Despite being the only female in the course programmed for males, it did not hinder the determination and strong faith of Private Amaleth Joyce Caoyong in the Physical Training Course of the prestigious Scout Ranger School. Along with the 71 graduates of the PTCC Class 35-2022, she became the first female scout ranger qualified trainer.
The First Scout Ranger Regiment, also known as the Scout Rangers, is a unit under the Philippine Army that specializes in anti-guerilla jungle warfare, raids, ambushes, close quarters combat, urban warfare, and sabotage.
It was created on November 25, 1950, under the command of former AFP Vice Chief of Staff Rafael M. Ileto due to the growing number of Hukbalahap Guerillas that needed to be countered.
Private Caoyong endured 45 days of physically demanding training where she was also trained on how to design, using a scientific approach, to develop and maintain the fitness of personnel with the primary objective of developing cadres for physical training. After finishing the course, she is now a Physical Trainer Badge holder and can facilitate military obstacles apparatus, military exercises, and physical tests for the elite unit and craft a physical program.
It can be noted that the Philippine army has produced numerous noble men who fought in wars and helped maintain peace and security, but female army warriors are now slowly etching their names into the history of the organization, and Caoyong is one of them.
The badge was pinned during the culmination activity by the Philippine Army held in a joint closing ceremony last July 22 at the First Scout Ranger Regiment’s Scout Ranger School in Camp Tecson, San Miguel, Bulacan.
In a statement, Army Spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad said that the Philippine Army is a people-centric organization that puts an emphasis on gender equality. He further said that the army’s female personnel receive equal opportunities in the organization consistent with the requisites of military service.
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/scoutrangermusangs
Source: https://www.facebook.com/YourPhilippineArmy
