I believe the name change is optional. After your tour of 5 years you are given the opportunity to change. For some this is quite appealing. But the days that you entered the Legion to escape prison are over. Criminals are not allowed into the Legion anylonger/

Ted I think the name change procedures change from year to year.....?
But if your name is changed and you want your origional name back it is called rectification.

A sergeant told me that the French Foreign Legion are one of the only regiments that have never won a battle... is this true?

I see, obviously the 13th DBLE's epic defence of "Bir Hakim" In the western Desert as part of the British 8th Army 1942 not count as a victory then? And the numerous Battles before Diem Ben Phu and Algeria not counting? The Heroic assault on Kowezi in Ziare and also as part of the "Dagger" div in the First Gulf War not victories? Good Lord your Sgt appears to have extremely high standards reguarding what defines winning!

Originally Posted by RAInf

A sergeant told me that the French Foreign Legion are one of the only regiments that have never won a battle... is this true?

I think that Sgt. needs to pull his head out of his fourth point of contact. lol

Yea well obviously I suspected it wasent right thus the reason for me coming on here and asking.

Originally Posted by Warwick

Ted I think the name change procedures change from year to year.....?
But if your name is changed and you want your origional name back it is called rectification.

I thought you changed your name after your tour. During your 5 years you are not allowed to contact your family etc, so nobody knows where you are. So what would be the point to change it then. However if you went in wanted (as was possible in earlier days) it was very convinient to change when you got out!

ANd about the Legion never winning a battle... tell him to buy a book!

Here is a little documentary on the FFL:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...300363&pl=true

Originally Posted by Ted

During your 5 years you are not allowed to contact your family etc, so nobody knows where you are.

I've worked with the FFL, many of those guys kept in touch with their families.

So is the training there tough? Are you from French? A france citizen?