AFP fetes Scout Rangers who bagged silver medal in UK

FILE: AMONG THE WORLD’S BEST. The eight-man team of the Philippine Army’s First Scout Ranger Regiment who won the silver medal during this year’s Exercise Cambrian Patrol in Wales, United Kingdom pose with AFP officials after they were awarded the Meritorious Achievement Medal at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday (Oct. 28, 2019). The Scout Rangers bested 139 other patrol teams from different militaries in the two-day patrolling mission. (Photo courtesy of AFP PAO via PNA)

MANILA — The eight-man team of the Philippine Army’s First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) who won the silver medal during this year’s Exercise Cambrian Patrol in Wales, United Kingdom were awarded the Meritorious Achievement Medal.

“Congratulations to the members of the team from the FSRR. Our Rangers have shown that the AFP is indeed a world-class armed forces that every Filipino can be proud of,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt.

Gen. Noel Clement said on Monday during the joint flag-raising and awarding ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The winning team was composed of 1Lt.

Michael Jungo, Sgt. Romero Sadava, Sgt. Francis Rey Patches, Sgt. Emmanuel Cabaron, Cpl. Rico Gundao, Cpl. Alexander Parongpong Jr., Cpl. Felipe Nebre and Cpl. Jojen Gastar.

The Scout Rangers outlasted 139 other patrol teams from different militaries in the two-day patrolling mission that covered over 60 kilometers of Welsh terrain, carrying 25 kilos of provisions and equipment under unfamiliar and freezing weather.

The competing members from the FSRR earlier bested other special operations unit members of the AFP to earn the right to represent the Philippines in the annual event.

The Philippine Army started sending representatives to the event in 2017 in what is dubbed as world-class challenge and considered as “toughest and biggest of its kind” that attracts the best teams from every military.

The Cambrian Patrol Exercise 2019 is on its 60th iteration and was held from October 14 to 16, 2019 in Wales, United Kingdom.

Participating teams are given a set of orders on specific scenarios that include simulated battles and terrain navigation.

Along the way, they were met with challenges including casualty evacuation, mock IED disposal, intelligence gathering, water crossing, and close-target reconnaissance, among others.

The teams are awarded points based on how they dealt with the challenges.

In the end, the Filipino Scout Rangers won the silver medal behind the team from Nepal that bagged the gold medal.