 He joined in 1986, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 2e REP at Calvi where he served until 1995, after having commanded the 3rd company.It was then during the first passage to the 2e REP that he participated to Opération Épervier (1988–1989) and Guépard (1990) in Tchad, Operation Noroît (1991–1992) in Rwanda, Operation Godoria (1991), Operation Iskoutir (1992 and 1993) at Djibouti, Somalia (1992–1993), and EFAO (1995) in Central African Republic

From 1995 to 1996, he served at the general staff headquarters of Compiegne, before being an instructor and lead course instructor « Tactique et emploi des armes » (tactical and arms use) at the school of transmissions.After conducting some studies at ENSTA then the École de guerre (1999–2000), he went back to the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 2e REP at Calvi where he assumed the functions of instruction and operations bureau chief (BOI) from 2000 until 2002.