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33 years old preparing for joining

DanSorin

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Hi, my name is Dan, I will be 33 years old this month and from august I began to think about joining the French Foreign Legion.

I have been studying http://www.legion-recrute.com and http://foreignlegion.info websites. On youtube I estimate that I watched over 200 videos about the Legion and I keep searching for others to watch. On the internet I have read a lot of articles about the Legion and for over a month I spend 10-15 minutes a day on this forum reading new and old topics.

Last month I started the dental implant procedure for a missing tooth and I hope to finish with the implant by March. At the end of March, early April, I would like to be in Aubagne. I have time to physically prepare myself until then. Now I can do 7 pull ups and level 8 at Luc-Léger test, but I will train to be able to do over 15 pull ups and over level 10 at Luc-Léger test.

I consider myself lucky that one of my best friends did 7.5 years in the Legion, from 2003 until 2011, he was part of 2e REI and 2e REG and in his last year as a legionnaire he became sergeant. He told me stories and gave me advice, but at Aubagne it totally depends on me to convince them that am I worth to become a legionnaire. He laughs at me knowing what awaits me if I'm accepted and he recommends me to go only if I'm 100% sure I want to go, because will be many moments when I will want to quit and I must have something strong to motivate me to go forward.
 
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Nickfury

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(...) I consider myself lucky that one of my best friends did 7.5 years in the legion, from 2003 until 2011, he was part of 2e REI and 2e REG and in his last year as a legionnaire he became sergeant. He told me stories and gave me advices, but at Aubagne it totally depends on me to convince them that am I worth to become a legionnaire. (...)
Sounds like you are on track. So what kind of advice did your friend give you to convince the selection commission that you are worthy to be a legionnaire?
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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Welcome to the forum Dan. If your last name is Sorin I would suggest that you be careful of what you print. You've already given too much away. Keep up the training, it looks like you are off to a very good start. Don't over do it though, you should not peak before going. As well as Luc and pull ups, work on press ups and stamina.
 

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Welcome to the forum Dan. If your last name is Sorin I would suggest that you be careful of what you print. You've already given too much away. Keep up the training, it looks like you are off to a very good start. Don't over do it though, you should not peak before going. As well as Luc and pull ups, work on press ups and stamina.
Why? Sorin is Romanian.
 

DanSorin

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So what kind of advice did your friend give you to convince the selection commission that you are worthy to be a legionnaire?
For the DSPLE interviews he told me to listen carefully what I am asked and to try to give them simple, short clear answers with confidence, because the more you talk on a subject, the chances to be misunderstood increase.

Mostly he gave me advice for the life after Aubagne, like when I reach a regiment, to start to declare my income to the France state, he didn't know this in his first years and was an expensive lesson.

Why? Sorin is Romanian.
If your last name is Sorin I would suggest that you be careful of what you print.
Just the middle name.

Don't over do it though, you should not peak before going. As well as Luc and pull ups, work on press ups and stamina.
I don't thing I will have time to peak, winter is coming and I am little overheight, lot of space for improvments. I am working on stamina by doing series of exercises.
 

Crotalus Atrox

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What sort of things did your friend say about 2eme REI, and 2eme REG? What was it like to serve in either one, generally?

Thank you for your input and I wish you every success...
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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I wouldn't worry too much about declaring your taxes the French government have simplified things nowadays. Basically you just have to check that the sum written on the form corresponds with what you earned and then you sign it.

As for watching videos on youtube etc., just remember that it is only the interesting things that they show. No one is going to make a film about someone mopping a floor for twenty minutes or a full length documentary on someone sweeping the parade ground all morning.
 

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As for watching videos on youtube etc., just remember that it is only the interesting things that they show. No one is going to make a film about someone mopping a floor for twenty minutes or a full length documentary on someone sweeping the parade ground all morning.

Also people behave differently when cameras are around.
 

DanSorin

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What sort of things did your friend say about 2eme REI, and 2eme REG? What was it like to serve in either one, generally?

Thank you for your input and I wish you every success...

Also thank you.

Now I can't think at many things to answer you, he liked some of the mountain training in the 2eme REG. At this question is better to get a first hand answer from persons serving now in them. My friend told me that my experience in the legion will be a little different from his, like his was from the guys serving 10-15 years before him.

When I ask him what regiment to chose after finishing basic training, he said that now is a good idea to chose the 13e DBLE, due to the changes is undergoing, he thinks that 13e DBLE is the place where are more opportunities to advance. For now I don't have sufficient information to virtually choose a regiment. I understand that there is a possibility to be kept at 4e RE after finishing of the basic training, but it is preferable that the legionnaire first pass through a combat regiment.

When I ask him what time of the year to choose for going, he said that is good to go in the summer, like he did after finishing high school, in the beginning is well not to have to deal with the cold and finding some fruits at the farm is a little bonus. For my age, the summer seems too crowded and I think I will have more chances going at the beginning of the spring like I plan.

As for watching videos on youtube etc., just remember that it is only the interesting things that they show. No one is going to make a film about someone mopping a floor for twenty minutes or a full length documentary on someone sweeping the parade ground all morning.

Also people behave differently when cameras are around.

I am aware that what I see is just the tip of the iceberg. The corvees start at the Aubagne selection and are a way of life in the legion. The training, like in every professional army, must be tough and continuous, "entraînement difficile, guerre facile". Got to keep my emotions in check, don't take events personally and do my best. Must to honorably solve conflicts with other legionnaire, and it will not be a surprise if some of my money and things will be stolen by a fellow legionnaire. The first reality check will be at The Farm, physical training, learning French and singing Legion songs combined with sleep and food deprivation.

In this moment I am just a wannabe wanting to change his life, physically and mentally preparing for tough experiences and hoping I will manage the legion life, knowing that I must prove myself in basic training and in the regiment to fulfill my contract with "Honneur et Fidélité".
 

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Listen, there's a lot of good advice here. Your friend gave you the best advice, it is up to you, you will decide what the Legion is. All I can say after 20-Years in the Marine Corps, everyday is different, everyday is not about shooting weapons, everyday is not grand adventure. Some days you will be on Guard Duty, Some Days you will be buffing floors until they shine like mirrors, some days you will have doubts, some days you wonder what in the hell did I do to myself, and then some days you will look back, and especially when you reach my age and it will be the proudest part of your life. I, like Volt or Ossie O, I recall saying here on the Forum somewhere stated, if you do it right you will have dreams of your time and if your service was not honorable you will not have those dreams. Many nights I have dreams of being an active duty Marine Again, I dream of the places I have been and the things I have seen, I recall how the Marine Corps took me in and made me earn the title Marine.

After all the years have past since I have retired, it will be 9 years at the end of the month, the thing I miss most in the world is not being in uniform, being with Marines, and reminiscing and longing for those days again. The saddest part for me and I am sure many on this forum will agree, is that one day it all comes to an end, you have your retirement parade, you receive a letter from the President of the United States of America thanking you for your true faith and allegiance, your Marines give you a going away gift, and then it happens, you take off your uniform never to don it again in the same way. God, please let me have another Marine Corps Dream tonight, please.

I hope you have those dreams and even if it is for a successful enlistment. But for sure, do not have the memories of what if????
 

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USMCRET, thank you for your words, my friend, now happily remembers the good and the not so good experiences he had in the legion, but the legion have influenced his life and made him the man he is today.

I hope you have those dreams and even if it is for a successful enlistment. But for sure, do not have the memories of what if????

I already have 2 "what if's" relating going to the legion and I don't want to have the third one. I hope the tooth implant will finish until mid February and in mid March I will be in Aubagne, the more I think about the legion, the sooner I want to go. The training is going well, this morning I have run 12 km on the running track at the stadium and over 8 km in the woods and hills near where I live. Before going to France, my first big corvee will be to clean the apartment I'm renting for now.
 

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Listen, there's a lot of good advice here. Your friend gave you the best advice, it is up to you, you will decide what the Legion is. All I can say after 20-Years in the Marine Corps, everyday is different, everyday is not about shooting weapons, everyday is not grand adventure. Some days you will be on Guard Duty, Some Days you will be buffing floors until they shine like mirrors, some days you will have doubts, some days you wonder what in the hell did I do to myself, and then some days you will look back, and especially when you reach my age and it will be the proudest part of your life. I, like Volt or Ossie O, I recall saying here on the Forum somewhere stated, if you do it right you will have dreams of your time and if your service was not honorable you will not have those dreams. Many nights I have dreams of being an active duty Marine Again, I dream of the places I have been and the things I have seen, I recall how the Marine Corps took me in and made me earn the title Marine.

After all the years have past since I have retired, it will be 9 years at the end of the month, the thing I miss most in the world is not being in uniform, being with Marines, and reminiscing and longing for those days again. The saddest part for me and I am sure many on this forum will agree, is that one day it all comes to an end, you have your retirement parade, you receive a letter from the President of the United States of America thanking you for your true faith and allegiance, your Marines give you a going away gift, and then it happens, you take off your uniform never to don it again in the same way. God, please let me have another Marine Corps Dream tonight, please.

I hope you have those dreams and even if it is for a successful enlistment. But for sure, do not have the memories of what if????

Very impressive, glad that we have you, Chas and Voltigeur (in random order) on board to set us not so young and young on the straight and narrow.
 

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Very impressive, glad that we have you, Chas and Voltigeur (in random order) on board to set us not so young and young on the straight and narrow.

Joseph, it is just so hard to really explain to anyone whom is not a Legionnaire, Royal Marine, US Marine, Soldier, or any military service what it is like to serve. Certainly the strict discipline is not for most, most do not like the idea of being limited to a location and how far you can go on Liberty, even in the Marine Corps, Marines are not allowed to go more than 60 Miles on a week night, a little farther for the weekend, and for 96-hours liberty, US Holidays, no farther than around 600 miles.

Once one adapts then it just becomes routine. One of the first things I had to accept, never learned to love, but was that I had to run and no matter what, the Semi Annual 3-mile PFT runs were by far the shortest runs we would ever do. Most runs were 4 to 6 miles and at varying speeds, but you can bet if you were not able to keep up with a 8-miniute mile formation run you were going to be placed on remedial PT, then life really sucks.

Wen you are a Private First Class, Lance Corporal, or a Legionnaire you are going to be placed on guard, clean things, fill slots on working parties and many more what we used to call "Reindeer Games."
 

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USMCRET, thank you for your words, my friend, now happily remembers the good and the not so good experiences he had in the legion, but the legion have influenced his life and made him the man he is today.



I already have 2 "what if's" relating going to the legion and I don't want to have the third one. I hope the tooth implant will finish until mid February and in mid March I will be in Aubagne, the more I think about the legion, the sooner I want to go. The training is going well, this morning I have run 12 km on the running track at the stadium and over 8 km in the woods and hills near where I live. Before going to France, my first big corvee will be to clean the apartment I'm renting for now.

I do not believe you have what Ifs at this point, you have been there and tried. It's one thing to never have tried and another to have tried but simply was not selected.
 

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I do not believe you have what Ifs at this point, you have been there and tried. It's one thing to never have tried and another to have tried but simply was not selected.

Now that I think about my past situation, I say you are right, because in the past I didn't do anything to join. But is better this way, because in '03 and '05 I don't know if I had been ready.
 

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Now that I think about my past situation, I say you are right, because in the past I didn't do anything to join. But is better this way, because in '03 and '05 I don't know if I had been ready.

I was late into the Marine Corps, started at 25. That's old for Marines. Retired at 45
 

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Well Dan, I'm not quite sure what you mean by already having two what ifs, but if they refer to having tried twice, you had better be convincing why you want to try a third time at the 33. Or if I've misunderstood, no matter, you must be convincing. Get your story right, and stick to it. No deviations.
 

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Joe's right, I believe 666 made it in at the buzzer, in his 30's, and he had a couple of failed attempts and he was on his last try
 

DanSorin

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I am sorry I didn't post it clearer in the beginning and I feel that I must step in and clarify my situation regarding the 2 "what if's":

In '03 in the last months of high school my friend and I were talking about the FFL, he was motivated to go and borrowed 2 books about the legion from the library, we both read them, I don't remember their titles or authors, just that in one of the books were the name of some battles and the numbers of the casualties from the legion, I believe were battles from the 19th century and early 20th century. In july he was at Aubagne and did get in, I could have gone, I had passport and I could find the money for a bus ticket to Marseille, but I stayed home and continued my studies.

In '05 my friend came home for a few days, told me stories, he showed me photos from French Guiana that 'till this day I have in my PC, and for a second I had new thoughts about the FFL.

Best if I had wrote that I had two little "what if's" and I don't want to have the big "what if".

I believe in my chances and I am happy when I hear about guys in their thirties getting in the legion. I read the DCLXVI topic about his third attempt. A lot of members of this forum expected good news from him for awhile.
 

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DanSorin don't make third "what if" ;) As me with my never ending delay going in that direction. I can't live with "what if".
 
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