▁in ▁maintain ing ▁order ▁during ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁violent ▁demonstr ations ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁which ▁included ▁protest s ▁against ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁new - gener ation ▁nuclear ▁plants . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁deployed ▁over se as ▁to ▁such ▁places ▁as ▁Ch ad , ▁the ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic ▁and ▁Leb anon . ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁also ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁Territ ory ▁of ▁the ▁Af ars ▁and ▁the ▁Iss as ▁to ▁provide ▁security ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁refer endum ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Dj ib out i . ▁ ▁Besides ▁being ▁a ▁qualified ▁g endar me ▁and ▁par atro oper , ▁every ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁unit ▁had ▁to ▁have ▁an ▁additional ▁special ty : ▁high ▁alt itude ▁j um per , ▁sh ar ps ho oter , ▁explos ive ▁neutral ization ▁special ist , ▁close ▁combat ▁special ist , ▁combat ▁medic , ▁load master , ▁driver , ▁etc ., ▁the ▁unit ' s ▁structure ▁remaining ▁however ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁regular ▁mobile ▁g endar mer ie ▁squad ron ▁( i . e . ▁one ▁headquarters ▁pl ato on ▁and ▁three ▁line ▁pl ato ons ) ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁captain . ▁Being ▁based ▁near ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁coast , ▁the ▁unit ▁trained ▁combat ▁divers ▁and ▁this ▁special ty ▁was ▁then ▁acquired ▁by ▁G IGN 4 . ▁This ▁know - how ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁G IGN ▁and ▁further ▁developed ▁when ▁the ▁two ▁units ▁merged . ▁ ▁E PI GN : ▁The ▁National ▁G endar mer