HQ$History - United States Special Operations Command

esulting operation known as Balikatan 02-
1 to the Filipinos, but as Operation
ENDURING FREEDOM – PHILIPPINES
(OEF-P) to the United States. SOCPAC
deployed a Joint Task Force (JTF) 510 to
Zamboanga City on Mindanao, Philippines
in January 2002 to prepare for the introduction
of forces onto Basilan.
From February – July 2002, ten ODAs
and three ODBs of 1st SFG (A) from both
1/1st SFG (A) in Okinawa and 1st SFG (A)
at Fort Lewis, Washington, provided training,
advice, and assistance to 15 AFP
Infantry Battalions. Their mission on
Basilan, as directed by FOB 11, was to work
through, with, and by AFP units to destroy
the ASG organization on the island. Prohibited
from conducting combat operations and performing
advisory tasks below the battalion level, the
ODAs focused on denying ASG sanctuary by
preparing the AFP to improve security operations
by controlling lines of communication,
improving the infrastructure for the local populace
through CA, and bolstering the government
in the eyes of citizens through information operations
(IO). Both 96th CA Battalion and the 4th
Psychological Operations Battalion (POB)
deployed forces to facilitate these efforts.
On 1 February 2002, U.S. and Filipino Special Forces
began operations on Basilan Island, a jungle stronghold
of the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas.
SOF met most of its aims during OEF-P on
Basilan. By July 2002, the ASG had fled the
island. One of the two American hostages had
been recovered. As importantly, enhanced security
and public infrastructure (wells, roads,
bridges, etc.) improved economic and social conditions.
As of 2006, the AFP assigned only two
battalions on Basilan compared to the 15
employed there only four years earlier.
NSWTU-P personnel conduct VBSS with NAVSOU SIX and
EIGHT on a Filipino PG ship.
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After completing operations by late summer
2002, JTF-510 departed Zamboanga; yet, it did
leave in place a JSOTF headquarters (JSOTF-
P), stationed in Manila, and a SOUTHCOM
Liaison Element (SLE) to continue advising and
assisting the AFP’s efforts to deny sanctuary to
terrorists on Mindanao and the Sulu
Archipelago. In 2003-04, SOCPAC supported
the AFP by training a larger number of Filipino
forces. Again, 1st SFG (A) deployed two successive
force packages, consisting of one ODB and
five ODAs, to conduct Security Assistance during
2003, and a third force package in 2004 of
one ODB and three ODAs. All told, the ODAs
trained five AFP army and one AFP marine battalions.
During the same period, 1/1st SFG (A)
continued training the Filipino CT force, preparing
and outfitting an additional two LRCs.
ODAs from 1/1st also assisted in the design of a
Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), including
AFP air force rotary wing lift assets.
The purpose of the JSOG was to employ CT
forces to capture or kill terrorists. Members of
the 6th SOS from Hurlburt Field provided NVG
training, helping to create a night infiltration
capability to insert and support the LRCs when
employed.
Recognizing the need to provide a maritime
interdiction capability, SOCPAC tasked NAV-
SOF elements from Guam to conduct a Security
Assistance MTT to train Filipino naval units
from Southern Command on maritime patrolling
and interdiction tasks during 2004. In 2005,
NAVSOF shifted to a permanent Subject Matter
Expert Exchange (SMEE) effort on Mindanao