Foreign Legion Command

Foreign Legion Command
	Commandement de La Légion Étrangère
	Foreign Legion Command Insignia
Active	Commandement de La Légion Étrangère[1] ; (1931 - 1984) ; Commandement de La Légion Étrangère[2] ; C.O.M.L.E (1984 - present)[3]
Country	France
Allegiance	French Foreign Legion
Type	Command
Role	Headquarters
Headquarters	Aubagne, France
Motto(s)	Honneur et Fidélité; Legio Patria Nostra
Colors	Green and Red
Battle honours	Camerone 1863
Commanders
Commandant	Major General Denis Mistral[4]
Notable; commanders	Paul-Frédéric Rollet[5]
Insignia
Beret badge of the Foreign Legion Command
Abbreviation	C.O.M.L.E

The Foreign Legion Command (French: Commandement de la Légion Étrangère, (COMLE)) [6] (official) is the Command of the French Foreign Legion. [7]

The Legion is led by a French general, a Legion officer (French: Officier de Légion)[8] who is usually a general who spent his entire career in Legion units. COMLE also includes the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command (French: L’Etat-major du COMLE)[9](official), led by another senior officer, chief of the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command (French: Chef de L’Etat-major du COMLE) (official).[10][11] As of 2017, the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command includes several divisions related to the functioning of the Legion.[12] The general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command has adopted various inspecting, grouping, and commanding designations since 1931 and has been designated officially as C.O.M.L.E since 1984.[13] The Général de division commanding the Legion, also known as Father of the Legion (French: Le Père Légion) or Foreign Legion Command Chief (French: Chef COMLE) [14] (official) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of Staff of the French Army (C.E.M.A.T). The Division Général is also the technical counselor commanding for the ensemble related to the Legion (recruitment, traditions, employment, regimental formations and security).

The Divisional general commanding the Legion, commands also the 1st Foreign Regiment, the 4th Foreign Regiment and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E). The GRLE was not formed till 2007.[11] The commands of the C.O.M.L.E division general commandant extends to:

Guardian[15] of Legion Esprit de Corps, Legion Patrimony and Legion Traditions
Guardian Protector of Personnel Serving at Foreign Status[16]
Command of General Personnel Administration Operations
Command of Training and Instructing Procedure Implementations
Guardian of Legion Communities

The French Foreign Legion Music Band is led by the Music Chief.[17]

History

The origins and history tradition making of Legion regiments was front line opened and led by the Pionniers and charged by the service and sacrifices of the legionnaires following behind their legion regimental, battalion and company commanders since 1831 and serving the commanding Division Général of the Legion since 1931.[18]

The French Foreign Legion is part of the History of France.[19] The Legion was created by a King, combat engaged at Camarón under an Emperor and has known to endure the most heavy losses under the Republic.[20]

Pionniers & Legion Regiments

Regiment	Regiment Insignia	Legion Regimental Command
1st Foreign Regiment, (1^er R.E)[21] Foreign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 1^er RE Colonel[22][23] Legion Pionniers Sections of Tradition C.O.M.L.E Exclusive Command[24]
4th Foreign Regiment, (4^e R.E)[25] Foreign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 4^e RE Colonel[26] Legion Pionniers Groups C.O.M.L.E Exclusive Command[24]
Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (G.R.L.E)[27] Foreign Legion Tenure (2007 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - GRLE Colonel[28] C.O.M.L.E Command[24]
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, (1^er R.E.C)[29] Foreign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 1^er REC Colonel [30] Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1^er R.E.G)[31] Foreign Legion Teunure (1999 - present) former 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment (6^e R.E.G) Foreign Legion Tenure (1984-1999)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 1^er REG Colonel[32] Legion Pionniers Groups Airborne Combat Engineers Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (2^e R.E.I)[33] Foreign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 2^e REI Colonel[34] Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, (2^e R.E.P)[35] Foreign Legion Tenure (1948 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 2^e REP Colonel[36][37] Commando Parachute Group Regiment part of the French 11th Parachute Brigade
2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, (2^e R.E.G)[38] Foreign Legion Tenure (1999 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 2^e REG Colonel[39] Legion Pionniers Groups Airborne Combat Engineers Regiment part of the French 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (3^e R.E.I)[40] Foreign Legion Tenure (1945 - present) former Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion, (R.M.L.E) Foreign Legion Tenure (1915-1920) - (1942-1945)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 3^e REI Colonel[41] Legion Pionniers Groups Regiment part of territorial command of French Army
13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion, (13^e D.B.L.E)[42] Foreign Legion Tenure (1940 - present)		Foreign Legion Regiment - 13^e DBLE Colonel [43] Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte, (D.L.M.E)[44] Foreign Legion Teunure (1973 - present)		Foreign Legion Detachment - DLME Colonel[45] Legion Pionniers Groups Detachment part of the territorial command of the French Army

Creation and different nominations ( 1931 - 1984 )

The command of the French Foreign Legion is stationed at quartier Vienot in Aubagne at the corps of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE. The headquarters detachment was established in 1984 following the reorganization of the previous Foreign Legion Group (G.L.E). Foreign Legion Command is headed by a Général.

On March 2, 1931; the Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.L.E) (French: Inspection de la Légion étrangère, I.L.E) was created.[46]
Between 1934 and 1935, the I.L.E was dissolved.[47]
In 1948, the I.L.E is recreated.[48]
On September 1, 1950; the I.L.E was dissolved and the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) (French: Groupement Autonome de la Légion étrangère, G.A.L.E) is created.[49]
On July 1, 1955; the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère) was created.[50]
On September 16, 1957; the C.O.L.E became the Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E) (French: Inspection Technique de la Légion étrangère).
On July 1, 1964; the I.T.L.E was dissolved.[51]
On September 1, 1972, creation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) (French: Groupement de Légion étrangère) which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion (G.O.L.E.) (French: Groupement Opérationnel de la Légion étrangère).
On July 1, 1984, the G.L.E became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).[52]

History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles

During the interwar period on April 1, 1931, while the Legion reached requirements of 30,000 Legionnaires, général Paul-Frédéric Rollet,[53] was entrusted with the post of Inspector of the Foreign Legion newly created in Tlemcen in Algeria. It is at this moment that the Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments (D.C.R.E) (French: Dépôt commun des régiments étrangers, D.C.R.E) was created. This Inspector of the Foreign Legion was dissolved with the retirement of the Father of the Legion.

In 1948, the Inspection was recreated for 2 years under the command of Général de division Raoul Magrin-Vernerey.[54] Again dissolved in 1950, the inspection unit left way for the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) commanded consecutively by Générals Jean Olié and Paul Gardy which had the attributions of Inspector General.[55] Accordingly, the (G.A.L.E) was composed of one headquarter staff état-major at Sidi bel-Abbès, the Communal Depot of the Legion, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1^er REI that regrouped all training/ instruction units, the intelligence service, and the Moral Service for Works of the Foreign Legion (S.O.M.L.E) (French: Service du Moral et des œuvres de la Légion étrangère , S.O.M.L.E)

In 1954, at the end of the First Indochina War, the Foreign Legion was reorganized. The 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE inherited all the attributions of Legion units. The Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) was created on July 1, 1955 at Vincennes; with command ensured by Colonel René Lennuyeux.[56] Two years later on September 16, 1957, the foreign legion command inherited the new naming of Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E). This technical inspection was dissolved in 1964 and its attributions were transferred to the regimental commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE.

In 1972, under the impulsion of Colonel Marcel Letestu,[57] a Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) was created which was put at his disposition. Accordingly, Colonel Letestu has immediate authority on the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE and the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2^e RE and conserved this prerogative of General Inspector. On the other hand, the commander of the (G.L.E) commanded also the 31st Brigade. This experimental unit, Legion dominated was among the first inter-arm brigade. The 31st Brigade (French: 31^e Brigade) engaged in peacekeeping combat operations in Lebanon at the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon under the command of Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon.[58] The 31^e Brigade was subsequently replaced by the 6th Light Armoured Division 6^ème D.L.B in 1984 and then became designated as the 6th Light Armoured Brigade 6^ème B.L.B following the Gulf War at the corps of Division Daguet.

On July 1, 1984; the (G.L.E) inherited the denomination of Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).[59]

Organization

In the mission, the division general commanding the French Foreign Legion is assisted by a general staff headquarters which service operations are based on the personnel of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er R.E and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E). This general staff compromised as of the 2012 of the following Divisions and bureaux:

Foreign Legion Human Resources Division (French: Division des Ressources Humaines, D.R.H.L.E): Division ensured the management of the ensemble administration of personnel serving at Foreign Status.
Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (French: Groupement de Recrutement de la Légion étrangère, G.R.L.E): responsible entity for Legion centers of information, Legion recruiting centers, as well as the Legion center of selection and incorporation.
Foreign Legion Information Systems and Communication Division, (French: Division des Systèmes d'Information et de Communication, D.S.I.C.L.E): Division developed proper applications, administered networks and consulting in material of formation (Information Systems) for the Foreign Legion. The division also supported the Foreign Legion Service Handling of Information (French: Service de traitement de l'information de la Légion Étrangère, S.T.I.L.E).
Foreign Legion Statistical and Personnel Protection Division (French: Division Statistiques et Protection du Personnel de la Légion étrangère, D.S.P.L.E): Division handled in material of protection and security, the ensemble of personnel serving at Foreign Status. This division participated at the selection process of candidates at engagement.
Foreign Legion Communication and Information Division, (French: Division Communication et Information, D.I.C.L.E): Division in charge of institutional communication. This division ran public relations, the media, issue numbers production of Képi Blanc (French: Képi Blanc), the monthly of the legion, the administration of information technologies, as well audio cells.
Foreign Legion History and Patrimony Division, (French: Division Histoire et Patrimoine, D.H.P.L.E): Division handled the conservation preservation and management of the foreign legion, and most notably the management of Foreign Legion Museum (French: Musée de la Légion étrangère).
Foreign Legion Social Work and Aid Bureau, (French: Bureau d'Action Sociale et d'Entraide de la Légion étrangère, BASELE/FELE).

As of 2017, the general staff headquarters of the Foreign Legion Command (French: L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère), at the disposition of the Commandant of the Legion,[60] has undergone further organizational structuring and was articulated in various legion divisions revolving around: studies, pilotage and synthesis; human resources; security and protection; patrimony; solidarity and others.[61]

Commanders of the Foreign Legion

Commandement de La Légion Étrangère (1931 - 1984)[62]

Inspector Tenure of the Foreign Legion

Inspection de la Légion étrangère (I.L.E)

Name	Portrait	Rank	Tenure	Note
Paul-Frédéric Rollet[63]		Général	1931-1935	1st Foreign Regiment (1899-1909). Captain of the 3rd mounted combat company of the 1st marching battalion of the 2nd Foreign Regiment from 1909 to 1914. Lieutenant-Colonel Regimental Commander of the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion in 1917. Lieutenant-Colonel Regimental Commander of the 3rd Foreign Regiment (1920-1925). Colonel Regimental Commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1925-1931) until planning the 100th anniversary of the Legion on Camaron day of April 30, 1931. Founding Pillar Patron of the organization of the French Foreign Legion and constituents. Accumulated 41 years of military service out of which 33 years in the Legion. Honorary titled Father of the Legion or Le Père de la Légion.[24]
Raoul Magrin-Vernerey[64]		Général	1948-1950

Autonomous Group Tenure of the Foreign Legion

Groupement autonome de la Légion étrangère (G.A.L.E)

Name	Portrait	Rank	Tenure	Note
Jean Olié[65]		Général	1950
Paul Gardy[66]	-	Général	1951