- Title: FRANCE-ARMY/RECRUITMENT French army in major recruitment drive after attacks
- Date: 4th August 2015
- Summary: NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE (FILE - JANUARY 13, 2015) (REUTERS) SOLDIER PATROLLING OUTSIDE SYNAGOGUE EXTERIOR OF SYNAGOGUE PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JANUARY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SOLIDERS PATROLLING AT NATION SQUARE, A TRANSPORT HUB PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JUNE 26, 2015) (REUTERS) EIFFEL TOWER VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PATROLLING BENEATH THE EIFFEL TOWER AFTER ATTACK AT GAS PLA
- Embargoed: 19th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAVJ6IV8HX13FQS5RMAXDN2PAV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The French army is in the grips of a major recruitment drive after deadly gun attacks in January put it on the front line in protecting sensitive religious sites across the country.
A nationwide publicity campaign using social media and a film broadcast in cinemas and on television aims to fill the ranks of the 7,000 soldiers required to patrol high-risk areas as part of "Operation Sentinelle".
At a recruitment centre in Vincennes in Paris's eastern suburbs, a group of 30 prospective recruits aged from 17 to 29 were taking part in the physical, mental and psychological screening on Tuesday (July 28).
Sweating through the fitness tests under the watchful eye of serving soldiers, they faced 48 hours of scrutiny before being orientated towards training programmes best suited to their skills and profiles.
French army general in charge of recruitment, Frederic Blachon, told Reuters that 2015 marked a turning point with 11,000 extra candidates to be recruited over two years.
"There has been a big change in the number of people recruited, because 2015 marks a significant reinforcement of the army. Those attacks in January really set in motion the recruitment drive we're experiencing today," he said.
On January 7, two brothers opened fire in the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris at the start of three days of violence which left 17 people dead.
The attacks resulted in greatly increased security at sensitive religious buildings across France including synagogues and Jewish schools, tourist sites and transport hubs.
The country was again hit by a separate attack in June when a man attempted to blow up a gas plant in southern France.
For potential recruits like Jean-Jacques Motta Torres, a 19 year-old Parisian, these attacks which have thrust the armed services into the spotlight inspired him to sign up.
"It made me more determined. It affected me and made me want to protect France even more," he said, adding that if he failed he would look into becoming a fireman.
Despite the push for more recruits, the army insists that standards will not slip.
Past failed candidates include Mohamed Merah -- the gunmen responsible for a shooting outside a Jewish school in the southern city of Toulouse in 2012 -- and officials say they are vigilant as ever.
"The French army has been deployed on operations abroad for a very long time, so the people you send to theatres like Afghanistan, Libya, of course you're going to be very careful about the people you chose. So this has only reinforced the caution we exercise normally and which is to be expected from an institution like ours. The French people would not be forgiving if we gave weapons to people who couldn't be trusted," Blachon said.
Blachon added that engineers, mechanics and linguists were particularly sought after.
Research shows that the army remains well respected by the French public with a BVA survey published in May indicating that 80 percent of the population had a favourable opinion of it, and 42 percent of parents would encourage their children to sign up. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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