot of energy. :)

Attention-Deficit Disorder. ;) " I blame it on my ADD baby" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k
 

capgros

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Hi Capgros, can you post Warren's experience for us? Thanks.
https://cervens.net/legionbbs123/sh...the-story-of-Warren-P&highlight=warren+p+back

« Most importantly I met two English teachers from Canada at O'Malley's at the old port in Marseille and we got drunk and had at it in my room at the Raddison on Friday night. One of the most memorable times of my life. Also I thought I even came across Cpl K there but didn't want to be a weirdo asking a random guy if he was from Cervens. There were some guys from the REP there, one from GCP he said, he even offered to buy me a drink, very nice guy. He asked to me to introduce him to one of the girls I was with (this was before me and the girls went back to my place) and I gladly did so.

So let's rewind back to my time in Aubagne. It is nothing I imagined it to be. Upon entering the preselection the Cpl told us to empty our bags on the table. Me being prior military did it in a hurry and he stopped me and told me do it with no stress. Listen I won't go into the testing because it's all been said here.

I will say this : all ex-legionnaires, I highly respect what you have done and what you stand for. However, nowadays all the really good guys get cut and the shit bags are kept. We are talking about the worse of the worse, the thieves and mongols. I would never serve in combat with those selected (except for Pongo who I will discuss later).

I had a run in with a pissed cook, he was angry that 6 of us doing corvée decided to put our jackets back on so he pushes me and no one else. Fine I let it go; however he pushed me again and that is when I got into a fighting stance with my fist up ready to kill my first legionnaire and eat his fecking heart. He must have seen it in my eyes because he backed out of the room yelling “your muscles don't scare me, you have tattoos, I have tattoosâ€￾. Very fun time in retrospect.

I would like to touch on sanitation. The same guys washing the dishes are the same guys who are wiping their arses with their hands because they have no toilet paper left since the Legion gives everyone one roll for three weeks. They are also the deadly ill 3rd world country people that wiping their bodily fluids with their hands and then drying the dishes.

In my time at Aubagne I met 3 people from Cervens.

John, one of the greatest fecking guys there in Aubagne and the Legion truly missed out on something special. Feck their psycho-technic test designed for left sided dominant brains. John is clearly right side dominant with very well thought out decisions, discretion and judgement. I hope he achieves whatever he wants in life because he truly deserves it.

Pongo, one of the funniest guys I came across in a long time. Absolutely wonderous to be around. If the military life doesn't work out for him he can surely make money in comedy.

Cock, fecking weirdo who walked around speaking Spanish and pretending like he wasn't American.

Last I knew Cock and Pongo were commissioned.

So what happened to me?? I passed every single test and the 'Gestapo' just had a great time discussing Ranger school and war with me. He told me he would be promoted to adjutant the following week and he was pretty excited. He also wagered me 100 euros. He said being a SGT in the Army then being the director of security really put me at a disadvantage because I was used to giving orders and not taking them. So he told me that if I was commissioned I would come back to Aubagne at the completion of one year to collect 100 euro, but if were selected and decided to go civil I would owe him 100 euros. I went civil the next day. The recruiting Adjudant and the Captain did everything they could to keep me, but I truly did not want it. When the Captain asked the reason, I told him that the intelligence and ethic levels of those being selected disturbed me. He said the civilians ran commission now and it was true. However he felt like it was just hard for me adjusting to the culture being American. He then stated that due to my background he would not close the Legion door to me and would give me a year to reflect.

So, I got “Inapte temporaireâ€￾ for 1 year. Those of you who said I wouldn't make it, cheers, you were right. »
 

Rapace

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No stress, don't need the colours to make me a legionnaire hahah I passed that main test already. (...)
There are a couple of others Cervens members serving in the same regiment as you. You may want to get in touch with them (if not already done).
 

DownAnOut

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There are a couple of others Cervens members serving in the same regiment as you. You may want to get in touch with them (if not already done).
Probably already in touch with them just have no idea if they on here or not.

But all the anglophones I know already.

2 South Africans just got back from their stage CPL today.

An American is going next week on his.
 

CuriousCoop

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I am going in August as well. (Former US Army here). I think most intelligent people would base someone on their individual merit. I mean, racism still exists in our own country. I'm just trying to keep a low profile, do what I am told, accept all as a challenge and suck it up. Its nice to know I won't be the only American. :) I wouldn't care if someone doesn't like me based on my country of origin. They can judge me by my merits alone as far as I'm concerned.

Sent from my ZUG 5S Q using Tapatalk
 

jonny

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Great attitude! You will do just fine, mate.
 

jonny

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Actually, one of my best friends was a US Marine, ex Vietnam. We got along very well. Met him in a bar in Itaewon, Seoul, of course. On the other hand, the only American I ever met in Algeria (yes, children, there is that much maligned word again, and yes, I'm a sad old case. Anything else? Oh well, it should come to you). Ok, back to that American in Algeria, who had served in the Legion and after leaving somehow got himself a bar in Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria (yes children, I know). Not exactly like Rick's bar in Casablanca, but a bit interesting, nevertheless, until I got barred for no particular reason that I can think of. Except perhaps getting drunk and.... (yes, kiddies, please fill in ;))
 

Hawkeye47

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I'll say this, I come from the poverty side of America. I lived a majority of my young adult hood life I'm the “hoodsâ€￾ of Stockton CA, Modesto CA, were I looked up to my brother and got into gangs. It's harsh, but I am glad that I know what I know now about life. The Legion gives me hope for a second chance, all my life all I known was survival and look after my own, I don't know how to live without that. I never graduated high school, I've been working these hard dead end jobs, that go nowhere, and hardly any good jobs worth it want to. Give me a chance, I have kept my nose clean for 7 years now. I'm just looking for the place I belong, and when I first saw the Legion, I knew I had a place.
Au revoir
Alexander
 

jonny

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I'll say this, I come from the poverty side of America. I lived a majority of my young adult hood life I'm the “hoodsâ€￾ of Stockton CA, Modesto CA, were I looked up to my brother and got into gangs. It's harsh, but I am glad that I know what I know now about life. The Legion gives me hope for a second chance, all my life all I known was survival and look after my own, I don't know how to live without that. I never graduated high school, I've been working these hard dead end jobs, that go nowhere, and hardly any good jobs worth it want to. Give me a chance, I have kept my nose clean for 7 years now. I'm just looking for the place I belong, and when I first saw the Legion, I knew I had a place.
Au revoir
Alexander
You sound like me a bit. Good on you, mate. Perhaps the Legion will be the right place for you and, if not, just friggen quit it. Easy these days.
 

Auroris56

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Actually, one of my best friends was a US Marine, ex Vietnam. We got along very well. Met him in a bar in Itaewon, Seoul, of course. On the other hand, the only American I ever met in Algeria (yes, children, there is that much maligned word again, and yes, I'm a sad old case. Anything else? Oh well, it should come to you). Ok, back to that American in Algeria, who had served in the Legion and after leaving somehow got himself a bar in Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria (yes children, I know). Not exactly like Rick's bar in Casablanca, but a bit interesting, nevertheless, until I got barred for no particular reason that I can think of. Except perhaps getting drunk and.... (yes, kiddies, please fill in ;))
What?? :confused:

Attention-Deficit Disorder. ;) " I blame it on my ADD baby" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k
Derrrr cool vid.
 
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