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The best week!

Kamassie

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Hallo Everybody!
Since my first post in August on the forum – some great news! Received the first call from my son this week! The phone was on speaker and between me, his brother and sister we had a million questions, almost all at the same time!
Was great to hear he is really enjoying the experience, settled in, and that he still sounds like my son I said good bye to, late July; a little different, but in a good way! I am proud beyond words of this young man of ours!
Note: I know that I will probably never meet the person that taught my 19 year-old how to use an clothing iron – but I take my hat off to you!

Regards
 

SnafuSmite

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Great news! Always good to hear of another chap making it! Which regiment has he been assigned to?
 

Kamassie

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Great news! Always good to hear of another chap making it! Which regiment has he been assigned to?
Hi - he says they are still waiting to actually go to the regiment. 13BDL - not sure of the correct spelling. And in the background I heard they familiar sound of Afrikaans to one of the other chaps...
 
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Joseph Cosgrove

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Hi Kamassie, this is really good news and you can be proud of your son. He's over another hurdle, there are others to go but each one will leave a memory with him. The 13DBLE is full of history which if you get time is worth looking up. In fact their motto is More Majorum which translates as like our elders.
 

Kamassie

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Hi Kamassie, this is really good news and you can be proud of your son. He's over another hurdle, there are others to go but each one will leave a memory with him. The 13DBLE is full of history which if you get time is worth looking up. In fact their motto is More Majorum which translates as like our elders.

Thank you Joseph - I will most definitely read up on 13 DBLE, and what a beautiful motto! I did find a few places to read up on the internet.
My son also mentioned a magazine with the name: Renise ( also not sure about the spelling) Do you perhaps have more info on that or maybe where have a look on the net?
Regards
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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Kamassie, sorry I can't help there. Anyway, once he's got a bit of free time, he'll give you all the details. I served in the '13' when it was in Djibouti 90-92. One year as a life guard in the swimming pool and one year down in CECAP, the commando training center. The first thing that he will have to learn is the important dates of the regiment. When it was formed and the battles which it was involved in and why they earned the right to wear the lanyard on their parade and walking out uniforms.

He's on his way to a good regiment.
 

Kamassie

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Kamassie, sorry I can't help there. Anyway, once he's got a bit of free time, he'll give you all the details. I served in the '13' when it was in Djibouti 90-92. One year as a life guard in the swimming pool and one year down in CECAP, the commando training center. The first thing that he will have to learn is the important dates of the regiment. When it was formed and the battles which it was involved in and why they earned the right to wear the lanyard on their parade and walking out uniforms.

He's on his way to a good regiment.

Hi Joseph - thank you! I found the 13dble.legion-etrangere.com web page and am sure it will make some good reading - once Google starts translating again... :)
Do all the regiments have a yearly parade each on a separate day? Or only the Bastille Military parade where all take part?
Regards
 

robnunya

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Hi Kamassi, veels geluk met jou seun. My son is in 13. It's a good regiment and because they’re expanding they are getting all of the newest equipment. They’re situated in Larzac in a small mountain village called La Cavalerie. When he gets there he’ll do FTS which is essentially the basic training specifically for the regiment. FTS lasts a few weeks and once he’s done he will probably be allocated a specialization depending on his aptitude and what they need in the regiment (my son is a transmitter), the other specialization’s include Medic, Shooting, anti Tank, Mechanic and Chef (it's possible I’ve missed one). It's not a given that he’ll do his specialization immediately, it could be a little while before he does it. The weather is quite cold currently (first snow yesterday) but the kit and the accommodations aren’t bad. Generally he’ll get the weekends off and will spend them in Millau but mostly Montpellier which is a beautiful university town about 2 hours from the regiment. He will have to have a sense of humor because he will inevitably be faced with a few real arseholes in authority but equally he will come across some solid individuals and make good friends. Camerone day in the regiment which is celebrated ever year on the 30th of April and it's a good opportunity for you to see his regiment and have a meal in the canteen and get a real sense of the place.
 
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