The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère, L.E.) is a military service wing of the French Army established in 1831, unique because it was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces. Commanded by French officers, it is also open to French citizens, who amounted to 24% of the recruits as of 2007.
The Foreign Legion is today known as an elite unit whose training focuses not only on traditional military skills but also on its strong esprit de corps. As its men come from different countries with different cultures, this is a way to strengthen them enough to work as a team. Consequently, training is often described as not only physically challenging, but also very stressful psychologically. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is now being instructed in the legion. Many Brazilian BJJ players are legionnaires and have been instructing the art for the past years. BJJ Eastern Europe sat down with BJJ brown belt under GFTeam Andre Almeida, Legion BJJ instructor who talked about the growth of BJJ within the legion: 

1. Hi can you introduce yourself to the BJJ communit of Eastern Europe?

My Name is Andre Almeida and my Legion name is Caporal (Corporal) Figueiredo. I’m a brown belt in BJJ, 31 years old, and with GFTeam. We will bring Rodolfo Vieira in July for a seminar in Marseille and in November the Master Julio Cesar.

2. Could you tell us about your background and how you got started in BJJ?

I started BJJ in Brazil when I was still a teenager, 14, 15, I stopped training for some time during my military service back in Brazil, because I had no time. It was really difficult..

3. Tell us about your BJJ academy in the foreign legion. How did you start, how many black belts, brown etc. ..

Our academy in the Legion has been around for just 1 year! currently there is one black belt (Luizinho) and 1 brown, 5 blue, 13 whites. Here trains together legionnaires and civilians in a very good atmosphere in the legion: a true spirit of cooperation!

4. How much time do you have for training BJJ with your life in the legion ?

It’s true that it’s not easy to train BJJ all the time, but now I’m more senior in the Legion so I have more time, but at the beginning when I commited myself, tI was with 2nd Regiment of Infantarie, so always on a mission. I was in Africa, Afghanistan, French Guiana, it was really difficult.  Basically we Brazilians started training between us.  When you are a young legionnaire there is still the language barrier (They all have to learn French). It wasn’t always easy to communicate in the beginning. The fact that we also trained with civilians was great for socializing.

Andre with a General from the Legion

5. Have you competed in BJJ in France?

in 2013 when I arrived from French Guiana, I participated in The Toulon Open, I was champion in my category. Currently 2 of our students competed in  a competition in Marseille in grappling. Each of them won their weight class. They represented the club very well.

6. How did the Legion react when you created the club? Do they help you?

It was my idea to start this academy because I know that a soldier’s life is not easy, and for some legionnaires it is not easy to leave the regiment and train outside, so I managed to open the academy.  The colonel is happy with the result, even I am going to present Rodolfo Vieira to the legion and they will do an interview with him too!

7. What is your style of BJJ​​?

My style is guard passer. I like to smash my opponents (laughs). I’m a big fan of Rodolfo.

8. What are your plans for 2014/2015? 

We’re bringing Rodolfo here in September and in November 2014 we will bring the master Julio Cesar here for a seminar. In 2015 we will bring back a team of civilians and legionnaires to the Europeans in  Lisbon; and bring back great results!

9. If you want to thank the sponsors or friends, feel free

I would like to thank all my training partners, my students I want to thank you my friend for giving me the opportunity to talk a bit about our club, thank our partnership with GFteam, the master Julio Cesar, Gabriel Rainho living in Germany and who is responsible for GFTeam in Europe.