1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)

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First Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)
Pin Badge of the Special Forces
Active	June 21, 1962 - Present
Country	Philippines
Branch	Philippine Army
Type	Special Forces
Role	Airborne operations, Direct Action, Reconnaissance, Unconventional Warfare
Size	4 Battalions, 20 Companies. Total is 5000 soldiers
Part of	Under the Philippine Army Special Operations Command (PASOC)
Garrison/HQ	Fort Andres Bonifacio, Makati Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Palanan City, Nueva Ecija (Main)
Nickname	SF
Motto	Strike Anywhere
March	Special Forces Song
Mascot	Parachute/Arrow
Engagements	Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Decorations	Presidential Streamer Award
Commanders
Current commander	BGen Arturo Ortiz AFP
Notable commanders	Gen. Fidel Ramos AFP
Insignia
Unit Patch/Tab	Special Forces Patch/Tab

The 1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) is an elite Philippine Army unit established in the 1960s by Fidel V. Ramos (first Commanding officer of the Special Forces), primarily trained in both unconventional and psychological warfare.

Like the Scout Rangers, the 1st Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army is also highly trained in the art of counter-insurgency operations. Each member of the SF Regiment may opt to undergo speciality courses as well after finishing the basic special forces basic course. This includes undergoing training in demolitions and bomb disposal (EOD), psychological warfare operations (PSYOPS), K-9 handling, prisoner and law enforcement management, riverine operations, combat diving, as well as VIP security training in preparation for a re-assignment with the Presidential Security Group.

Similar to the United States Green Berets, they are an elite unit established in the 1960s who are primarily trained in unconventional and psychological warfare. One of their accomplishments was the formation of an army of militiamen better known as the Civilian Home Defense Forces (CHDF) later re-named as the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU). While the regular army units engaged the insurgents in the field, the Special Forces trains citizens as militiamen to distract communist rebels while at the same time conducting intelligence. They win the hearts and minds of the community population through community work and mobilising them to defend themselves.

When not doing any Special Operations Team (SOT) concepts, they can be called upon as strike forces by regular army units when the communist rebels began giving them the run. They can re-capture places over-run by communist rebels that regular army troops are unable to do, reconnoitre the front lines - the no man's land, and destroy enemy bases with stealthy and surgical accuracy. The unit once a neglected and downtrodden unit has slowly regained its reputation as the best. They have been blown out of the water in the 1960s when a national scandal demoralised the troops and led them into ignominy. Today, the unit has been nurtured especially after the Scout Rangers took part in the December 1989 Coup 'd' etat at the side of the rebels that shocked the nation in 7 days.