Spanish Foreign Legion.

[Mace]

Could anyone give me any information on the Spanish Foreign Legion, ive just seen the photos on the site and never even knew they existed. How similar are they to the French Foreign Legion in terms of recruiting, training etc? Do any other countries have similar Foreign Legions?

Thanks.

[JKD]

specwarnet.net/europe/spanish_legion.htm

[Mace]

Thanks.

[JKD]

Speaking of the French Foreign legion, know where I could find any info on them? Specwarnet doesn't have anything that I see. I remember an article in Maxim a few years back saying they had a 16 week basic training, but that's about it.

[Mace]

http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/legion/index.asp

http://www.legionetrangere.fr/default_zone/fr/html/framesfr.html

If you try a google search quite a few sites turn up.

[rafaelcb]

The is the official site of the Legión:

http://www.ejercito.mde.es/organizacion/legion/principal.htm

BTW, nowadays they accept women:
http://www.ejercito.mde.es/organizacion/legion/images/ser%20legionario/damas.gif

We'll probaly see them in Irak soon.
It seems that the BOEL is going to be among the first allied units to be deployed there.

[Sir Nob]

On the French Foreign Legion, there is a great book called A MOUTHFULL OF ROCKS by Christian Jennings. It follows him through basic to his postings, mostly in arid desert countries. Man those are some psyhco bastards!!

[TheWatcher]

Christan Jennings is a biff and a liar.
There are a number of ex-Legionnaires who have expressed interest in a 'little chat' with him.

[CFD Ambos]

I'm in the Foreign Legion myself, currently in operations in Bangui (CAR). Pictures coming in early 2008 :-D

The Foreign Legion is just a couple of regiments in the French military, with the same organisation, same rules, same chain of command (each regiment is part of a regular frech army brigade/division).

The differences are the traditions, the culture (permanent clusterfvck and senseless rules), and only one mission we do that others don't do : permanent presence inside the 13e DBLE in Djibouti (while other french army units are also present in Djibouti, but in other detachments).

The spanish "foreign" legion, AFAIK, only accepts spanish people and latin american citizens.

@ Mace : why don't you google search the infos you need ? Forums are better to obtain inofficial info instead of "recruiting, training" info !

[grabie_bis]

Legion forces in Afghanistan, notice S3 uparmored version of the VAMTAC vehicle

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/4940/20080408afganistanayudaca0.jpg

[Dragunov]

I'm in the Foreign Legion myself, currently in operations in Bangui (CAR). Pictures coming in early 2008 :-D

The Foreign Legion is just a couple of regiments in the French military, with the same organisation, same rules, same chain of command (each regiment is part of a regular frech army brigade/division).

The differences are the traditions, the culture (permanent clusterfvck and senseless rules), and only one mission we do that others don't do : permanent presence inside the 13e DBLE in Djibouti (while other french army units are also present in Djibouti, but in other detachments).

The spanish "foreign" legion, AFAIK, only accepts spanish people and latin american citizens.

@ Mace : why don't you google search the infos you need ? Forums are better to obtain inofficial info instead of "recruiting, training" info !

Only Spanish speaking countries.

[TheWatcher]

The spanish "foreign" legion, AFAIK, only accepts spanish people and latin american citizens.

They also accept recruits from other member countries of the european community.

While the ability to communicate in Spanish is definitely an advantage, at present I'm unsure whether fluency is an application requirement,or if it's taught to a minimum level.

[brummie]

hi all
I served in the Spanish Foriegn legion from 69/70, It was a bad time due to the Gibralta situation, violence was a daily problem, the arms then were naff, derivative of the Belgian fn, the basic training was harsh to the point of manslaughter, the nco's were a mix of Slavic. South American, East German and Spanish thugs, very unprofessional, basic hygiene was non existent, and food diabolical. We were issued with 600 Celtas cigarettes, and 5 Ltrs rough wine, pay was non existent. I believe I was the 1st Englishman to serve since the civil war, I got out at the 1st opportunity getting safely back to uk and believe it or not got a free pardon from the new king in 1976 how they found me I don't know, kept my issue cap and some photo's though.
regards
brummie

[Mastermind]

That little red tassel would keep me out of it....distracting little thing, isn't it.

[brummie]

hi mastermind
never bothered me,only wore during guards,and on permisso (Leave), in the desert we wore a tan coloured uniform with a peaked hat with a neck guard (like the old french legion) and this wrapped round your face in sever heat or sand storms.
regards brummie

[Mastermind]

I participated in an airborne exercise in Spain near Zaragosa in 1967. We were allowed to fraternize with the Spanish paratroopers during the prep-times. What a grand happy bunch of troopers and extraodinarily polite the Spanish boys were. We had a ball, especially since many of our guys spoke Spanish.

BTW, Brummie, welcome to MP... :-) MM

[brummie]

hi mastermind
I take it you were in the US forces, they had a base near Zaragosa, my son is in the British Engineer para' s he was seconded to the US 82 in Afgan last year, at present he is doing the "All Arms Commando Cadre" in the UK after being selected. This was unheard of in my day, "A MAROON HAT, MIXING WITH A GREEN HAT" but times change, did you serve in Nam.
regards
brummie