Comandos
Encyclopedia
For the denomination of "commando" see commando
; for the Argentine special operations unit see Amphibious Commandos Group
; for other special forces with "Commando" in their names see list of special forces units.
The Commandos are a special forces
unit in the Portuguese Army
. Their motto
is "Audaces Fortuna Juvat" (Luck Protects the Bold) and their war cry
is "MAMA SUMAE" (it can be translated as "here we are, ready for the sacrifice" – taken from a Bantu tribe of southern Africa). They were created as counter-guerrilla special forces, thus responding to the need of the army to have units specially adapted to the type of war that, in 1961, started in Angola
and later in Portuguese Guinea
(current Guinea-Bissau
) and Mozambique
– the Portuguese Colonial War
.
The first objective that the army set out to achieve was that of building a force specially prepared for counter-guerrilla operations, but the Portuguese commandos also participated in irregular operations, with units specially organised for each operation, and in assault operations, with conventional warfare
characteristics, especially in the last years of the war, when they operated in battalion
strength, backed up by artillery
and the Air Force
.
The history of the Portuguese commandos began on June 25, 1962, when, in Zemba (Northern Angola), the first six groups of those that would be the predecessors of the commandos, were formed. For the preparation of these groups, the CI 21 – Centro de Instrução de Contraguerrilha (Counter-Guerrilla Instruction Centre) was created, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Nave, and had as instructor, the photographer and former French Foreign Legion
Sergeant, the Italian Dante Vachi, with experience in the Indochina
and Algerian wars.
The six groups prepared in this center achieved excellent operational results. Nonetheless, the military command in Angola decided to re-evaluate the instruction and integration of these units into the army and, in 1963 and 64, the 16 and 25 Instruction Centres (CI 16 and CI 25) were created, in Quibala
, Angola. For the first time, the term "Comandos" (Commandos) was applied to the troops instructed there.
On February 13, 1964, the first Mozambique Commandos Course was initiated in Namaacha (Lourenço Marques, now Maputo
) and in 23 July of the same year, in Bra (Guinea-Bissau), the first Guinea Commandos Course.
During the Colonial War, they were one of the best guerilla/counter-guerilla units in the world.
The commando training course had the objective of preparing for combat and had two characteristics – the practice and realism – based on two aspects: the combat technique and the psychological preparation. All this having as foundation the physical and psychic selection with high standards, although these decreased as the war dragged on.
The psychological preparation to war was perhaps the aspect that most distinguished the commandos. Its objective was to transform the man into a self-disciplined soldier
, competent and effective in combat, able to fight in any situations and conditions.
The psychological component was, probably, the most striking component of the instruction, assuming that its main weapon was one's will
.
To perfect the will's domain over all other instincts, the commando's physical instruction aims to reach the limits of the recruit's resistance, aspiring to make each one the master of his own will.
Example of Training exercise: "They would always (for 3 or 4 times) make the same mountain run and about the same duration, so that you would start to expect what was coming and gain confidence, but at the 4th or 5th time, all changed and you were in total conflict about what was happening, putting questions in your mind like "What is going on here, we were supposed to have finished already", then one thinks "Ok, I can do one more run, no problem"...but, when you were sure that this was it or this was just another game from the instructors to put you down for one more run, then... when you least expected, you don´t do one... but... two or three more runs. Now this is called psychological training and at the same time physical training and that is why we are so strong, we always expect the unexpected and even that just gives us more resolve."
's and military commanders' orders, to conduct special operations
.
The groups' organisation (example):
This organisation of a group with five teams and each team with five men suffered adaptations, but the base-cell, the five-men team, remained throughout the war.
The war's evolution revealed the necessity of more commando soldiers and independent units, capable of operating during longer periods and being self-sustained: reasons that led to the creation of commando companies. The first company
was formed in Angola
and its instruction started in September 1964. Its commander, Captain Albuquerque Gonçalves, received the unit's banner on February 5, 1965. The second company had as its destination Mozambique, commanded by Captain Jaime Neves.
The organisation and organisational principles of the Portuguese commandos, inspired by the French Foreign Legion
and the Belgian Para-Commandos, are established in great mobility and creativity and in counter-guerrilla combat techniques, very well defined and able to support permanent innovation.
The composition and organisation of the commando companies were always adapted to the circumstances and situations, although throughout the war it was possible to verify two main models, that originated what we can call light companies and heavy companies.
The former were composed of four commando groups, each one with four sub-groups, constituting 80 men and with few back-up components. These companies had little capability to maintain themselves, independently, during long periods of time, because they were meant as temporary reinforcements to units in quadrillage
, like intervention forces, and received from those units the necessary support. In these companies, the mobility and flexibility were privileged, and were initially used in Guinea and Mozambique.
The heavy companies had five, five-team commando groups, in a total of 125 men, together with a formation of service personnel, of about 80 men, with medics, signallers, transport soldiers and cooks.
Another type of organisation was adapted to the companies of African commandos, formed in Guinea and composed of metropolitan soldiers when needed, a bit like the American special forces
did in Vietnam
with the "advisers".
The war's evolution, the necessity that started to exist of fighting in large units in Guinea and Mozambique and to, sometimes simultaneously, conduct special and irregular actions, led to the creation of commando battalions in those two theatres. This function of mother-unit was, in Angola and since its foundation, performed by the Centro de Instrução de Comandos (Commando Instruction Centre), that also needed to adapt, separating the instruction activity and gathering the operational units in a base in Campo Militar de Grafanil (Grafanil Military Camp), near Luanda
, although it was never completely independent of the operational use under a specific command.
As larger commando units the Centro de Instrução de Comandos (Commando Instruction Center), in Angola, the Batalhão de Comandos da Guiné (Guinea Commando Battalion) and the Batalhão de Comandos de Moçambique (Mozambique Commando Battalion) were formed.
Although Angola's Commando Instruction Centre was the home and it was in that centre that the main core of doctrine
of use and mystique of the commandos were formed, all battalions gave instruction to their staff and formed units to intervene in the operations theatre. Beyond this centre, that prepared units meant for Angola and Mozambique and the first commandos of Guinea, in Portugal a commando centre was also created in CIOE – Centro de Instrução de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Instruction Centre), in Lamego
, that instructed units mobilised to Guinea and Mozambique.
In its history, the commandos were formed in Zemba, Angola, after June 25, 1962, in Quibala, Angola, since June 30, 1963, in Namaacha, Mozambique, since February 13, 1964, in Bra, Guinea, since July 23, 1964, in Luanda, Angola, after June 29, 1965, in Lamego, Portugal, since April 12, 1966 and in Montepuez
, Mozambique, after October 1, 1969. After the Colonial War
, Portugal gave independence to all of its colonies and all the commandos started to be instructed in Amadora
, Portugal, since July 1, 1974.
Served in Portuguese Guinea (1964–1974)
Served in Mozambique (1964–1975)
Served in Portugal (1974–1993):
Serving currently in Portugal (as of 2009)
Combat casualties:
The commandos constituted about 1% of all the forces present in the Colonial War, but the number of their deaths is about 10% of the total of the casualties; a percentage ten times more than that of regular forces, which happens because they were the most employed troops. It's also generally known that the commandos eliminated more guerrilla fighters and captured more weaponry than the other forces. These characteristics made them the only ones to get a mystical aura that remained after the war.
and these were transferred from the Air Force to the Army. But in 2002, the commandos were reactivated as an independent unit and the Batalhão de Comandos (Commando Battalion) was created, with two Operational Companies and an Instruction Company. They are now based in the Centro de Tropas Comandos (Commando Troops Centre) in Mafra. They were deployed to Afghanistan
in 2005, where a sergeant was killed by a roadside bomb
; the first commando KIA since the end of the Portuguese Colonial War. In 2006, Army Chief of Staff General "Comando" Pinto Ramalho, informed that the Army was developing studies in order to raise a third Operational Company, with a size force increase; the Centro de Tropas Comando are actually a garrison in Carregueira.
Physical tests:
The physical tests are easy to complete, which allows the commandos to have large numbers of recruits; useful because there will be a lot of drop-outs during the instruction. It has been confirmed that due to the severity of the tranning, there is only a 20% completion rate.
After passing all the tests, the recruits will start the instruction.
Most of the instruction schedule or nature is unknown to the recruits. That means that they must be constantly ready and, to the smallest indication, present themselves on the parade ground or where they are ordered to, and follow whatever the instructors say. It might happen that they stay un-interrupted in instruction for more than a day, or that they have to conduct their daily lives during the night. The unforeseen and surprise are fundamental characteristics of the instruction. Each recruit must also be self-controlled: they have to control reactions that, otherwise, might be normal if they were not future Commandos.
All the demands made in the instruction are not obligations: each recruit has the right to refuse to do whatever he is ordered to. Obviously, doing this means that he is off the course.
When a recruit successfully completes the instruction he is badged as a commando and receives the famous red beret. The badging ceremony (like other traditions of the Commandos) is inspired by old Portuguese military orders (these were forces that, in medieval Portugal, were tasked with surveillance
and intelligence
in peacetime; first resistance in the defensive and first attack in the offensive; they were also the strongest forces during wartime).
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
; for the Argentine special operations unit see Amphibious Commandos Group
Amphibious Commandos Group
The Amphibious Commandos Group is a special operations force of the Argentine Marine Corps, trained to perform quick and objective amphibious reconnaissance, assault raids, and direct action operations. It was created in 1952 by the Vigilance and Security Company of Submarine Bases...
; for other special forces with "Commando" in their names see list of special forces units.
The Commandos are a special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit in the Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
. Their motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is "Audaces Fortuna Juvat" (Luck Protects the Bold) and their war cry
Battle cry
A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit.Battle cries are not necessarily articulate, although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment....
is "MAMA SUMAE" (it can be translated as "here we are, ready for the sacrifice" – taken from a Bantu tribe of southern Africa). They were created as counter-guerrilla special forces, thus responding to the need of the army to have units specially adapted to the type of war that, in 1961, started in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and later in Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea was the name for what is today Guinea-Bissau from 1446 to September 10, 1974.-History:...
(current Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
) and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
– the Portuguese Colonial War
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War , also known in Portugal as the Overseas War or in the former colonies as the War of liberation , was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974, when the Portuguese regime was...
.
Origin
In 1962 the army needed units with the ability to:- conduct special actions in Portuguese territory or abroad
- fight as assault infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
/ shock troopsShock troopsShock troops or assault troops are formations created to lead an attack. "Shock troop" is a loose translation of the German word Stoßtrupp... - provide the high political and military commands with a force able to conduct irregular operations
The first objective that the army set out to achieve was that of building a force specially prepared for counter-guerrilla operations, but the Portuguese commandos also participated in irregular operations, with units specially organised for each operation, and in assault operations, with conventional warfare
Conventional warfare
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted byusing conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined, and fight using weapons that primarily target the opposing army...
characteristics, especially in the last years of the war, when they operated in battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
strength, backed up by artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and the Air Force
Portuguese Air Force
The Portuguese Air Force is the air force of Portugal. Formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeronáutica Militar and Aviação Naval united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation...
.
The history of the Portuguese commandos began on June 25, 1962, when, in Zemba (Northern Angola), the first six groups of those that would be the predecessors of the commandos, were formed. For the preparation of these groups, the CI 21 – Centro de Instrução de Contraguerrilha (Counter-Guerrilla Instruction Centre) was created, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Nave, and had as instructor, the photographer and former French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
Sergeant, the Italian Dante Vachi, with experience in the Indochina
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
and Algerian wars.
The six groups prepared in this center achieved excellent operational results. Nonetheless, the military command in Angola decided to re-evaluate the instruction and integration of these units into the army and, in 1963 and 64, the 16 and 25 Instruction Centres (CI 16 and CI 25) were created, in Quibala
Quibala
Quibala is a municipality in Cuanza Sul, Angola. It comprises an area of 5,875 km. It is bordered by the city of Calulo in the north, by the town of Waku-Kungo in the east, by the municipality of Ebo in the south, and in the west by the municipality of Gabela and by Porto Amboim....
, Angola. For the first time, the term "Comandos" (Commandos) was applied to the troops instructed there.
On February 13, 1964, the first Mozambique Commandos Course was initiated in Namaacha (Lourenço Marques, now Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
) and in 23 July of the same year, in Bra (Guinea-Bissau), the first Guinea Commandos Course.
During the Colonial War, they were one of the best guerilla/counter-guerilla units in the world.
Training
Photo
The commando training course had the objective of preparing for combat and had two characteristics – the practice and realism – based on two aspects: the combat technique and the psychological preparation. All this having as foundation the physical and psychic selection with high standards, although these decreased as the war dragged on.
The psychological preparation to war was perhaps the aspect that most distinguished the commandos. Its objective was to transform the man into a self-disciplined soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, competent and effective in combat, able to fight in any situations and conditions.
The psychological component was, probably, the most striking component of the instruction, assuming that its main weapon was one's will
Will (philosophy)
Will, in philosophical discussions, consonant with a common English usage, refers to a property of the mind, and an attribute of acts intentionally performed. Actions made according to a person's will are called "willing" or "voluntary" and sometimes pejoratively "willful"...
.
To perfect the will's domain over all other instincts, the commando's physical instruction aims to reach the limits of the recruit's resistance, aspiring to make each one the master of his own will.
Example of Training exercise: "They would always (for 3 or 4 times) make the same mountain run and about the same duration, so that you would start to expect what was coming and gain confidence, but at the 4th or 5th time, all changed and you were in total conflict about what was happening, putting questions in your mind like "What is going on here, we were supposed to have finished already", then one thinks "Ok, I can do one more run, no problem"...but, when you were sure that this was it or this was just another game from the instructors to put you down for one more run, then... when you least expected, you don´t do one... but... two or three more runs. Now this is called psychological training and at the same time physical training and that is why we are so strong, we always expect the unexpected and even that just gives us more resolve."
Organisation and evolution
In its first phase, the commandos organised into independent groups composed of volunteers from infantry battalions, forming their intervention units. The success of these groups meant that they rapidly started to be used under the commander-in-chiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
's and military commanders' orders, to conduct special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
.
The groups' organisation (example):
- one command team (one officerOfficer (armed forces)An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, one signallerSignallerIn the armed forces, a signaller or signaleer is a specialist soldier or seaman or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, aka Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are commonly employed as radio or telephone operators, relaying messages for field commanders at the front line...
, one medicCombat medicCombat medics are trained military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield. They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury...
, two soldiers) - three manoeuvre teams (one NCONon-commissioned officerA non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
, four soldiers) - one back-up team (one NCO, one RPGRocket propelled grenadeA rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
soldier, one ammunitionAmmunitionAmmunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
soldier, two soldiers)
This organisation of a group with five teams and each team with five men suffered adaptations, but the base-cell, the five-men team, remained throughout the war.
The war's evolution revealed the necessity of more commando soldiers and independent units, capable of operating during longer periods and being self-sustained: reasons that led to the creation of commando companies. The first company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
was formed in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and its instruction started in September 1964. Its commander, Captain Albuquerque Gonçalves, received the unit's banner on February 5, 1965. The second company had as its destination Mozambique, commanded by Captain Jaime Neves.
The organisation and organisational principles of the Portuguese commandos, inspired by the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and the Belgian Para-Commandos, are established in great mobility and creativity and in counter-guerrilla combat techniques, very well defined and able to support permanent innovation.
The composition and organisation of the commando companies were always adapted to the circumstances and situations, although throughout the war it was possible to verify two main models, that originated what we can call light companies and heavy companies.
The former were composed of four commando groups, each one with four sub-groups, constituting 80 men and with few back-up components. These companies had little capability to maintain themselves, independently, during long periods of time, because they were meant as temporary reinforcements to units in quadrillage
Block warden
Block warden may refer to:*Nazi Blockleiter*Block warden system first experimented during the 1957 Battle of Algiers , and which would become a common technique of counter-insurgency throughout the 20th century. Also used for example during the "Dirty War" in Argentina and in the Portuguese...
, like intervention forces, and received from those units the necessary support. In these companies, the mobility and flexibility were privileged, and were initially used in Guinea and Mozambique.
The heavy companies had five, five-team commando groups, in a total of 125 men, together with a formation of service personnel, of about 80 men, with medics, signallers, transport soldiers and cooks.
Another type of organisation was adapted to the companies of African commandos, formed in Guinea and composed of metropolitan soldiers when needed, a bit like the American special forces
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
did in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
with the "advisers".
The war's evolution, the necessity that started to exist of fighting in large units in Guinea and Mozambique and to, sometimes simultaneously, conduct special and irregular actions, led to the creation of commando battalions in those two theatres. This function of mother-unit was, in Angola and since its foundation, performed by the Centro de Instrução de Comandos (Commando Instruction Centre), that also needed to adapt, separating the instruction activity and gathering the operational units in a base in Campo Militar de Grafanil (Grafanil Military Camp), near Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, although it was never completely independent of the operational use under a specific command.
As larger commando units the Centro de Instrução de Comandos (Commando Instruction Center), in Angola, the Batalhão de Comandos da Guiné (Guinea Commando Battalion) and the Batalhão de Comandos de Moçambique (Mozambique Commando Battalion) were formed.
Although Angola's Commando Instruction Centre was the home and it was in that centre that the main core of doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of use and mystique of the commandos were formed, all battalions gave instruction to their staff and formed units to intervene in the operations theatre. Beyond this centre, that prepared units meant for Angola and Mozambique and the first commandos of Guinea, in Portugal a commando centre was also created in CIOE – Centro de Instrução de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Instruction Centre), in Lamego
Lamego
Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants (the catchment of the city of...
, that instructed units mobilised to Guinea and Mozambique.
In its history, the commandos were formed in Zemba, Angola, after June 25, 1962, in Quibala, Angola, since June 30, 1963, in Namaacha, Mozambique, since February 13, 1964, in Bra, Guinea, since July 23, 1964, in Luanda, Angola, after June 29, 1965, in Lamego, Portugal, since April 12, 1966 and in Montepuez
Montepuez
Montepuez is the second largest city in the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, after the provincial capital of Pemba.It is the seat of Montepuez District....
, Mozambique, after October 1, 1969. After the Colonial War
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War , also known in Portugal as the Overseas War or in the former colonies as the War of liberation , was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974, when the Portuguese regime was...
, Portugal gave independence to all of its colonies and all the commandos started to be instructed in Amadora
Amadora
Amadora is a city and a municipality in Portugal, in the northwest of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The city and municipality population is 175,872 in eleven freguesias . With an area of 23.77 km², it is the most densely populated municipality of Portugal...
, Portugal, since July 1, 1974.
Operational units
Served in Angola (1963–1975)- Commando Companies (CCmds): 1st, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 30th, 31st, 33rd, 36th, 37th, 2041st, 2042nd, 2044th, 2046th, 2047th, 4042nd and 112th/74 – mobilized in Angola and Portugal.
Served in Portuguese Guinea (1964–1974)
- Commando Groups: "Camaleões", "Fantasmas" and "Panteras";
- Guinea Commando Company (CCmdsGuiné), including Commando groups: "Apaches", "Centuriões", "Diabólicos", "Vampiros" and "Grusinos";
- Commando Companies (CCmds): 3rd, 5th, 16th, 26th, 27th, 35th, 38th and 4041st – mobilized in Angola and Portugal;
- African Commando Companies (CCmdsAfricanos): 1st, 2nd and 3rd – mobilized in Guinea and composed entirely of blacks;
- Guinea Commando Battalion (BCmdsGuiné) – created in 1972 to centralize the command and the support to all commando companies operating in the Portuguese Guinea.
Served in Mozambique (1964–1975)
- Commando Companies (CCmds): 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 29th, 34th, 2040th, 2043rd, 2045th and 4040th – mobilized in Angola and Portugal;
- Mozambique Commando Companies (CCmdsMoç): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th – mobilized in Mozambique and composed of blacks and whites;
- Mozambique Commando Battalion (BCmdsMoç) – created in 1969 to centralize the command and the support to all commando companies operating in Mozambique.
Served in Portugal (1974–1993):
- Commando Battalion 11 (BCmds11), including commando companies (CCmds): 111, 112, 113 and 114. BCmds11 was formed with 2041st, 2042nd, 4041st and 112nd/74 CCmds, after coming back from Angola and Guinea, changing their numbers. CCmds 113 was later deactivated;
- Commando Battalion 12 (BCmds12), including CCmds: 121, 122 and 123 (heavy weapons). CCmds 123 was deactivated in 1982; CCmds 131 was created later, also of heavy weapons. In this battalion was also integrated the Commando Company REDES (Raids and Destructions);
- Commando Company 131 (heavy weapons), created in 1982 as the initial company of the future Commando Battalion 13, which was never activated. It was latter deactivated;
- Commando Regiment Headquarters and Support Battalion (BCS/RCmds), including: Headquarters and Services, Specialities Training, Maintenance and Transport and Resupply companies;
- Commando Regiment Training Battalion (BInstrução/RCmds), including Training companies: 1st and 2nd.
Serving currently in Portugal (as of 2009)
- Commando companies (CCmds): 1st CCmds "Morcegos", 2nd CCmds "Escorpiões" and 3rd CCmds "Cobras".
Casualties
Portuguese commando soldiers that participated in active operations: more than 9000 men (510 officers, 1587 NCOs and 6977 soldiers) served in 67 commando companies.Combat casualties:
- 357 KIAs (killed in actionKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
) - 28 MIAMissing in actionMissing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
s (Missing In Action) - 771 wounded
The commandos constituted about 1% of all the forces present in the Colonial War, but the number of their deaths is about 10% of the total of the casualties; a percentage ten times more than that of regular forces, which happens because they were the most employed troops. It's also generally known that the commandos eliminated more guerrilla fighters and captured more weaponry than the other forces. These characteristics made them the only ones to get a mystical aura that remained after the war.
Postwar
After the war, the commandos continued to develop their skills until 1993 when they were disbanded. This decision was influenced by a number of deaths during instruction. The commando soldiers were merged with the ParatroopersParachute Troops School
The ETP - Escola de Tropas Páraquedistas , based in Tancos, Portugal, is a unit of the Portuguese Army and serves as the instruction center for recruitment and training of the Portuguese paratroopers...
and these were transferred from the Air Force to the Army. But in 2002, the commandos were reactivated as an independent unit and the Batalhão de Comandos (Commando Battalion) was created, with two Operational Companies and an Instruction Company. They are now based in the Centro de Tropas Comandos (Commando Troops Centre) in Mafra. They were deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2005, where a sergeant was killed by a roadside bomb
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
; the first commando KIA since the end of the Portuguese Colonial War. In 2006, Army Chief of Staff General "Comando" Pinto Ramalho, informed that the Army was developing studies in order to raise a third Operational Company, with a size force increase; the Centro de Tropas Comando are actually a garrison in Carregueira.
Selection
- Must be a Portuguese citizen
- Must be at least 18 years-old
- Pass a medical and psychological exam
Physical tests:
- run 2500 meters under 12 minutes
- 47 sit-upsSit-up (exercise)The sit-up is a strength training exercise commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. It begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the arms across the chest or hands behind the head and the knees bent in an attempt to reduce stress on...
under 2 minutes - 5 continuous pull-upPull-up (exercise)A pull-up is an upper body compound pulling exercise where the body is suspended by the arms, gripping something, and pulled up with muscular effort...
s (palms forward) - 32 push-ups
- jump a 3 meter ditch
- jump a 90 cm-high wall
- walk a 5 meter-high portico
- swim 25 meters
- complete a labirynth tunel
- walk 8 km under 60 minutes, fully equipped and with extra 5 kg of weight
The physical tests are easy to complete, which allows the commandos to have large numbers of recruits; useful because there will be a lot of drop-outs during the instruction. It has been confirmed that due to the severity of the tranning, there is only a 20% completion rate.
After passing all the tests, the recruits will start the instruction.
Most of the instruction schedule or nature is unknown to the recruits. That means that they must be constantly ready and, to the smallest indication, present themselves on the parade ground or where they are ordered to, and follow whatever the instructors say. It might happen that they stay un-interrupted in instruction for more than a day, or that they have to conduct their daily lives during the night. The unforeseen and surprise are fundamental characteristics of the instruction. Each recruit must also be self-controlled: they have to control reactions that, otherwise, might be normal if they were not future Commandos.
All the demands made in the instruction are not obligations: each recruit has the right to refuse to do whatever he is ordered to. Obviously, doing this means that he is off the course.
When a recruit successfully completes the instruction he is badged as a commando and receives the famous red beret. The badging ceremony (like other traditions of the Commandos) is inspired by old Portuguese military orders (these were forces that, in medieval Portugal, were tasked with surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
and intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
in peacetime; first resistance in the defensive and first attack in the offensive; they were also the strongest forces during wartime).
External links
- Portuguese Army Commandos
- Commandos' Red Beret
- 1st Commandos Company "Bats" ("Morcegos")
- 2nd Commandos Company "Scorpions" ("Escorpiões")
- http://www.exercito.pt/portal/exercito/_specific/public/ueo/brasoes/Brasão(13).gifQuick Reaction Force in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
] - Former Commandos Regiment
- 2044 Companhia de Comandos
- 2042 Companhia de Comandos
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