RED LEGIONOFFICAL REGIMENTAL LOGO
UNOFFICAL REGIMENTAL LOGO
Commanded by Brigadier Kelly
This is the East Moreland military elite. This is made up of around 800 Legionnaires. To become a Red Legionnaire you must first serve at least 5 years in the military and then pass an intensive 31 week training and selection period. After that any member of the Legion can veto your entry by placing your name on the base doors. Once enlisted in the Legion you are on probation for 12 months.
RED LEGION SELECTION PROCESSStage 1 - ApplicationA potential Red Legionnaire must have served a minimum of five years in any branch of the military. To apply they must receive a nomination from two officers and then pass an interview with a Red Legion NCO. After the initial NCO interview the canidadate undergoes various aptitude tests and psychological profiling.
Stage 2 - Red Legion Orientation (1week)Candidates are required to make their way to Red Legion HQ where the course takes place. Candidates undertake a map and compass test, a swimming test, a first aid test and a combat fitness test. Each day features a "Sergeants Adventure" which is some form of adapted run, such as combat run from an unknown location back to HQ. Each day sees distances, weights carried and difficulty of terrain increase.
Stage 3 - Fitness and Navigation (4 weeks) This section starts with basic fitness tests, a 2.4km run to be completed in under 9mins30 seconds, followed immediatly by 45 press ups and 55 sit ups to be completed in two minutes each.
Each week follows a "Trial" at the end. These are tests designed to see a candidates progress and time limits vary dependent on local conditions.
Week 1 - 15km run complete with kit
Week 2 - The Figure of 8. A 24km march to be completed while reading a map and carrying 18kg rucksack, 5kg rifle and each Legionnaire must be in possession of a litre of water when they finish.
Week 3 -Endurance - Using a hand sketched map the Legionnaire must cover 35km carrying 18kg of kit, 5kg rifle and radio. They must navigate from RV to RV meeting an instructor at each stage.
Week 4 - The Long Drag - A 65km navigated route march to be completed in around 20 hours. Candidates must use map and compass to navigate between memorised Grid References where a NCO is waiting. The Legionnaires rucksack must weigh 25kg upon completion and a standard issue rifle must be carried.
Stage 4 - Initial Continuation Training (14 weeks)This consists of detailed and realistic training in weapon handling, vehicle handling, demolitions and small unit patrol tactics. The candidates are assessed each day and any failing to make progress return to their unit immediately.
Stage 5 - Alpine Training (6 weeks)Alpine training is usually carried out in the icey Northern Alps with candidates allocated to a four man patrol, each patrol supervised by a serving Red Legion NCO. Cold and rain are persistent, potentially demoralising the candidate, and skin contusions, frost bit, hyperthermia and blisters must be cared for due to the risk of infection. Training includes winter survival, patrol techniques, navigation, ski handling, camp and observation post techniques, contact drills and medicine.
The final test encompasses these skills, where all things that have been learned must be applied correctly in a tactical environment. Any candidate thought not to be making progress is returned to their unit.
Stage 6 - S.E.R.E Skills(survive, escape, resist, exfil) (5 weeks)Using skills learned so far the potential Legionnaire receives detailed training in Survival skills, Escape and evasion, resistance to capture and exfiltration. Any candidate thought not to be making progress is returned to their unit.
Week four see's Legionnaires given ill fitting 1960's equipment and a hand drawn map. They are to evade capture while travelling between checkpoints with a Hunter force chasing them. Once caught or upon reaching the final checkpoint they are "captured", often realistically, and taken to the Army's interegation centre. There they undertake a week of interegation where giving anything other than "Name, Rank, Number, Date of Birth and "Sorry I can't answer that question" " results in a fail. Candidates are exposed to sleep deprivation, extreme heat and cold, starvation, dehydration and other forms of mental torture.
Stage 7 - War Games (1week)Potential Legionnaires are attached to a patrol preparing for deployment to a live theatre. Here the recruit experiences day to day life as a Red Legionnaire and is expected to be able to integrate within a patrol. The exact nature of this stage depends very much on the operational deployment of the patrol. The NCO of the patrol may return the candidate to their unit at any time.
Final ParadeDuring the final parade candidates who have passed so far are placed on parade with the whole of the Legion that is not deployed. During the parade they are presented with their Red and Black Beret unless a serving member of the Legion veto's their entrance to the Legion.
Probation (12months)
During this time the Legionnaire serves as a member of Red Legion, upon completion of the Probation period the patrol they have served on vote as to whether to give them their full red beret. A majority decision is taken, if they vote to not present the full red beret the Legionnaire is returned to their original unit.
