In September 1975, he joined the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC at Orange where he assumed the functions of assistant officer for one year.

In June 1976, he occupied the post of a light machine gun platoon chief (AML), then assistant officer of the reconnaissance squadron of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 13e DBLE, stationed at Oueah in the Republic of Djibouti.

Repatriated at end of tour deployment, he pursued the Captain's Perfection Course and joined again the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC in August 1978.

Upon his return to France in August 1990, he joined the study bureau of the general staff headquarters of the French Army.

At the head of this regimental corps, he participated for six months within the cadre of the United Nations, to action led in Sarajevo in ex-Yugoslavia.