Standing Corps

Marcos joined Frontex after more than 20 years of work experience in various military services in Cyprus. He is currently deployed to Finland as a border guard.

“My primary task is to support the Finnish authorities with border surveillance. Every day, we patrol the Finnish-Russian border.

This deployment is unusual and unique. While we had gotten used to patrolling in a vehicle, in Finland our patrols also take place on skis! There is a lot of snow, the days are short, and the temperature can vary from -10 to -30 degrees. Each day, we may patrol on cross-country skis for up to about 20 kilometres in places that cannot be reached by vehicle.

Before this deployment, we received a specialised five-day training and the necessary equipment to prepare us for working in these conditions. I have also learned how to identify human and animal footprints in the snow. These are the main elements of our daily patrol work. 

I am among the first Standing Corps officers to carry a weapon. We are proud to be making history, to be among the first to get executive powers. Before we were allowed to carry a weapon, each of us had to undergo an individual assessment carried out by the Finnish authorities.  All Frontex officers are trained in law enforcement, so this is rather a refresher training. It included local laws and regulations regarding use of force and practical exercises.

The exam was demanding but not difficult since we are all law enforcement officers with previous experience. It was more demanding than any other weapons exam I had taken before, as it was held in an open shooting range with sub-freezing temperatures reaching -10 degrees in order to stick to real working conditions. Most of us could not feel our fingers from the cold and this made the exam very tough, but we simply had to get accustomed to using weapons in this type of environment.

Frontex takes evaluations, examinations, and assessments very seriously, and does not leave anything to chance. The weapons assessment is mandatory and is performed at least once a year to prove that your skills and knowledge in weapons handling and use of force is up to date.

I think that self-discipline is one the most important skills to perform this type of job. Frontex is very important in the protection of the EU’s external borders. It has the capacity to monitor the situation from the European perspective and share this expertise with national authorities for the benefit of all EU citizens.”