THE Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) joined the members of Australian Defense Force (ADF) in commemorating the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) day, one of Australia’s most important national occasion that commemorates heroes of the first world war.
The ADF’s Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines (JATT-P) is currently in the country for KASANGGA 22-1, the first Australian-Philippine Bilateral Exercise with the Special Forces. Since ANZAC day is commemorated every 25th of April, SFR (A) Acting Commander Col Eliglen Villaflor offered the paratrooper’s grounds for their ceremonies.
“We are honored to join them in this dawn service. For the past few days, our men have learned a lot – from tactical procedures to profound matters rooted in cultural diversity. Now, we know that we have similar sentiments when it comes to love of country. Similar to us, they have a high regard for the sacrifices made by their forebears, all in the cause of liberty and peace,” notes SFR(A) Chief of Staff Col Eros James Uri.
According to the government-run Australian War Memorial website, ANZAC day remembers the allied expedition set off to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey where thousands of Australian soldiers had died in 1915. Nowadays, its meaning has been broadened to include those who lost their lives in the Second World War and other peacekeeping operations where Australia was involved.
After the dawn service (consisted of prayers, requiem, laying of wreaths, and ‘The Last Post’ bugle call), the Filipino and Australian soldiers bonded over biscuits and the traditional ‘Gunfire’ drinkwhich is cup of coffee or tea with a dash of rum intended to provide extra courage to soldiers during the First World War.
To note, the JATT-P is composed of around 50 Australian officers and non-commissioned officers. They are set to continue to share their expertise in infantry, combat engineering, and combat medic training. Meanwhile, the Filipino participants were pulled out from offices and units under the Special Forces. In return, the Special Forces are to share experiences in confronting internal security challenges like the battle of Marawi.
“This current rotation of JATT-P is the first major opportunity ADF and AFP have had to conduct bilateral training after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. A lot of my soldiers are young privates and this kind of opportunity will surely have a tremendous impact on building their character. On the macro level, bilateral exercise will further strengthen the already strong relationship between our countries,” said JATT-P Commander Maj Cane Mifsud.
The KASANGGA (which means partners to reach a common goal) Australian-Philippine Bilateral Exercise was conceptualized and realized through the initiative of the Philippine Special Forces and the Australian Embassy. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
