french foreign legion ?

[jsoceanlord]

I'm thinking about joining the FFL. I'm serious. But I'm almost 39 - too old ? thanks.

 

[EagleRJ]

For some strange reason, I'm not surprised.

 

[cynic]

http://www.frenchforeignlegion.org/database/data/dta024.html


Enlistment Requirements:

Aged between 17 and 40 years. (Mostly new recruits are between 17 to 25).

 

[Snakum]

Forget it.

The average recruit is in his twenties with previous military experience. The vast majority nowadays are from Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, etc. Also, it's not the rough and tumble atmosphere it used to be. During testing (they now have PT, med, and psych tests) if you are involved in a fight for any reason ... you're gone. No explainations. The Legion no longer takes the cast-offs, criminals, and psychopaths like the good old days (I'm sure some still get through ). It's different can of worms.

If you want a real adventure, search the web for Smith Group, DynCorp, Executive Outcomes, etc. But you must know that these places are looking for professionals and really prefer officers or recent NCOs. This isn't Africa in the 1970s. These are professionally-run corporations looking for professionals.

Something else to consider, if you are on a contract with the aforementioned companies, don't take a gig that requires you to be unarmed. In the late 1980s we were not allowed to carry firearms under most conditions, and then only sidearms allowed when absolutely necessary. Not good if there's a communist rebel or drug security geek unloading an AK in your general direction. Trust me.

So ... good luck, and can I be named on your insurance policy? Read about the four guys in Fallujha? Guess who they worked for?

Minh