page_title: French Foreign Legion
section_title: Non-Commissioned and Warrant Officers
hierarchical_section_title: French Foreign Legion / Ranks / Non-Commissioned and Warrant Officers
caption_attribution_description: galon de manche de sergent-chef de la Légion étrangère
context_page_description: The French Foreign Legion is a military service branch of the French Army established in 1831. Legionnaires are highly trained infantry soldiers and the Legion is unique in that it is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces. When it was founded, the French Foreign Legion was not unique; other foreign formations existed at the time in France. The Foreign Legion is today known 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. This is a way to strengthen them enough to work as a team. Consequently, training is often described as not only physically challenging, but also very stressful psychologically. French citizenship may be applied for after three years' service. The Legion is the only part of the French military that does not swear allegiance to France, but to the Foreign Legion itself. Any soldier who gets wounded during a battle for France can immediately apply to be a French citizen under a provision known as "Français par le sang versé". As of 2018, members came from 140 countries.
context_section_description: The insignia for a Sous-officier contains three components. In this case, three upward gold chevrons indicates a Sergent-chef. The diamond-shaped regimental patch (or Écusson) is created from three green borders indicating a Colonial unit; rather than one for "Regulars"  or two for "Reserves". The grenade has seven flames rather than the usual five. Two downward chevrons of seniority attests to at least 10 years service. Some Caporal-Chefs have as much as 6 "chevrons of seniority" attesting to 30 years (plus) of service.
  Sous-officiers (NCOs) including warrant officers account for 25% of the current Foreign Legion's total manpower.
caption: An insignia for a Sous-officier
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