MANILA, Philippines — On Tuesday (July 22), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) formally welcomed its 61st AFP chief of staff, Gen. Antonio Nafarrete from the Philippine Army having succeeded Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. in a change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo.
But before he took helm of the entire armed forces, he had a stellar career in the military. HIs remarkable contributions to military service are fuelled by his extensive experience and further strengthened by his diverse education from both military and civilian institutions.
Born on February 22 1969, and a proud native of Iloilo, Nafarrete was commissioned into the Philippine Army after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy on 18 February 1990 as a proud member of the PMA "Bigkis-Lahi" class of 1990.
Having been deployed in various areas all across the country, Nafarrete has seen extensive combat action all the way from Kalinga-Apayao in the north, to Negros in the Visayas and down south to Basilan, Maguindanao, North Cotabato and the Zamboanga Peninsula.
His career as a military officer however began when he became a Platoon Leader of the 1st Infantry Division within the 10th Infantry Battalion.
Scout Ranger pioneer
The new armed forces chief is also a full bloodied scout ranger and was among the pioneers in organizing the 1st Scout Ranger Company in the 1st Infantry Division when the First Scout Ranger Regiment was reactivated on January 16, 1991. Later in 1996, he assumed command of the 6th Scout Ranger company.
The Scout Ranger Regiment is an elite special operations forces unit of the Philippine Army specializing in anti-guerrilla jungle warfare, counter-terrorism, and special reconnaissance.
From 1997 to 1999, he served as the Intelligence and Operations Officer of 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion and Intelligence Officer of First Scout Ranger Regiment. He was also assigned with the AFP Joint Special Operations Group from 2003 to 2007. He later commanded the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion in Visayas from 2008 to 2010.
Presidential Security
After his successful tenure as a Battalion Commander, he was selected to join the Presidential Security Group as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, and Chief of Staff from 2010 to 2015. During his time with the PSG, aside from holding primary position, he also led numerous protective details, both domestic and international, as Stag Commander and Head of Security, ensuring the successful conduct of security engagements for safety and security of the President, Foreign Heads of State, and other dignitaries.
Later, he was reassigned to Mindanao as the Brigade Commander of the 1101st Infantry (Gagandilan) Brigade, 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division in Sulu Province. He started the Balik-Barangay program in Patikul, Sulu that paved the way for the return to normalcy of the internally displaced persons due to the prolonged conflict and combat operations.
Extensive education
He undertook several military schoolings and trainings to hone his management and technical skills, such as the Basic Airborne Course, Scout Ranger Course, Military Intelligence Officer Course, Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Financial Management Course, VIP Protection Course, Command and General Staff Course, and the Senior Executive Course on National Security.
He earned his Master's Degree in Management, Major in Public Administration, from the Philippine Christian University. Additionally, he received military training abroad, completing the US Army Ranger Course at the US Army Infantry School, Continental United States (Conus), the Joint and Combined Warfighting Course at the National Defense University (NDU), USA and Comprehensive Security Response on Terrorism Course in Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APSCC), Hawaii.
