I think I could buy into the Legionaries for security, but otherwise it looks like uncomfortable duty to me. I love the last part of the post. I spent my three and a half years on active duty in the amphibious forces. When I was a boat group officer I liked to say that I lead the Marines to the beach, which was true.
The chief who presided over our boat training stressed that our chances of making in down the the boat lane in an opposed assault was three out of ten.
The French Army is not the same one that surrendered to the Nazis in 1940. By all stories the French Army gave a pretty good account of themselves in Afghanistan before withdrawing.
Three out of ten? I like better odds than that.