The people of Var present for the July 14 parade in Paris: meeting with Lieutenant Mikaël of the Canjuers camp
In the heights of Provence, in the middle of the song of the cicadas, a Jaguar appears… This could have been taken from a fable by Jean de La Fontaine but it is not. The scene takes place in the Canjuers military camp. Here, the Jaguar is armored.
It weighs 25 tons and is over 7 meters long. With its 40 millimeter gun, it is cut out for combat. The Jaguar is the Army’s new reconnaissance and combat vehicle.
It comes from the Scorpion program, the objective of which is to renew and modernize the capabilities of the military. To subdue the beast, Lieutenant Mikaël appears. Within the 1st Regiment of African Hunters (1st RCA), the officer occupies a preponderant role since he is an armored instructor at the training and perception center of the base.
Thus, in the Canjuers military camp, the 47-year-old man is at home. Like a fish in water, or rather a jaguar among the trees, the 35,000 hectare site is so full of greenery. It was here that his military career was launched in 1998 during his military service.
Standard bearer of the 1st RCA during the parade in Paris
At the age of 24, at the end of this experience, he decided to commit, won over by the spirit of camaraderie and cohesion: ” I appreciated the support and attention that each brought to the other. This friendly side opened me up and I revealed myself“.
Next Thursday, on the Champs-Élysées, he will be the standard bearer of the 1st RCA ” It’s a huge honor because we’re going down in history. When I arrived, very young, if I had been told that I was going to become the standard bearer of the regiment on July 14, it would have been a source of enormous pride. “This father of three confides to us, moved. Originally from Hyères, the former non-commissioned officer, who became an officer last year, assures us that his former rank gives him a lot of ease on a daily basis in his role as a trainer: “I reached the top ladder with all the knowledge of the base. This gives me more ease on a human level. Today, there is a natural adhesion of my references because I have done a lot of things in my career“.
11 external operations and fire actions
With 11 external operations to his credit, the lieutenant known, with the exception of Iraq, all French commitments for 20 years: Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Chad, Mali, Djibouti and Central Africa.
During these operations, he will come across enemy fire several times. Very smiling during the exchange, the face of the warrior changes when he broaches the subject: “When we live certain situations, we know if we are made for it or not. These phases of combat, if we experience them well and manage them, we know that we are in our place. “
It was in the Central African Republic that he had his most significant experience: “I commanded a platoon of six vehicles in the north of the country, we were looking for rebels and they found us. We found ourselves in an ambush at the entrance to a village. We were 50 against 40 and that day I saw, by my side, sensational men who applied my instructions to get certain comrades out of the fire.“
He details: “The fight lasted almost 7 hours. We succeeded in regaining superiority of fire and stabilizing the situation. I was in my place, I will always remember it.” Nearing fifty, the fighter who has become an instructor does not think about the future. Almost inhabited by the military atmosphere, he would see himself continuing in the institution when the bugle of retirement resounds: “I am thinking of signing a reserve contract“, he warns.
Singer and guitarist, when he leaves the camp, the man, also passionate about rugby and sliding sports, still has a dozen years to perform in the army. Until then, the child of the country still has a lot to pass on to the youngest. Break up.