STICK ACTION SPÉCIALE - An operator from the 1er RPIMa tells his story

Finding his preparatory maths studies deadly dull, Alexandre Alex dreams of joining the army and becoming a "commando", though he has no real idea what that might actually mean. When a recruiter tries to sell him the role of "computer commando" in order to steer him toward signals rather than inform him about special forces, Alexandre comes close to being tempted…

He ultimately opts for the École des sous-officiers at Saint-Maixent, where his final ranking allows him to join the 1er RPIMa as a "direct sergeant". A freshly commissioned young sergeant straight out of school, he must now navigate among soldiers and non-commissioned officers far more experienced than himself in one of the most prestigious regiments of the French Army. Above all, he must pass the Recherche Aéroportée & Action Spéciale (RAPAS) training course, which will make him a member of a Stick Action Spéciale (SAS), before moving on to further training and courses, then proving himself in the field.

First would come Afghanistan, then Mauritania, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic. But there would also be Operation Archange Foudroyant which, on 10 January 2011 in Mali, following a daring heliborne raid, would end with the tragic deaths of two French hostages, Antoine and Vincent. After ten years of service, came the return to civilian life, with all its difficulties and lessons. By turns delivery driver, bar owner, homeless, bodyguard and then entrepreneur, Alexandre Alex would find a way to bounce back and return to the world he knows best: security.