The Spanish Legion (formally Spanish Foreign Legion) is part of Spain's Rapid Reaction Force. The Legion formally took in foreigners who could pass selection. The Legion, however, has always been mostly Spaniards. Only about 20% of the early recruits and personnel were from other countries. This however has changed slightly. Rumours have risen that the Legion still takes some foreigner but the main cadre are Spaniards. At one time signing up for the Legion was simple (like their French cousin). The Legion hopeful could ask any police officer or go to an Embassy, where he would then be turned over to the Legion. The recruit would be shown a film and talked to. He could then decide if this was really what he wanted. Training would then begin for the recruit. He would then go to Ronda for a selection process. Training was brutal and some recruits were said to have died. The Legion today is not for the weak. Training is still brutal with punishment usually being a severe beating from NCOs who run training. Training still takes place in Ronda. It is surprisingly short, usually 3-4 months long. Recruits are signed on for a 3 year contract which is as hard to get out of as the French Foreign Legion's. Recruits now are all volunteers from Spain (maybe). Basic military skills are taught, and forced marches are the norm. Like FFL, hard marches are supposed to make or brake a soldier. The Assault course is one of the most difficult in the world. Rumour has it live ammunition is used to shoot at recruits feet and over their heads while they are trying to complete the course. Recruits which undergo E&E training, usually BOEL soldiers, should expect punishment. E&E is brutal. The men are subjected to brutal beatings and other means of "torture". While no recruit has been killed during this phase, it must be said that it is probably very close to the real thing. The Spanish Legion consists of some 7,000-8,000 men (yes only men) roughly. The Legion consists of 4 Regiments (called Tercios). Each Regiment has 4 Battalions (or Banderas). While their are more Regiments in the Legion, the one which has a "Special Operations" role is the 4th Tercio Alejandro Farnesio (or the The 4th Alexander Farnesio Regiment). It is based in Ronda. It has two Banderas, one a Parachute Element, and another the Bandera de Operaciones. The BOEL ,as they are known as, is the Spanish Legion "Special" unit. The Battalion consists of about 500 men. It was once known as the OLEU. They are trained in several different area: SCUBA/Maratime Warfare, Arctic and Mountain Warfare, Sabotage and Demolitions (BOEL Demo experts are very highly regarded), Parachute and HALO techniques, Long Range Reconnaissance, Counterterrorism and CQB (very small amount of training is focused on this), Vehicle insertion (The BOEL still use Land Rovers, BMR600s,Nissan trucks, and other American and British made vehicles), Sniping, SERE,.

The unit was originally formed in 1952 as the Amphibious Climbing Company, an all volunteer force tasked with acting an first strike amphibious shock force capable of assaulting any coastal target. The unit specialized in conducting assaults against heavily defended coastal beachheads or reaching targets that were only accessible through difficult and rugged terrain. After conducting a study of similar NATO units, the Spanish Navy decided to expanded the units operational capabilities and produce a unit capable of conducting a wide variety of conventional and special warfare missions. So in 1967, Using the US Navy SEALs, and British Special Boat Section (SBS) as its guides, the unit was issued a new mandate that included underwater demolition, airborne insertions, and direct action sabotage strikes. The officer tasked with executing this mission was a young lieutenant named Yanez, from Tercio North. The units first operational deployment occurred in 1969 when they spearheaded evacuation of Spanish citizens form the former Spanish Colony of Equatorial Guinea. In 1985 the unit was redesignated the Comando Anfibio Especial (COMANFES) in 1985, but it reverted back to its original designation in the early 1990's. UOE has seen extensive action against Basque ETA terrorists operating inside Spain. They have also been deployed to the former Yugoslavia as part of the Spanish contingent of IFOR and SFOR. Providing invaluable assistance to both Spanish and allied commanders. Based in San Fernando, Spain, the unit is currently composed of 169 men and is commanded by a Lieutenant Col., with a Major acting as his deputy commander. The unit is composed of a small Headquarters section, a Command and Services Stol (Platoon), two Special Operations Stols and a combat diver Stol, each of which is commanded by a Captain. The Command and Services Stol is responsible for the units day to day operations, logistical and medical support, communications needs, etc. It is also responsible for operating the selection and training course for new unit intakes. The Special Operations Stol's are made up of 34-men, who are subdivided into two 16-man Special Operations divisions, and 2-man command element. The special operations divisions are divided into 4-four man teams. They are tasked with executing airborne, direct action (DA), and reconnaissance missions. The combat diver Stol contains the units combat diver trained personnel and specializes in Scuba, small crafts, and amphibious reconnaissance missions.

Prospective unit operators are drawn from the ranks of experienced TEAR personnel. Volunteers must have served at least one year in a TEAR operational unit before being allowed to submit themselves for selection. Selection is harsh, and is designed to weed out those who do not meet the units exacting standards. Candidates are exposed to a number of exercises designed to test their physical and mental stamina. During selection the candidates are push to, and beyond their perceived physical limits. UOE's training cadre evaluates how the trainees perform under fire, using verbal abuse, intensive physical exercise, and long distance endurance marches with heavy ruck sacks, to gauge their responses. Live fire training exercises are conducted to see if they will panic, or hesitate at a crucial moment during combat. During the most intensive phase of selection, students are taken led on a three long survival exercise that accounts for approximately half the selection course failures. Upon successful completion of selection the surviving students being their operational training. Students are sent to the School of Parachuting, and receive training in basic parachute operations. Upon their return to the unit they are provided instruction in conducting sea water parachute jumps, during which students must conduct several parachute jumps into the open ocean. Students then advance on to learning basic commando skills such as infiltration tactics and beaching, raids, ambushes, small boat handling and amphibious operations, unarmed combat and cold killing, map reading and land navigation, water survival, combat medicine, helicopter and airmobile operations, fast roping, rappelling, and pathfinding. Students are also provide instruction on infiltration form Spanish Navy submarines.

Those who successfully complete this phase advance to more specialized skills training. Student are instructed in hydorgraphic survey techniques, laser target designation, forward artillery control, rock climbing and mountaineering, cliff assault, and even basic hostage rescue skills. During this phase students will begin to specialize in a specific skill such as HALO/HALO operations, combat diving, demolitions, and sniping. In addition to their initial training, Officers and NCOs must also undertake training at the Army's Special Operations Unit Command Course. In addition to conducting operations with other TEAR and Spanish counter terrorist and special operations units, such as the National Police GEO, the national Guard's UEI and GAR counter terrorist units. They have also trained with or operated with the Navy's UEBC, the Air Force's EZAPAC, and the Army's PRP. UOE conducts regular training exercises with foreign units such as the USMC's Force Reconnaissance Companies, US Navy SEALs, Portugal's DAE, Italy's COM.SUB.IN and the Esploratore Anfibio unit of the Army's Lagunari Regiment, The French Navy's "Commandos Marine" assault units and the Commando Hubert combat diver unit The unit is outfitted with a wide range of equipment to help it execute its wide range of missions. In addition to having access to Spanish military ships, aircraft, and submarines unit maintains a small number of Zodiac inflatable boats and Klepper two-man kayaks. Radio communications are provided through the use of UHF, VHF, and burst transmission radios. The unit has also acquired a large number of Magellan, and Slugger GPS units. Unit divers are equipped with both standard wet and dry diving suits. The unit is also equipped with laser target designators to mark targets for Spanish naval aircraft.

EZAPAC, which operates under the direct control of the Air Force Reaction Forces, is divided into several sections each of which specialize in conducting a specific type of mission. The unit is completely air transportable and all of its personnel are airborne trained; with many of it's operators attaining HALO/HAHO parachute qualifications. Formed in 1946 as the Primera Bandera de Tropas de Aviacion del Ejercito del Aire (1st Airborne Troops Battalion of the Air Force), the unit was organized in the image of the German Assault Group, a highly successful World War Axis parachute unit. Unit personnel conducted their initial training in the Four Winds and Culvert aerodromes, and at Alcala de Henares, performing their first parachute jump in September of 1948. In 1952 the unit moved its base of operations to Alcala de Henares, where it was once again redesignated. Beginning in 1957 the unit participated in the Ifni conflict, and in 1958 returned home to its new base at Madrilenian. On September 9, 1965 the unit was disbanded, reformed and assigned its current name, the Escadrilla de Zapadores Paracaidistas, or the Parachute Combat Engineer Squadron. EZAPAC inherited the previous unit's mission, and absorbed its personnel, material, and weapons. The unit then transferred to its current headquarters at Culvert and was placed under the operational control of the Headquarters, Tactical Aviation, with logistical support being provided by the Parachute School. Between 1971 and 1974 the unit transferred to Cobut, but returned to its former base in Murcia, due to logistical and material problems created by deficient facilities on the Cobut base. In 1975, the unit deployed to the Canary Islands during the evacuation of the Spanish Sahara. In 1989, EZAPAC was deployed to Namibia as part of a UN peacekeeping force operating in the country. EZAPAC operators provided security for a Spanish Air Force detachment flying humanitarian relief supplies to refugees in the country. Since August of 1993, EZAPAC has supported both of NATO's IFOR and SFOR missions in Bosnia. In addition to their other duties, EZAPAC teams have deployed to the Balkan's providing tactical air control parties (TACPs) to Spanish units deployed their. Between September of 1994 and April of 1995, detachments of EZAPAC operators were deployed to the war ravaged African nation of Rwanda. At that time the country was involved in a brutal civil war, with both sides committing various atrocities against each other, and anyone who happened to get in their way. EZAPAC personnel were tasked with escorting cargo planes bringing in humanitarian relief supplies, and searching for the locations refugee camps scattered throughout the country side.