21 Facts About Colombian army

1.

Since the mid-1960s, the Colombian Army has been involved in a low-intensity asymmetrical war known as the Colombian Armed Conflict.

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2.

Mission statement of the Colombian Army is to conduct military operations oriented towards defending the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and protecting the civilian population, and private and state resources, to contribute in generating an environment of peace, security, and development, that guarantees the constitutional order of the nation.

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3.

The Gran Colombian Army was consolidated on August 7,1819, following the defeat of the Spaniards at the Battle of Boyaca under the command of Simon Bolivar.

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4.

In 1828 a war broke out with Peru and the Gran Colombian Army was called upon to defend the nation's sovereignty.

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5.

The need to professionalize and retrain the Colombian army prompted the creation of a military school, which was created in 1887.

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6.

Also the Colombian army lacked professionalism and sense of duty to the country and never acted as a national Colombian army, acting instead as militias and armed factions led by Commanders who had their own political agendas.

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7.

The Colombian army remained under the influence of the Chilean military mission until the mission left in 1914.

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8.

In 1926 the Colombian Government hired another military mission, this time from Switzerland, to reorganize the army again.

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9.

The Colombian army government responded forcefully, sending an expeditionary force which defeated the Peruvians and retook Leticia.

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10.

Nevertheless, the use of these 75 Colombian army soldiers as international peacekeepers was an antecedent of United Nations peacekeeping several decades later.

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11.

The first American military missions arrived in the country, and Colombian army officials were sent to the United States to perfect their knowledge; as a result of these links a new doctrine was adopted in the military forces.

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12.

The Colombian army then became involved in the restoration of public order.

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13.

However, the Colombian army has taken measures to become a transparent and professional fighting force.

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14.

The plan involved tricking FARC rebels into handing over the hostages by having Colombian army soldiers pose as members of a fictitious non-government organisation that supposedly would fly the captives to a camp to meet rebel leader Alfonso Cano.

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15.

Two Mi-17 helicopters came to the landing area in Guaviare, where one, carrying Colombian army agents wearing Che Guevara T-shirts, landed to pick up the hostages.

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16.

Once in-country, the Colombian army Battalion received training and then joined the American 21st Infantry Regiment on 1 August 1951.

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17.

In 1952, as the 21st Infantry Regiment redeployed, the Colombian army Battalion was transferred to the 31st Infantry Regiment.

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18.

Colombian army soldiers killed in action were sometimes cremated at the United Nations Cemetery in Tanggok and repatriated in 1954.

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19.

Urban Counter-Terrorism Special Forces Group - Alpha, otherwise known as AFEAU is an elite special operations unit within the Colombian Army, dedicated to performing high-value target acquisition or elimination, VIP protection, hostage rescue, quick reaction support, and counter assault operations within urban areas.

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20.

The Colombian army has nine enlisted grades, ranging from the equivalent of basic private to command sergeant major.

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21.

Colombian army personnel wear a number of different uniforms for both cold and hot weather as follows:.

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