Garud Commandos : When Areal Valour Lands to become FIERCE! (Blog Series- 1, Ep. 3)

 

Garud Commandos

Motto

Prahaar se Suraksha meaning Defence by Offence

Formation and Governing Body

The Garud Commando Force is a special force of the Indian Airforce. It was formed in 2003 in order to protect the air bases of the country. It was important to protect the air bases as two major bases had been attacked by the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in 2001. Earlier it was thought that the Indian Army would provide protection to the air bases but then it was realized that the Indian Army troops had to be mobilized as per the army's requirements. The Garud commandos were first seen or they unveiled themselves publicly at Air Force day celebrations in 2004. The Garud Commando Fore is a part of the Indian Air force which comes under the Ministry of Defence, GOI. 

Training and Selection

The Garuds are trained on the same lines as Indian Army's para commandos and the MARCOS of the Indian Navy. (We're soon gonna have a blog on MARCOS and Para Commandos😃.) The first batch of the force were ground duty branch officers of the Indian Air Force who volunteered to join the Garud Commando force. The volunteers had to undergo and pass the rigorous training and the soldiers can join the Garud Commando Force But now unlike its counterparts in the Indian Army and the Indian Navy, candidates for Garud Commandos are not selected from volunteers of the other branches. Recruitments of the Garuds is done directly through Airmen selection centres via advertisements. The commissioned posts of the Garud units are filled the officer cadets of Ground Duty branch undergoing training at Indian Air Force Academy, Dundigal.

In Action

The Garuds were active in providing security during various Aero India shows. The Garuds also played a crucial role during the 2016 Pathankot air base attack. After the Pathankot attacks 10 more squadrons of the Gauds were raised each consisting of 700 troops. Moreover the Garuds are also active in Counter Insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The Garuds do counter terrorists with the Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army. They use advanced weapons and wear a golden wing badge on left side of their uniform. 

Organization 

The Garuds are divided into 15 'flights' each 'flight' consisting of a particular number of troops. The flights are led by an officer of rank - 'Flight Lieutenant' or a 'Squadron Leader'. The force is commanded by the officer of rank 'Wing Commander'.

Operations

Though most of the operations of the Garuds are classified, i.e., they're confidential some of them rather very few of them are open to the civilians. They are -

1. 2016 Pathankot Attack
2. Operation Rakh Hajin
3. AFSOD - Armed Forces Special Operation Divisions deployments since 2019.

In January 2018 Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala became the first officer of the Indian Air Force to be awarded with the highest peacetime gallantry award - 'Ashok Chakra' for a ground operation and let me mention, of course he was a 'GARUD'.

Interesting Fact

The Garud Commando force was earlier called the Tiger Force but then was renamed as Garud Commando Force. I personally feel that the Garud is a much better name for a force that comes under the Indian Air Force. Let me know your views in the comment section below. Thank you! Hope you too become a Garud one day! Jai Hind!🔥🔥

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