--- title: "These are the 7 articles of the French Foreign Legion’s Code of Honor" description: "Hundreds of people are knocking on the door to serve in the Legion and [roughly 10-15 make the cut per recruiting class]()." date: "2020-02-04" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/these-are-the-7-articles-of-the-french-foreign-legions-code-of-honor/" categories: - "History" --- # These are the 7 articles of the French Foreign Legion’s Code of Honor ![]() Hundreds of people are knocking on the door to serve in the Legion and [roughly 10-15 make the cut per recruiting class](). But newly-minted Foreign Legionnaires receive the distinctive white *Kepi* of the legion upon finishing the first four weeks of Basic Training and moving on to the next phase of their training. --- When they do, they recite the Legion's [seven-article Code of Honor](). ## Article 1. Legionnaire, you are serving France with Honour and Fidelity. ## Article 2. Each legionnaire is your brother in arms whatever his nationality, his race, or his religion might be. You show him the same close solidarity that links the members of the same family. ![]() *Sappers of the French Foreign Legion.* ## Article 3. Respect for traditions, devotion to your leaders, discipline, and comradeship are your strengths, courage, and loyalty your virtues. ## Article 4. Proud of your status as legionnaire, you display this in your always impeccable uniform, your always dignified but modest behaviour, and your clean living quarters. ## Article 5. An elite soldier, you train rigorously, you maintain your weapon as your most precious possession, and you take constant care of your physical form. ![]() *French Foreign Legionnaires in Afghanistan.* ## Article 6. The mission is sacred, you carry it out until the end and, if necessary in the field, at the risk of your life. ## Article 7. In combat, you act without passion and without hate, you respect defeated enemies, and you never abandon your dead, your wounded, or your arms. Learn more about the French Foreign Legion [in the video at the top](). ### Watch More Elite Forces: ### [This is what made ancient Roman gladiators so fierce]() ### [This is how Rome's Praetorian Guard held so much power]() ### [This is why Cossacks are Russia's legendary fighting force]() ### [These 4 Gurkha stories will make you want to forge your own kukri knife]() ### [This is the legend of the Knights of the Round Table]() ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()