French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère) is an elite corps of the French Army that consists of several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army. It formed part of the Armée d’Afrique, the French Army's units associated with France's colonial project in Northern Africa, until the end of the Algerian War in 1962.
| Foreign Legion | |
|---|---|
| Légion étrangère | |
The Foreign Legion's grenade emblem | |
| Active | 10 March 1831 – present |
| Country | France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Assault troops Light Infantry Foreign legion |
| Role | Land warfare Expeditionary warfare Airborne forces |
| Size | 9,000 soldiers |
| Nickname(s) | La Légion "The Legion" |
| Patron | Saint Anthony |
| Motto(s) | Honneur et Fidélité Legio Patria Nostra |
| Branch colours Colour of Beret | Red and Green Green |
| March | Le Boudin |
| Anniversaries | Camerone Day (30 April) |
| Engagements |
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| Website | legion-etrangere legion-recrute |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Brigadier General Cyrille Youchtchenko |
| Notable commanders | Général Paul-Frédéric Rollet |
| Insignia | |
| Non-ceremonial flag | |
| Abbreviation | FFL (English) L.É. (French) |
Legionnaires are highly trained soldiers and the Legion is unique in that it is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces. The Legion is known today as a unit whose training focuses on traditional military skills and on its strong esprit de corps, as its men come from different countries with different cultures. Consequently, training is often described as not only physically challenging, but also very stressful psychologically. Legionnaires may apply for French citizenship after three years' service, or immediately after being wounded during a battle for France under a provision known as "Français par le sang versé" ("French by spilled blood").