Former Marine here. Worked with the Legion in Djibouti. My take was they were treated like Marine grunts....but with weirder traditions (From an American Perspective) There was beer everywhere, even with them as they walked their posts/patrols, they were skinnier an looked kinda starved and they were oddly laid back. They were like a roving gang of Marine Lance Corporals that spoke French. Essentially like an entire force comprised of Disgruntled Marine Lance Corporals. With beer. They had that same thousand yard stare of being in the suck for too long. I know that face. Its a face you never see in the Air Force, who I have also worked around. Those ones are always just super happy.