SR Sniper Sustainment Training

SR is one of the misunderstood units in the PA and AFP. Like, the following

1. SR is not on the news

SR is not on the news and will never be in the news bec standing SR policy is to credit to PA all its acheivements. SR information officer liaise with PA not directly to the media.

2. They say SR sponsors elitism.

They do not ! What SR does not tolerate is stupidity. During operations, SR cooperating units always complain that SRs are being arrogant, but always the case, that unit commited stupidities that the SR think did put lives in peril. That is intolerable to SR and will illicit criticism from SR officers and men. This is always interpreted as elitism.

3. Most says that SR is well manned.

Right now the SR is not given its quota for its officers from the PMA and OCS (some ultimate moron thinks so with his infinite wisdom). SR core operational leadership is run by the NCOs of the regiment.

4. Most says that SR is well equipped.

SR equipment is just well maintained and always accountable. Having your rifle rusty during random inspection and losing your group shot in your next record fire is a serious offense in the regiment (your on the G1's hitlist). During operations, it is not uncommon to see SR cleaning their rifles while eating skyflakes crackers. Further, "recon by fire" is rarely practiced, spray shooting is taboo and SR do not shoot if they do not have eyes on the target.

4. Most says SR is all guts, glory and muscle.

SR men are not super men, they are just focused thinking men. These ordinary people fight with the mental edge given to them during the realistic training they received. Fat guys sometimes beat physically strong candidates (though these fat guys end up as fit men). Walang bugbugan sa SR training, ikaw bubugbog sa sarili mo. Then they check if you can hold up mentally. If not, you are either RTU or Recycled. The SR prep course irons this out.

Our purpose here is just to clear the misconceptions. SR is slowly declassing pics that does not pose any security risks. I am negotiating more pics re E&E, sniper ops and training.

SR currently redefined its standard CCIE and they amend this every year(to take advantage of cost and technology innovations) to further expand the volume and weight they can carry to prolong patrol periods before resupply. Unfortunately, this is a security issue as this are distinguishing characterisitics of SR CCIE (i.e. like the shape and looks of the 7.62 linked floating bandoleer). By looking at the rucksack and kit setup, a trained eye can spot a ranger from a non ranger.

Lastly, Congratulations to Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.

Ex-coup leader now AFP's youngest general
Posted 08:52am (Mla time) April 14, 2005
By Fe Zamora
Inquirer News Service


COLONEL Danilo Lim was promoted to star-rank status effective April 10, making him at 49 the youngest brigadier general in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He is also the first leader of the mutinous Young Officers Union to become a general.
The promotion of Lim, who is commandant of the First Scout Rangers Regiment (FSRR), and 14 other officers, was announced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during ceremonies in Malacaņang Tuesday night.

Lim confirmed his promotion which was a prerequisite to his appointment as commandant of the FSRR in 2002. "It's no big deal," Lim said, trying to downplay his new rank.

A 1978 graduate of the US Military Academy in West Point, Lim was among the leaders of the rebel troops who occupied the Makati business and commercial center at the height of the December 1989 coup that came close to toppling the Aquino administration.

Then a captain, Lim led the fully-armed rebels in a rousing "back to barracks" march to Fort Bonifacio, thus ending the standoff that paralyzed the country's financial district for nearly a week.

Lim also headed the rebel troops from the YOU and the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa and the Soldiers for the Filipino People (RAM-SFP-YOU) in the peace process that resulted in the reinstatement of majority of the officers involved in the most serious attempt to unseat President Corazon Aquino.

Promoted with Lim were senior colonels, including some 1972 graduates from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).


Ex-coup leader now AFP's youngest general

Be forgiving, that is what the SR can afford to muster for this operation. They are ill equipped but it does not deter them to undertake the mission.

It was the commander's call. Will he do one 2 hr boat ride or two 2 hr boat rides. The second time around may not be safe for his second transit of troops, to him its better to take his chances. So he made his call to do so.

I agree it was dangerous but who else will do it? Risk aversion can lead to complacency, these guys went ahead with the mission even without the proper support resources and its because the mission has to be done.

We can convert some of the PN's small landing craft into a riverine armored troop carrier like the one pictured below used by the Americans in their riverine ops in Vietnam. There are still Higgins-type assault boats lying around in various PN bases that could still be refurbished into something like this. I believe its doable as what MBLT6 and his Marines did to their guntrucks. This will definitely be useful in inserting and extracting troops in combat areas accessible by river transport only.


Note the all-around slat armor designed to defeat RPGs fired from the riverbanks and the turrets bristling with machineguns which are more than enough to deter the attackers.

This post has been edited by Iron Dragon on Apr 19 2005, 03:40 PM

Brilliant idea Iron Drag Why not?

CDF bok, can you bring this up to the brass? Its pathetic looking at the pic of SR sniper team on board an open boat. I think this would not cost much since the materials are readily available and need not be brand new.

Hey, even some of us here at PDFF could contribute a little amount (as someone suggested at opus forum, manokski?) for the realization of even one riverine armored gunboat. That US boat is big, we can surely make a smaller one just enough for a team or two of Scout Rangers.

Do we have a Navy guy here who can share his thoughts re: the feasibility of this idea?

Maybe for once, we can do something more tangible than just posting here.

BTW, what are the existing assets of our riverine units? Maybe start from those?

SR officers a long time ago suggested to purchase a small barge or the poontoon type, which can be used as a resupply boat, riverine TCP or mortar platform. Even a two section bolted reinforced fiberglass rigid raider (similar to what the British army uses) with a transom mounted gas and/or battery-electric engine is good enough for riverine operations.












Unfortunately in the whole scheme of SR mission essential wish list, it is slightly below combat boots, thermal imagers and uniforms. So the idea died a natural death.

If some of you guys can start a trust fund through a bank and donate to make this idea come into fruition, the SR will be glad to accept this offer.

Sir , similar proposals were discussed in the other forum and donations in the form of money is quite problematic. Better donations in kind, like materials, outboard motors or the whole boat itself.

If you have friends in the U.S., there's lots of demil boats being sold by auctions and some private individuals donating theirs. Maybe we could work it out thru those friends to acquire these. especiallly if they are former AFP, they will know how we need those boats.

i agree, setting up the trust fund can be quite complicated as it would need a duly registered and properly documented entity which could be difficult to set up by PDFF members given our various locations and the unavoidable mistrust of others, i agree with saver, contributions in kind and effort would be more practical ,,,

like e.g. bosing horge who is a boatbuilder could donate his expertise or even a whole boat to the cause.

As I said in the other thread, the Tamils are making their own fiberglass boats to enforce their own economic zone and brown water navy, why not the ARMY? Maybe as a project in their vocational trainings and have the expertise of friends as consultants and materials thru donations?

just got this. nice shot though

http://www.strangemilitary.com/content/item/103758.html

you guys are referring to a foundation is a trust fund is fully controlld by the benefactors and trustee, a trustee can be lawfirm or a bank, it executes the will of the benefactors. it is much protected against any form of corruption as the benefactors elect the trustee. You can donate to a trust in cash or kind. The reason why i suggested so is that pledges are pledges but commitments can bring the goods home, a trust makes sure pledges become commitments. But if your option is better then lets go with it. Beggars cant be choosers.

SR was stripped off their attached light armor and rivierine assets after the 89 coup. Someone was convinced back then that it can be used by rebel SR and SF units to attack malacanang.
Even the SR mountain BN was stripped off the FSRR after the 89 coup which eventually lead to it disbandment.

SR was stripped off their attached light armor and rivierine assets after the 89 coup. Someone was convinced back then that it can be used by rebel SR and SF units to attack malacanang.
Even the SR mountain BN was stripped off the FSRR after the 89 coup which eventually lead to it disbandment.

How about other units? It doesn't need to be the SR to have such boats for extracts. Support from other units should be provided such as the PAF for heliborne extract, right?

An SR commander always have autonomous plans, meaning he can act on the field without external support. It is part of his toolbox and can be used expediently. However, an SR commander do not have sophisticated transport systems under his disposal (unlike in the past), thus he is compelled to improvise. Further, SR weather is not really good weather for helos, thus in the case in the pic, the helos were not an option as the cloud cover does not permit them to operate safely. The SR commander made his call.

A similar incident also occurred, where several SR Sniper teams were dispatched to track down some elements, upon completion of their task, the team were not extracted from the designated LZ as the weather did not permit so for 4 long days. The sniper teams have to leapfrog to several LZ in the next four days, eventually after several helo attempts the commander decided that they link up instead with his chase elements, who rallied by foot to the sniper team so they can be resupplied and be extracted safely. The commander made good judgement call, part of his backup plan was to dispatch a foot chase team when weather turned worse.

For reasons of delicadeza, the PDFF Admin and Mods cannot start a trust fund for this idea but we can gladly contribute if there is such ... I'm not knowledgeable in fund or bank transactions but I think even a current account is enough for donors to wire their donations to.