DÉFENSE ZONE
In the portfolio of our latest issue, Défense Zone takes you to Djibouti, to the heart of the Scorpion II course, which concludes more than a year of training for the future commandos of the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment (13e RDP).
This report won first prize in the “photo report” category of the French Army’s 2022 “Sergent Sébastien Vermeille” photography award.
Text and photos: Nicolas D. / COMFST
Training without compromise
This report was produced in November 2021 in Djibouti, with the Scorpion II detachment. This hardening course in an arid environment is intended for the future team members of the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment. The training is long and intensive, in a particularly demanding environment. Besides the heat, the trainees have to cope with very rocky terrain, mostly steep, carrying packs of more than 40 kg, not counting their weapons and individual equipment.
Becoming a team member in the 13e RDP
After more than a year of training, the Scorpion II course in Djibouti has several purposes. First, to confront the future team members with the arid environment; then, to pack varied training into a few weeks, such as shooting, explosives handling sessions, combat first aid and fast-roping training. Finally, it is the moment when the young commandos carry out complete intelligence missions entirely on their own, a foretaste of what their future job will be in this prestigious regiment of the Army Special Forces Command.
Portfolio
Find out more
Read our article on the training of 13e RDP team members.
More information on our YouTube channel
You can find this portfolio in full in Défense Zone issue 8
You can subscribe to our magazine and receive our very latest issue, access exclusive content and benefit from our partners’ offers on gear and equipment.
