Transition to civilian life

[Sarahlouise]

The chap in the clip below is from the Brit army and is also a distant cousin of mine. He talks about what soldiers' must think about before and once they depart from their job and go civi.
I wondered if the Legion has ever had/currently has a procedure it follows to support the men or is it up to them to make their own plans? And if anything is it the same system that supports the regular French army? Also does having served in the Legion open doors to countries one would not usually have access to reside in?
I'm just coming to the end of Legion-Eire's rather insightful blog so although Mr O'Shea already knew his onward city these questions go hand-in-hand, in a roundabout sort of way.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rWIoQd0BpkY&list=PLv-jN2vurolbNbKq5ny-HnbWfRWQmVjyg&feature=plpp

 

[Tonyus]

"Also does having served in the Legion open doors to countries one would not usually have access to reside in? "
Probably so, specially if one has acquired French citizenship. France is in the EU/Schengen Area.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

The chap in the clip below is from the Brit army and is also a distant cousin of mine. He talks about what soldiers' must think about before and once they depart from their job and go civi.
I wondered if the Legion has ever had/currently has a procedure it follows to support the men or is it up to them to make their own plans? And if anything is it the same system that supports the regular French army? Also does having served in the Legion open doors to countries one would not usually have access to reside in?
I'm just coming to the end of Legion-Eire's rather insightful blog so although Mr O'Shea already knew his onward city these questions go hand-in-hand, in a roundabout sort of way.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rWIoQd0BpkY&list=PLv-jN2vurolbNbKq5ny-HnbWfRWQmVjyg&feature=plpp

Sarahlouise, the COMLE, which is considered a regiment or at least an element apart from the other regiments is based in 1er RE. It contains what is familiarly known as the Cellule Emploi. Basically, when you finish your contract you go by this office. It used to be run by a Commandant (major), an Adjudant-chef, a Caporal-chef and a civilian woman. They ask you what your intentions are for the ‘after Legion’. If you are staying in France they ask you to leave a CV with your coordinates and the type of jobs that interest you, in case something interesting comes up. They can also telephone and organize a job interview, they check the internet Pôle Emploi (National Employment Agency). And believe me the number of bosses who send job offers to the Cellule Emploi is huge. Why because they know that they are going to get disciplined men... but it's limited to France and it's overseas departments and territories.
Now that's in Aubagne, at the end of your contract or career.
Each regiment has an officer or a upper sous-officier (NCO) or probably nowadays a civilian who does the same thing on a lesser scale. Let's say I've made it clear that I am not going to sign on after 5 years. At around 4½ years I will be convoked to the careers officer (for want of a better English word). I want a job in France as a mechanic because that is what I did before the Legion or learnt it in the Legion, or bus driver or lorry driver and so on. They'll help you with your CV and organize an interview for a later date. The end of career has more advantages, but the person will be informed of what he has the right to before hand.
As for being able to go to other countries, Tonyus is right, he'll get a French passport, if he wishes, but would have to follow the same procedure as any regular Frenchman.

 

[a1b2c3]

The NCO at the regiment is (and frequently is the ONLY) person in the bureau de reconversion. He also sets up the ‘courses/briefings’ that occur towards the end of the contract, probably every 1-2 months, for MDR to get information about the Pôle Emploi, etc. as well as one to help write a CV. Depending on who is in the ‘course’ with you and how much you put in, it can be a waste of time or some help.

But in the end, as much as the Legion and/or others can help you... it is up to the individual to get off their ass and get it done. System D and all that...

I still get emails and phone calls from a SCH in 1RE regarding jobs. And I have sent him jobs as well. There are also other networks outside of the official Legion. The network of Anciens is pretty good, and covers a wide spectrum of jobs and skill sets.

 

[Sarahlouise]

"Also does having served in the Legion open doors to countries one would not usually have access to reside in? "
Probably so, specially if one has acquired French citizenship. France is in the EU/Schengen Area.

Apologies, silly question. I meant those outside of the EU/French colonies

 

[Sarahlouise]

Blimey! Pretty good support system then. Thank you for your replies

 

[Tonyus]

Apologies, silly question. I meant those outside of the EU/French colonies

That's what I meant too. For ex.: Mr. X from China, joins the Legion. While serving he applies for (and receives) French citizenship. After he finishes his contract, he can enjoy the benefits (or whatnot) of being a French citizen.

 

[Sarahlouise]

That's what I meant too. For ex.:Mr. X from China, joins the Legion. While serving he applies for (and receives) French citizenship. After he finishes his contract, he can enjoy the benefits (or whatnot) of being a French citizen.

Ur havin a giraffe right??!! 3rd time lucky I MEAN after 5+ years does a random embassy/consulate OUTSIDE French colonies think f me he's/was a bloody Legionnaire! Don't mind him living here! Stamp!
Who wouldn't mind a reserve of the sort residing within their boundaries I ask?!!

 

[Tonyus]

Khm, khm. No country outside France and the French colonies will look at him as an ex. Legionnaire. That includes ALL the countries inside the EU (and the Schengen Area) and also other non EU states too. He (possibly) will be a "simple" French citizen. Unless he needs some sort of security clearance and/or the job he applies for requires a background check. Even then, that isn't necessarily a bad thing
My honest opinion on the matter is, until you pay your taxes and behave nicely, almost none of the country's will kick you out, Legionnaire or not.

 

[mad jock]

My opinion?, you never fully transition back to being a civvy, you either learn how to cope ie: not smashing people's skulls in for being mongs, or you commit suicide, simple really

 

[voltigeur]

My opinion?, you never fully transition back to being a civvy, you either learn how to cope ie: not smashing people's skulls in for being mongs, or you commit suicide, simple really

Actually, some people do return to "normal" My wife said that for me it started around 65 years of age.

 

[Martin Scott]

For me Ill never be 100 per cent civilian, Im ex military not a civilian and some people cannot or will not get there head around that. But I have reached the stage in life now where I don't give a shit. If you cant accept me its no skin off my arse.
Par Example A woman at work said you quite arrogant aren't you, I said yes my love I am but I earnt the right to be! especially when dealing with a idiot like him.!!!!!!!
The university twat in HR.

 

[flash010]

mad jock hit it on the head thats all there is spend each day trying your hardest not to chin some twat who is annoying you

 

[Rapace]

Apologies, silly question. I meant those outside of the EU/French colonies

Oops... There are no longer such thing as “French colonies” Sarah... We call them Départements et Territoires d'Outre-Mer (DOM-TOM). Martinique and Guadeloupe in the West Indies, French Guiana, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon next to Newfoundland, la Réunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the Pacific.

That's what I meant too. For ex.: Mr. X from China, joins the Legion. While serving he applies for (and receives) French citizenship. After he finishes his contract, he can enjoy the benefits (or whatnot) of being a French citizen.

What often happens actually is that Mr. Li, from China, enters France as an illegal immigrant. He spends some time in the country as an illegal and when he's tired of being paid peanuts to work clandestinely in his cousin's restaurant in the XIIIth district of Paris (‘ChinaTown’), he decides it would be good to have French papers. He goes to Aubagne, enlists in the Legion and 5 years after we've got a brand new French citizen... Don't get me wrong, I've no problem with that. At least Mr. Li has ‘paid’ for the right of being a fellow countryman. We can't say the same of all illegal immigrants.

 

[jwaltos]

Call them what you will Rapace (semantics) many of these areas were colonized by slave/prison labour. Some of the areas in Guyane Papillon wrote about, some of the (old) Jesuit trails I walked on in Guadeloupe and Martinique had a few chains and bracelets here and there that were not decorative accessories. Departments or districts (<<District 13>> is great movie by the way) is simply rebranding.

Regarding illegals, it's a hell of a life for some people trying to escape an oppressive government. I've worked with and spoken with people who barely escaped with their lives (many didn't, including children). Live under oppression or die seeking freedom? (Think N.Korea, Burma). I refer back to the subjugation and empire building statement above.
I'm not a fan of bullies singly, in small or large groups or just people doing their job that causes a world of undeserved hurt for others. I try to do my part to keep a karmic balance here.

Regarding becoming a civilian after the military, anyone who has been in uniform, combat trained (guns, chem., bio, informatics..) and had taken their oaths of allegiance will have that extra layer of awareness/psychology that a civilian doesn't have. I was in University two months after leaving Djibouti living in a student dorm...bad mistake. I was way too intense (By chance, I encountered an Israeli officer, taking some of the courses I was. He obviously didn't advertise this fact.);If you want to fight, stay in the military or become a bouncer, gang member or something. If you want a civilian career, don't relive the past. Choose a job you like (because you would do it for free) if you can. You don't need to advertise your past life, be decent or be an asshole, choose one and be good at it.

 

[Sarahlouise]

View attachment 4690

Richard (ISAF) greeting Mr Cameron on Friday. Don't think it will be quiet time for him for a while yet though.

 

[Martin Scott]

Apologies, silly question. (...)

No question is a silly one. Ignorance however is...

 

[Old Adj]

No question is a silly one. Ignorance however is...

They used to tell us that the only silly question is the one that you don't ask!

 

[SLehman]

They used to tell us that the only silly question is the one that you don't ask!

It's true that we've always told our troops that 'the only stupid question is the one that is not asked', but there have been some that were very close to border line stupid, when coffee comes out your nose, somebody has just asked the border line stupid question.

I had an old NCO that wanted me to lead the tanks in camp Bergen Hohne to range 10, in 'Hohne the tank ranges are all on a large ring road with the firing pads facing to the inside of the circle. The tank ranges are named numerically so the first range is range 1, second one range 2, etc. We were standing on the ring road, when my Warrant asked me “do you know where range 10 is?â€￾ Before I could stop myself I told my superior “well if it's anywhere between range 9 and range 11, I think I can figure it out.â€￾ I pulled a few extra guard duties but sometimes, the phrasing of the question can really tip the scale either way.

 

[Le petit caporal]

Jurisprudence from 2015 (?). If your boss or last employer doesn't explain your rights (reconversion etc.) it's considered as a prejudice and opens the right to sue the employer in front of the prud'hommes/omnibus.