DAHIL sa tapang at kabayanihang ipinakita ni AFP Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) Chief LtGen Bartolome Vicente Bacarro sa madugong sagupaan laban sa communist New Peoples Army sa Isabela nuong 1991, hinirang itong honorary Special Forces member sa ginanap na graduation ceremony ng Special Forces Combat Qualification Course (SFCQC) Class 19-2021 sa Headquarters, Special Forces Regiment (Airborne).
“For his victory in an encounter with communist rebels in Isabela in 1991, then Lt Baccaro received a Medal of Valor. Today, he is the 7th valor awardee who is a member of the special forces family. I am honored to pin his special forces badge because more than this sterling military service, he definitely possesses the virtues inherent in every special forces operator, courage and determination. This is why we invited the SOLCOM Chief to be our guest of honor, I want you to have an ideal example of what a professional soldier should be, ” pahayag ni SFRA Acting Commander Col Eliglen Villaflor sa mga mag aaral ng SFCQC.
Kilala sa buong Sandatahang Lakas ang SFCQC, dahil sa pamosong pamamaraan ng pagsasanay ng Special Forces School lalo na sa jungle warfare. Ito ang unang hakbang na daraanan bago tuluyang maging ganap na full-fledged SF Operator. Dahil sa hirap ng pinagdaanan sa SFCQC 18 sundalo ang nabigong maka at mapabilang sa Class 19-2021.
Nabatid na may 177 graduates ang nasabing kurso at pinangunahan ito ni Lt. John Try Española na siyang nag topped sa klase na may general point average na 91.80 percent sa lahat ng evaluated subjects. May kasama rin ditong walong iba pang army officers at 28 non-commissioned officers mula sa Philippine National Police na naging bahagi ng klase.
Sa kanyang pahayag, pinaalalahanan ni LtGen Baccaro ang mga graduates na dapat na panatilihin nilang matalas ang kanilang mga kakayahan: “keep your skills sharp as they are perishable and will always come in handy”, anang heneral.
“In my more than 34 years in the service, I have continued to admire individuals who wear the special forces badge. The camaraderie that you have amongst your team is forged in fire, forged by your commitment to serve and give your best. I am happy to be part of this team and I will wear this tab and this beret with great honor following the dictum of special forces. To the members of SFCQC Class 19-2021, as you go out there and pursue your careers, continue to do common things uncommonly well.” -LtGen Baccaro. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
