Military History | How To Make War | Wars Around the World Rules of Use How to Behave on an Internet Forum
Armed Forces of the World Discussion Board
   Return to Topic Page
Subject: American foreign legion
forvalour    7/24/2008 7:17:59 AM
I have seen several articles on this topic (google 'american foreign legion'), any ideas?
 
Quote    Reply

Show Only Poster Name and Title     Newest to Oldest
Pages: PREV  1 2 3 4
jastayme3       8/6/2008 7:06:54 PM




Wow.  I had a long response planned for Blue Wings' last post, but Luigi took the wind from my sails a little bit.  I really can't disagree with anything he said for the most part. 



 



I actually quite admire the French Foreign Legion.  I think that they will go down in history at one of the world's elite fighting units.  Their military traditions and esprit de corps are pretty much unrivaled in modern military history.  They've always done what they've been asked, sometimes without the necessary resources, but have always found a way to survive.....or at least make the enemy pay dearly. 



 



I was going to respond to Blue Wings' rather nasty post with a little French bashing of my own, but after Luigi's post I've decided to take the high ground.  We're still on the same side.  I just wish a lot of Europeans (and especially the French) would remember that on more than one occasion the American soldier has traveled half way around the world to fight not just for OUR freedom, but for theirs as well.  We just have our own way of doing things.  That doesn't mean it's bad.......it just makes it different from yours. 



 



Still, I need to respond to a few things.  The French Foreign Legion was formed on March 10, 1831 with non-French citizens because after the July Revolution of 1830 foreigners were forbidden from serving in the French military.  Therefore my statement that Frenchmen are "officially" barred from serving in the FFL is technically correct.  Now I know that Frenchmen have always gotten around this by claiming Swiss, Belgian, Canadian, or even Bulgarian nationality.  That doesn't change the fact that they were still French, but the Legion could continue with the facade that Frenchmen were not recruited in the Legion.  Perhaps the Legion's recruitment policy has changed in recent years, but historically this has been the case.  That is as clear as I can make it.  The only reason I brought it up at all is because in my American Foreign Legion model American citizens would not be able to join at all. 



 



You cite the fact that American police and military units train with the French as proof that the American military in inferior to the French.  BW, you can't be serious.  We'll train with damn near anybody all over the world.  The main reason for this is not because we think they are superior, but because there is always a chance they might be able to teach us something that will help us do our job better.  When the training is over we keep whatever we find useful, and discard whatever we think won't work.  Americans are firm believers in flexibility, and the way to remain flexible is have a lot of different options at your disposal.  Sometimes you acquire those options by listening to others and learning from their experience. 



 



I had no idea that the two man "binome" was the cornerstone of the infantry platoon.  I thought it was the four to five man fireteam, but come to think of it, I was almost always paired up with at least one other soldier, so maybe we were doing it, BW, we just didn't have a name for it.  I also don't get the whole "firepower vs. mobility" accusation that Europeans throw at us.  When I was in the Army we called it "fire and maneuver."  What's wrong with blowing the hell out of the enemy before you move your grunts in to overrun their position?  Last but not least, if you had the opportunity why in the blue hell would you choose to fight outnumbered if you didn't have to?  There are many, many times that the United States has fought outnumbered, but if you want to get into the morality of war, I would dare say that the more moral decision when planning an operation against an enemy unit is to bring as many forces to bear against it as possible (after bombing the crap out of it first, of course).  There's no such thing as a fair fight in war.  Pitting a rifle company against a company sized enemy when you have an entire battalion at your disposal is careless to the point of dereliction of duty.  Sometimes it is unavoidable, but I firmly believe the most logical course of action is to try to outnumber the enemy if possible. 



 

 
Quote    Reply

son of legionare       1/6/2013 9:09:03 AM
Ok guys this my first reply, I have been searching the net hi and low for any information about a what my father told me as well as showing photograph of his unit in the American Foreign Legion in the last year of WW2 European theatre , he said there were Polish, Germans, Hungarians, french his unit was lead by a American Captain from the OSS I tried the American Embassy but they never heard of it anyway I forgot about it until now still I an curious thats all, not looking for compensation or pension or anything like that even so he past away 1999 hope this may help if not sorry for troubling you
 
regards
Peter 
 
Quote    Reply

son of legionare       1/6/2013 9:11:33 AM
Ok guys this my first reply, I have been searching the net hi and low for any information about a what my father told me as well as showing photograph of his unit in the American Foreign Legion in the last year of WW2 European theatre , he said there were Polish, Germans, Hungarians, french his unit was lead by a American Captain from the OSS I tried the American Embassy but they never heard of it anyway I forgot about it until now still I an curious thats all, not looking for compensation or pension or anything like that even so he past away 1999 hope this may help if not sorry for troubling you
 
regards
Peter 
 
Quote    Reply

son of legionare       1/7/2013 12:19:31 AM
Ok guys this my first reply, I have been searching the net hi and low for any information about a what my father told me as well as showing photograph of his unit in the American Foreign Legion in the last year of WW2 European theatre , he said there were Polish, Germans, Hungarians, french his unit was lead by a American Captain from the OSS I tried the American Embassy but they never heard of it anyway I forgot about it until now still I an curious thats all, not looking for compensation or pension or anything like that even so he past away 1999 hope this may help if not sorry for troubling you
 
regards
Peter 
 
Quote    Reply

Sarge3000       1/8/2013 6:04:24 AM
Don't forget the USA already has a foreign legion for the entirety of its military, as non-Americans can join if they simply have legal permanent residence in the country. 
 
The USA is among one of the only country in the world which fully allows non-nationals to join at this level. Even the French foreign legion is actually segregated from the rest of French military while green card holders can join in any branch (albeit not at officer level).
 
On the topic of allowing a unit with no residence requirements at all.
On a legal aspect, I don't see why not. Cannon fodder for the USA. And people will flock to join as the US military is the most prestigious military in the world.
 
The reality though and the real question is: Does the USA need recruits that bad?
 
Obviously not. Not only have deep cuts been made and are being made to the US military, and current recruit level is over-high (especially enlisted), but the US MILITARY  under the Obama doctrine is now reorganizing itself along European army style, that is smaller infantry forces and more technological (drones, spec ops, cyber war desk operatives), rather than Bush era doctrine which empathized large scale invasions with large amount of boots on the ground.
 
The war Obama wants and the USA wants will be entirely shadow-cyber-spec op war, not costly invasion any longer. This is why increasing amount of recruits by making it even easier for immigrants to join is unlikely.
 
PS: Am an Austrian man who really desired to join USMC as military career in Austria is ..., well I wont say the word.
Kind regards 
 
 
Quote    Reply

thrasherback    It's Time   3/30/2013 9:59:22 PM
Dear Sir:
I spent 12 years in the United Staes Army Special Forces. As a member of 10th Special Forces Group I jumped into Kolwezi with, and fought alongside, the Legion. If you are familiar with the story, the Legion was prepared to enter Kolwezie to free several hundred French and Belgian nations who were being held hostage.The problem was, they had no ircraft, and no parachutes. The U.S. Air Force provided C-130s, and the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group provided the parachutes. With providing the parachutes, 1/10 SFG naturally provided training in the use of those parachutes, then naturally, deployed with he Legion's 2e R.E.P. That was of course, the stated reason, but the true reason elements of 1/10 SFG accompanied the Legion to Kolwezi was simply for intelligence. But having been a pat of that mission, I can tell yo catagorically, those Legionares were the bravest, and best soldiers I have ever seen. By th way, out T10 parachutes did not even fit the french parachute harnesses, but the Legionares rigged them togeter and jumped regardless.
 
I think it would be in the best interest of the United States to establish a foreign legion. But unfortunately, it will never happen. The French Foreign Legion very closely resembles the U.S. Marine Corps in structure and mission. The major difference between the Foreign Legion and the Marine Corps is that the Foreign Legion is a much more professional and vastly more capable military unit than is the Marine Corps. The Foreign Legion knows no fear, neither personal fear or institutional fear. The Marine Corps is considerably risk-averse, it often balks at accepting any mission unless a succesful outcome is vitually guaranteed. Though individual U.S. marines have repeatedly demonstrated personal bravery nearly on a par with Legionaires, the same cannot be said of their institution. With an Amercan Legion, there would be no risk of senior Marine Corps staff refusing to cooperate with the U. S. military establishment in fulfilment of mission. Today's U.S. Marine Corps is too afraid to loose to take the risks so neccessary in today's world. Conversely, a foreign legion would certainly accept any mission, despite the risks. But the U.S. Marine Corps is politcally very well-entrenched. The Marine Corps is also an instution based on myths and falsehoods, and is not going to allow itself to be shown for what it actually is by allowing the creation of a military formation which is actually what it pretends to be.
 
Quote    Reply

models       5/15/2021 5:15:15 PM

The majority of the escort that has been encouraging is somebody who has much expertise and understanding about how to go for fun through the ceremony offers made from the escorts in nainital to individuals.

nainital escorts, nainiital escort service, escorts in nainital,escorts in haldwani, haldwani escorts, ramnagar escorts, bhimtal escorts, rudrapur escorts

 
Quote    Reply
PREV  1 2 3 4



 Latest
 News
 
 Most
 Read
 
 Most
 Commented
 Hot
 Topics