Foreign Military Service

[Zylka]

Hello - a young and relatively irresponsible Canadian here is looking for an institutional ass kicking extending a year or more. I right now honestly don't know just how long I wish to stay in the armed forces, yet it is currently looking like more and more a realistic option in righting my future.

As it stands I am scheduled to return to school September, and wanting to leave for service by January. Yet I'm weary of the Canadian military, and wish to rather sign up abroad if that is indeed an option without previous experience. Do any of y'all know how foreign applicants are handled in your country? Furthermore, what are your armed forces like overall - how are they respected internationally?

Thanks for the help

[Az]

wanna try and volounteer for the IDF? AFAIK, it's 3 years, though.

[FrustratedPoet]

French Foreign Legion.

http://www.frenchforeignlegion.org/

Join up to forget and to wear funny hats.

[Zylka]

Edit

[C0ckney]

try the british army, they should accept commonwealth subjects.

[Dr Strangelove]

Zylka, my friend, you are obviously bored and looking for excitement, so you want to join the U.S. Army, the only Army (other than the IDF, Hamas, and Hezbollah) that can guarentee that you will see action.

[Pekka]

FFL will take you if you pass the tests. You need to not say anything about the medicine things though, since the 'gestapo' will grill you over it, and then you won't get in. It's 5 years, you can quit at any time at first, until you sign the contract for 5 years. After that if you want to leave, you need to desert and needless to say that is a serious thing, and they actually look deserters actively inside France. The pay sucks, but it's enough and you don't have anything to spend it on at first, so it's nice money. You have to be physically in good condition. Only 1 out of 10 applicants gets in. You should run at least 3000m in cooper (12 minute run), do lots of push ups and sit ups and chin ups. Upper body strength is important, and you should be able to lift your body meaning that you can't be too heavy (like bodybuilders).
Climbing the rope without legs up and down many times is needed, and after that with a bagpack. It is gruelling times, but it is nothing that would kill you or anything like that, just be in good condition when you enter and it'll go smoothly. It's a plus if you speak French.
I was seriously thinking of joining for a long time, read lots of books and talked to few guys that has served there. It's a kickass place, and contrary to many beliefs, it is elite force. It has got very little to do with Frances regular army. FFL is not bunch of bums and criminals, it's elite force with very strict training and attitude. They have been fighting in Ivory Coast just some time ago and gave nice bodycount to rebels, without suffering much of casualties themselves.

There are several directions there you can go, maybe the most interesting is 2REP, paracommandos...that was what I wanted to do, but I never went. That is very tough place to go, and you need to finish at the very top in basic training to get there. They have many great traditions, and they are respected all over the world for the skills and their will. It's one of the best of the best forces, however it is small (about 8000 men). If France gets into trouble, you'll be going first. They were deployed in Gulf War 1, and had few rapid action missions, taking small cities etc. Without losses. But they don't fight for France like that. They fight for the legion, they fight for each other and don't give a **** about France. It is very good place if you want to be a soldier. There are lots of rumours that are not true, they are true bad asses. As far as training goes, get into 2REP, and you have maybe the toughest training what this world has to offer. Jungle training is a nice month in South-America, and it will not be comfortable, and it will be gruelling experience.. but it will make you a tough mofo if you make it. Finish that, and you'll be almost guaranteed a shot in every PMC (Private Military Company), or merc business, as your skills are recognized by finishing that succesfully.

[Pekka]

But if you're not dead serious about sacrificing 5 years of your life to get this to your CV, then don't go. Or you'll regret it for 5 years actively, and then ever after.

[lord of the mark]

i think its historically not uncommon for Canadians to join US armed forces, and vice versa (though there legal implications, at least in the US, to volunteering for a foreign armed force) .

Im not sure the minimum signup, but i think there are 2 year hitches. And if you join the US army, you stand an excellent chance of an adventure in Iraq.

The US armed forces are of course very well respected internationally.

[KrazyHorse]

Join the Finnish Army. You can talk about the glory days of barely losing to the Russians and only being cobelligerants (not allies, God forbid) of the Nazis.

[Pekka]

Too bad we don't accept foreigners... you have to be a citizen. But then you have to go .

[Kirnwaffen]

Keep in mind, that if you decide to join the US Army, you will be barred from certain jobs because you will be unable to obtain a security clearance. Also, the US Army takes drug use rather seriously. Tobacco and alcohol are prohibited during BCT and AIT (depending on the job, generally between 14 and 40 weeks). All other substances are strictly prohibited, and their use is grounds for court martial. Generally, you sign up for minimum 2 years active. More often, the enlistment is 3 to 4 years. I'm not sure what the requirement is for foreigners. I think there is a program that offers citizenship to those that serve, but I'm not sure. Unfortunately, I think you would probably get stuck with a **** job because of the security clearance thing.

[LTEC!]

What about the UN Peacekeeping Teams? Are those worth the trouble?
It isn't like anyone respects them, though.

[Pekka]

Who wants to go on troubled place wearing blue target helmets and not having permission to shoot, but only if they have killed you first, when everyone spits you in the face and no one respects you except bunch of hippies?

I respect the job, it's a tough one. But is it worth the effort? I don't know.. you have to find out yourself..

[Panag]

Re: Foreign Military Service

Originally posted by Zylka
Hello - a young and relatively irresponsible Canadian here is looking for an institutional ass kicking extending a year or more. I right now honestly don't know just how long I wish to stay in the armed forces, yet it is currently looking like more and more a realistic option in righting my future.

As it stands I am scheduled to return to school September, and wanting to leave for service by January. Yet I'm weary of the Canadian military, and wish to rather sign up abroad if that is indeed an option without previous experience. Do any of y'all know how foreign applicants are handled in your country? Furthermore, what are your armed forces like overall - how are they respected internationally?

Thanks for the help

hi ,

take a look at the sig , .......

or mail for more info , .....

AZ , 18 months for foreign volunteers

have a nice day