Special Forces Regiment (Philippine Army)

The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) is a special forces unit of the Philippine Army and one of three specialized regiments of the Special Operations Command. The unit is based on and continually trains with its american counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets).

History
The regiment was established in the 1960's by then Captain Fidel V. Ramos PA (INF) (first commanding officer of the SFR-A), primarily trained in both unconventional warfare operations and psychological warfare operations. The regiment has close ties and trains with the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets).

Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in 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, training in demolitions and bomb disposal (EOD), psychological warfare operations (PSYOPS), riverine operations, combat diving, as well as VIP security training in preparation for 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):

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
The 8th Special Forces Company was established on November 14, 2005, at Special Forces School, Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Palayan City, 3130 Nueva Ecija.( undefined ) The 20th Special Forces Company was established on February 16, 1991. Pursuant to Paragraph 1, General Order No. 23, HSFRA dated 13 February 1991 at Fort Andres Bonifacio, Makati City with CAPT JOEL DC CELINO INF as the First Commanding Officer. After four (4) months of refresher training at Regiment Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, the company had their test mission at Mt. Sipitan, Brgy Aguid, Sagada, Mt. Province from 26 June to 7 July 1991. After the successful test mission, the 20th SFC was deployed in Batangas Province under the Operational Control of Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) which covers the area of 1st, 2nd and 4th District of Batangas Province and its main company headquarters stationed at Barangay Sto. Nino, Taysan, Batangas.
 * 1st Special Forces Company
 * 2nd Special Forces Company
 * 3rd Special Forces Company
 * 4th Special Forces Company (Airborne) "Golden Tiger" (Hunt Alone)
 * 5th Special Forces Company (Airborne) Jaguar
 * 6th Special Forces Company
 * 7th Special Forces Company (Airborne) "Spartans"
 * 8th Special Forces Company (Airborne) Dragoons (A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
 * 9th Special Forces Company
 * 10th Special Forces Company (Airborne) Cobras (The Company of Brave, Reverent Army Soldiers)
 * 11th Special Forces Company (Riverine) '' Stingray"
 * 12th Special Forces Company (Riverine) Frogman
 * 13th Special Forces Company Knights
 * 14th Special Forces Company
 * 15th Special Forces Company Conqueror
 * 16th Special Forces Company
 * 17th Special Forces Company Invincible
 * 18th Special Forces Company (Riverine)
 * 19th Special Forces Company
 * 20th Special Forces Company '' Dos Equis"

Lineage of Commanders

 * Major Fidel 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 [was promoted to general as Regiment Commander of SFRA]
 * General Victor Mayo (The only general to serve as Regiment Commander of SFR(A) and initiated the creation of SOCOM in 1996.)
 * Brigadier 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 Evangelista
 * Brigadier General Ramiro Manuel Rey

Notable Officers

 * General Fidel Ramos (first Commanding Officer)
 * General Lisandro Abadia
 * General Angelo Reyes
 * Lieutenant General Voltaire Gazmin
 * Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz

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'état Operations during the May 1 Riots (May 1, 2001).
 * Anti coup d'état Operations during the height of the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny led by LTSG Antonio Trillanes IV PN.
 * Anti coup d'état Operations during the height of the 2006 Coup attempt led by BGEN Danilo Lim AFP.
 * COMELEC Marshalls during National and Local Elections.
 * Provided 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.