On the ground, the question often arises during the first visit to the information and recruitment center: should one apply as a voluntary deputy gendarme (GAV) or aim directly for the gendarmerie non-commissioned officer exam (SOG)? The answer depends less on an abstract preference than on three concrete parameters: the educational level at the time of application, the ability to pass a timed physical test, and the willingness to wait for a stable status.
GAV selection tests and SOG exam: two distinct levels of requirements
GAV recruitment is based on an exam with no diploma requirement, open to candidates aged 17 to 26. Candidates undergo psychotechnical tests, a motivation interview, and a medical examination. There is no scored physical test at entry, although the training in school demands physical fitness from the very first weeks.
You may also like : How to Choose the Best Gas Supplier Using a Comparison Tool?
The external SOG exam, on the other hand, includes a scored physical test and a written composition. A high school diploma is required. Candidates who discover the benefits of the GAV gendarmerie profession sometimes realize that starting as a volunteer allows them to prepare for the SOG exam in real conditions, with the support of unit leaders.
To summarize what separates the two paths in terms of access:
Further reading : How to Choose the Perfect Gift for a 90-Year-Old Woman
- GAV APJA: no diploma required, no scored physical test at selection, initial contract of two years renewable once for three years
- External SOG: minimum high school diploma, written composition test, timed physical test, longer training in school
- Internal SOG (from a GAV position): field exposure and command support facilitate preparation, but the exam remains the same
GAV salary versus non-commissioned officer remuneration: what the 2026 grid says
It is often said that GAVs are paid less, without the amounts being compared. According to the 2026 grid published by Concours-policier.fr, a GAV starts at around 1,200 euros net with accommodation and meals included. A gendarmerie non-commissioned officer at the beginning of their career earns around 1,480 to 1,520 euros net, before housing, service, and risk-related bonuses.
The gap seems modest on paper. In practice, the allowances for non-commissioned officers (risk bonus, special duty allowance, housing supplement) widen the difference from the second year onward. The GAV, on the other hand, benefits from accommodation in the barracks and meals provided, which reduces their fixed expenses to almost nothing.
The calculation is not made solely on gross salary but on the actual disposable income. For a 19-year-old candidate without personal housing, the GAV salary covers the essentials of daily life. For someone who already has rent or a family, the SOG remuneration with its bonuses offers a more solid financial foundation.
GAV training and field preparation for the non-commissioned officer exam
GAV training has evolved in recent years towards greater professionalization. Recent content shows that GAVs are exposed very early to operational reality: traffic policing, interventions, digital procedure writing. It is no longer just an observation internship.
This immersion has a direct effect on preparation for the internal SOG exam. A GAV assigned to a territorial brigade accumulates procedural reflexes, knowledge of the legal framework, and oral fluency that cannot be acquired from a preparation manual. Feedback on this point varies by unit, but the general trend reported by recruiters is clear: the GAV path remains a preferred route for preparing for the SOG exam.
What the voluntary service concretely brings
The GAV APJA performs judicial police missions: traffic checks, observations, victim reception. They work under the authority of a judicial police officer and draft documents that have procedural value.
This experience provides a measurable advantage on the day of the SOG exam. The interview test values knowledge of the profession, and a candidate who has spent two years in a unit has concrete examples to draw from, not just answers learned from a guide.
Typical profile: when to choose GAV, when to aim directly for non-commissioned officer
The choice is not limited to educational level. We encounter degree holders who choose GAV to test the profession before committing to a long career, and high school graduates who successfully take the external SOG exam directly.
Three criteria help to decide:
- Immediate athletic ability: if the timed tests are problematic, GAV allows time to improve physically before attempting the SOG
- Financial urgency: GAV offers a living arrangement covered from the start of school, without waiting for the results of a more selective exam
- Long-term career project: those aiming for a specialization (dog handling, mountain, judicial) should aim to become a non-commissioned officer as early as possible, as specialized training is primarily open to career military personnel
The GAV is not a fallback option. It is an operational military contract that provides access to the field, accommodation and meals, and a direct pathway to the internal exam. The non-commissioned officer, on the other hand, enters directly into a career status with long-term grade and salary progression.
The best indicator often remains the simplest: talk to a gendarme stationed at the nearest brigade. Recruitment centers organize discovery days that allow candidates to ask these questions face-to-face with active military personnel, not just with a job description.