{{French military The Service de l'énergie opérationnelle (SEO), formerly known as ''Service des essences des armées (SEA)'', which translates as the Operational Energy Service is an inter-service branch of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

subordinate to the head of the defence staff. Recruits are taken both from the French military as a whole and from civilian life. Ranks are based on training.

History

During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, facing the increased use of

mechanized warfare Armoured warfare or armored warfare (American English; see spelling differences), is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war. The premise of armored warfare rests on the abil ...

, the

French armed forces The French Armed Forces (, ) are the military forces of France. They consist of four military branches – the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force, and the National Gendarmerie. The National Guard serves as the French Armed Forces' milita ...

needed to set up a new network for fuel supply. It was then composed of a service to stock and supply the fuel, and a transport service automobile to deliver it to the end users. At the same time, a wider service to provide petrol, oils and lubricants was created. After the war, from July 12 1920 the

munitions Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of ...

service resumed the sourcing and stockpiling role, and the

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

the distribution role. Then on November 25 1940 - during the

Vichy regime Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against ...

, these functions were combined into one unified service arm: it received the name ''Military fuel service'' (SEA), which it still bears. The order of March 17 1945 defines the SEA as a central service in charge of refueling the whole of the armed forces. A 1991 decree further defined this mission.Décret n°91-686 du 14 juillet 1991 fixant les attributions du service des essences des armées
/ref> The service has "to assure at all times, in all places and in all circumstances the fuel support of the armed forces, while also acting as fuel advisor to the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

". It therefore supervises the supply of fuels and lubricants for the vehicles of the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

(outside of naval fuels of hold),

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

National Gendarmerie The National Gendarmerie ( ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police (France), National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Minister ...

and the

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

, as well as providing fuel advice.

Unique Ranks in the SEA

The ''Ingénieurs Militaires des Essences'' ("Military Fuel Engineers") are engineer officers occupying posts involving scientific fuel research, technical fuel expertise, and administrative control of fuels. They hold the following grades: *''Ingénieur principal'' (equivalent to a "Commandant" in the French Air Force and Army and "Major" in the United States Armed Forces) *''Ingénieur en chef de deuxième classe'' (equivalent to a Lieutenant-Colonel) *''Ingénieur en chef de première classe'' (equivalent to a Colonel) *''Ingénieur général de deuxième classe'' (equivalent to a Général de brigade). *''Ingénieur général de première classe'' (equivalent to a Général de division). Director of the SEA. The ''officiers'' of the ''Corps Technique et Administratif ("Technical and Administrative Corps")'' occupy supervisory posts and manage the SEA. The ''Corps des Agents Techniques (Corps of Technical Agents)'' provides fuel and lubricant experts, specialists, and advisers to the SEA. Its ''sous-officers'' are in three grades: *''Agent Technique'' ("Technical Agent", equivalent to an ''Adjudant'') *''Agent Technique en Chef'' ("Chief Technical Agent", equivalent to an ''Adjudant-Chef'') *''Agent Technique Major'' ("Major Technical Agent", equivalent to a ''Major'')

References

External links

SEA websiteSection on joining SEA
Defence agencies of France