NEW ARMY CHIEF TURNS OVER THE COMMAND OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS
Newly installed Army Chief MGen Arturo B. Ortiz turned over the
leadership of the Special Operations Command to its new commander in a
Change of Command Ceremony held in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on July
28 with AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo A. David Jr., as the Guest
of Honor and Speaker and Presiding Officer.
MGen Ortiz served as the SOCOM Commander before he assumed as the 53rd
Commanding General of the Philippine Army on July 23. Succeeding MGen
Ortiz is BGen Roberto L. Morales, who is leaving his post as Commander,
Special Forces Regiment (A). BGen Morales will be replaced by Col.
Aminkadra S. Undug.
SOCOM is composed of the Special Forces units of the Philippine Army
namely: the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), Special Forces Regiment
(Airborne), and the Light Reaction Battalion (LRB).
The FSRR specializes in anti-guerilla warfare. It conducts special
operations in support of AFP internal security operations. The FSRR was
founded by Lt. Gen. Rafael Ileto in 1950.
The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne), on the other hand, was
established by former President Fidel V Ramos in 1960s. SFRA is
primarily trained in both unconventional and psychological warfare. And
lastly, the LRB is the counter-terrorist unit of the Philippine Army
that was officially activated on February 2004.
On Monday, a Joint Change of Chiefs of Office Ceremony of The Inspector
General Philippine Army and Office of the Chief of Staff, Philippine
Army was held at the Headquarters Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio,
Metro Manila. Former Army Chief of Staff MGen William S. Campos assumed
as the Army Inspector General, replacing BGen Rolito Abad; while BGen.
Renato A David assumed as the Army Chief of Staff.
In his assumption speech, MGen Ortiz emphasized that commanders will be
carefully selected based largely on character, competence and capacity
to perform assigned mission/ task. The Command, believing on the
experience and wisdom of the newly designated general officers, has its
high confidence that these changes shall contribute to the fulfillment
of the Army's thrusts and mission. #
|
