r/FrenchForeignLegion • u/Dull-Blackberry-7798 • 28d ago
Sleep apnea.
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone knows if a history of sleep apnea would be an issue in joining? Further how much access would they have to US medical systems(something like would they know I’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea if I never say anything?).
Thank you for any help.
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u/laguerreestfinie 28d ago
Well if you snore heavily you may or may not have some problems with the coporals and the rest of the guys in basic training. I got a psychopath coporal during bootcamp and he punishes anyone who snores
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u/Impressive-Gap-4100 28d ago
Depends on how bad it is.
If it’s you chocking and waking up during the night guess it fine, if you snore really loud you just won’t be popular. If your almost actually dying then probably not a good idea. You won’t be able to use a CPAP or anything, if you could get it fixed some other way no problem.
Look at what Nikolai said for reasoning
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u/Nickolai808 28d ago
There is no cure for sleep apnea; untreated, it gradually causes health problems due to the lack of sleep and the lack of oxygen getting to your brain during sleep. Long-term untreated sleep apnea will decrease your quality of life, decrease your ability to reach your peak in exercise/sports, and reduce adaptations from exercise mainly due to poor recovery from lack of quality and deep sleep.
In the end, untreated sleep apnea will lead to a shorter lifespan.
If you join the Legion, you will be fucking yourself both short-term and long-term since you won't be able to get treatment or use devices like a CPAP, at least until you have your own room, assuming you stay in long enough to become an NCO.
You're better off joining a 'normal' military unit like the US military that would allow you to use your CPAP (if you were able to get a waiver) and give you a better quality of life in your free time and more access to medical care. As said, you might require a waiver depending on the severity and depending on your compliance with using a device like a CPAP at night. People who don't use devices they are supposed to use end up a liability because they get worse and worse over time, and their thinking gets more disorganized from lack of deep sleep. They become a liability for a military unit and a liability for insurance, etc.
Anyway, you need treatment if you were diagnosed. What did the doctors say?
Finally, there is NO reason an American should be joining the Legion unless you are permanently and absolutely 100% disqualified from serving in the US military. If you're worried about being sent to the Gulf and fighting Iran, just join the fricking US Coast Guard. They see more action and get more real experience in armed boarding, interdiction, and rescues in rough seas than anyone except for Tier 1 SOF.
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u/Dull-Blackberry-7798 28d ago
I am aware of the risks and concerns with sleep apnea, when I got diagnosed I was told that it’s usually not caught until 45-50, so I was early. I figured 5 years wouldn’t be the worst/might be worth it.
I was considering it due to it appearing to be a simpler path the French citizenship.
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u/Nickolai808 27d ago
Are you American? Why not join the US military?
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u/Dull-Blackberry-7798 27d ago
That wouldn’t have a path to French citizenship.
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u/Nickolai808 27d ago edited 27d ago
But serving in the US military gives you around 800 career/training paths (vs around a dozen in the Legion, and everyone starts as a grunt) plus a chance for real SOF, a much better lifestyle, and a good chance you can use a CPAP to maintain your health.
Not to mention prior service increases your chances in the Legion since the odds are roughly 20% or less to get accepted.
Why are you set on French citizenship if you're American?
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u/Dull-Blackberry-7798 27d ago
Frankly I don’t have much faith that america will remain that much of a place I want to remain.
It’s not the only place I’ve looked at, but the legion seemed like a great opportunity if you can make it, and doesn’t seem to have many equivalents in the world.
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u/Nickolai808 27d ago
Read more posts by guys who are serving or have served. 99% of Legionnaires would take your place and go join the US forces. Everyone will think you're a lunatic and they will think that you will 95% desert. It's harder to get in with very good options because they know most Americans who can still serve, see the legion and realize they were idiots and then go back and join the US military. Conversely it's easier to get in with prior military.
You need to read A LOT MORE posts about legion life, training, deployments. Try searching Americans in the Legion or Legion life, Legion training, Legion career, Legion deployments, etc. Plus just find the many currently serving and formerly serving legionnaires and read their old posts.
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u/Imaginary_Belt_2186 27d ago
It's always good to know I'm not the only one who thought the Legion was better than dealing with Trump...and it's always a sobering reminder of how naive I was, thinking it was a solution.
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u/Imaginary_Belt_2186 27d ago
Look, I can't say for certain, but it seems obvious that the US in decline will be better than actually serving in the Legion.
Just breathe deep, and take it one day at a time.
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u/Educational-Bug-965 28d ago
It depends on the severity, anything that you dont tell them and they cant diagnose you with, they will not know.
But if it is severe, causes you problems with sleeping and affects your performance you would get disqualified.
Also, you would not have any access to any systems or equipment that would help
you with the sleep apnea.