Crisvb39
New Member
Well like the title says I’m joining on July 2018 with the age of 18. If anyone has some advice that will help me in these upcoming months I would greatly appreciate it.
a French Foreign Legion Forum
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Hey joining in July
- Thread starter Crisvb39
- Start date
Welcome to the forum Crisvb39. skip through the posts and use the search mode for any questions. If you do not find what you are looking for, then ask. I know some people hesitate because they think that they are asking a dumb question. Someone smarter (or dumber depending which way you look at it) once said "there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers".
Try and join either very early in July or after the 14th. The big parade is in Paris, but Marseille and maybe one or two other big cities also have delegations. Personally I wouldn't join just after Bastille day, because if I was a recruiter, I'd say, 'He's seen the legion on the tele, it's summer time so he wants to join. But how long before the novelty wears off...?'
You do not need to convince me of your commitment to join, but the recruiters in Aubagne.
Try and join either very early in July or after the 14th. The big parade is in Paris, but Marseille and maybe one or two other big cities also have delegations. Personally I wouldn't join just after Bastille day, because if I was a recruiter, I'd say, 'He's seen the legion on the tele, it's summer time so he wants to join. But how long before the novelty wears off...?'
You do not need to convince me of your commitment to join, but the recruiters in Aubagne.
Crisvb39
New Member
Oh interesting, I never even thought of that... is July the busiest week to join?
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No July isn't the busiest time Camerone and Christmas are the busiest. However in July a lot of people put in for leave meaning the selection process may take a little longer.
After reading on the forum and doing as much research as I could I can tell you what was told to me. beaucoup de sport mon ami. Between that and trimming your diet down to nothing and not getting enough sleep I'm not sure there's not much else you can do to prepare. Bonne chance.
I don't know about trimming your diet down to nothing. If you do cut down make sure that you are still getting the essentials. What I would recommend cutting down on is the protein shakes and the breakfast. I came from the Brit commandos (army attached to the royal marines) and the thing I missed most was a good old Brit breakfast.
Remember that you will go from bacon and eggs with toast and baked beans to a bowl of coffee and a piece of bread and butter with jam. And that is expected to keep you going until lunch time. In Castel after the morning sport you will get a casse-croûte (snack) of bread and sardines or something like that.
I had it on good authority that the diet in selecting and training was a starvation diet (600-800 calorie a day, absolutely nuts). I was also told to avoid protein like it was the plague. The guy I talked to told me they use the skinny cat philosophy and that big muscles won't get the kind of upkeep they need so it's better to shed them before selection. He also told me to get plenty of exercise but to avoid they weights. Maybe his information was dated? Some cursory looking around on the internet seemed to back up his words and I took them as solid gold. Perhaps I've been misled?
In any case, a slice of white bread and a cup of coffee is a far cry from a proper breakfast, that's why I cheat and drink a glass of milk.
In any case, a slice of white bread and a cup of coffee is a far cry from a proper breakfast, that's why I cheat and drink a glass of milk.
dusaboss
Hyper Active Member
That information was mainly good Mr.Blonde (Vic Vega) . Avoid protein? Why that? WTF did you eat? 
600-800 calorie a day its too extreme especially if you are physically active. I can tell you for sure that that is not a case during selection. There you have normal meals same as other legionnaires in Aubagne.
Meals are reduced during farm time in that and only for weak or two (I think so). If you have guys whole 6 months on 600-800 cal a day doing what legionars do they will go to regiments as living skeletons, but they don't, so that information is not correct.
You don't have to go extreme on cutting weight it says nicely on official recruitment page :“Body Mass Index†(BMI) should range between 20 and 30 kg/m² .
http://en.legion-recrute.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=7&idA=60&block=20&idA_SM=0&titre=physiques
So when you hit BMI 25 your more than good to go.
600-800 calorie a day its too extreme especially if you are physically active. I can tell you for sure that that is not a case during selection. There you have normal meals same as other legionnaires in Aubagne.
Meals are reduced during farm time in that and only for weak or two (I think so). If you have guys whole 6 months on 600-800 cal a day doing what legionars do they will go to regiments as living skeletons, but they don't, so that information is not correct.
You don't have to go extreme on cutting weight it says nicely on official recruitment page :“Body Mass Index†(BMI) should range between 20 and 30 kg/m² .
http://en.legion-recrute.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=7&idA=60&block=20&idA_SM=0&titre=physiques
So when you hit BMI 25 your more than good to go.
Just what the vet in the ancien group on face space said man. He said lots of sport and eat green stuff. Cut protein and keep the diet stupid trim. I was waiting for somebody to recognize the pic in my profile man. Glad somebody caught it pretty quick. Great film.
I agree that a famine diet is absolutely crazy. It's what you get after you knock on the door though. Once you make the cut and you move on in the portions and the food quality is better from what I hear. Maybe I'm over prepared to starve. I suppose that could be an advantage though.
Sorry for repeating some misinformation I received. On the surface it seemed legit. Everybody complains about there not being enough to eat at the farm and when dude said get ready for 600-800 calories a day I just figured that explained why.
Anyhow, thanks for the correction and the new information is reassuring. I stand corrected.
I agree that a famine diet is absolutely crazy. It's what you get after you knock on the door though. Once you make the cut and you move on in the portions and the food quality is better from what I hear. Maybe I'm over prepared to starve. I suppose that could be an advantage though.
Sorry for repeating some misinformation I received. On the surface it seemed legit. Everybody complains about there not being enough to eat at the farm and when dude said get ready for 600-800 calories a day I just figured that explained why.
Anyhow, thanks for the correction and the new information is reassuring. I stand corrected.
dusaboss
Hyper Active Member
Sure it is. Did you know that Vic Vega is Vincent's Vega (John Travolta in Pulp Fiction) brother (in Tarantino's universe of course)?
It passed my bs test when I heard it because of reading articles like this:
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-French...han-the-soldiers-from-some-other-elite-troops
https://cervens.net/legionbbs123/archive/index.php/t-227.html
https://cervens.net/legionbbs123/archive/index.php/t-20651.html
I suppose that don't make it so though. Again, thanks for the correction.
I figured there was some relation, never figured he was his brother. Reservoir dogs is probably my favorite film by Tarantino's though. Pulp Fiction struck me as being on the silly side. Good film, just to bright and happy for my pallet.
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-French...han-the-soldiers-from-some-other-elite-troops
https://cervens.net/legionbbs123/archive/index.php/t-227.html
https://cervens.net/legionbbs123/archive/index.php/t-20651.html
I suppose that don't make it so though. Again, thanks for the correction.
I figured there was some relation, never figured he was his brother. Reservoir dogs is probably my favorite film by Tarantino's though. Pulp Fiction struck me as being on the silly side. Good film, just to bright and happy for my pallet.
In my experience there is a good thing being used to function on a extreme calorie deficit, but i cant see many reasons for doing it for too long. Regulate your calorie intake according to your activity level, and remember that nutrition plays a big role to perform better in physical activities/sports. Of course you shouldnt eat like a fat ass, but like Joseph said: Get the essentials.
As for protein i dont see any reasons for avoiding it, as it is more satiating than fat and carbohydrates per calorie, meaning it may satiate you more if you are doing very low calorie diets. And yes, it helps build up your body even when doing cardio and of course strength training. And no, i dont mean that you should eat shitloads of protein, just eat a normal amount.
Being good at regulating hunger control is a fantastic tool for a soldier, but i would not recommend doing very very low calorie diets for wannabe soldiers for too long, because they should prepare their physical skills and without proper nutrition you may not perform as good as you could.
Dont eat too much, dont be fat, do a lot of sports.
As for protein i dont see any reasons for avoiding it, as it is more satiating than fat and carbohydrates per calorie, meaning it may satiate you more if you are doing very low calorie diets. And yes, it helps build up your body even when doing cardio and of course strength training. And no, i dont mean that you should eat shitloads of protein, just eat a normal amount.
Being good at regulating hunger control is a fantastic tool for a soldier, but i would not recommend doing very very low calorie diets for wannabe soldiers for too long, because they should prepare their physical skills and without proper nutrition you may not perform as good as you could.
Dont eat too much, dont be fat, do a lot of sports.
Crisvb39
New Member
Thanks everyone for a reply. I actually don’t eat too much already. I mostly don’t eat breakfast but when I do, it’s usually a small bread biscuit. I also don’t really drink much liquids during me day either so I guess I’m one step ahead .
.
Crotalus Atrox
Active Member
What ever happened to, “An army marches on its stomach?†And the French are supposed to have the pinnacle of ‘haute cuisine’.
Scraping for food, digging in the bins? Really..?!
Ok, I'll bring the mousetraps, you bring the... Wonder bread!!? Yuck!! Bring a baguette, lets be French about it...
Scraping for food, digging in the bins? Really..?!
Ok, I'll bring the mousetraps, you bring the... Wonder bread!!? Yuck!! Bring a baguette, lets be French about it...
dusaboss
Hyper Active Member
Is not BS. You (and guys who gave you information) were right about "slim cat" thing and everything else, except number of calories. Yes they could be at 600-800 lvl, but that don't last long. Just calculate how little food that actually is and add extreme physical toil to that. Believe me you could't subsist for long period of time that way.
Week or two, yes. My advice is to push yourself and try that and make your body to feed on fat stores - which could be really unpleasant if you never did before. Don't starve yourself for a long period of time. That's not healthy.
Slim cats ... yes. FFL prefer guys like that. Nobody wants in army bulked up, pumped up guy. Guys like that usually sustent body like that on huge calorie surplus (with special diet), hard exercises with weights and really often with little help of chemistry.
All of that would not be available in FFL (during basics) or in armed conflict. Also having that much mass even, if it is all muscle, is not good for long marches and runs. Just like how long distance runners are build.
I'm not saying that you should look like that (because you don't, you also need to wear significant weight of equipment), but I hope you got idea what I'm trying to say.
BMI 25 (Did you count yours? how tall and how much you weight?) is more than good if you have more muscles and less fat. You don't need to have 6 pack, but don't go there with beer belly also.
As for Tarantino I will send you a PM
6'1", 215lb. 28.4k/m.
I'm in the green, but only just.
I can't do pm's yet, my apologies.
Glad the info I got was on the up and up.
(I was under the impression my rep on the board was too low to send a pm. I stand corrected, I sent another one today after reading this and reading a message in my inbox, with any luck it went through as well)
For the record I didn't think the diet was 600-800 the whole hitch, just was told it would happen. I also understand the philosophy such as it is. It helps to among other things separate the wheat from the chaff.
In the future I'll either bite my tongue or be more clear in my original posts. Point is the legion will deprive you of sleep and of food to see what you're made of, be prepared.
I'm in the green, but only just.
I can't do pm's yet, my apologies.
Glad the info I got was on the up and up.
(I was under the impression my rep on the board was too low to send a pm. I stand corrected, I sent another one today after reading this and reading a message in my inbox, with any luck it went through as well)
For the record I didn't think the diet was 600-800 the whole hitch, just was told it would happen. I also understand the philosophy such as it is. It helps to among other things separate the wheat from the chaff.
In the future I'll either bite my tongue or be more clear in my original posts. Point is the legion will deprive you of sleep and of food to see what you're made of, be prepared.
I don't know where the idea that your rations or calorie intake will be cut in Castel or the farm. You will be doing a lot of physical activities and out in the fresh air which will work up an appetite. The food will be different and there will be some things that you won't like and won't eat for example sheep brains or tripe.
What you have to remember is that there is a set menu which which is presented to the chief medical officer every week. His job is to make sure that the men are getting all the proteins vitamins and minerals etc that they need. He will from time to time make an unannounced visit to the kitchens (hygiene) and dinning room. He will ask one or two legionnaires what they had to eat the previous day. On these visits he is often accompanied by the commanding officer.
As crotalus atrox and Napoleon ( I think Napoleon coined the phrase before atrox) said, an army marches on it's belly. Although don't expect it to be 'haute cuisine francaise'.
What you have to remember is that there is a set menu which which is presented to the chief medical officer every week. His job is to make sure that the men are getting all the proteins vitamins and minerals etc that they need. He will from time to time make an unannounced visit to the kitchens (hygiene) and dinning room. He will ask one or two legionnaires what they had to eat the previous day. On these visits he is often accompanied by the commanding officer.
As crotalus atrox and Napoleon ( I think Napoleon coined the phrase before atrox) said, an army marches on it's belly. Although don't expect it to be 'haute cuisine francaise'.
I posted some links earlier. 2/3rd s of the links talking about the food being cut during selection were from here. I also talked to some vets on facebook when I still had my account. They said much the same.
So, the information is inaccurate? If so I'll certainly stop saying it, if it is misinformation, I apologise. It's simply what I've read and what I've been told. 'You will be cold, hungry and tired'. The calorie count isn't printed on the plate, I'm sure, but I was told straight up it was a famine diet. If that's wrong, it's wrong, and I'm wrong and I'm sorry for believing anything written on the internet.
The western diamond back was indeed quoting Napoleon, an army marches on its belly. It's an enormously simple statement packed with a great deal of truth. It's my understanding he had mentioned it as a complaint (ie, how do I logistically feed all these hungry mouths) but again, I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time certainly won't be the last.
If I make it in, I will have something worth while to say, in the mean time I suppose anything I say will be wrong, till its right, until it's wrong again. That said, I'll just bite my tongue.
I haven't physically been there, I do not actually know. All of the information I've gleaned from every resource available has formed an opinion in my mind.
Only one way to find out. Wheels are up on my flight in a few days. Maybe I'll get to see the farm and eat some tripe.
Sorry for derailing the thread, again, I'd caution folk to be ready to be deprived of sleep and to be hungry.
So, the information is inaccurate? If so I'll certainly stop saying it, if it is misinformation, I apologise. It's simply what I've read and what I've been told. 'You will be cold, hungry and tired'. The calorie count isn't printed on the plate, I'm sure, but I was told straight up it was a famine diet. If that's wrong, it's wrong, and I'm wrong and I'm sorry for believing anything written on the internet.
The western diamond back was indeed quoting Napoleon, an army marches on its belly. It's an enormously simple statement packed with a great deal of truth. It's my understanding he had mentioned it as a complaint (ie, how do I logistically feed all these hungry mouths) but again, I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time certainly won't be the last.
If I make it in, I will have something worth while to say, in the mean time I suppose anything I say will be wrong, till its right, until it's wrong again. That said, I'll just bite my tongue.
I haven't physically been there, I do not actually know. All of the information I've gleaned from every resource available has formed an opinion in my mind.
Only one way to find out. Wheels are up on my flight in a few days. Maybe I'll get to see the farm and eat some tripe.
Sorry for derailing the thread, again, I'd caution folk to be ready to be deprived of sleep and to be hungry.
Crotalus Atrox
Active Member
You don't want to see me go 'feral cat'...
...I would instantly be on a first name basis with the COMLE... oops...
...and I guess I'll explain that a little... there are schools all over the world that train their soldiers how to starve (correctly or incorrectly is up to you). From someone somewhere I heard a story about 6 guys that found a... very prized dog from one of the neighbors. Each had to pay about $325 USD to compensate the owner. But they sure ate good that night... BUuuuuRRB!! No refrigerator needed!
Doesn't really count as bush meat though. I really like spicy fried crickets... I would like to try monkey brain someday. I hear they might have it in Thailand, or somewhere in SE Asia... They should start an 'exotic foods' restaurant here...
...I would instantly be on a first name basis with the COMLE... oops...
...and I guess I'll explain that a little... there are schools all over the world that train their soldiers how to starve (correctly or incorrectly is up to you). From someone somewhere I heard a story about 6 guys that found a... very prized dog from one of the neighbors. Each had to pay about $325 USD to compensate the owner. But they sure ate good that night... BUuuuuRRB!! No refrigerator needed!
Doesn't really count as bush meat though. I really like spicy fried crickets... I would like to try monkey brain someday. I hear they might have it in Thailand, or somewhere in SE Asia... They should start an 'exotic foods' restaurant here...