Interview with a Legionary Knight

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In this post we are going to conduct an interview with a legionnaire knight, this interview has been carried out thanks to the staff of our Discord channel.

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Many times, I have gone on a march dead from fatigue and I have been repeating in my head the spirit of the March: "A legionnaire will never say that he is tired, until he collapses, he will be the fastest and most resistant body."

How do you feel about being a legionnaire?

Being a legionnaire is a source of pride, putting on the chapiri and knowing that you belong to that small percentage of people who have the privilege of wearing it is a very fulfilling feeling, you experience many incredible things and in the end everything you experience in the legion ends up being anecdotes. that one will be able to tell when one is a grandfather.

What do you have to do to earn the chapiri?

You do a ufal (Legion training and adaptation unit) or uil, depending on whether you are in the peninsula or in the autonomous cities, which is a period of adaptation to legionary life, there they tighten the screws more than in the cefot , which by the way, do not push anything, a lot of brisk walking, field training, they teach you our customs and traditions, our Legionary Creed, you practice the combat table a lot and you play a lot with weapons that you later find in the companies.

How does it feel to earn the chapiri?

Well, you feel that something you have wanted for years has finally arrived, you feel that you have entered the legionary family, you feel that you are part of the ranks of one of the best units in the world, you feel that you have the sacred oath not to abandon no man in the field until all perish.

Do you recommend as a first unit to someone who has just entered?

Yes, if what you want is to be operational, live the legion, and train well as a soldier.

Do you think it's a drive to stay long or is it a lot of physical exhaustion?

In my opinion it is a unit to harden, learn and soak up the legionary spirit, however, the same thing happens as with the rest of the operational units: a lot of physical beating, maneuvers, continuations, marches... If you intend to live well or work little is not your place, studying is difficult (not impossible).

What is day to day like?

Sports (almost always running), shower, quick breakfast and we change fields for daily instruction. Combat in urbanized areas, tccc, conventional combat, we learn to use all the weapons that an infantryman has at his disposal such as the mg42, mg4, ag36...

What are the maneuvers like?

There are several types, vehicular maneuvers where we drive almost all the time, we disembark and whatever: assault a position, assault a town...

There are kicking maneuvers, there are no combat vehicles and we go on foot to all places, they are tanning maneuvers, a lot of night movement, brave dads, infiltrations... And obviously conventional combat and in population.

Then there are more didactic maneuvers, to learn from ieds with sappers for example.

Do you think it is a unit that can be studied?

You can study anywhere, although it is true that it is more difficult than in a less operational unit, but if you organize yourself, you will eventually study. I know a lieutenant who was a legionnaire, a legionnaire who is a sergeant and I know several who are civil guards today, everything is a challenge, but you have to be very committed to studying to achieve it.

What does the groom of death mean to you?

From my heart, for me it is a song that we sing to our fallen, it bothers me as much as the rest of the legionary knights of Spain when civilians, gunmen, civil guards sing it like this in mockery, because it is a song that many legionaries have sung with tears in our eyes, it is the maximum expression of respect for our fallen who await us higher up.

What does the legionary creed mean to you?

The lifestyle of La Legión, that's what everything that is done in La Legión is based on. Absolutely everything. Many times, I have gone on a march dead from fatigue and I have been repeating in my head the spirit of the March: "A legionnaire will never say that he is tired, until he collapses, he will be the fastest and most resistant body." And so in all things of my work, each spirit of the creed has a place in our daily journey. And also in civil life, the creed makes the way of the knight.

Approximately how often do you go on mission in the legion?

It comes out a lot, what happens is that different companies and flags come out. Almost every year they are dating. Keep in mind that we have 4 thirds, a sapper flag, a headquarters flag, an artillery group, a cavalry group, a logistics group... Every year someone catches something.

Is it a unit where shooting, combat tactics, etc. are regularly practiced?

Yes, yes, the manuals are updated, and we try to mechanize all the procedures we have so that in a real situation they come out by instinct, a lot of effort is made, a lot of military training is done. Normally four days a week for military training and one for maintenance, it is usually like this.

What are the controls like?

There is everything, the corporals here have a lot of power, seniority is a degree in the end... Their experience is what reinforces the training of the legionnaires, non-commissioned officers, the truth is that the ones I have met personally are very competent and very professional . The officers are the ones who lead the sections, companies and flags, often to improve their training they carry out command-only maneuvers, they attend many courses and training days to be up to the task of instructing the legionaries.

How can you enter the BOEL?

You have to go to the special operations course, to enter you have to pass some tests and then endure the course, finally in order of rank you choose the BOEL and that's it. Said like this it sounds easy, but it is not a path that anyone can follow.

Do the controls allow you to use material that is not provided?

It depends. There are flags that are yes, others that are not. It depends on the Lieutenant Colonel on duty. In what is the first line, you see that they have no problem, now the issue of license plate holders, helmet... According to the flag and company. There are companies where they are allowed, others where they are not. The weapon, if you ask your boss for permission and he authorizes it, you can put toys in it.

What is the most operational flag?

There is none as such but it is true that the most operational are the infantry, we are always on maneuvers or doing training.

What do you do throughout the year? Approximate calendar of what is done each year in the legion

Well, it depends on the objective of that year, a year of normal instruction is not the same as a year of high school (in a high school, real situations are simulated and prepared in a mission).

A normal year always starts the same and ends the same, a season of high intensity (maneuvers, marches, continuous, prolonged...) and by summer we enter a period of low intensity where the CIA's facilities are improved, the weapons or any task that is entrusted.

How do you live on September 20 and October 12?

September 20 is our anniversary, it is lived with the greatest intensity that you can imagine, we open the door of our barracks so that family members can come and enjoy the day with us, it is a very important date, the event is prepared with great precision and you live with a lot of passion. October 12 is lived as any Spaniard should, with pride and satisfaction of being what we are.

What does a person need to be a good legionnaire?

The first thing is to want to be one, that is the most important thing and then, what is typical for any legionary style unit, a good physique, a good moral formation, a great vocation for service and a camaraderie that is equally strong within the base as out. A lot of attitude and a lot of desire to want to be the best legionnaire in the country. That guarantees you being a good legionnaire.

Do you want to give any advice to finish the interview?

Whoever wants to be a Legionary Knight should fight for it, let no one tell you that you are no good, or that you are not going to arrive, if I have arrived, anyone can, you just have to want to be it and work for it, you can be whatever you want if you really work on it. Whoever sows something reaps it, so future legionnaires should sow the seed of the chapiri from today so that in the future they can reap its fruit.

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Filed in: Legión

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Comments

Jaime - May 16, 2023
CL entrevistado: acuérdese que el legionario muere legionario. Esos civiles, “pistolos” (adjetivo deplorable que sólo califica al que lo usa), guardias civiles, etc, que cantan el novio de la muerte, muy probablemente son legionarios desde antes que usted lo fuera.

Muñeco - June 26, 2022
Ha dicho toda la verdad sobre esta familia, hay altos y bajos, penas y alegrías pero siempre hay algún compañero que en esos momentos te dice alguna tontería y te saca una sonrisa. Es una gran unidad pero lo más importante es sentirte lleno con el chapiri por qué eso es lo que va a inclinar la balanza en los malos momentos. En La legión caben todos pero no todos valen…
Un cuerpo fuerte cuenta pero una mente dura es lo principal.

enrique - June 19, 2022
Me ha parecido correctísima la entrevista y las repuestas, cada uno somos un mundo y a cada persona según las circunstancias, estas experiencias les pueden sentar mal o peor y acompañarles toda la vida.