a French Foreign Legion Forum

Welcome! Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Identity Question

Joined
Feb 4, 2019
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Location
Havana
Home Country
Cuba
4579
Could someone confirm whether or not this is true? This seems like some misinformation, because I’d assume that the Legion doesn’t care what you do with your name as long as they know about it, and you are still capable of service.
 

dusaboss

Hyper Active Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
4,545
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Serbia
Home Country
Yugoslavia
Partially true. Yes, you can keep your new identity, but you have to go through process of legalization. And yes you can go on mission and deployments. Legion would give you temporary passport in order to cross borders.
You wouldn't be able to cross borders (out of EU) on your own with your new identity until you legalize it.
Not sure if you need to wait 5y for legalization. It's possible that you can do that earlier. You can get back your real name and passport in no something before 2 y of service so I probably you can start legalization of new identity around that time. It take some time to be done.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

Moderator
Legionnaire
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
9,556
Reaction score
7,900
Location
Thailand
Home Country
New Zealand
Not quite right there Dusa. Your new identity is only valid while your are serving in the legion. EVERYONE, without exception must have his real identity when he leaves the legion.
As for going overseas etc. no problems with your new name.
 
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
113
Reaction score
82
Location
Inquisition Tribunal
Home Country
Vatican City State
If you are trying to hide from police/intelligence agency/crazy wife/ect forget about it. It won't work, and they can find out who you are.

However, if you really want to keep the identity, I remember on a previous thread we came to the conclusion that once you apply for French nationality, you can change your name to be "more French" i.e. your Legion name.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

Moderator
Legionnaire
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
9,556
Reaction score
7,900
Location
Thailand
Home Country
New Zealand
You can NOT keep your legion name when you go civil. In the traditional end of contract photo outside the museum those who wish to keep there identity hidden (with their original name) are written down down as corporal X or Sgt X and so forth.
What Lord Pchelovod means by having your Name "more French" simply that you go to the right government office and make a demand to have your first name more French.
I know of two people that have had this done. One was an Algerian adjudant who was later called Marcel, I'm sure that you can imagine what his first name might have been before hand.
the second was a guy who worked with me in US cons. Gen. in Marseille, He was a Bulgarian who had his first name changed from Plamen to Patrick. In both cases the surname stayed the same.
I repeat, when you go civilian you will get everything that you joined up with; passport, car keys, front door keys, countries ID etc. and when you walk walk out of the gate after your five years, or more, it will be with your original name.

From there if you wish to change your name it will be the exactly the same procedure that you would follow if you had never joined the legion.
 

dusaboss

Hyper Active Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
4,545
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Serbia
Home Country
Yugoslavia
If you are trying to hide from police/intelligence agency/crazy wife/ect forget about it. It won't work, and they can find out who you are.
Actually it could work. If crazy wife come to ask for you in FFL and you emphasize that your presence stay hidden she wouldn't get any info about you.
As for police, if you did some serious crime and find yourself on interpol list you wouldn't be accepted in first place. If it's some smaller crime and you are wanted by police only in your country FFL could be good option for you. Some prosecutions stop to be valid after certain number of years.

From there if you wish to change your name it will be the exactly the same procedure that you would follow if you had never joined the legion.

Guess I heard that and mixed with whole identity changing not just name. I think it was possible to "desapere" from earth after serving FFL some time in past. Do you know about it Joe? If that is correct do you know when legion stopped with that practice?
 

Le petit caporal

Legionnaire
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
5,490
Reaction score
4,188
Location
Nimes
Home Country
North Korea
Once, as a young legionnaire. ..i was called to the security officiers office. .wandering WTF now
Was Adj.G. at that time, spanish, and went on to become officier
He had recieved a fax from BSLE at Aubange. .sayiing a Scottish member of Parlement had contacted them (via the french military attaché of the french embassy / consulate, asking if i was amongst there ranks. ...it was my mother who asked him to try and find out...
Breif, was asked / ordered to write the mother a post card ,oh so dear.
He was kind of pissed off. Even said to me, "i dont need this shit. ..nor the Legion, so write her something good
Wasn't rectified, so there's an example of exceptions
Wanted to say to G...."I don't need this shit, man", but with held my desire to tell the truth
If there is one thing the Legion detests above all the others. ..is bad publicity.
 

dusaboss

Hyper Active Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
4,545
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Serbia
Home Country
Yugoslavia
Once, as a young legionnaire. ..i was called to the security officiers office. .wandering WTF now
Was Adj.G. at that time, spanish, and went on to become officier
He had recieved a fax from BSLE at Aubange. .sayiing a Scottish member of Parlement had contacted them (via the french military attaché of the french embassy / consulate, asking if i was amongst there ranks. ...it was my mother who asked him to try and find out...
Breif, was asked / ordered to write the mother a post card ,oh so dear.
He was kind of pissed off. Even said to me, "i dont need this shit. ..nor the Legion, so write her something good
Wasn't rectified, so there's an example of exceptions
Wanted to say to G...."I don't need this shit, man", but with held my desire to tell the truth
If there is one thing the Legion detests above all the others. ..is bad publicity.
Man, Its mother! You don't have to told her where you were, but you should inform that you are OK and Alive.

Crazy wife is different story. :)
 

Le petit caporal

Legionnaire
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
5,490
Reaction score
4,188
Location
Nimes
Home Country
North Korea
"Travel light", is my motto and carry no burdens. ..no family, parents, wives or kids, freinds or souvenirs
"Me first", said, the self made man, man!
 

dusaboss

Hyper Active Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
4,545
Reaction score
1,640
Location
Serbia
Home Country
Yugoslavia
"Travel light", is my motto and carry no burdens. ..no family, parents, wives or kids, freinds or souvenirs
"Me first", said, the self made man, man!
Agree, but one thing is to left family behind and don't let anything blocking your way and another to go without saying anything to anyone and lets mother (father)asking themselves whether are you are alive or not.

I mean, I don't know your situation at the time (or someone else's), but how bad relationship with parents should be in order to just go and not tell them anything?
 

Le petit caporal

Legionnaire
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
5,490
Reaction score
4,188
Location
Nimes
Home Country
North Korea
I've been cheated since they dont know when
So look at me now, will i ever learn?
I dont know how but i suddenly loose control
There's a fire burning in my soûl
Just one look and i can hear the Service General ring. ..
"The Petit Caporal en taule (in jail)
My, my , here i go again, my, my

Mama mia, here i go again
My my, how could i ever leave you so
Now i know
But the parting wasn't should have been so
My my

Fool sentimentalist
 

jonny

Actual or Former Legionnaire
Legionnaire
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
1,448
Reaction score
1,239
Location
Australia
Home Country
Norway
When I get to heaven/
tie me to a tree/
Otherwise you will know where I will be/
on a wandering, wandering star
 

Surfguy

Super Active Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
1,528
Reaction score
773
Location
Wales Mostly
Home Country
United Kingdom
If you are trying to hide from police/intelligence agency/crazy wife/ect forget about it. It won't work, and they can find out who you are.

However, if you really want to keep the identity, I remember on a previous thread we came to the conclusion that once you apply for French nationality, you can change your name to be "more French" i.e. your Legion name.
I think you are wrong there , you`ll only get "handed over " to the Police if and it would be a big if they actually found you, Interpol is different , as for ex wives and their lawyers they have no chance.
 
Top