Dozens of young guys arrive in France to start new life- enter the Foreign Legion, earn money, get French citizenship. Again, military romance beckons. However, almost no one has complete and reliable information about what awaits them there. Many are disappointed.

First approach

The French Foreign Legion is one of the most closed military organizations in the world. To a greater extent, it is subsidized by the French state, to a lesser extent - through special operations on a contract basis. Accepted into the legion only foreign citizens(officers are an exception, many of them previously served in the French regular army), and he ensures the military presence of France in the "hot spots" of the planet, including conducting special operations (here we can mention, in particular, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Senegal, Gabon).

The French public is quite calm and even positive about the fact that the interests of the country are protected not by the French military, but by foreign contractors. Yes, France protects its citizens, and regular units in special operations are used (if it comes down to it) only in the second place - legionnaires go first. And no one in France demands the withdrawal of troops from South America and Africa, because the country's armed forces are represented there by the Foreign Legion.

To this day, it is believed that the legion hides criminals. This is not true. Firstly, everyone who wants to join is checked against the Interpol database and, if a person is wanted, he is handed over to the police. Secondly, a serious control of the cleanliness of the rows is carried out as part of the entrance tests. Thirdly, for each language group there is a legion security officer who unofficially travels to the country where the candidates come from and collects a dossier on each.

So it is impossible for a character with a serious criminal past to get into the legion. At the same time, one-time drives to the police-militia for petty hooliganism are not taken into account.

Nikolai Chizhov, served in the Foreign Legion for five years under a contract, now an employee of the Encore security agency in Bordeaux: There are quite a lot of Russians in the Foreign Legion. There was a period when our guys were accepted very willingly, but now, when recruiting, the military prefers Europeans (Germans, Finns, Irish, etc.), respecting national diversity. Russians entering the service in the legion are divided into three main categories: young romantics, former military men and guys from the "brigades" who managed to leave before a criminal record and are hiding from their own. Russians mostly stick together, help each other.

Recruitment to the legion outside France is prohibited. In France itself, there are 20 recruiting centers where those who wish can come and try to sign up as candidates.

Now you are incognito

Let's say our guy found the addresses of recruiting points in France, bought a ticket from a travel agency (you can, of course, use an invitation from any Schengen country), received a visa and arrived at the place. What's next?

Vadim Osmalovsky, was prematurely dismissed from the legion due to an injury, is now setting up a private business: At the entrance to the recruiting center, they took my passport, then they searched me, conducted a medical examination and asked my name, surname, date and place of birth, where I came from, if I had a criminal record , asked about parents, motivation, etc. After that, they assigned a new name, date, place of birth and were assigned to a room. It was possible to go out only when necessary: ​​to eat, to undergo an additional medical examination, for example. There was a TV in the room and a video player with cassettes about the Legion - that's all leisure. I did not speak French, so I was helped by Russian legionnaires who translated. A couple of days later, we were all sent to a selection camp in the south of France - in Aubagne.

A question that interests many: why do they change the name of a volunteer? This used to be done to hide the person, as the Legion didn't care about the volunteer's background. At the beginning of the last century, well-known criminals were indeed hiding from justice in the Foreign Legion, and after World War II, former employees of the Wehrmacht.

Now the name change is largely due to the fact that in some countries, mercenary activity is considered illegal. And of course, this is a tribute to tradition.

Nikolai Chizhov: When I entered the service, not everyone changed their name - for example, they left me the real one. And now everyone who joins the legion is given a new name. The old name is returned to the soldier after the "ratification" procedure, which takes place in the first three years of service. But then, when applying for French citizenship (this can be done after three years of service in the legion. - "Money"), a person can indicate that he wants to change his surname. Then he is given a list of several surnames beginning with the same letter as his former one. You need to choose from the list, you can’t invent it yourself. Changing a surname makes everything very difficult, but some people do it anyway.

Every four weeks, 50 people are recruited from all recruiting centers and sent to the south of France in the city of Aubagne, where the legion's selection camp is located. In Aubagne, candidates pass tests that become more difficult every year. This is due to the introduction of new equipment into the arsenal, including sophisticated electronics, so the IQ passing score rises.

Vadim Osmalovsky: Upon admission, we passed the following tests: psychotechnical (two hours to solve problems for logic, technical intelligence, puzzles), physical (for endurance - you need to run at least 2.8 km in 12 minutes), medical (a complete medical examination up to dental conditions). In addition, they underwent a three-stage interview with security officers (applicants call it the "Gestapo"), where you need to tell your biography in detail and explain your motivation. Basically, the people are weeded out there, and it is impossible to understand the methods of the security service, it is guided by its own criteria.

If all the tests are successfully passed, the legion concludes a contract with the newcomer for five years, after which the recruit is sent for four months to a training camp in the Pyrenees - not far from Toulouse. If the tests are not passed, then the person is simply returned things and documents, given the money earned during the tests (the main work is cleaning the territory or premises, for which they pay 25 euros per day, on weekends - 45 euros).

With this money, failed commandos return home. The most persistent again begin to prepare for entry into the legion - there may be three attempts, if the commission does not issue a verdict "unsuitable for service in the legion."

Dangerous and difficult

After the conclusion of the contract, the volunteers begin a new life in the truest sense of the word. The boys with the new names go through a rigorous four-month boot camp training, learning French, weapons, tactics, legion history, and more. Loads are crazy, information is no longer duplicated - everything is given only in French, so some can not stand it and desert. Recruits who have been fully trained are assigned to regiments based on the needs of the legion and the level of preparedness of the fighter.

The word "deserter" is a fairly common word when it comes to the Legion. A very common (in the same media, for example) myth is that desertion is the only possible way to leave the legion. Allegedly, the fighters of the legion are held by force, forced to serve almost under torture, and beaten.

Vadim Osmalovsky: Yes, before they really caught, beat, tortured and forced to serve. About 50 years ago. Now they are trying to keep them with long conversations and persuasion, periods for reflection and a "lip", which is akin to a boarding house from the times of the USSR. It is really difficult to leave the legion in an official way, so more often they simply desert by jumping over the fence, but there is no talk of any violence - the times are not the same, and people are legally savvy, and the legion does not need scandals. They break down mainly in the "training room", less often - in the first years of service. They try to keep promising guys. And deserters often exaggerate to justify themselves in the eyes of their friends, compose tales of hazing, which is not in the legion. It happens that seniors in rank go too far, but such cases are severely suppressed by the command, because the legion is contract service, not a binding.

Now the legion consists of eight regiments and one semi-brigade, where about 8 thousand soldiers and officers serve. Not so long ago, two regiments and one special detachment were disbanded on the island of Mayotte (Comoros). Regiments are deployed mainly in France, in the cities of Aubagne, Castelnaudary, Calvi (Island of Corsica), Orange, Avignon, Nimes and Sainte-Christol. And also in Djibouti (Africa) and in the overseas department of Guiana (South America), in the city of Kourou.

Legionnaires serving in regiments stationed in France regularly go on business trips and exercises in Djibouti, Guiana, Reunion (an island east of Madagascar).

Nikolai Chizhov: Our "experience" in Guiana lasted two weeks. Guiana is a jungle where the humidity is probably 120%. We traveled a day to the base on pirogues and trucks, then the exercises began. The last was a survival course in the conditions of the equatorial forest. They explained to us what to eat from living creatures and plants, who to fear, who to hunt. Then we were thrown into the jungle for three days without provisions, with one rifle per platoon, one more machete, a knife, a fishing set and salt were supposed to per group. On the first day they built a bivouac, on the second they set traps for animals, on the third they made a raft and rafted down the river to the goal. By the way, it is very difficult to build a raft, since almost all tropical trees drown, you need to know the non-sinking ones, but there are few of them. Nothing came across in the traps, because the "experiences" are constantly carried out in that area, so that the animals fled, the fruits were eaten. We went hungry all the time, eating palm cores. The most desperate ate scorpions and grasshoppers. And they slept only in hammocks, so that snakes and insects would not bite. And with a mosquito net, because there are millions of mosquitoes. It was also desirable not to get hurt or scratched, since scratches due to moisture heal painfully for a long time. Some had to be hospitalized.

Vadim Osmalovsky: One of our "experience" took place in Djibouti, there is a different specificity - African. In winter, the temperature is plus 30-40°C, and in summer it can reach up to 60°C. We got just on a summer "experience" - it was unbearably hot. At night they could not sleep because of the heat, they covered themselves with wet towels. In general, the African "experience" is difficult. We did not sleep much, some could not stand it and left the race - to the infirmary.

Pros and cons

Service in the Legion is difficult not only because of the exercises, but also because the Legion is constantly on alert - service can be easily classified as "survival". What do the legionnaires have for this? Firstly, after three years of service, any legionnaire has the right to apply for French citizenship, then the immigration service will study his profile, and the result depends on the track record and characteristics. Secondly, the salary, which is not miserable or fabulous, as the Russian media often reports, is the truth, as usual, in the middle.

A novice legionnaire with 10 months of experience serving in France receives about 1,000 euros per month, and in the case of a business trip, for example, to Djibouti, about 2,500 euros per month. Legionnaire parachutists receive about 1,800 euros in France and a little more than 3,000 euros. in Africa. If we take into account that a standard business trip lasts about four months, then there is no need to talk about a strong enrichment of the legionnaires. As for commanders, then, for example, a sergeant-chief receives about 1,800 euros while serving in France. And in order to earn 5 thousand euros, you need to be not only a high-ranking officer, but also an extremely large father, because the salary is calculated based on the number of children, including.

Vadim Osmalovsky: In the rank of corporal 1REG, an engineering and sapper regiment, I earned 1247 euros per month, being at the place of deployment. When I was sent to Djibouti for five months, I received 2900 euros per month. But business trips usually happen once a year, so in a year I earned about 25 thousand euros. Then I was without a family and children, such a salary suited me. Now it would be more difficult: renting an apartment, food, clothes for the whole family ... In general, the salary of a legionnaire cannot be called large, but you cannot call it beggarly either.

Contrary to legends about the fabulous pension of legionnaires, after 15 years of service in the legion, they pay 800 euros per month. And for last years those 15 years turned into 17.5. There is also a pension billing, which depends on where the legionnaire served and how much, and for paratroopers, the number of jumps is counted. However, billing does not fundamentally change the amount.

So is it worth it for the sake of non-guaranteed French citizenship and a very average salary by European standards to go to serve in the legion and risk your life there? After all, legionnaires are dying, despite the fact that France is currently not conducting hostilities. During peaceful missions, for example.

French foreign Legion It was created on March 9, 1831, when King Louis-Philippe d'Orleans issued a decree on the formation of a legion, forbidding its use in France. The Legion employs foreigners who are in combat service in the interests of France. Anyone can try to enroll in the legion. 26-year-old Denis from Brest spoke about how he served in the Foreign Legion.

- When and how did you get into the Foreign Legion?
- I decided to enter there 3 years ago after watching a TV report about the Legion. I wanted military romance, got a tourist visa, went to Paris, found a recruiting center and "surrendered". When I arrived, I was immediately offered to hand over my documents and things and accepted into the legion. We were taken to the center of all recruiting centers and the headquarters of the Legion - the city of Aubagne, which is located in the south of Central France.

- Did you meet our compatriots in the legion?
- About 40% of legionnaires come from the CIS. If earlier newcomers were asked only about the past, now they are asking what they actually want from the Legion. Belarusians come here for 5 years to earn money for a car and an apartment, and then leave for their homeland. People come there to earn money, not to die. Money, a career - they don't understand anything else in the Legion.

- By what criteria are selected to the Foreign Legion?
- No matter how much we tried with the guys to accurately determine the selection criteria, we could not. For example, knowledge or ignorance of English or French does not play any role. There are no special requirements for the appearance and training of guys either: they take both thin and full ones. The only thing you need to pass - psychological tests. Do not accept men over 30 years old, as well as married and divorced. Apparently, out of fear that such a person might leave the unit and go to his family. Most often they take physically healthy 18-year-olds who have not yet served. It is so beneficial for the French: it is raw material, from which it is easier to mold something.

Why do we need the Legion?
- There is no professional army in France. There is an urgent army, they serve ten months. The army is not sent to "hot spots". They send only the Legion, where they recruit guys from all over the world. After all, if you are not a citizen of France, then it seems that you are not so sorry. There were people from Australia, South America, Canada, Africa, there was even a guy from Madagascar. When you finish "training", you have the right to refuse service. But if you stay, then after the conclusion of the contract, no one will let you go. You have to work off the money that has been invested in you. The minimum contract is for five years.

- What is studying in the Legion?
- This is the same army barracks, only living conditions are much better. In the "school" we lived six people in the cockpit, on the beds lay orthopedic mattresses. There was also a shower room. They fed just for slaughter: fruits, vegetables, french fries, if a chop, then the size of a palm. There was a machine with mineral water, Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. We went through physical training, learned shooting, the basics of medical care, French, went to outfits, worked in the dining room, did the cleaning. We were also forced to learn French songs. It was comical. At first we wrote down the words of the songs in Russian letters, then we learned them and tried to sing with an expression about what we did not understand. It was believed that joint singing unites the team.

- Do soldiers have the right to choose their place of service?
- After the "training" everyone must pass the exam. According to its results, the first ten out of 30 people have the right to choose. We had already heard about "hot spots" and knew where it was dangerous and where not so much. For example, no one wanted to join the parachute battalion in Corsica. There is a lot of physical activity, and the pay is low. Most of all I wanted to get into the second French battalion, which always went to "hot spots". Every two years of service, a transfer to another place is required. If you are a good soldier, then you can choose the place where you want to continue to serve.

- How is the service paid?
- It ran something around 1000 euros a month.

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of serving in the Legion?
- Benefits - at home and the ability to quickly obtain citizenship. After five years, you have the right to obtain a residence permit, which means that you can already safely move around the country and across the border. Also, the advantages include the fact that their service lasts only 15 years, while we have 25. At 35, you can already receive a military pension. Many guys marry French women to get a residence permit and get a job. Good work. The disadvantages are that, by French standards, the salary of legionnaires is low and it is almost impossible to save money. In reality, you can only get citizenship.

- Why did you decide to return home?
- I served for four months and returned home, because, firstly, a friend was waiting for me in Brest, and secondly, my parents fell ill. At first, I regretted the return a little, but now it is useless to regret. After all, if you left the French Legion once, they will not be accepted back.

Salary depends on rank, qualifications, length of service. In addition to the salary, bonuses are paid depending on the task performed.

Examples of monthly salary in euros:
private - 1.006;
corporal - 1.219;
junior sergeant - 1.372;
sergeant - 1.524;
sergeant, with "jump" - 1.800;
ensign, with combat and foreign - 4.345.

Salary is paid in cash monthly. It can be deposited into your account in the Legion or sent home. Taxes are not collected by the accounting department, but you must pay them yourself when you leave the service.

Now the Legion has 7,700 legionnaires from 136 countries of the world. It consists of seven regiments (including the famous 2nd Airborne, which includes the CRAP special forces, staffed only by volunteer officers and corporals), one demi-brigade and one special detachment.

A TYPICAL LEGIONARY DAY ROUTINE:

05.00 - rise.
05.30 - roll call, breakfast, cleaning of the barracks.
07.00 - cleaning of the territory.
07.30 - general construction, divorce for classes and work.
09.00 - shower, second breakfast.
09.30 - training, outfits.
12.00 - lunch, cleaning the barracks.
13.30 - cleaning of the territory.
14.00 - general construction, divorce for classes and work.
17.30 - dinner, personal time.
21.30 - cleaning of the barracks.
22.00 - roll call.
22.30 - lights out.

, for its 180-year history, has gained great fame and fame. Today it is one of the most honored formations of the French army.
The Foreign Legion was created on March 9, 1831 by decree of King Louis Philippe I. The very name was based on the principle of recruitment - from foreigners, which continues to this day. But this applies only to ordinary - officers always completed exclusively by the French.

Created to conquer Algeria, French Foreign Legion participated in all the colonial campaigns of France, in both world wars, as well as in numerous peacekeeping operations. Motto: "Legio Patria Nostra" ("The Legion is our Motherland"). During its existence, the death toll was 35 thousand.

Full dress uniform of a legionnaire armed with rifles "FAMAS"

French foreign legion how to get

The principle of recruiting the Foreign Legion - from foreigners - remains to this day.
Among the rank and file, immigrants from countries of Eastern Europe(about a third). There are also many South Americans (about 25%) and French (20%). The latter are attracted by the service as a legionnaire, because of the opportunity to get a “new personality”, thereby starting life “from scratch”.

So our guys lit up in the legion, Afghanistan

Recruitment is carried out in France. Only men between the ages of 17 and 40 can enlist.

French Foreign Legion remains one of the few branches of the French army where women are not allowed access. The requirement for the candidate, physical health and that there would be no problems with Interpol. Various checks take place for several days, all this time the candidate is at the recruiting center, the documents are selected, he is forbidden all communications with the outside world.

At the end of all checks and medical commissions, you are either a legionnaire. Either not. In case of refusal, the candidate is paid monetary compensation. On request, a legionnaire's official passport (Anonymat) is issued, new data is entered in it; first and last name, date of birth, parents' names, etc.

Flag of the French Foreign Legion. Green color- the new homeland of the legionnaire, red - his blood. In combat operations, the flag is turned over: "blood in the homeland"

At the end of the contract, you are given the opportunity to change two letters in your last name and residence permit.

The first contract is signed for five years. Subsequent ones can be signed for terms ranging from 6 months to 10 years. During the first five-year contract, it is possible to get the rank of corporal, and subsequently sergeant.

The officer corps of the legion is a regular military who graduated from military schools and voluntarily chose the legion for military service. You can become an officer only on condition of French citizenship.
After three years of service, the legionnaire has the right to apply for French citizenship, or to obtain a residence permit at the end of the first contract.

According to a recently passed law (in 1999) by the Senate, a legionnaire who was wounded in the course of hostilities has the right to obtain French citizenship, regardless of the length of service.

FAMAS F1 assault rifle

Structure and number.
At present, the strength of the Foreign Legion is about 7.5 thousand people.
In the French army, the pace of march is 120 steps per minute, but for the Foreign Legion - only 88 steps. This is due to tradition. AT African countries, where he mainly operated, it is difficult to march at a high pace on sandy ground.

French Foreign Legion composition: one semi-brigade, eight regiments and one separate unit.

Six of the eight regiments are stationed on the French mainland.

• 1st foreign regiment (Aubane) - the headquarters and administrative part of the legion.
• 2nd foreign infantry regiment (Nim) - motorized infantry unit, part of b-th easy armored brigade. The regiment, numbering 1230 people, is the largest part of the legion. It includes ten companies: management and support; supplies and support; five motorized infantry; anti-tank; reconnaissance and fire support; backup.
• 4th foreign th regiment (Castelnodary) - training, consisting of six companies: management and support; three companies for the training of privates; non-commissioned officer training company; specialist training company.

  

• 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (Orange) - an armored cavalry unit, part of the 6th Light Armored Brigade. The regiment consists of six squadrons: command and support; reconnaissance (light armored vehicles VBL); three armored cavalry (AMX-10RC armored vehicles armed with 105-mm cannons); anti-tank.
• 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (Laudun), also part of the 6th Light Armored Brigade. Consists of seven companies: management and supply; administrative and maintenance; three combat engineering; support; backup.
• 2nd foreign engineer regiment (Saint-Christol), part of the 27th mountain infantry brigade. The organization is similar to the 1st Engineer Regiment, but there is no reserve company.
• In Corsica, in Calvi, there is the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, which is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade. It consists of eight companies: management and supply; administrative and support; four parachute; reconnaissance and fire support; backup.
• In French Guiana, there is the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, which is entrusted with the tasks of protecting the French space center in Kourou, as well as training military personnel for combat operations in the jungle. The regiment consists of five companies: command and support; two infantry; air defense; backup.

  

  Left, soldier of the 2nd foreign infantry regiment in Afghanistan. January 2011
  right, Legionnaires of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment in French Guiana on a jungle combat exercise. 2005 year.

• On the island of Mayotte Indian Ocean there is a separate detachment consisting of two companies: a command and support company deployed on a permanent basis, as well as a company arriving on rotation from any regiment or paratroopers.
• Finally, the 13th semi-brigade, which includes five units, is located in Abu Dhabi (UAE). Three of them (companies of control and support, support, as well as an armored cavalry squadron) are deployed on a permanent basis, and two are allocated according to rotation: a motorized infantry company (from the 2nd infantry or 2nd parachute regiments) and an engineering company (from the 1st or 2nd engineering regiments).

Armed with a sniper rifle FR F-2

Regular small arms in service French Foreign Legion , these are the FAMAS automatic rifle and the FR F-2 sniper rifle.

f1famas automatic rifle

In special units, as well as throughout the world, depending on the task performed.

They are feared by many natives, starting from West Africa and ending with Afghanistan; there are a lot of rumors about them, and the image in popular culture is utterly romanticized. Uninformed people call them mercenaries, and the NATO soldiers who worked side by side with them consider them scumbags. The French Foreign Legion is the most combat-ready unit of the French army.

The Legion arose in the 19th century, when the next French ruler figured out how to solve two problems at once: expand France's possessions in North Africa and cleanse the country of all rabble - criminals, beggars, immigrants and the like. The creation of a unit was announced, in which they began to recruit, in addition to the French, also foreigners, and the recruit was not even asked for a name: upon entering the legion, he was given a new one. Former Napoleonic officers, Swiss, Spaniards, Italians, criminals and peasants, as well as adventurers, flowed into the legion. This is now a legion - an elite unit, and then the legionnaires were just foreign-made cannon fodder, which was not a pity to spend, and they had little to lose.

The Legion participated in all conflicts and colonial wars, where France had its own interests. The only thing he was forbidden to lead fighting within France itself.

After the Second World War, the need for the legion only increased. The old White Guards, Vlasov, SS, Chetniks, Ustashe defended the interests of France in Algeria, Madagascar, Indochina and other banana republics. The first contract, as now, was five years, and after serving all 10, the legionnaire received a passport with a new name, citizenship and a pension - France did not forget its heroes.

Legion today

A new time has come, and the Legion has also changed. Now his soldiers are mainly engaged in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN and NATO, and from the scum, allowed for slaughter, they have become the face of the French army. As before, foreigners are recruited into the legion, and still only those who have French citizenship can become an officer. Now about 7.5 thousand people from more than 130 countries serve in the legion. For comparison: during the colonial wars, its number reached 30-40 thousand, and in the entire history of the legion since 1831, about 40 thousand legionnaires died. A third of the legionnaires are from the CIS (which is why Russian is one of the main languages ​​there), the other third are the South American poor.

How to get into the foreign legion

You can have any number of reasons to join the Legion. Perhaps you are tired of your gray life or you want to escape from your backwoods - it doesn't matter. The main thing is that you are not a romantic youth, because the legion breaks the romantics first. And if you are still, God forbid, a high-browed intellectual, this place is definitely not for you: the legion has iron discipline, which is achieved by mixing a person with dirt, breaking his will and knocking out of him all manifestations of individualism. But if you suddenly still decide, we have put together a few recommendations for you.

First, get your health in order. If you have any rubbish like tuberculosis, venus, it must be cured. If there are problems with vision, it is also better to solve them at home. Be sure to cure your teeth: special attention is paid to them at the medical examination. Because of bad teeth, a large number of cunning Africans are weeded out who want to shoot at their neighbors with a free rifle and get paid for it. On average, about 500 volunteers knock on the legion per month, and only about 20 pass the selection. And get yourself in shape: give at least a couple of months to pull-ups, running and the Cooper test - that's enough for a start.

Many write that the physical test includes only running, where in 12 minutes you need to run at least 2800 meters; someone else mentions pull-ups. Either way, be prepared for anything.

Oh yes: the legion accepts from 17.5 to 39.5 years. Minors must present written permission from their parents (but better prepare for the exam, young warrior).

From the documents you need only a passport, a Schengen visa, a medical card (if any). If you have any qualifications (especially a doctor, driver, rescuer), take supporting documents - it can play in your favor.

In addition to the test for physical and medical examinations, you will also have a test for logic, attentiveness and memory in order to weed out absolutely idiots. Don't worry: everything is in Russian.

Recruiting stations are scattered all over France, where they conduct an initial conversation with you (who you are and why you came), take away your personal belongings and send you to a training camp for recruits near Aubagne, where the selection will take place.

The last stage of selection is communication with the legion's security service in order to draw up your portrait. Most importantly, say the same as at the recruiting office, do not lie.

Further on, all the lucky ones are shaved bald, and those who do not pass are paid a small compensation and given a ticket to the city from whose recruiting center they got to the camp. Those who pass the selection are sent to a training camp near Toulouse, where they are trained for 4 months. After that, the legionnaire, taking into account his wishes, is sent to one of the regiments: infantry, tank, sapper, landing.

The townsfolk call the legionnaires mercenaries, but what difference does it make what the townsfolk think. The Geneva Conventions define a mercenary as a war criminal with a number of characteristics, including a much higher salary than soldiers in the armed forces countries in this conflict, and non-entry into personnel units of the armed forces of the employing country. And the legion is the same division of the French army, like everyone else, and the legionnaires receive rather modest salaries.

Terms of service

The salary is about 1000 euros per month for privates. Naturally, it becomes 2-4 times higher during business trips to hot spots. The first contract is for 5 years, after which you can apply for citizenship or a residence permit. To receive a legionnaire's pension, you need to serve 19.5 years. The pension is about 1000 euros and is paid anywhere in the world. There are also rumors that the Legion helps its veterans with more sensitive issues, to the point that one call from the right place can help with both bureaucracy and the pacification of bandits. But these are all rumors.

Well, the last. In Corsica, there is a legion veterans' home where the old legionaries live in community, make wine and socialize. So you will always have a place where you can come to in your old age, if life goes so-so. Still, getting old in Corsica is much more pleasant than in Magnitogorsk.

The French Foreign Legion is a unique elite military unit that is part of the French armed forces. To date, it has more than 8 thousand legionnaires, who represent 136 countries of the world, including France. One thing for all of them is serving France at a high professional level.

The creation of the legion is associated with the name of King Louis Philippe I, who in 1831 signed a decree on the creation of a single military unit, which was to include several active regiments. The main purpose of the new formation was to carry out combat missions outside the French borders. To exercise command, officers were recruited from Napoleon's army, and not only natives of Italy, Spain or Switzerland were accepted as soldiers, but also French subjects who had certain problems with the law. Thus, the French government got rid of potentially dangerous people who not only had significant combat experience, but could also use it in conditions of political instability within the state.

This policy of the king was very logical. The fact is that the legionnaires were trained to conduct a large-scale campaign to colonize Algeria, which required a large number of troops. But at the same time, France could not send its subjects to Africa. That is why foreigners who lived in the vicinity of Paris were recruited into the legion.

Around the same period of time, the tradition of not asking for the real names of new soldiers also occurs. Many desperate people had the opportunity to start life anew, getting rid of the criminal past.

To date, the legion's rules also allow for the anonymous reception of soldiers. As before, volunteers are not asked for their name or country of residence. After several years of service, each legionnaire has the opportunity to obtain French citizenship and start a completely new life with a new name.

It should be noted that the first rule of legionnaires is never to give up. This tradition began as early as 1863, when three legionnaires held over 2,000 well-armed soldiers of the Mexican army. But, taken prisoner, thanks to their courage and valor, they were soon released with honors.

As at the time of its foundation, the French Legion is under the direct control of the head of state.

The modern Foreign Legion consists of tank, infantry and sapper units. Its structure includes 7 regiments, including the famous GCP parachute with special forces, one special detachment, one semi-brigade and one training regiment.

Legion units are deployed in the Comoros (Mayotte Island), in Northeast Africa (Djibouti), in Corsica, in French Guiana (Kourou), and also directly in France.

A feature of the French Legion is that women are not allowed into it. Contracts are awarded exclusively to men aged 18-40. The initial contract is for 5 years. All subsequent contracts can be concluded for terms from six months to 10 years. In the first five years, you can reach the rank of corporal, but only a person with French citizenship can become an officer. The main composition of the officers of the unit is, as a rule, regular military men who graduated from the military educational establishments and chose the Legion as their duty station.

Since mercenarism is considered a criminal offense in many countries of the world, recruitment points exist exclusively in France. For everyone who wants to join the legion, testing is carried out, which includes three stages: psychotechnical, physical and medical. In addition, a separate interview is conducted with each recruit, during which it is necessary to clearly and truthfully tell your biography. The interview is conducted in three stages, and each new stage is a repetition of the previous one. Thus, a kind of check "for lice" is carried out.

Foreign volunteers can be easily recognized by their white headgear, although only privates wear it. The unit's colors are green and red.

To date, about 7 and a half thousand soldiers are serving in the legion. The training of soldiers allows them to conduct operations in the jungle, at night. They are trained to carry out special operations to neutralize terrorists and rescue hostages. The main task of the legionnaires today is to prevent hostilities. They are called upon to carry out the evacuation of the population from the combat zone, provide humanitarian assistance, and restore infrastructure in regions of natural disasters.

Thus, there is information that the French Foreign Legion provided serious support in conducting a ground operation during the events in Libya. In August 2011, the legionnaires managed to eliminate the fuel and food supply base, which was the main one for Gaddafi's troops. According to some reports, several companies of the legion were transferred to Libya from Tunisia or Algeria. A little wound, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bEz-Zawiya, the Foreign Legion, with few losses, managed to break into the city center, providing free access to the fighters from Benghazi. The command of the legion hoped to raise the Berber population in revolt, but this was not possible.

The participation of the French Legion in the Libyan war is denied in every possible way by the official authorities of France, despite the fact that the press is actively discussing this issue. This position of Paris is quite understandable, since any invasion of the territory of Libya would be contrary to the UN resolution regarding this state, which refers only to the closure of airspace. A similar situation had already happened before, when in 1978 in Zaire the French government recognized that the Foreign Legion took part in the military conflict only after the legionnaires had completed their mission.

The Arab Spring has shown that foreign military personnel are present in many conflict zones. In addition to Libya, the French Legion also took part in hostilities in Syria. So, in Homs, 150 were arrested, and in Zadabani - 120 French legionnaires, mostly paratroopers and snipers. And although no one can confirm that they were legionnaires, such an assumption is quite logical, since this unit is completed from citizens not only of France, but also of other states. Thus, France again has the opportunity to claim that there are no French citizens in Syria.

Another place where the French Foreign Legion also noted is the conflict that broke out in Côte d'Ivoire. One gets the impression that France has set itself the goal of creating for itself the most aggressive image on the entire European continent. Very often, Paris starts the game "for big", ignoring the interests of its allies in the North Atlantic Alliance. So, in April 2011, French paratroopers occupied the airport of the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan. Thus, the total number of the French military corps stationed there was about 1,400 people.

The total number of the UN peacekeeping contingent in this country is 9 thousand people, of which only 900 were French. France independently decided to increase the size of its military corps, without coordinating actions with the UN leadership. The basis of the French military corps is the military of the Foreign Legion, which has been taking part in Operation Unicorn for several years. In addition, the French government stated that the contingent that arrived in Côte d'Ivoire is coordinating actions with unoci troops, thus actually recognizing that, in addition to the Unicorn, France is also conducting its own independent operation on the territory of the country.

Thus, the French Foreign Legion is sent to areas where France seeks to protect its interests within or "under the cover" of the European Union or the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as where there are certain historical obligations or a threat to the lives of French citizens.