The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) retired the old beret of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and launched a new design in a simple ceremony held at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on Monday.
Major General Divino Rey Pabayo, commander of SOCOM, spearheaded the retirement of the dark green beret which was first adopted with the activation of the Philippine Army’s Special Operation Command in 1996 “as a symbol of excellence and uniqueness.”
Further, Pabayo said a key element in the new beret is the “Maharlika” badge which features a gold or silver badge that combines five features namely the Canopy, the Dagger, the Trident, the Arrow and the Symmetrical Wings.
The said features represent the “best qualities” of the Special Operations Forces of the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Air Force (PAF), and Philippine Navy (PN).
Pabayo explained that the gold badge signifies the “extraordinary attributes” expected from a member of the SOCOM officer corps while a silver badge stands for the “sterling character” of its non-commissioned officer corps.
Meanwhile, Pabayo noted that the absence of a “flash” in the new design emphasizes the SOCOM operator as a “nameless, faceless warrior known only for his skill and abilities as symbolized by the Maharlika badge.”
The SOCOM is a relatively young military unit. It was activated in April 2018 following a series of setbacks suffered by the military including the Zamboanga siege in 2013 and Marawi siege in 2017.
The activation of the SOCOM effectively places the control of all elite units of PA, PAF, and PN under one command of the AFP.
Its predecessor was the now-defunct SOCOM of the Army.
“Now that the former SOCOM (PA) has transitioned to the Special Operations Command (AFP), a new look and identity is called for to match the new character and ideals of the new unit that is distinct to that of its predecessor,” Pabayo said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/14/afp-elite-troopers-wear-new-beret/
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