Commando Parachute Group


The Commando Parachute Group is a unit of elite pathfinders within the French Army's 11th Parachute Brigade. These pathfinders are paratroopers drawn from the various regiments of the brigade who then undertake GCP training and must pass various requirements. Referred to as "commandos paras", they numbered less than 250 men in 2015 out of the more than 8,000 paratroopers serving in the 11e BP. This unit doesn’t belong to French Special Forces but to 11 Parachute Brigade.
The GCP also has what can be considered a sister unit within the French Army: the Groupement de Commandos de Montagne or GCM, which is part of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade. While the GCP members are exclusively selected from airborne regiments, GCM commandos are drawn from the French mountain units, notably from the Alpine Hunter battalions.

History

The GCP were founded in 1965 as Équipes de Saut Ouverture à Grande Hauteur, SOGH. On January 1, 1982; the unit was renamed de et d' dans la , CRAP, a designation nomination which was kept until 1999. In 1969, the Deep Action and Reconnaissance Commandos of the 2e REP saw action for the first time in Chad.

Structure

In 2007, the GCP aligns under their command 19 Teams of paratroopers commandos constituted of a dozen members. The GCP Teams are dispersed in the following French airborne regiments:

Selection

In order to serve in the GCP the candidate must meet the following requirements-To be the rank of corporal 'or higher in the French Armed ForcesMust pass 11th Parachute Brigade / Commando Parachute Group selectionTo be medically fit for parachute jump and thus acquiring the following qualifications: TAP et Chuteurs Opérationnels.
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  • To be adept whilst out in the field minimum 4 month plus deployment.
  • To have security clearance type classification
  • To pass Pre-Selection, which consists of:
  • * 2 rope climbs carrying full opex gear and arms
  • * A swim in combat fatigues that includes underwater tests and 5 meter rope climb from the water; depending on mother regiment this may be in rough winter seas.
  • * An obstacle course to be completed under a set time.
  • * An orientation/navigation test to be completed under a set time.
  • * A 30 km TAP in full fighting order to be completed under a set time with record held by CCH Graham Pelham of 2e REP GCP in 2hrs 28 min, 1994.
  • * 1500m and 8000m runs in full opex gear and arms, to be completed under set times.
  • * Unarmed combat skills and aggression tests including 'milling' a type of no rules boxing.
  • * An interview and general skills testing with current serving members of the GCP
  • To pass the Brevet Niveaux 1 et 2 du Centre National d'Entraînement Commando at Mont-Louis
  • * Brevet Niveau 1: « Commando Entrainement »
  • * Brevet Niveau 2: « Moniteur des Techniques Commandos » for senior NCOs and officers or « Moniteur des Techniques Commandos Spécialisés » for junior NCOs
  • To pass the 'Chuteur Opérationnel' de l'ETAP' course that lasts three months.
Upon completion of program, candidate is integrated in GCP Teams.