Bernard Grail


Bernard Grail is a Général of the French Army and a former Commandant of the Foreign Legion.

Military career

Bernard Grail was admitted to the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in September 1967, and was part of class “Lieutenant-colonel de Sairigné”, he was nominated to the rank of second lieutenant in October 1968.
Following, he chose the mechanized infantry and rejoined in September 1969, the application school of the armored cavalry arm of Saumur, then in February 1970, the Infantry application school.
In August, he was assigned to the 35th Mechanized Infantry Regiment as a platoon leader. He was accordingly promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 1 October.
He joined for the first time the ranks of the Foreign Legion in August 1973 to command a platoon of the 2ème REP at Calvi. He then occupied the position of company executive officer, then was promoted to the rank of captain on 1 January 1976. During his tenure as commanding officer of the 4th company, he participated in May 1978, in operation “Bonite” of the 11th Parachute Division 11e DP as an aide de camp of the general commanding of the division. He then took the position of Head of the Overseas to the general commandant of the 6th Light Armoured Division 6e DLB.
On 1 September 1999 he assumed command of the Foreign Legion, where he was promoted to Général de division on 1 August 2001.
He was designated general assistant major to the general commandant of the South-West region as of 1 July 2002.

Recognitions and honors