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FFL Standard Issue Gear

ALX

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Hello all,

Have always wondered, what gear do you guys get that is personal issue. For example, maybe a wrist watch that you get to keep.

Do you even get a watch and if so, which one? Also, do you guys get jackets? That you can wear on and off base? And what do you get to keep when you leave the Legion?

Regards,
Alex
 

voltigeur

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Hello all,

Have always wondered, what gear do you guys get that is personal issue. For example, maybe a wrist watch that you get to keep.

Do you even get a watch and if so, which one? Also, do you guys get jackets? That you can wear on and off base? And what do you get to keep when you leave the Legion?

Regards,
Alex
Items like that you have to buy yourself. Anything the Legion issues, you have to return. In my time if anything of Legion issue kit was missing, you had to pay for that.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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What of the formal/full dress uniform?

Are there some things you can purchase/keep for yourself?
Over time you will acquire extra kit, which is only normal. When you leave your regiment to rejoin Aubagne after your time is up, you hand in all the kit that you got from the regiment. Anything extra, you can more or less keep. Anything you buy in your regiment for example insignia, sweat shirts and so on, are yours.

When you get issued a medal, you will be wise to buy a spare. When you get another medal, you will get the new medal, but will have to go to the tailors to get it made into a 'pair'. You will be well advised to have a spare, plus two sets of ribbons and so on.

A week before I left, I went on revue categorie or whatever it's called. It just means that they check that you are up to date on medicals etc. the Cch whom I saw before hand in the office, said I should be wearing 6 medals instead of 5. the last one being a commemorative medal from some UN mission. I told him to keep that to himself as there was no way I was going to buy another two medals, have them made into a placard and buy another set of ribbons.

All that to say that when I left after the official photo you take with you everything that you are wearing. Kepi, uniform, attributes, shoes even.
 

a1b2c3

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2011 at Aubagne, we turned in 2x tenues de combat complet, 1x ceinturon, 1x pr Rangers... everything else was considered "consumables". My Rangers weren't even mine...I used my last chit to buy a new pair for a mate, turned in his old trashed ones and gave away my pairs (in decent shape) to some 1CL. I kept my Kepi, my medals (dangly ones + barrettes), brevets, company/regiment/brigade insignias, berets + insignias, and misc bits and bobs. Got my fouraggere afterwards as it was awarded to my regiment after I left. Also received my VM after I left, which I should really mount up on my rack one of these days.

So basically, you can keep everything. As Joe says, have at least 2 of everything...even 3. You can make lots of friends when someone comes rushing to your room in a panic looking for something missing off of their uniform, but also set a good example for younger legionnaires.

Issued out now (based on photos) looks newer, so most likely be different rules in place.
 

SnafuSmite

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In France you cant wear your service uniform once you are out of the military. I'm not sure if you can keep your cammies or not but I know you can keep backpacks and such after service.
 

ALX

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Thanks all for replies, very informative and cleared up a lot in my head (y)
 

voltigeur

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What of the formal/full dress uniform?

Are there some things you can purchase/keep for yourself?
Officially not in my time. (1959-1964) Of course there were means to obtain some parts of the uniform if you knew the man in the store room (magasin)
 
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