From USMC to French Foreign Legion

[ja19]

Hey everybody. I'm 19 years old and am definitely joining the military. I'm just not sure where to start. My dream is to become a mercenary after service. I'm just not sure of what would be best in order to achieve it. First, my goal is to consider if I should do USMC and then FFL or go right into FFL.

Do you think doing 4 years in the USMC first, then going to the FFL would be the best idea? Or would just going to the FFL be better because an older veteran and I got into a conversation about what I wanted to do "after high school." So I told him everything and he replied saying that other branches don't like taking guys from another branch because they've already been trained one way and that I should go straight to the FFL. However, I realize how tough the FFL is and I thought that 4 years in the USMC would grind me and give me time to grind myself into even better shape for when I do enter the FFL.

Remember, I'd like to be a mercenary after service so this isn't about what would be "cool" doing both or just one or the other. It's about what would creditably mold me into a choice mercenary.

I appreciate it.

[Vandrel]

Not to crush your dreams but the Legion folks I served with over the years are not ones to be reckoned with, they have their **** locked down and speak multiple languages. Unless you are something special I wouldn't waste your time.

Only thing you should be worried about is making it through boot camp and then take it one step at a time.

[FPM]

crickets chirping ( I'm not touching this one )

[ja19]

Not to crush your dreams but the Legion folks I served with over the years are not ones to be reckoned with, they have their **** locked down and speak multiple languages. Unless you are something special I wouldn't waste your time.

Only thing you should be worried about is making it through boot camp and then take it one step at a time.

That's true about learning the language but living around DC I have met quite a few Legion guys from the states and they told me they didn't speak a lick of anything but English when they entered, they did learn while in the FFL. Although I do know some Russian as I have friends from Russia, I'm sure it's something that will be advanced while in the FFL.

[Zulu 36]

Being a former US Marine exempts you from nothing in the FFL. You will start exactly at the bottom again, basic training and all. You need to do a little more research of the FFL. If you think discipline in the Marine Corps is strict, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Yes, you will be required to learn French, but they start teaching you from day one.

Maybe you need to spend some time in the military before you decide the life of a merc is the one for you. It isn't like in the movies or video games.

If you bomb out of Marine boot camp, the FFL definitely won't be for you, and no "private security" company will talk to you.

[ja19]

Being a former US Marine exempts you from nothing in the FFL. You will start exactly at the bottom again, basic training and all. You need to do a little more research of the FFL. If you think discipline in the Marine Corps is strict, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Yes, you will be required to learn French, but they start teaching you from day one.

Maybe you need to spend some time in the military before you decide the life of a merc is the one for you. It isn't like in the movies or video games.

If you bomb out of Marine boot camp, the FFL definitely won't be for you, and no "private security" company will talk to you.

I know it doesn't exempt me, it's more of a preparation approach. I'm aware of the discipline the FFL will instill, which is why I wondered if going straight into the USMC and then to the FFL would be worth it or just take the big leap to the FFL.

I grew up in a military and law enforcement family, lived on bases, I've got no problem with the military and have been doing PT for some time with the recruiters. I'm well aware of the reality, learned everything I know about military and foreign affairs via my "au courant" dad. I'm definitely interested.

I'm leaning towards going USMC first, it'll give me an extra 4 years to sharpen myself up.

[SlingerDun]

Time frame: Collapse of The Soviet Union. There was a documentary about some teenager from Texas joining the FFL. I only had 3 channels and OPB so it must have been a network show like a 60 Minutes or 20/20. One of the go to guys for interviews was a Legionnaire who in a prior life served as a Marine, and in Vietnam. He was an FFL Platoon Sgt and referred to the diversity of his troops from Swahili warriors to Romanian factory workers and Guyana soda pop vendors yet didn't talk about ethnic/race/political tension, but i could tell it was thick.

What seemed to be missing was regular French brats, only officers. Maybe it's changed, encouraging more Serge and Yves to join the mix.

Why would an American want to labor in an expendable capacity serving the interests of France anyway?

Once the illusion of mercenary romance wears thin you're nothing but a peon indentured to a foreign country that does not hold Americans in high regard, often contempt.

[Vandrel]

Once the illusion of mercenary romance wears thin you're nothing but a peon indentured to a foreign country that does not hold Americans in high regard, often contempt.

France is a dirty country

[ja19]

Time frame: Collapse of The Soviet Union. There was a documentary about some teenager from Texas joining the FFL. I only had 3 channels and OPB so it must have been a network show like a 60 Minutes or 20/20. One of the go to guys for interviews was a Legionnaire who in a prior life served as a Marine, and in Vietnam. He was an FFL Platoon Sgt and referred to the diversity of his troops from Swahili warriors to Romanian factory workers and Guyana soda pop vendors yet didn't talk about ethnic/race/political tension, but i could tell it was thick.

What seemed to be missing was regular French brats, only officers. Maybe it's changed, encouraging more Serge and Yves to join the mix.

Why would an American want to labor in an expendable capacity serving the interests of France anyway?

Once the illusion of mercenary romance wears thin you're nothing but a peon indentured to a foreign country that does not hold Americans in high regard, often contempt.

Back then there were no doubt racial tensions back in the day but they're professionals and I'm sure nowadays that's something that's not as problematic as it used to be. If it is in some circumstances then so be it. There are most definitely racists in the USMC too, however, I would think guys of such discipline going into the Legion would be a bit more cultured so I'm not going to let a couple of stories of radical anti-American nationalists break me because I've talked to guys who are in the FFL today and they made no indication of that, some even told me they have friends from China, Russia, Israel, etc etc. From what I understand there's great comradery in the Legion.

The FFL is an adventure, it's something completely different than 9 to 5 and to be honest with you I'd rather die at age 29 in Somalia for the Legion than live to be 85 and regret that decision.

I asked my Marine recruiter for a couple of extra days to think about what I'm going to do. Right now I'm leaning towards USMC first, I'll have 4 years to shape myself up for the FFL and then go for it.

[CaliforniaSurf]

Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful. That means being faithful to the United States as well as brother Marines.

Why would you want to serve the interests of another country other than your own?

[ja19]

I thought there would be less disparaging nationalistic opinions here and more encouragement and advice, maybe I was wrong. The French Foreign Legion is a respected force, they fight for the world. And even though I love the states to death and I'll love my Marines to death, I've also got to chase my dreams in life and be faithful to myself and whoever my comrades are. So I'll know English, French, Russian, and for sure some more languages when I get out of the Legion and that's developing myself. I'll be always faithful and if something "jumps off" you can bet the FFL will be standing on the USMC's side. The French, after all, did help us start this great American country.

[micarr57]

one step at a time IF you can make it through boot and your enlistment that'll give you a taste of ffl basic but just remember the ffl probably don't have the "no beating the ship out of you while training" restriction
go on in take you a few deployments to afghanistan
smoke a few people lose a few friends and see if this merc **** tastes as sweet
as you think now

[Vandrel]

It's all fun and games till you see a pile of dead kids


You won't find much encouragement and advice here. Myself and a buddy were debating going to the Legion 10 years ago before the Marines, what a mistake that would have been. Thankfully I woke up from that dream.

[slug]

Back then there were no doubt racial tensions back in the day but they're professionals and I'm sure nowadays that's something that's not as problematic as it used to be. If it is in some circumstances then so be it. There are most definitely racists in the USMC too, however, I would think guys of such discipline going into the Legion would be a bit more cultured so I'm not going to let a couple of stories of radical anti-American nationalists break me because I've talked to guys who are in the FFL today and they made no indication of that, some even told me they have friends from China, Russia, Israel, etc etc. From what I understand there's great comradery in the Legion.

The FFL is an adventure, it's something completely different than 9 to 5 and to be honest with you I'd rather die at age 29 in Somalia for the Legion than live to be 85 and regret that decision.

I asked my Marine recruiter for a couple of extra days to think about what I'm going to do. Right now I'm leaning towards USMC first, I'll have 4 years to shape myself up for the FFL and then go for it.

Kid, you are about as naive as they get. Racial tension is there wherever you go, Corps, FFL, or otherwise. You think someone must be racist to have that tension? So I may not be "cultured" by your terms, but I value my culture and my heritage and will see to it that it remains untainted by the liberalist anti-culture agenda.

As for the rest of your childish idiocy, just go join your coveted French Foreign Legion. Your most naive statement yet was your preference to die in a ****hole like Somalia than live to old age. Since your profile is not filled out, I'm going to assume based off of your statements that you yourself would blend in well in a place like Somalia and has no concept of real life beyond your little bubble with video games and movies inciting ideas in your feeble mind.

**** off.

[Bdchi1]

I thought there would be less disparaging nationalistic opinions here and more encouragement and advice, maybe I was wrong. The French Foreign Legion is a respected force, they fight for the world. And even though I love the states to death and I'll love my Marines to death, I've also got to chase my dreams in life and be faithful to myself and whoever my comrades are.

You are a young man with a young man's ideas. That is fine and to fault you for that is analogous to faulting bacteria for being infectious. You, however, missed the Lt's point. Once a Marine, Always a Marine. As FFL, you do the bidding of a country that really can't raise men that want to fight for their own cause, so you go do it for them. In the unpredictable political climate we live in today, if the FFL goes against any U.S. Force for any reason, then you will be the first target on my list.

If you are looking for advice -- join the FFL because I personally don't want you as part of the Marine Corps Family. Most of us became Marines because that was exactly what we wanted to do. If you want to be FFL because you just pulled out your Dad's Van Dame collection, then go do it killer. But if you are sensitive to the comments on our Marine Website, then you are headed for a miserable existence whether you choose the Marines or the FFL.

So buck up and go join the FFL Website. When you decide to be a Marine because you want to be a member of the finest fighting force in the world, you come back and we will help coach you along. Then when you earn the title Marine, we will welcome you as family. But until then, your dreams of being a merc don't carry a lot of worth with the particular Marine.