I received this question by PM and do not feel sufficiently placed nowadays to answer it:
"Anyway, my question: as knowledge about selection tests (Luc Leger, pullups, 25m swim) are pretty clear and information about those can be found everywhere, I couldn't find anything about tests at the end of Castel- the one which determines ranking among Legionnaires. What do they consist of? Soldier skills obviously, but they are taught during training. Language obviously- I'm learning. So the remaining question is: what fitness events it consists of? Unless there is more I don't know about."
So if anyone has any knowledge on the subject, it would be much appreciated.
In my day we had gym tests: squats, pull ups, press ups, rope climbing* and sit ups.
Covapi which was 12 minutes around the track* and the 8 Kms TAP**. Plus the assault course.
There was no swimming test per se, although when you arrived in your regiment you, you were classed as "swimmer" or "Non-swimmer".
*although a little off the subject, for my CAT 4 (képi noir) we had to do the covapi, min. 1650m and either 2 times the 6 metre rope using feet or once using arms only. Obviously the more you ran and the faster you got up the rope the more points you got.
**8 K TAP (Troupe AeroPortée) which consists of running with full kit (combats, webbing, rifle and helmet) and rucksack of 14 Kilos for:
1) 1500m in les than 9 mins.
2) 8000m or 8Kms in less than 60 mins.
For anyone who was wondering what the point of running 8Ks in less than hour;
It was estimated that if the soviets (eh oui -that long ago) were to seal off an area it would take them 1 hour to confine a surface of 8 Kms radius. So if you were told to "bug out" you had an hour to get outside the perimeter.
Not really feasible today with modern troop carriers, but then again, it does show that you are fit enough to do it.
"Anyway, my question: as knowledge about selection tests (Luc Leger, pullups, 25m swim) are pretty clear and information about those can be found everywhere, I couldn't find anything about tests at the end of Castel- the one which determines ranking among Legionnaires. What do they consist of? Soldier skills obviously, but they are taught during training. Language obviously- I'm learning. So the remaining question is: what fitness events it consists of? Unless there is more I don't know about."
So if anyone has any knowledge on the subject, it would be much appreciated.
In my day we had gym tests: squats, pull ups, press ups, rope climbing* and sit ups.
Covapi which was 12 minutes around the track* and the 8 Kms TAP**. Plus the assault course.
There was no swimming test per se, although when you arrived in your regiment you, you were classed as "swimmer" or "Non-swimmer".
*although a little off the subject, for my CAT 4 (képi noir) we had to do the covapi, min. 1650m and either 2 times the 6 metre rope using feet or once using arms only. Obviously the more you ran and the faster you got up the rope the more points you got.
**8 K TAP (Troupe AeroPortée) which consists of running with full kit (combats, webbing, rifle and helmet) and rucksack of 14 Kilos for:
1) 1500m in les than 9 mins.
2) 8000m or 8Kms in less than 60 mins.
For anyone who was wondering what the point of running 8Ks in less than hour;
It was estimated that if the soviets (eh oui -that long ago) were to seal off an area it would take them 1 hour to confine a surface of 8 Kms radius. So if you were told to "bug out" you had an hour to get outside the perimeter.
Not really feasible today with modern troop carriers, but then again, it does show that you are fit enough to do it.