While most of its commissioned officers are French, approximately 10% are former Legionnaires who have risen through the ranks. The rest of the Legion is made up of men from a wide variety of nationalities, with French citizens representing 25-35% of the Legionnaires. The foreign volunteers are primarily European. Before and during World War II, many Jews from Eastern Europe fled to France and ended up enlisting in the Legion. Ironically, after the fall of the Third Reich, Germans (long a major presence in the legion) accounted for roughly sixty percent of the manpower, with many former German troops coming directly from WWII POW camps (Bernard B. Fall, a leading expert on French Indochina and author of Street without Joy and Hell in a Very Small Place, disputes this figure and claims that at most Germans only made up thirty-five percent of the Legion in the post-WWII period). The book Devil's Guard relates a former Waffen-SS member's brutal account of joining the Legion and fighting with fellow former SS against the Vietminh in Indochina. During the mid-1980s the Legion contained large contingents of British and Serbian nationals. Present day has seen a number of recruits from African and Balkan countries.
The Legion's ranks historically were filled with enlistees from countries which were undergoing some sort of crisis. While no serious studies were made of the motives for enlistment it seems likely that many recruits were simply transient foreigners who found themselves in France and out of work. In recent generations, however, many of those joining have come from middle-class backgrounds in stable prosperous countries such as Britain and the US (and indeed France itself).
Legionnaires can choose to enlist under a pseudonym ("declared identity") and a declared citizenship. This disposition exists in order to allow people who want to turn over a new leaf in their life to enlist. French citizens can enlist under a declared, fictitious, foreign citizenship (generally, a francophone one). After one year's service, Legionnaires can regularize their situation under their true identity.
In the past, the Legion had a reputation for attracting criminals on the run and would-be mercenaries. In recent years, however, admission has been restricted much more severely, and background checks are done on all applicants. Generally speaking, convicted felons are prohibited from joining the service.
After serving in the Legion for three years (out of a five-year initial enlistment), the legionnaire is allowed to apply for French citizenship
2006-10-19 18:12:33
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answer #1
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answered by John B 4
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Make your thank you to Paris or everywhere in France and the two detect a recruiting station (they're indexed on their internet site) or detect a policeman (gendermane) and tell tehm Legion Entranger. they're supposse to take you to the close by recruiting station. i've got heard of them purely giggling and walking away even with the incontrovertible fact that. So that's greater advantageous to pass to a recruiting station your self. as quickly as you're there tell them an identical undertaking. you will sign a settlement (which will become void in case you do no longer make it by way of decision) after which you do interviews, IQ attempt and a actual. Then your final step is a a million.5 mile run below 12 minutes. pass that once which deliver you off to preparation.
2016-10-02 11:39:57
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answer #2
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answered by ? 4
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If u are asking this question perhaps u should reconsider joining...
if you asking what the max age is u are propbably to old plus u may find it difficult to keep up with the younger recuits. this also suggests that you may not have the will power to make it as u are expressing doubts to peopel you do not even know.
Another thing, do your own research, trusting people u don't know and taking others word for sonmthing usally ends up getting people killed in the line of work you are considering
2006-10-19 11:51:09
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answer #3
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answered by random_398 1
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If you are a crazy man, any age!
2006-10-19 11:53:24
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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