3rd Marine Infantry Regiment

The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment (3e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine, 3e RIMa) is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine. It formed part of the 2nd Brigade of the Blue Division during the Franco-Prussian War. The regiment was subordinated to the 9th Marine Light Armored Brigade itself part of the Land Forces Command.

Organisation
The regiment is composed of approximately 1300 men and women:


 * 4 combat companies: 1st Company (The Forbans), 2nd Company (The Camel), 3rd Company (Cats lean), 4th Company (The Scorpions)
 * 1 scout and weapon company
 * 1 company of long-range anti-tank combat (dissolved in 2008).
 * 1 company command and logistics.
 * 1 company statement.
 * Two reserve companies..

Missions

 * Regularly screened overseas (including Guyana) and Africa (Chad, Gabon, Central) as all units that used to be called the "Colonial", the 3rd RIMa also distinguished himself in the division during the Daguet Gulf War and the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Sarajevo at the capture of the Vrbanja bridge in May 1995.


 * Since 2002, the staffs are projected six months per year:


 * 2002: NATO Kosovo Operation Trident - Bimoto then BATFRA 1
 * 2003: Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire
 * 2003: Democratic Rep. of Congo Ituri Bunia - En Ops Ops MAMBA + EU ARTEMIS
 * 2004: Afghanistan, New Caledonia
 * 2004-2005: Côte d'Ivoire
 * 2005: Kosovo, RCA
 * 2006-2007: Côte d'Ivoire
 * 2008: Kosovo, RCA
 * 2009: Afghanistan (Task Force Korrigan)
 * 2012-2013 Mali

Decorations

 * Croix de guerre 1914-1918 with 1 palm with 1 star, Serbian Memorial Medal.
 * Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with 1 palm.
 * commended in French Army orders 1978-1991.

Officers and marines

 * Joseph Gallieni

Sources and bibliography

 * Erwan Bergot, La coloniale du Rif au Tchad 1925-1980, imprimé en France : décembre 1982, n° d'éditeur 7576, n° d'imprimeur 31129, sur les presses de l'imprimerie Hérissey.