The transfer in the gendarmerie follows a precise schedule, but actual timelines vary depending on the type of movement, geographical area, and the rank of the military personnel involved. Between the Annual Transfer Plan (PAM), assignments by command order, and involuntary transfers, the minimum assignment durations and processing times do not overlap. Understanding these discrepancies allows for anticipating a move, preparing one’s family, and asserting one’s rights.
Minimum Assignment Durations: Gendarmerie and National Police Face to Face
The most structuring parameter for estimating how long a transfer lasts is not the administrative processing time, but the minimum assignment duration required before one can request a new position. This threshold conditions the actual frequency of relocations.
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| Criterion | National Gendarmerie | National Police |
|---|---|---|
| Standard minimum assignment duration | Variable depending on the position and area | Generally shorter |
| Mountain or coastal brigades | Up to 4 years of minimum assignment | 3 years maximum in similar areas |
| Recent regulatory basis | Order of March 5, 2026 (JO No. 62 of March 6, 2026) | Texts specific to the Ministry of the Interior |
| Mandatory housing in barracks | Yes (concession by absolute necessity of service for certain ranks) | No |
The extension to four years in mountain or coastal brigades, set by the order of March 5, 2026, represents a significant gap compared to the national police. For a non-commissioned officer assigned to an alpine brigade, this means that no request for a change of position can be fulfilled before this deadline, except for an involuntary transfer.
To better understand the duration of a transfer in the gendarmerie, it is necessary to distinguish this minimum assignment duration from the administrative processing time of the file, which follows a different schedule.
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Annual Transfer Plan Cycle: Steps and Their Timelines
The PAM structures the majority of personnel movements in the gendarmerie. It operates in two distinct phases, each with its own schedule.
Desire Collection Phase
Military personnel express their assignment wishes during a window defined each year by the military personnel management. This phase lasts several weeks. The individual file of the gendarme, including their evaluation, service records, and family situation, is reviewed.
Decision and Notification Phase
After arbitration, transfer orders are notified. The time between notification and the effective start date varies, but the gendarme must organize their move within a often tight timeframe. Decree No. 2007-640 of April 30, 2007, regulates the coverage of relocation expenses, provided that the transfer order involves a change of garrison.
- The financial coverage of the move is conditioned on an actual change of garrison, not just a simple change of service within the same city.
- The Inter-Armies Mobility Support Center (Cimob) reviews the files and validates reimbursements according to a ceiling related to volume.
- A military member transferred on an approved request has the same rights as an involuntary transfer, provided they comply with the Cimob procedure.
The overall timeline, from the submission of desires to the effective installation in the new housing, generally covers several months of procedure. The most frequent delays concern the allocation of housing in barracks, which depends on the available real estate in the new garrison.
Involuntary Transfer: A Different Schedule and Procedural Guarantees
The involuntary transfer for personal reasons (MOIS) follows a process distinct from the PAM. The gendarme must be invited to consult their individual file before the decision is made, in accordance with Article 65 of the law of April 22, 1905.
A minimum delay of 15 days between the consultation of the file and the decision is imposed by the circular of November 20, 2012. If this delay is not respected, the transfer can be annulled by the administrative court for procedural flaws.
In contrast, the involuntary transfer does not follow the PAM schedule. It can occur at any time of the year, making the timelines less predictable for the military member and their family.
Impact of Transfers on the Mental Health of Gendarmerie Families
Administrative delays represent only a part of the actual burden of a transfer. Research conducted at the CHU of Brest has focused on the longitudinal consequences of repeated changes of residence on military families, including gendarmes.
Repeated relocations weaken the social and educational anchors of children and place spouses in situations of recurrent professional disruption. The obligation of housing in barracks, specific to the gendarmerie, adds a constraint: the gendarme does not choose their housing, and the family must adapt to an imposed living environment.
Several factors amplify this burden:
- The uncertainty about the exact date of the move, often known only a few weeks before the actual movement.
- The lack of control over the assignment location, especially during MOIS.
- The difficulty for the spouse to maintain a stable professional activity when assignments change every three to four years.
- The family distance in mountain or coastal areas, where the minimum assignment duration now reaches four years.
This psychosocial aspect remains little addressed in practical guides on transfers, even though it directly conditions the quality of life of the military member on duty. The duration of an assignment is not only measured in months of procedure, but also in years of adaptation for the household.
The regulatory framework for transfers in the gendarmerie overlaps several timelines: the minimum assignment duration (up to four years in specific areas), the annual cycle of the PAM, and the non-negotiable fifteen-day delay in the case of MOIS. Each movement also engages a relocation process governed by the Cimob, with its own validation constraints. The only stable data is that nothing happens in a few weeks.