This legendary corporation is a unit of soldiers of different nationalities who fight for money. Despite being linked to the French Army, the Foreign Legion accepts the enlistment of people from any country in the world – and it still exists today, yes! Currently, it has about 7,800 soldiers divided into 10 regiments in France – where the Legion’s headquarters are -, in French Guiana, in Mayotte (an island in the Indian Ocean) and in Djibouti, on the northeast coast of Africa. The Legion was founded in March 1831 by the then King of France, Louis Philippe, to help control the French colonies in Africa. Throughout its history, the Foreign Legion has participated in the world’s greatest military battles, including the First and Second Wars and, more recently, the Gulf War. Since it was created, the corporation has maintained the custom of allowing soldiers to enlist under a false name – the so-called “declared identity”. Many people think that because of this the Legion accepts a bunch of bloodthirsty bandits, who fled their countries because of problems with the law. This has happened in the past, but today it is not like that: the admission process has become more rigorous, subjecting all applicants to life checks. Interested? It’s good to think twice, three, a thousand times before embarking on this. Anyone wanting to join the Foreign Legion must travel to France on their own and undergo a battery of physical and psychological tests. If approved, the soldier signs a five-year contract and starts with a salary of around 1,000 euros – around 2,700 reais. Before packing your bags, take a look at the testimonial and photos of a Brazilian who spent five years at the corporation. The guy tells in detail what the day-to-day life of a legionnaire is like, full of strenuous physical exercises and heavy-duty endurance tests.
Maurício Arruda Preuss, 42 years old
Born in São Paulo
Current occupation – Helicopter pilot
Served in the Foreign Legion from 1987 to 1992
STRANGE WORLD – Why did you decide to enlist in the Foreign Legion?
Mauritius – Because I was fascinated by the military career, but I couldn’t get into Academia das Agulhas Negras, in Rio de Janeiro. It was three years of course, but it didn’t work. I was 23 years old and I wanted to keep that dream. So I flew to France to try the Legion. To say that I didn’t feel fear before knocking on the enlistment gate would be a lie…
What tests did you take before being accepted?
I went through a battery of medical tests, a psychometric test, a series of interviews and physical tests. At the time, I participated in a race and did some sit-ups – that was it. But I suggest that before packing, the candidate should be able to run about 10 kilometers without major problems. Of my years in the Legion, half I spent running!
Is this talk that many legionnaires are terrorists, drug dealers and murderers true?
No. Those kinds of people don’t stand a chance of passing security interviews. What happens is that every candidate has the right to anonymity and a new identity when arriving at the Legion. For example, after several months of living with an Italian friend, I learned that he had joined the corporation to escape the mafia. He never knew his real name.
Where in the world have you served?
First, I became a legionary in France. Then I went to Africa to serve in Djibouti. I stayed there for two years and returned to France to train as a paratrooper. I went to Africa again – this time, it was five months in Chad, to help contain a civil war.
What was your day-to-day like?
There is no fixed routine: field maneuvers, shooting training and practical internships totally change everyday life. But a “normal” day is like this: we wake up around 5 am, clean the barracks, have breakfast and go for a run of about 8 kilometers. Then the commander distributes the daily tasks – maintenance of weapons and barracks services, for example. The service runs from 7 am to 12 pm and from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm. From noon to 1:30 pm, it’s lunch time. Legionnaires eat in a hurry to catch a nap or stare down a beer or two in the canteen…
Wait… beer?
Yes, the drink is allowed in the barracks. And if the legionnaire has already done all his tasks, he can leave the barracks and only come back at 22:00 to sleep. Of course, if the guy falters – if he gets drunk, if he’s not shaved, if he gets into trouble – the bug catches. He can be warned, arrested and even expelled from the corporation.
Would you advise anyone to enlist in the Legion?
No! I was very lucky to get out in one piece. If you want to have some kind of military experience, try the career in Brazil first. If after that that voice still wants to send you to the Legion, go see a psychiatrist [risos]! And if even he can’t silence that voice, bon voyage!