This Saturday, June 13, the military and firefighters were invited to the parking lot of a supermarket in Auch to present their profession to young and old. Tactical vehicles, demonstrations and discussions attracted the curious. An operation to awaken vocations from the age of sixteen.
It’s an original initiative which took place this weekend in the Carrefour car park on avenue des Pyrénées, in Auch. At the invitation of the brand, soldiers and firefighters took over the area around the supermarket to meet residents and introduce their jobs to the general public.
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On the Army side, it was Chief Warrant Officer Freddy, head of the information and recruitment center (CIRFA) based in Agen, who led the operation on the military side. He explains the approach: “Auch has been a military desert since the barracks closed. This day allows the people of Gers to discover the jobs that we can offer.”
An exhibition in the parking lot
To make the meeting attractive, several pieces of military equipment were on display: the VTL4 tactical liaison vehicle, successor to the iconic P4, a mannequin equipped with the new protective vest and the HK416 rifle provided by the army, as well as parachutes, combat rations and survival and health kits.
Enough to arouse the curiosity of passers-by, young and old. Fire trucks, fire hoses and mannequins were also presented. And the youngest were able to learn.
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Because it is the youth that we also seek to reach. From the age of 16, it is possible to register for a discovery military preparation, “a week of immersion to explore the different specialties of the army”, specifies the chief warrant officer. From the age of 17, the reserve opens its doors.
The soldier also seeks to sweep away the clichés. “We don’t just have infantrymen. We have 16 areas, more than 117 trades, from mechanics to catering, including logistics. Trades which come from the civilian world and which we continue to train within our institution.”
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And from the age of 18, the National Voluntary Service (SNV) offers the possibility of living nine months within the institution. Among firefighters, between the ages of 11 and 18, it is possible to become a young firefighter (JSP) and later become a volunteer firefighter.
