8th Infantry (Storm Troopers) Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Eight Infantry Division


caption= Coat of Arms of the 8ID
dates= August 1, 1988 - Present
country= flagicon|Philippines Philippines
allegiance=
branch= Philippine Army
type= Infantry
role= Conventional Warfare, Anti-Guerrilla Operations
size= 2 Brigades, 6 Batallions. Total is 4000+ soldiers
command_structure= Under the Philippine Army
current_commander= BGen Arthur I Tabaquero AFP
garrison= Camp Vicente Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= "Storm Trooper Division"
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot= 8 pointed star
battles= Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
notable_commanders= Bgen Isagani T Delos Santos AFP, BGen Romulo F Yap AFP, BGen Rufo A De Veyra AFP, BGen Romeo Dominguez AFP, BGen Glenn Rabonza AFP, BGen Bonifacio Ramos AFP, BGen Rodrigo Maclang AFP
anniversaries=August 1
decorations=
battle_honours=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Patch
identification_symbol=8ID Storm Trooper BadgeThe 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Storm Trooper Division, is one of the Philippine Army's Infantry units in the Visayas, combating Local Communist Units, and terrorists.

History

The 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army traces its roots from the former 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE) of the Philippine Army which was then activated pursuant to AFP General Orders Nr 123, GHQ, AFP dated 26 May 1986. The Brigade was first stationed in Barangay Santol in San Miguel, Leyte and its area of operation covered the entirety of Eastern Visayas and Region 8 composed of six (6) provinces, three (3) of which are found in Samar Island, two (2) in Leyte and one (1) in Biliran. It first drew its personnel and equipment from then 3rd Infantry (SPEARHEAD) Division, Philippine Army. It initially composed two (2) Tactical Brigades, the 1/8 Infantry Brigade and the 2/5 Infantry Brigade with an aggregate total six (6) Battalions namely: (19th, 20th, 34th, 43rd, 52nd and 56th). Samar Island, serving as the center of gravity and with better command and control, the 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE) later transferred its headquarters from Brgy Santol, San Miguel, Leyte to its current encampment and station in Camp Vicente Lukban, Maulong, Catbalogan, Samar on 17 October 1987. Thereafter, the 56th Infantry Battalion was transferred from Samar to Metro Manila for retraining with the 14th Infantry Battalion replacing it. On August 1, 1988, the 8th Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE), Philippine Army was redesignated as a regular Division pursuant to General Orders Nr 471, GHQ, AFP dated August 2, 1988.

Mission

The 8th Infantry (Storm Trooper) Division, Philippine Army often conducts Internal Security Operations (ISO) in their Area of Responsibility (AOR) to dismantle and destroy the remaining guerilla fronts of the Local Communist Movement (LCM) in order to attain peace and stability conducive to sustainable development in assisting the Philippine government in its socio-economic development projects; and assists the Philippine National Police curb criminality in the Visayas Region.

Lineage of Commanding Officers

*BRIGADIER GENERAL ISAGANI T DELOS SANTOS AFP - 26 May 1986 - 31 MARCH 1988
*BRIGADIER GENERAL FEDERICO E RUIZ JR AFP - 31 MARCH 1988 - 27 MARCH 1990
*BRIGADIER GENERAL ROMULO F YAP AFP - 27 MARCH 1990 - 10 JANUARY 1992
*BRIGADIER GENERAL RUPERTO A AMBIL AFP - 10 JUNE 1992 - 12 APRIL 1994
*BRIGADIER GENERAL DANILO P OLAY AFP - 12 MARCH 1994 - 15 MARCH 1996
*BRIGADIER GENERAL ROMEO B TARRAYO AFP - 04 APRIL 1996 - 15 JANUARY 1998
*MAJOR GENERAL ARTURO B CARRILLO AFP - 15 JANUARY 1998 - 06 NOVEMBER 1999
*MAJOR GENERAL RUFO A DE VEYRA AFP - 06 NOVEMBER 1999 - 07 JULY 2001
*MAJOR GENERAL ROMEO B DOMINGUEZ AFP - 16 JULY 2001 - 10 FEBRUARY 2003
*MAJOR GENERAL GLENN J RABONZA AFP - 10 FEBRUARY 2003 - 04 JANUARY 2005
*BRIGADIER GENERAL BONIFACIO B RAMOS AFP - 04 JANUARY 2005- 10 FEBRUARY 2005
*MAJOR GENERAL JOVITO S PALPARAN JR AFP - 10 FEBRUARY 2005 - 25 AUGUST 2005
*MAJOR GENERAL BONIFACIO B RAMOS AFP - 25 AUGUST 2005- 29 JULY 2006
*BRIGADIER GENERAL RANDY S DAUZ AFP - 29 JULY 2006 - 16 AUGUST 2006
*MAJOR GENERAL RODRIGO F MACLANG AFP - 16 AUGUST 2006 - 15 JANUARY 2007
*MAJOR GENERAL ARMANDO L CUNANAN AFP - 15 JANUARY 2007 - 19 MAY 2008
*BRIGADIER GENERAL ALLAN RAGPALA AFP - 19 MAY 2008 - 04 JUNE 2008
*BRIGADIER GENERAL ARTHUR I TABAQUERO AFP - 04 JUNE 2008 TO DATE

Operations

* Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's Army
* Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines.

References

* [http://www.army.mil.ph/Army_Sites/]