Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)
Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) | |
---|---|
Pin Badge of the Special Forces | |
Active | June 25, 1962[1] - Present |
Country | Philippines |
Branch | Philippine Army |
Type | Special Forces |
Role | Airborne Operations, Riverine Operations, Direct Action, Special Reconnaissance, Unconventional Warfare Operations, Disaster Relief Operations, Psychological Operations, Counter-Terrorism, Hostage Rescue |
Size | 5 Special Forces Battalions, 20 Special Forces Companies, 1 Special Forces School |
Part of | Under the Special Operations Command, Philippine Army (SOCOM, PA)[2] |
Garrison/HQ | Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija |
Nickname(s) | SF |
Motto(s) | Courage and Determination |
Colors | Yellow Gold |
March | Special Forces Song |
Engagements |
Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front |
Decorations |
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge Presidential Streamer Award |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Cpt Fidel V Ramos (INF) PA Col Arturo B Ortiz INF (GSC) PA |
Insignia | |
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia | |
Special Forces Qualification Badge | |
AFP Parachutist Badge | |
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (Riverine)[3] |
The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)[4][5] is an elite Philippine Army unit established in the 1960s by then Cpt Fidel V Ramos (INF) PA (first Commanding officer of the Special Forces), primarily trained in both Unconventional Warfare Operations and Psychological Warfare Operations. The unit was also trained by its US counterpart US Army Special Forces (Green Berets).[6]
Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in the art of counter-insurgency operations. Upon assignment to the Special Forces, soldiers are made to undergo the Basic Airborne Course. They, later-on, undergo the Special Forces Operations Course - an eight-month course that equips each SF soldier in the basics of Special Forces and Unconventional Warfare Operations. Each member of the SF Regiment may opt to undergo specialty courses as well after finishing the Special Forces basic course. These include, but is not limited to, undergoing further training in demolitions and bomb disposal (EOD), psychological warfare operations (PSYOPS), riverine operations, combat diving, as well as VIP security training in preparation for a reassignment with the Presidential Security Group.
The basic combat organization of the Special Forces is the 12-man Special Forces Team. An SF team will have at least one of each SF MOS present in the team.
Units
The following are subordinate battalions and companies of the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne):[7]
Headquarters
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- Special Forces School
Battalions
- 1st Special Forces Battalion
- 2nd Special Forces Battalion "SABERTOOTH"
- 3rd Special Forces Battalion "ARROWHEAD"
- 4th Special Forces Battalion "DOLPHIN WARRIORS"
- 5th Special Forces Battalion
- 6th Special Forces Battalion
Companies
- 1st Special Forces Company
- 2nd Special Forces Company
- 3rd Special Forces Company
- 4th Special Forces Company (Airborne) a.k.a. "GOLDEN TIGER" Hunt Alone
- 5th Special Forces Company (Airborne) a.k.a. "JAGUAR"
- 6th Special Forces Company
- 7th Special Forces Company (Airborne) a.k.a "SPARTANS"
- 8th Special Forces Company (Airborne) A.K.A " DRAGOONS" " A league of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen"
DRAGOONS SEAL..... It was created on 14 November 2005, at Special Forces School, Special Forces Regiment(Airborne), Special Operations Command, Philippine Army, Ben Fe Village, Molave Complex, Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Palayan City, 3130 Nueva Ecija.( by Cpl Edward M Alfaro Inf
)
Company Commanders Lineage | Yr |
---|---|
CPT CLARK R DALUMBAR INF | 2004 |
CPT SONNY G DUNGCA CAV | 2005 |
CPT EDDIE B VALDE INF | 2006 |
CPT DANNY C MAGASO INF | 2007 |
CPT JOMEL D DAVID OS | 2009 |
CPT JASON F PANGANDOYON INF | 2011 |
CPT JESUS L ROSETE INF | 2013 |
- 9th Special Forces Company
- 10th Special Forces Company (Airborne) a.k.a. "COBRAS" or Company Of Brave Reverent Army Soldiers
- 11th Special Forces Company (Riverine) a.k.a. "STINGRAY"
- 12th Special Forces Company (Riverine) a.k.a. "FROGMAN"
- 13th Special Forces (Knights) Company
- 14th Special Forces Company
- 15th Special Forces Company (Conqueror)
- 16th Special Forces Company
- 17th Special Forces Company (Invincible)
- 18th Special Forces (Riverine) Company a.k.a. "STINGRAY"
- 19th Special Forces Company
- 20th Special Forces Company (Dos Equis)
The 20th Special Forces Company, Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) was activated effective 16 February 1991. pursuant to Paragraph 1, General Order Nr 23, HSFRA dtd 13 February 1991 at Ft Andres Bonifacio, Makati City with CAPTAIN JOEL DC CELINO INF as the First Commanding Officer. after four (4) months of refresher training at Regiment Headquarters in Ft Bonifacio, the company had their test mission at Mt Sipitan, Brgy Aguid, Sagada, Mt Province form 26 June to 07 July 1991. after the successful test mission, the 20 SFC was deployed in Batangas Province under the Operational Control of Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) covers the area of 1st ,2nd and 4th District of Batangas Province and its main company headquarters stationed at Brgy Sto Nino, Taysan, Batangas.
LINEAGE OF COMPANY COMMANDERS
CPT JOEL DC CELINO INF 1991-1993
CPT ABUBAKAR M LOONG INF 1993-1994
MAJ GUALBERTO S MACURO INF 1994-1995
1LT OSCAR M QUILANG INF 1995-1997
CPT MANUEL DARIUS M RESUELLO INF 1997-1998
CPT PATRICK DE VILLA INF 1998-2001
CPT MIGUEL L RAMON INF 2001-2002
1LT NATANIEL RABONZA INF 2002-2003
CPT ROMMIL R ABAYON INF 2003-2004
CPT ROMMIL R ABAYON INF was the last commanding officer of the 20SFC before it was Deactivated on 31 August 2004.
On 01 March 2011, the 20th Special Forces Company was Reactivated pursuant to Paragraph 1, General 177 HPA dtd 9 March 2011 and the Company was named Dos Equis under the leadership of CPT ARIES A QUINTO INF as Commanding Officer.
Lineage of Commanders
- Major Fidel V. Ramos
- Major Bienvenido Castro
- Colonel Melchor Dela Cruz
- Major Benjamin Samonte
- Lt. Colonel Benjamin Fe
- Colonel David Abundo
- Colonel Ernesto Calupig
- Colonel Jose Lapus
- Colonel Leo Alvez
- General Victor Mayo (The only general to serve as Regiment Commander of SFR(A) and initiated the creation of SOCOM in 1996.
- Brig General Voltaire Gazmin (Did not serve as Regiment Commander of SFR(A), he was the first SOCOM commander)
- Colonel Alan Cabalquinto
- Colonel Victor Ibrado
- Colonel Benito Ramos
- Colonel Arturo Ortiz
- Colonel Roberto Morales
- Colonel Aminkadra Undug
- Colonel Donato San Juan
- Colonel Ronnie S Evangelista
- Colonel Ramiro Manuel Rey
Notable Officers
- General Fidel V. Ramos AFP- (First Commanding Officer)
- General Lisandro Abadia AFP
- General Angelo Reyes AFP
- Lieutenant General Voltaire Gazmin AFP
- Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz AFP
Headquarters
- Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija (1962-1986;1995–Present)
- Fort Andres Bonifacio, Makati City, Metro Manila (1986-1995)
Operations
- Anti-guerilla operations against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.
- Counter-Terrorist operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group, Jemaah Islamiyah, and Al Qaeda operating in the southernmost Philippine Island of Mindanao.
- Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's Army.
- Anti-guerrilla operations against Communist Dissidents at height of the Vietnam War in support of the PHILCAVG.
- Anti-Coup D' Etat Operations during the May 1 Riots (May 1, 2001)
- Anti Coup D' Etat Operations during the height of the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny led by LTSG Antonio Trillanes IV PN.
- Anti Coup D' Etat Operations during the height of the 2006 Coup attempt led by BGen Danilo Lim AFP.
- COMELEC Marshalls during National and Local Elections.
- Provided force on force multipliers for government forces during the height of the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and BGen Danilo Lim AFP.
See also
- Special Forces Qualification Badge
- Scout Ranger Regiment
- Light Reaction Regiment
References
- Citations
- ↑ The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A), p. 1-1.
- ↑ The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A), p. 3-1.
- ↑ http://philippinenavy.tripod.com/army.html Online Article about SF (Riverine) Units.
- ↑ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/philippines/1sfra.htm
- ↑ The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A).
- ↑ Conboy, Ken. South-East Asian Special Forces. London, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1991
- ↑ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/philippines/1sfra.htm
- Bibliography
- Philippine Army History, The Philippine Army Museum
- The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A).
- Conboy, Ken. South-East Asian Special Forces. London, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1991
- Books LLC (2010), Special Forces of the Philippines: Special Action Force, Presidential Security Group, Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion. General Books LLC. ISBN 9781155645537.
- Special Operations Forces Online Database