They chose the gendarmerie. 29 volunteers from Touraine from the National Universal Service (SNU) carry out their general interest mission with the gendarmes of Indre-et-Loire. Before joining the brigades, these high school students aged 15 to 17 spent the week of October 25 to 29 in training, hosted at the military air base in Tours.
Discipline and cohesion
“I chose the gendarmerie for discipline, rigor, and this spirit of cohesion”, explains Louane. The young woman also wishes to become a gendarme. This internship, which is the second phase of the SNU, after the cohesion internship last June, allows him to get to know this universe better. “We know him as civilians, but without knowing everything behind him”.
They come looking for a structured living environment – Colonel Christian Potel
Discovery of the military world, flag raising, physical activities (orienteering, martial arts …), or learning to shoot … For five days, the volunteers see the functioning of the gendarmerie. “We are all in the same uniform. We forget the differences a little. When we walk in step or when we sing the Marseillaise, it strengthens cohesion”, Laura likes.
– Chloe martin
A discovery of the diversity of the corps of the gendarmerie
Not all of them necessarily want to become gendarmes or soldiers, but “they come to seek a structured living environment and like this rigor”, remarks the reserve colonel Christian Potel, in charge of this internship. The opportunity also for them to discover the diversity of professions within the gendarmerie.
“After this internship, they will visit specialized units and we are lucky to have many in the department. A river brigade, a dog brigade, a helicopter section, a GIGN antenna, technical and scientific police technicians. . “, lists the colonel.
Young volunteers trained in the prevention of bullying at school
These passages in brigade will also allow these cadets of the gendarmerie to make prevention of bullying at school. During the internship, they had to collectively think about a flyer. “We decided to put several keywords on the poster, the number of harassed children and the numbers to contact”, describes Soline.
The young people involved were trained by the family protection house, a specialized unit of the gendarmerie to fight violence, particularly sexual violence and against children. “I was a victim for many years of bullying at school. Thanks to this internship, I can directly fight it. It is a project that I took very seriously”, testifies Diane. It is their turn to distribute this flyer to the brigades closest to them. “It allows us to get in touch with the population and to be able to discuss the subject”, indicates Louane.
This general interest mission will end at the end of the school year. Those who wish can then join the gendarmerie reserve, after a final training, once they are 18 years old.