Video: 3REI French Foreign Legion

[nognig]

I found this video link on cervens.netl.


The second of two videos takes a look at the 3Regiment etrangere d'infantrie (3REI) in Guyane. It gives a good look at the regimental life, stories from some of the "Mafia Anglais" and a look at jungle training and the obstacle course.


Google Video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4473457483938531433&h)

NN

[xav]

nice post, thanks!

[gilgoul]

It brought back some old memories, thank you :)

The drowned legionaire they refered to had been my first week and CEFE instructor :(

[xav]

Gotta love that part:

"The obstacle course is designed to test a group cohesion and stamina. The record time is 45 minutes. The slowest by a visiting detachment of US Marines...7 hours"

[gilgoul]

Gotta love that part:

"The obstacle course is designed to test a group cohesion and stamina. The record time is 45 minutes. The slowest by a visiting detachment of US Marines...7 hours"

It took us almost 2hours and 45 minutes, and then, they told us to do it again.
But for your information, they always have "special treatment" for the US marines or SEALS that ever went there.

[xav]

By "special treatment" you mean some bad surprises and such ?

Thanks for the info by the way... and nice performance ;)

[gilgoul]

By "special treatment" you mean some bad surprises and such ?

Thanks for the info by the way... and nice performance ;)

we sucked ass, the second run was even worse, so I guess they gave up on us ;)
For instance, the slick wall is pretty ok for the first two or three guys, then it helps you helping the others.unless it has rained, or been wet before ;)
beside, they didn't show the giraffe, some kind of climbing obstacle, it is a bitch, and you can't get it unless you are well used to it (there is a model in kourou) so unless you've been prepared to it, it takes like a decade to figure it out.

[Ivan le Fou]

unless it has rained, or been wet before ;-)


And since it's "always" raining... :)


Great video!

[Divine]

I have to ask you; What happend with your legioniaretraning?? Did you make it??


It took us almost 2hours and 45 minutes, and then, they told us to do it again.
But for your information, they always have "special treatment" for the US marines or SEALS that ever went there.

[gilgoul]

I have to ask you; What happend with your legioniaretraning?? Did you make it??

Nope, I was part of a cavalry squadron from the regular army sent in rotation there, and I don't think any "tournante" ever qualified at the CEFE, but I might be wrong on this one.
We got a "light" version of the CEFE, from what I heard, but it was still pretty tough, with a lot of injuries, a few men gone cuckoo and even a few desertion attempts (personal reasons mainly).
My squad got the chance to work a lot with legionnaires, and if at the beginning they were quite tough on us, they eventually let us live, but we never got the "right" to go to the Brothel in base (I had duty service there thought).
The bridge jump at the beginning was quite funny, except we had to run there right after disembarking from the plane at Rochambeau and doing or introduction parade in Kourou.

[IDF_TANKER]

the Brothel in base

...?!!!
Elaborate, please...

[BritSig]

Awesome video. I love seeing the legionaires, they are true warriors.

Thanks for the threAD.

[Cedan]

...?!!!
Elaborate, please...

there was a brothel in the base of 3REI until 1995 I think

[gilgoul]

...?!!!
Elaborate, please...

Let say that legionnaires need their beer and their women. There was a "club" not in the perimeter of the base itself but on contiguous military ground, beyond the trucks parking area, where ladies from south america would comfort exhausted legionnaires for a fee.
The "good" aspect of the trade was that condoms were required, a log was kept of the visitors, the ladies would benefit from full health coverage during the time of their "stint" and they would be paid according to a "fair" share.
The alternative was street hookers and club madames, with a AIDS infection rate approaching 80% and rather loose sanitary conditions.
I don't condone the thing per se, but I think it was a good thing this place existed, it allowed a form of "controlled" pimping without total exploitation of the girls, while keeping the legionnaires fit for service, and avoiding too much STD's within the regiment.

I heard the place was closed down a few years after I was there.

[Friendly Fire]

...?!!!
Elaborate, please...


French usually (historicaly) allow the "temporary settlement of recreationnal activities" close to their camp. In Djibuti it's even a freaking business.

[Ralf174978]

Here's another good video (approx. 54 minutes, 395 MB) about the commando course at CEFE:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/images/icons/icon2.gif Aguerrissement CEFE French-Guyane 2004 (http://ralf.itswiss.biz/Kommandolehrgang_Guayana_2004.wmv)

http://ralf.lalegion.ch/media/weihnachtsmann.gif