I was wondering about enlisting in foreign Armies pr armed forces, more particularly, French, Spain, UK, Portugal or possibility in Japan.

What and how would this work as me being a foreigner? Any vets on (preferably move recent vets or those currently serving) be able to help me with some general questions? Any way to serve for short term and still be able to retain my US citizenship (I know the Israelite military allows people to server and retain host citizenship but I am neither Jewish and miss the age bracket by 1 year.)

Unless you get approval from the US government, I think you can lose your citizenship by serving in the army of a foreign government. The issue isn't whether the foreign army would let you retain your citizenship, but whether the US will take it away.

The French Foreign Legion will take people from anywhere. It used to be, anyway, that you didn't even have to use your real name or have any ID or anything.

I'm sure the Japanese wouldn't take you. And you would have to speak the language.

I was wondering if perhaps any one here had more information on the Spanish foreign legion.

French Foreign legion I don't care for. 5 years is too long.

As Synthia says, there is a law on the books that says they "may" revoke your US citizenship if you serve in a foreign army - though normally they don't, and there is a sort of a moratorium on that law since about 1990. (Technically, they "may" revoke your citizenship if you voluntarily take any other nationality - but they don't these days.) Heck, the guy they caught fighting with the Taliban is still a US citizen (or was last I knew) - because they wanted to put him on trial in the US.

Be advised, though, that reference to this law and the fact that they "can" revoke your citizenship is increasing on US government websites lately. Not sure what that means as far as possible changes down the road. But joining a European army could put you in some pretty nasty places. Maybe not Iraq, but Afghanistan or any other hot spot NATO is committed to defending.
Cheers,
Bev

That I am fully aware of and it is an option I have on the table. I am a veteran my self and know how military goes and its not my first option I choose just to go sight seeing the world and be a tourist. Enlisting is definitely not something to take lightly for a light hearted intention.

It is an option I would choose if I do decide to become a citizen of another nation that I feel more favorable towards just because its more respectable and usually a quicker way to get citizenship into another country and acceptance in another culture.

Plus no quicker way to make friends with people then serving with them. This I know for a fact.

Joining the US military used to give easy, nearly automatic, citizenship but I've been reading that is no longer the case. I'm not sure joining a foreign army will give you citizenship there, either. That may be especially true in countries that don't grant citizenship to those born there, but only grant it through bloodlines.