Beyond the requirements listen in the previous page, there are some important questions recruits should ask themselves before deciding whether to volunteer for the Legion.
- Financial security – Is the recruit’s home life going to function without him/her for 3-6 months? What happens if he/she can’t pay bills? Can he/she give Power of Attorney to a trusted person, to take care of urgent needs back home? Can he/she get a leave of absence from his/her work? How will he/she gather the money for his/her flight, equipment and the recommended $2-5000USD to take with him/her?
- Family matters – How is the recruit’s family going to react to him/her disappearing to an active combat zone for months? Will divorces or family estrangement result?
- Reasons for joining – Is the recruit planning to join to defend Ukraine’s fragile democracy and civilians? Or is he/she seeking excitement and adrenaline? Does he/she want to help stop Putin from recreating a new Iron Curtain in Europe, or does he/she want to live out Hollywood/video game fantasies?
- Psychological preparedness – The recruit may be physically fit and ready for a grueling outdoor existence, but is he/she ready for contradictory and incomprehensible orders? Endless boredom fighting mosquitos and the cold more than Russians? Life at the front is dirty, hard work under unpleasant conditions. It’s not fun or at all like Hollywood.
