Oh I just love it when someone comes up with totally incorrect misconceptions about the Legion. Mind I sort of expect this mercenary, baby eating, killing machine drivel to come from the mouths of sandal wearing, granola eating, university attending, NDP voting, wankers from lotus land rather than from the people on this board.
The Legion Etranger is an integral part of the French regular army, period. When it was first developed in the early 1800s it was part of the Colonial Army which was a separate entity altogether.
The Colonial Army consisted of the regiments of the Legion and regiments of colonial/native troops raised for and employed in maintaining and expanding the empire. An analogy, although not a good one would be akin to the old British Indian Army. The French Colonial Army more or less ceased to be after the loss of Indo China and Algeria and the remnants of the Legion were incorporated in the regular army.
When formed the Legion was initially prohibited from serving or being based in France. Mind that little rule was conveniently forgotten during the Franco Prussian War, WWI and WWII. Now the units are fully integrated into regular French formations.
For example 1REC (Regiment Etranger Cavalerie) is a light armoured regiment that is part of a French armoured division. It by the way is tasked with protecting the French Strategic Nuclear Missile Silos. 2REP (Regiment Etranger Parachutistes) is an airborne Battalion that is part of the 11th Airborne Division.
Many of the units of the Legion are assigned to brigades and divisions that are part of the Force Action Rapide the French rapid deployment force, a Corps made up of airmobile, airborne, armoured, marine, and mountain divisions. As such they have participated in recent wars and interventions as part of French Government policy, not as hired mercenaries.
Examples are Gulf War 1, West African interventions, and peace keeping in the Balkans and Lebanon. Legion units are more politically expedient in such operations, and better trained, than conscripts.
Some units like 2REP also provide training and security teams to friendly nations in the same way as the British SAS does.
Some of the units of the Legion have been assigned to permanent hardship postings. 3REI (Regiment Etranger Infantier) is based permanently in French Guinea in South America guarding the satellite launching facilities in the jungle there. 13 DBLE
(Demi Brigade Legion Etranger) was part of the permanent garrison in Djbouti on the horn of Africa.
Entrance into the Legion is for an initial 5-year contract. After successful completion you may be granted French citizenship and a new identity. Twenty years service like in all armies comes with a pension. French nationals are prohibited from joining, although many do pretending to be French Canadians, Belgians and or Swiss.
The officers on the other hand are, aside from a few CFRs, regular French professionals often graduates of St. Cyr the military college. For many a couple of years posting to a Legion unit early in their career is a good step towards high rank later on.
Contrary to popular belief major criminals such as murderers are not admitted. There is a very comprehensive screening process in place. Serious wanted criminals are turned over to the French police and possibly then to Interpol. Minor crimes such as debts or abandonment are ignored. Once in ex wives and creditors will never find you. The Legion will not acknowledge you are there.
Discipline is harsh, perhaps brutal in comparison to most Western European Armies and the CF. There is no SHARP here. Blind obedience to orders is quickly stressed. There are reasons for this.
The recruits range from former soldiers with years of experience to those with no military background at all. Add to this people from various backgrounds, cultures and languages. Everyone starts at the same level. French language training is part of recruit and basic training for those who need it. To be honest it’s a CSMs nightmare come true, but they have to be quickly trained and melded into a cohesive force.
This harsh discipline though is not universal. Like in any army it varies from unit to unit. Discipline and training in 2REP is probably harder than a platoon of floor sweepers at Aubagne, the Legion HQ in southern France. And yes such people exist if your too stupid to be in a fighting unit they find some menial task for you do.
Initially in the early 19th Century battalions were formed of each different language/national group. There were German, Spanish and Italian battalions. Now everyone is mixed together.
Depending on the political/economic circumstances of the world, the make up of the Legion varies. In 1919 it was full of Russians fleeing the Communist and Germans and Austrians from the defeated armies. In 1945 Germans again made up the bulk of recruits, many who would fight and die in Indo China. Now it’s probably full of people from the former Yugoslavia and former Sviet Bloc countries. In between here have been Brits (always a large contingent) Americans, Vietnamese, South Americans, Africans etc etc.
The rep as inhuman killing machines is exaggerated. Yes there have atrocities committed in war, Algeria offering some of the best examples, but that can apply to many armies especially in dirty little guerrilla wars. Legionnaires are more apt to tear apart a bar when drunk but that can apply to a lot of soldiers.
There have been former Legionnaires who have become mercenaries. The most famous or infamous was Bob Denard of Congo and Commoros Islands fame. The most famous mercenary of the 1960-1970s though, Col. Mike Hoare was ex British Army.
Someone mentioned Christian Jennings book A Mouthful of Rocks, which isn’t a bad account of the modern Legion. Jennings though was/is a cry baby, alchoholic, spoiled little rich kid with no self discipline who got tossed from the British TA. He joined the Legion on a lark or out of desperation and deserted twice, being caught the first time. Therefore read it with a grain of salt.
Hey still want to try it here’s the address.
Centre de Recruitment de La Legion Etranger
22 Rue d’Ostende
Qtr Lecombe Strasbourg Alsace France
Mention my screen name. That should be good for about an hours worth of pelotte.
