The Foreign Legion Command () (official) is the Command of the Foreign Legion in the French Army.
The Legion is led by a French general, a Legion officer () 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 () L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command)(official), led by another senior officer, chief of the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command () (official). As of 2017, the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command includes several divisions related to the functioning of the Legion. L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (general staff headquarters of the Foreign Legion Command) 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. The Général de division commanding the Legion, also known as Father of the Legion () or Foreign Legion Command Chief () Le C.O.M.L.E, Le Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (C.O.M.L.E, The Foreign Legion Command) (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. The commands of the C.O.M.L.E division general commandant extends to:
Guardian of Legion Esprit de Corps, Legion Patrimony and Legion Traditions Guardian Protector of Personnel Serving at Foreign Status Command of General Personnel Administration Operations Command of Training and Instructing Procedure Implementations Guardian of Legion Communities
The Music of the Foreign Legion (MLE) is led by the Music Chief. History of the French Foreign Legion Music Band
History The Legion is part of the History of France., « La Légion étrangère fait partie de l’histoire de France » ( The French Foreign Legion is part of the History of France), correspondence interview with Foreign Legion Command chief general Jean Maurin, source : Ministry of the Armies (). it was created by a King, combat engaged at Camarón under an Emperor and has known to endure the most heavy losses under the Republic., « La Légion étrangère fait partie de l’histoire de France » ( The French Foreign Legion is part of the History of France), correspondence interview with COMLE chief general Jean Maurin, source : Ministry of the Armies ().
Pionniers & Legion Regiments
RegimentRegiment InsigniaLegion Regimental Command1st Foreign Regiment, (1er R.E) Official Website of the 1st Foreign RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er RE Colonel Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE), Regimental Commanders from (1841 to 1955) Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE), Regimental Commanders from (1955 - present)Legion Pionniers Sections of TraditionC.O.M.L.E Exclusive Command4th Foreign Regiment, (4e R.E) Official Website of the 4th Foreign RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 4e RE Colonel Official Website of the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), Regimental Commanders from (1920 - present)Legion Pionniers GroupsC.O.M.L.E Exclusive CommandForeign Legion Recruiting Group, (G.R.L.E) Official Website of the Foreign Legion Recruiting GroupForeign Legion Tenure (2007 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - GRLE Colonel Official Website of the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (GRLE), Regimental Commanders from (2007 - present)C.O.M.L.E Command1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, (1er R.E.C) Official Website of the 1st Foreign Cavalry RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er REC Colonel Official Website of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), Regimental Commanders from (1921 - present)Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er R.E.G) Official Website of the 1st Foreign Engineer RegimentForeign Legion Teunure (1999 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er REG Colonel Official Website of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), Regimental Commanders (1984 - present)Legion Pionniers GroupsAirborne Combat EngineersRegiment part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (2e R.E.I) Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Infantry RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REI Colonel Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), Regimental Commanders (1841 - present)Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, (2e R.E.P) Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1948 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REP Colonel Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), Regimental Commanders (1955 - present) Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of Regimental and Commanders of the CEPs, BEPs and REPs (1948-Present)Commando Parachute GroupRegiment part of the French 11th Parachute Brigade2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, (2e R.E.G) Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1999 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REG Colonel Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG), Regimental Commanders (1999 - present)Legion Pionniers GroupsAirborne Combat EngineersRegiment part of the French 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (3e R.E.I) Official Website of the 3rd Foreign Infantry RegimentForeign Legion Tenure (1945 - present)formerMarching Regiment of the Foreign Legion, (R.M.L.E)Foreign Legion Tenure (1915-1920) - (1942-1945)Foreign Legion Regiment - 3e REI Colonel Official Website of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Regimental Commanders (1915 - present)Legion Pionniers GroupsRegiment part of territorial command of French Army13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion, (13e D.B.L.E) Official Website of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Tenure (1940 - present)Foreign Legion Regiment - 13e DBLE Colonel Official Website of the 13th Dem-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e DBLE), Regimental Commander (1940- Present) Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured BrigadeForeign Legion Detachment in Mayotte, (D.L.M.E) Official Website of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Foreign Legion Teunure (1973 - present)Foreign Legion Detachment - DLME Colonel Official Website of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (DLME) and 2nd Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e Co. 3e REI), Regimental CommanderLegion Pionniers GroupsDetachment part of the territorial command of the French Army
Creation and different nominations (1931-1984) The command of the Foreign Legion is stationed at quartier Vienot in Aubagne alongside the 1st Foreign Regiment. 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) () was created. Between 1934 and 1935, the I.L.E was dissolved. In 1948, the I.L.E is recreated. On September 1, 1950; the I.L.E was dissolved and the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) () is created. On July 1, 1955; the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) () was created. On September 16, 1957; the C.O.L.E. became the Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E.) (). On July 1, 1964; the I.T.L.E. was dissolved. On September 1, 1972, creation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) () which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion (G.O.L.E.) (). On July 1, 1984, the G.L.E became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) ().
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, 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.) 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. 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. The G.A.L.E. was made up of a headquarter staff at Sidi bel-Abbès, the Communal Depot of the Legion, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment which included all training/ instruction units, the intelligence service, and the Moral Service for Works of the Foreign Legion ()(S.O.M.L.E.).
In 1954, at the end of the First Indochina War, the Foreign Legion was reorganized. The 1st Foreign Regiment 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. 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 .
In 1972, after efforts by Colonel Marcel Letestu, 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 and the 2nd Foreign Regiment 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 combined arms brigades. The 31st Brigade engaged in peacekeeping combat operations in Lebanon as part of the Multinational Force in Lebanon under the command of Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon. The 31st Brigade was subsequently replaced by the 6th Light Armoured Division in 1984 and then became designated as the 6th Light Armoured Brigade following the Gulf War as part of Division Daguet.
On July 1, 1984 the G.L.E. inherited the denomination of Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E.) ().
Organization
In the mission, the division general commanding the Foreign Legion is assisted by a general staff headquarters which service operations are based on the personnel of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er 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 (): Division ensured the management of the ensemble administration of personnel serving at Foreign Status. Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (): 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, (): 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 ().