It is a cliche in France that every dead legionnaire has spared the life of a Frenchman.
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The Legion's primary instruction and administrative center is located at Aubagne, near Marsielle. Recruits are trained in Southern France at Castlenaudary and upon graduation, are assigned to one of the following étrangers:
1er étranger Traning and administrative unit, headquartered at Aubagne, France.
2e étranger Infantry regiment, headquartered at Nîmes, France.
3e étranger Jungle warfare regiment, headquartered at French Guiana.
4e étranger Basic training cadre at Castlenaudary.
5e étrangere The Fifth served in Indochina but serves as a labor battalion on the Mururoa atoll in the Pacific where nuclear weapons testing was carried out. It is not considered desirable duty.
6ème etranger de Génie An engineer battalion headquartered with 2e étranger at Nîmes, France. Included with its ranks is the Détachement d'Intervention
Opérationnelle Subaquatique who serve as combat swimmers and underwater explosive ordnance disposal and underwater demolitions.
1er régiment étranger de cavalrie (REC) A cavalry regiment headquartered at Orange, France.
2e régiment étranger parachutiste (REP) The 2e REP is considered the "elite" unit of the Legion and is headquartered in Corsica. The REPs were created in response to needs in Indochina and have been assigned to the Commandement des Operations Speciales which was formed after the Gulf War as a "joint" command after the American model. It combines units of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Gendarmerie and answers to the Chief of Staff.
13e DBLE The Demi-Brigade provides company strength units in support of the government of Djibouti, Africa, and on the island of Mayotte in the Comoro Islands (Indian Ocean)
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