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1st Scout Ranger Regiment

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First Scout Ranger Regiment
Pin Badge of the Scout Rangers
ActiveNovember 25, 1950 – present
CountryPhilippines Philippines
BranchPhilippine Army
Type Special operations forces
RoleAnti-guerrilla warfare
Reconnaissance
Special operations
Size5 Battalions
Part ofSpecial Operations Command (Philippines) and the Philippine Army
Garrison/HQFort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Camp Tecson, San Miguel, Bulacan (Main)
Nickname(s)Musangs, FSRR, Strikers, Rangers, SR, Scout Ranger
Motto(s)We Strike[citation needed]
ColorsRed
MarchScout Ranger [citation needed]
AnniversariesNovember 25
Engagements
Decorations
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge
Presidential Streamer Award
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. Isagani O. Criste PA
Notable
commanders

The Scout Rangers, known officially as the First Scout Ranger Regiment,[1] is a special operations forces of the Philippine Army (PA) that specialized in combat patrol and scouting behind enemy lines with special operations forces (SOF) style. This unit is similar to the 75th Ranger Regiment of the United States Army (USA).

Their headquarters is based at Camp Pablo Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan.[2][3]

The regiment is also known as Musangs (in English, Scout Rangers).[1][4]

History

[edit]

The First Scout Ranger Regiment was formed on November 25, 1950, under the command of former AFP Vice Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary Rafael M. Ileto[5] The unit was modelled after the Alamo Scouts and the US Army Rangers.[6] The FSSR was created due to a growing need to counter the Hukbalahap guerrillas with a force trained in small unit actions.[7] Initially known as the Scout Ranger Training Unit (SRTU), they were made up of 5 man teams, made up of one officer and 4 enlisted men.[8] SRTU teams used deep penetration tactics to infiltrate Huk-held territory and take out their units.[8] In 1954, the Army decided to combine all active SRTU units into the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment.[8]

During the Cold War, the FSRR provided training for prospective commandos of the Royal Laotian Army.[6]

The Scout Rangers participated in the December 1989 coup attempt against the administration of Corazon Aquino.[9] Led by then Captain Danilo Lim, Major Abraham Purugganan and Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Galvez, some 2500 Rangers took over Makati in the most destructive coup attempt against the Aquino administration[10] which left hundreds of civilians and soldiers dead, and hundreds more injured.

The Scout Rangers played a major role in capturing the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel camp during the 2000 all-out war against the MILF.[11]

During the Battle of Marawi of 2017, Scout Rangers were the first elite units deployed with the 1st Infantry Division to neutralize the Islamic State-inspired groups the Maute and Abu Sayyaf and their leaders Isnilon Hapilon and the Maute brothers. During the battle, the Rangers incurred many casualties including a veteran Captain of the battle of Zamboanga city. A Scout Ranger is credited with killing Hapilon during the final stages of battle.[12]

President Duterte was awarded the SR badge in 2017.[13]

Training

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Scout Ranger training has made the distinction that a graduating class must undergo an actual combat mission.[14]

In November 2021, the Scout Rangers have conducted joint training with Kopassus operators.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cabunoc, Maj Harold. "Scout Rangers: The legend continues". Philstar.com. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "Philippines to scrap future war games with U.S." September 29, 2016.
  3. ^ "DND sets aside P83M for rangers' project". The Manila Times. October 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "164 PH Army troops join elite Scout Ranger ranks". www.pna.gov.ph.
  5. ^ Conboy (1991), pp. 27–28.
  6. ^ a b Conboy (1991), p. 28.
  7. ^ "A salute to the brave". The Philippine STAR.
  8. ^ a b c "1st Scout Ranger Regiment".
  9. ^ "The Final Report of the Fact-Finding Commission: V: The Failed December 1989 Coup: Pre-Coup Events and Battle Zone Narratives | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines". October 11, 2023. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "MUTINY BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF 1989 SIEGE". March 24, 2013. Archived from the original on March 24, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "Revisiting Camp Abubakar, ten years later". July 9, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "Army commander shares how they killed Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute". cdodev.com. October 17, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  13. ^ President Duterte receives Honorary Scout Ranger Badge from First Scout Ranger Regiment ops.gov.ph 24 November 2017Archived 10 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Go, Miriam Grace (May 25, 2018). "Marawi's silent heroes: Scout Rangers remember their days on the battlefield". RAPPLER. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  15. ^ "Scout Rangers, Indonesia Special Forces conclude 2-week training". Philippine News Agency.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Dennis V. Eclarin, Scout Ranger Combat Guide (Third Edition), 2003, The Philippine Star.
  • Conboy, Kenneth (1991). South-East Asian Special Forces. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855321069.
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