Special Forces Regiment (Philippine Army)

Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)

Philippine Army Special Forces

Active| June 25, 1962 – Present
Country|  Philippines
Branch| Philippine Army
Type|  Special Operations Forces
Role| Primary roles

* Air assault
* Amphibious warfare
* Anti-guerrilla warfare
* Anti-tank warfare
* Artillery observer
* Bomb disposal
* CBRN defense
* Clandestine operation
* Close-quarters combat
* Counterinsurgency
* Counterintelligence
* Counterproliferation
* Counterterrorism
* Covert operation
* Direct action
* Executive protection
* Electronic warfare
* Foreign internal defense
* Forward air control
* Hostage rescue
* HUMINT
* Manhunt
* Intelligence assessment
* Irregular warfare
* ISTAR
* Jungle warfare
* Long-range penetration
* Military intelligence
* Mountain warfare
* Naval boarding
* Parachuting
* Patrolling
* Psychological warfare
* Raiding
* Reconnaissance
* Riverine warfare
* Special operations
* Special reconnaissance
* Unconventional warfare
* Urban warfare

Other roles

* Combat search and rescue
* Force protection
* Humanitarian aid
* Medical evacuation
* Search and rescue
* Security force assistance
* Tactical emergency medical services

Part of| Special Operations Command (Philippines)[1]
Garrison/HQ| Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija
Nickname(s)| SF
Motto(s)| Courage and Determination
Colors| Yellow Gold
March| Special Forces Song
Engagements| Anti-Guerilla operations against the NPA
Anti-Guerilla operations against the MILF
Anti-Guerilla operations against MNLF
Moro conflict
Zamboanga siege
Marawi crisis
Decorations|
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge
Presidential Streamer Award
Commanders
Current
commander| COL Ferdinand Napuli PA
Notable
commanders| CPT Fidel V. Ramos PA (INF)
COL Arturo B. Ortiz PA (INF) (GSC)
Insignia
Special Forces Tab|

Special Forces Qualification Badge|

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (Riverine)[2]|

Military unit

The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)[3][4] is a tier 2 special operations forces unit of the Philippine Army. The unit is based on and continually trains with its American counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets).[5]

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.

## History[edit]

The regiment was established in the 1960s by then Captain Fidel V. Ramos PA (INF), primarily trained in both unconventional warfare and psychological warfare. The regiment has close ties and trains with the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets)[5] The unit encountered manpower issues when SF commandos were sent to Vietnam under the 1 Philippines Civic Action Group, Vietnam (PHILCAG), which forced commanders to train new recruits to refill the ranks.[5]

The SFR was responsible for creating the Civilian Home Defense Forces (CHDF), later re-named as the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU).[6]

The unit changed its name from Special Forces to Home Defense Forces in June 1968 to avoid being disbanded when it was revealed that special forces commandos trained Muslim Filipino soldiers for operations in Sabah.[5] At the time, the Home Defense Forces Group consisted of A Teams (Operational Detachment) and B Teams.[5]

In 1970, the HDFG was placed under Task Force Pasig of the Presidential Security Command.[7]

### Operations[edit]

A British businessman, Allan Hyrons, 70, and his wife, Wilma, were rescued by the 2nd Special Forces Battalion with support from the 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division who found them abandoned at the forested areas of Mt. Piahan, the boundary of Barangays Silangkan and Kaha in Parang, Sulu in the morning of 25 November 2019.[8] SFR commandos engaged Abu Sayyaf Group fighters during the operation.[9]

## Structure[edit]

The following are subordinate battalions of the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne):[3]

### Headquarters[edit]

* Headquarters & Headquarters Company
* 1st Special Forces Battalion "Hunter Killer"
* 2nd Special Forces Battalion "Sabertooth"
* 3rd Special Forces Battalion "Arrowhead"
* 4th Special Forces Battalion (Riverine) "Dolphin Warriors"
* 5th Special Forces Battalion "Primus Inter Pares"
* 6th Special Forces Battalion "Lionheart"
* Special Forces School

## Notable Officers[edit]

* Lieutenat Colonel Vercisio San Jose Jr.
* Captain Harold Mark Juan [(Hitman)]
* General Fidel Ramos (first Commanding Officer)
* General Lisandro Abadia
* General Angelo Reyes
* Lieutenant General Voltaire Gazmin
* Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz [Medal of Valor]

## Training[edit]

Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in counterinsurgency. 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, training in advanced hand-to-hand combat, advanced land navigation for control of airborne operations, advanced parachuting, advanced reconnaissance, amphibious warfare, anti-guerrilla, combat diving, combat search and rescue, counterterrorism, coastal patrolling, combat and patrolling techniques in urban areas, defusing and disposal of bombs, fast tactical shooting, forward air control, gathering intelligence, hostage rescue, irregular warfare operations, light and heavy weapons, marksmanship, medical evacuation, military technology, NBCR on operations in contaminated environments, parachute rigger, psychological operations (PSYOPS), riverine warfare operations, tactical emergency medical, tracking tactics, use of tactical vehicles, VBSS operation, as well as VIP security training in preparation for reassignment with the Presidential Security Group.

The unit has trained with the Green Berets and the Australian SASR.[7]

## References[edit]

1. ^ The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A), p. 3-1.
2. ^ Online Article about SF (Riverine) Units.
3. ^ a b "1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)".
4. ^ The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A).
5. ^ a b c d e Conboy (1991), p. 30.
6. ^ "1st Special Forces Regiment". ShadowSpear. 2014-06-16. Archived from the original on 2014-06-16. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
7. ^ a b Conboy (1991), p. 31.
8. ^ "Soldiers rescue British couple from ASG captors". Manila Bulletin. 25 November 2019. Archived from mb.com.ph/2019/11/25/soldiers-rescue-british-couple-from-asg-captors/ the original on 2020-03-14. Retrieved 25 November 2019. `{{cite news}}`: Check `|url=` value (help)
9. ^ "DND lauds military for successful rescue of Hyrons couple". Philippine News Agency.

### Bibliography[edit]

* The Special Forces School, Philippine Army Special Forces Operations Manual PAM 3-071, 2008, SFR(A).
* Conboy, Kenneth (1991). South-East Asian Special Forces. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855321069.

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Regular units and formations of the Philippine Army

Infantry|

* 1st Infantry Division
* 2nd Infantry Division
* 3rd Infantry Division
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* 9th Infantry Division
* 10th Infantry Division
* 11th Infantry Division

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* Mechanized Infantry Division
* 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
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Artillery|

* Army Artillery Regiment
* 1st Air Defense Artillery Battery

Engineering|

* 51st Engineer Brigade
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* 102nd Army Aviation Battalion

Combat Support Units|

* Army Signal Regiment
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Service Support Units|

* Philippine Army Reserve Command
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* Philippine Army Finance Center
* Philippine Army Band
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* Philippine Army Security and Escort Battalion
* 1st Logistics Support Brigade
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Special Operations|

* 1st Scout Ranger Regiment
* Special Forces Regiment
* Light Reaction Regiment

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