Commando Parachute Group

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Commando Parachute Group" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (December 2009) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the French article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Groupement des commandos parachutistes]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template {{Translated|fr|Groupement des commandos parachutistes}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation. (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Commando Parachute Group
Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes
shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	1965 - present
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Airborne Light Infantry Special Forces
Role	• Pathfinding • Deep Reconnaissance • Special Reconnaissance • Covert Operations • Hostage Rescue • Raiding • Direct action • Foreign home defense • Unconventional Warfare • Information operations
Size	19 Teams (around 250 men in total)
Part of	• Commandement de la force d'action terrestre • (GAOS) Groupement d'appui aux opérations spéciales
Nickname(s)	GCP
Insignia
French Chuteur Opérationnel Brevet of Commando Parachute Group

The Commando Parachute Group (French: Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes, GCP) is a unit of elite pathfinders within the French Army's 11th Parachute Brigade (11e BP). 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" (para commandos), they numbered less than 250 men in 2015 out of the more than 8,000 paratroopers serving in the 11e BP. This unit belongs to GAOS (Groupement d'appui aux opérations spéciales) which belongs to COM FST (Commandement des forces spéciales terre)

The GCP also has what can be considered a sister unit within the French Army: the Groupement de Commandos de Montagne (Mountain Commando Group) 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[edit]

The GCP were founded in 1965 as Équipes de Saut Ouverture à Grande Hauteur, SOGH (High Altitude Jump Teams or HAHO Teams). On January 1, 1982; the unit was renamed (C)ommandos de (R)enseignement et d'(A)ction dans la (P)rofondeur, CRAP (Reconnaissance and Deep Action Commandos), a designation nomination which was conserved till 1999. In 1969, the Deep Action and Reconnaissance Commandos (CRAP) of the 2e REP participate for the first time in Chad.

Structure[edit]

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:

• 11th Parachute Brigade (11e BP)
  • 19 GCP Teams
    • (3 GCP Teams of 10 commandos), 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment
    • (2 GCP Teams), 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment
    • 1st Parachute Train Transport Regiment
    • (3 GCP Teams), 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
    • (2 GCP Teams), 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
    • (2 GCP Teams), 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
    • (2 GCP Teams), 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment
    • (2 GCP Teams), 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment
    • 11th Parachute Transmission and Command Company

Selection[edit]

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 Forces
• Must pass 11th Parachute Brigade / Commando Parachute Group selection
• To be medically fit for parachute jump and thus acquiring the following qualifications: TAP et Chuteurs Opérationnels.

S I G Y C O P (Troupes Aéroportées)

2 1 2 3 3 2 1

S I G Y C O P (Chuteurs Opérationnels)

2 1 2 3 2 2 1

• To be adept whilst out in the field minimum 4 month plus deployment ( More than 4 month on OPEX).
• To have security clearance type classification (SD)
• 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 physically and mentally demanding Brevet Niveaux 1 et 2 du Centre National d'Entraînement Commando (The National Commando Training Centre) (CNEC) 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
  • Brevet Niveau 3: « Instructeur des Techniques Commandos »
• To pass the 'Chuteur Opérationnel' de l'ETAP course (stage 55 501 SOGH) that lasts three months.

Upon completion of program, candidate is integrated in GCP Teams.

See also[edit]

• List of Airborne Regiments of France
• Pathfinder (military)