11e régiment d’infanterie légion étranger

**11e régiment d’infanterie légion étranger** (11e REI) is a Foreign Legion infantry unit in the French Union Army and is currently engaged in the Sahel War.

# History

   11e REI was raised in 2008 with a cadre of officers and senior NCOs from other Legion units. The majority of its legionnaires were recruited from Europe and North Africa, with a significant percentage of fomer prisoners of war from Warsaw Pact countries and the former Yugoslavia. Regardless of their previous experience in other nation's militaries, all newly recruited personnel received the lowly rank of Legionnaire de 2e classe.

   The regiment deployed to West Africa in December 2008, although only recently formed and regarded by the regimental commandant and the Legion's commandant general to be of limited combat effectiveness. The Ministry of War (Fr: Ministère de la guerre) overruled the objections, citing exigent circumstances and an immediate need for reinforcements for the Third Ivorian Civil War (2008-2009). The regiment performed poorly during its first few months in combat, lacking unit cohesion, suffering from poor morale, and taking heavy casualties. Gradually, during the next few months, the regiment gained experience and began peforming to the Leigion's expected standard.

   In November 2009, the regiment returned to France for a period of reorganization and reinforcement. Newly trained legionnaires replaced the regiment's combat casualties, and "veteran" legionnaires with a 12+ months in service were promoted to Legionnaire de 1er classe.

# Demographics

The regiment comprises multiple nationalities. The majority of legionnaires in 11e REI were born in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (40 percent), with another large group from the former Yugoslavia and Greece (20 percent), followed by South Americans (15 percent), Asians (10 percent), Africans (10 percent), and Western Europeans and North Americans (5 percent).

Officers in 11e REI all French citizens. Legionnaires may apply for French citizenship after serving five years (increased from previous three in 2001).

# Organization

    11e REI organization, 1 January 2010:

* État-major
	+ CDT Mathieu Lesueur, chef de bataillon
	+ CNE Jacques Mestral, adjoint
	+ LTN Paul Guérin, officier du renseignement
* Compagnie de commandement et de logistique (CCL) - CNE Armand Jaurès, chef de compagnie
	+ Section de reconnaissance - ADJ Petar Nenadović, chef de section
	+ Section de transmisssions - LTN Guillaume Kocsur, chef de section
	+ Section de ravitaillement carburants et munitions - ADJ Elmir Bareev, chef de section
	+ Groupe de pionniers-sapeurs - SGT Krzysztof Nowak - sergent de pionniers
	+ Service médical de l’unité - LTN Mohamed Malek - médecin
* 1er Compagnie de combat (1er Cie) - CNE Philippe Barrès, chef de compagnie
* 2e Compagnie de combat (2e Cie) - CNE Jean-François Theroux, chef de compagnie
* 3e Compagnie de combat (3e Cie) - CNE Charles Ortoli, chef de compagnie
	+ Section de combat - SCH Arnold Weyers, chef de section
	+ Section de combat - SCH Aristotelis Katrakis, chef de section
	+ Section de combat - ADJ Dimitry Petrov, chef de section
	+ Section de section appuis - LTN Michel Pelleveau, chef de section

# Status

* Subordination: 31e Brigade
* Current Location: West Africa
* Manpower: 400
* Armoured Vehicles: 0
* Aircraft: 0

# Equipment

## Small arms

The regiment is equipped with standard French Union small arms, including the FAMAS F1 and FAMAS G2 rifles, the FN FNC rifle and carbine, the FN Minimi light machine gun, and the ANF1 general purpose machine gun.

## Vehicles

The regiment has TRM 2000 trucks, TRM 4000 trucks, P4 jeeps, and VBL light armoured vehicles. It has also acquired local vehicles of various types, particularly "technicals," and at one point in 2010 had a former Tchad Army T-55 tank (since destroyed).

# Commanders

* CDT Douvillier (Apr 2008 - Jan 2009)
* CNE Solingy (Jan 2009 - Jul 2009)
* CDT Lesueur (Jul 2009 - present)