The regiment was part of 11e Division de Parachutiste (11th Parachute Division) and was the spearhead for global intervention French interest were threatened.

While in Somalia in February 1976, 2nd Company had helped French counter-terrorists forces rescue forty-two French children of French Air Force personnel, who had been taken hostage on their way to school by six armed Somali terrorist trying to escape across the border from Djibouti. Their role meant that is men were paid one-third higher than other Legion units.

Divided into six companies, it retained a highly flexible multi-skilled organisation to meet any crisis:

Headquarter Company - Regimental Headquarters and signals, intelligence, maintenance, supplies and medical platoons.

Reconnaissance Company - Headquarters, Motorized Reconnaissance Platoon, Long Range Patrol/Pathfinder Platoon with a high altitude, low opening capability; Two Anti-Tank Platoons equipped with MILAN missiles; an Air Defence Platoon equipped with four twin 20mm M621 Machine Cannons; and a Mortar Platoon with eight medium 81mm and four heavy 120mm mortars.

No 1 Parachute Infantry Company - specializes in night, anti-tank and fighting in built up area warfare.

No 2 Parachute Infantry Company - specializes in mountain and winter warfare. The rugged Corsican countryside is a natural training ground.

No 3 Parachute Infantry Company -specializes in amphibious warfare and beach reconnaissance. Again Corsica provides an excellent ground.

No 4 Parachute Infantry Company - specialists in sniping, demolition and other sapper tasks.

Companies were broken down into a company headquarters and three platoons, with each platoon consisting of a headquarters and three platoons of a lieutenant platoon commander, platoon sergeant and thirty men. The sections are broken down into usually eight man sections commanded by corporals.