NEWLY PROMOTED. Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) (right), pins a rank insignia Wednesday (August 3, 2022) on Lt. Col. Paul Bailey, head of the US Special Operations Task Force 511.2 based in Zamboanga City. The US troops had been providing training and technical assistance to Filipino troops in the fight against terrorism in Mindanao. (Photo courtesy of Westmincom)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, led the donning of the rank on the newly-promoted commander of the American troops based here.
In a statement Thursday, Westmincom said the rank insignia was pinned on Lt. Col. Paul Bailey of the United States Marine Corp, the head of the US Special Operations Task Force 511.2 (SOTF-511.2) based in Camp Navarro.
The donning of the rank was held closed-door Wednesday inside the camp, which is the Westmincom headquarters, with selected Philippine and US military officials in attendance.
Rosario also awarded the Military Civic Action Medal to Bailey and the SOTF 511.2 members for meritorious achievement during their almost eight months of deployment as Westmincom-Foreign Liaison Elements.
Other awardees were Majors James Salka and Daniel Grant, Captains Michael Nerdahl and Edward Robinson, and 1st Sgt. Robert Turek, all of the U.S. Marine Corps.
The U.S. Armed Forces had been providing training and technical assistance to Filipino troops in combating terrorism in Mindanao.
In his message, Rosario thanked the SOTF 511.2 for the knowledge and expertise they shared that supported Westmincom's mission.
Meanwhile, Bailey thanked Westmincom for providing them with a haven during their deployment.
He assured that their successors will sustain the strong interoperability of the US and Philippine troops. (PNA)
