4th Foreign Regiment

The 4th Foreign Regiment (4e Régiment étranger, 4e RE) is the unit responsible for training the French Foreign Legion. Prior to assuming its responsibility of training Foreign Legion personnel, the 4th Foreign Regiment was an infantry regiment which participated in campaigns in Morocco, French Indochina, and Algeria.

History
Originally established as the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment on November 1, 1920 in Marrakesh, Morocco during the Rif War. In November 1940, the regiment was disbanded to allow its ranks to be reorganized into the 11th Foreign Regiment of Infantry and the 12th Foreign Regiment of Infantry. Shortly thereafter the regiment was reestablished as the 4th Demibrigade of the Foreign Legion. Under that name it operated as part of the Free French forces until 1943 when it was again disbanded as part of another French military reorganization.

In July 1962, the 4th Foreign Regiment was redeployed to southern Algeria where the regiment was tasked with guarding the oil fields and French nuclear facilities in the region. The 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded and its subordinate units were folded into the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment. In October 1976 the Foreign Legion established a new Instruction Regiment (Regiment d'Instruction) at Castelnaudary by divesting the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment's Instruction Group (Groupement d' Instruction).

The 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment's lineage was passed on to the new Instruction Regiment. In 1980 the Instruction Regiment was given its current name as the 4th Foreign Regiment.

Organization
The Regiment consists of six companies:

The regimental headquarters company which also has integrated logistical capabilities. This company has several subordinate administrative units such as the Office of Maintenance and Logistics, the Office of Job Training (Bureaux Instruction Empoi), and the Directorate of Human Resources (Direction des Ressources Humaines). Responsible for performing recruit basic training. The regiment has three such companies. Conducts all NCO education and professional development courses. Conducts training courses in administrative and technical skill. This company teaches over forty courses a year ranging from three to fifteen weeks each.
 * Compagnie de Commandement et des Services (CCS) - Command and Services Company
 * Compagnies d’Étranger Voluntaire (CEV) - Foreign Volunteer Companies
 * Compagnie d’Instruction des Cadres (CIC) - Cadre Training Company
 * Compagnie d’Instruction des Spécialistes (CIS) - Specialist Instruction Company