The jungle comes alive with the sound of gunfire as ghostly silhouettes emerge from lush vegetation cloaked under night’s veil. These are the elite warriors of the Philippine Scout Rangers – pushing their bodies to utter exhaustion and confronting death itself as their initiation rite into Southeast Asia’s most formidable special operations fraternity. Raw, unedited battle footage, christened “old scout ranger no blur,” recently surfaced on Reddit, riveting viewers with an unprecedented on-the-ground glimpse into the nocturnal firefights and nerve-wracking extraction under fire that scrubs over 75% of candidates wishing to sport the coveted double saber insignia. This unflinching portal reveals the grueling crucible that continually forges the cream of Philippine Army infantrymen into remorseless rebel/terrorist-hunting machinesready to parachute behind enemy lines and jungle-stalk their prey until the nation’s security challenges have been neutralized. Following weescape.vn !
I. What is “Old scout ranger no blur”?
The phrase “old scout ranger no blur” refers to rare, unedited footage showing the intense jungle combat training undergone by candidates for the Philippine Army’s elite Scout Ranger force. Scout Rangers are considered among the most highly-skilled and battle-hardened special operations units in Southeast Asia, having extensive experience fighting both terrorist groups and communist rebels within their country’s dense jungle terrain.
The evocative phrase “no blur” indicates that the footage in question provides raw, unfiltered glimpses into the rigorous selection course prospective Scout Rangers must complete. Unlike carefully polished and edited recruiting ads or propaganda films, this footage has not been deliberately “blurred” or censored to hide the extreme physical and mental duress trainees face. This unflinching look offers insight into a process generally hidden from the public eye for operational security reasons.
Origins of the Scout Rangers The Scout Ranger force can trace its lineage back to 1950, shortly after the modern Philippine military was established. Early Scout Ranger units were trained to conduct reconnaissance and rapid raids in support of defensive operations. Over succeeding decades, the force gradually expanded its training and mission set. Scout Ranger battalions were deployed extensively against Communist New People’s Army insurgents and Muslim separatist groups, gaining a reputation for their jungle warfare proficiency.
By the 1990s, Philippine Army Scout Rangers were among the most combat-experienced special operations forces in the region. Scout Ranger teams could execute missions ranging from stealthy long-range surveillance to direct action raids against heavily defended insurgent camps. Again and again, Scout Rangers spearheaded offensive operations targeting the leadership cadres and safe havens of groups threatening national stability.
Standards and Selection Maintaining the highest standards is a point of pride for Philippine Scout Rangers, reflected by their motto: “We strive to be the best.” Over decades, Scout Ranger leadership refined and enhanced selection and training processes to ensure operational readiness and competence. By the 2010s, Scout Ranger selection lasted several months and eliminated over 75% of candidates on average. Just graduating from the course has become a significant achievement.
Among special operations circles, many consider the Scout Ranger selection pipeline one of the most arduous in Asia. Trainees who make the cut are expected to demonstrate supreme physical conditioning, navigation skills, weapons handling, mental composure and leadership. Special emphasis is placed on mastering jungle tactical mobility – the ability to swiftly maneuver through harsh terrain while fighting dispersed enemies. A willingness to aggressively close with and destroy hostile forces is also vital.
Tradition of “blooding missions”Scout Ranger training has long culminated in a final high stakes test variously termed a “practical examination” or “blooding mission.” Before officially donning the Scout Ranger tab and ceremonial blue scarf, candidates are deployed into an active combat zone to face a genuine threat. There are generally two primary objectives for blooding missions: First, to test tactical skills under live fire. Trainees must demonstrate the ability to safely reach objective areas, execute mission commands and extract. Second, to judge courage and fighting spirit when lives are on the line. Hesitation or faulty judgement can have immediate consequences.
Not all trainees survive blooding missions, though exact casualty rates are not publicly released. Those who fight through and pass this trial by fire earn their status as Scout Rangers. Traditionally, slots are kept open in graduation ceremonies to symbolize respect for those lost. Per regulations, if candidates are severely wounded and unable to walk, graduation may be held at their hospital bedside.
II. What happened in the footage?
Raw footage emerged online showing Scout Ranger candidates conducting their traditional final blooding exercise in 2017. The videos capture the dangers faced in vivid detail, giving outsiders an unprecedented inside look. Most astonishing is the composure of the trainees throughout the filmed mission even in extremely hazardous circumstances.
Mission Background According to official statements, the candidates were participating in combat operations targeting Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists in the southern Philippines. Abu Sayyaf Group had been linked to numerous bombings, kidnappings and beheadings over years of activity. Several Scout Ranger missions aimed to eliminate senior figures and diminishing safe havens.
Elements of the 1st and 3rd Scout Ranger battalions insertion 20 trainees by night helicopter and patrol boats to vicinity of known terrorist activity on the island of Basilan. The objective was for the candidates to execute raids against nearby encampments where HVTs were tentatively located. Smart phone videos document parts of their ensuing engagement.
Opening Action Opening scenes show Scout Ranger candidates moving stealthily through dense foliage during the island infiltration phase. Despite 80 pound packs, trainees maintain spacing and noise discipline trudging along unseen jungle trails. After covering several kilometers through driving rain, the team pauses to don body armor before making final approach towards suspected enemy locations.
Moments later, gunfire rips through the jungle as the lead Scout Ranger team makes contact. Muzzle flashes flare ahead amidst the sound of grenade detonations. The trainees react immediately – those closest return fire into the brush as others bound forward in support. One candidatetests tosses his own grenade toward enemy fighters screaming before breaking into the inner perimeter. His classmates maneuver through the firefight, alternately providing suppressive cover while others advance.
Assault & Clearance Subsequent footage shows the Scout Ranger candidates clearing through a succession of lean-to style structures built along a riverbank. Circular stick and vine huts with grass thatched roofs dot the area, some still smoldering from earlier fighting. Bodies dressed in fatigue pants can be glimpsed lying prone as the team advances.
The trainees search methodically through the encampment, weapons at the ready. After confirming elimination of several Abu Sayyaf members, the team seizes recovered weapons including M16 rifles and AK-47s. One of the Scout Ranger candidates then discovers a large Abu Sayyaf flag and holds it aloft amid whoops from his classmates. Their first mission has ended in tangible success.
Extraction under Fire One final video clip documents the team awaiting extraction following completion of their initial raid. Crouching by an open marsh, the Scout Rangers scan terrain through their night vision goggles while a ditch rescue helicopter closes in. However, machine gun fire suddenly cracks out of the tree line sending rounds snapping overhead forcing the low-flying aircraft to abort its landing.
Without hesitation, the Scout Ranger team shifts position to create a hasty defensive perimeter while still taking sporadic fire. Yet even in the midst of this crisis, the trainees remain focused checking gear and weapons as they coordinate evacuation and suppressive fires. Their chopper is eventually able to return under white light flare cover to safely retrieve the team minutes later. Though this footage ends here, the 2017 selection saw at least 2 candidates killed according to official accounts.
III. Why did this footage become trending?
Despite the Philippine military’s general opacity regarding special operations, footage of this Scout Ranger blooding mission spread widely over the internet since its 2017 filming. A number of factors combined to drive intense public interest:
Rare look into elite unit selection Very few glimpses into the shadowy world of special operations selection reach the open market. Blooding missions represents the defining crucibles that forges future elite operators – yet details always remain concealed. Filmed images from 2017 offered a unique portal highlighting the difficulties Scout Rangers overcome.
Public fascination with special military units Special operations groups generate significant intrigue and awe among audiences worldwide. Their dangerous missions and physical capabilities seize public imagination. Footage revealing Philippine Scout Rangers on an actual combat operation satisfies public craving for insight into these covert light infantry teams.
Recognition of skill & grit displayed Viewers largely reacted with admiration at the talents and determination exhibited by the Scout Ranger candidates. Veterans in particular were impressed by their mastery of weapons handling, navigation and small unit tactics under live fire – skills only acquired through months of arduous training. And while the footage shows trainees facing peril, their composure and mission-focus is striking. React comments praised Scout Ranger trainees’ physical preparedness and mental tenacity driving them forward even when rounds snap past or explosions detonate nearby.
Desire to support elite unit often in harm’s way Special operations personnel frequently conduct deniable, high-stakes missions yet receive little public plaudits. Audiences cheering the footage allow them to indirectly show support for the oft-unrecognized Scout Rangers protecting national security. In the same vein, viewers paid respects to the several candidates killed or wounded fulfilling their final challenge – underscores the shared sacrifice of those defending their country from shadowy dangers.
IV. Where can you watch this footage?
Due to its graphic combat content, initial posters of the 2017 Scout Ranger selection footage could only share it through video sites maintained overseas or outside formal regulation. Over the last half decade, segments have appeared on channels ranging from Reddit to YouTube to Chinese equivalent platforms.
Video platforms Full-length videos are seldom archived before deletion from popular commercial video sites due to violent content rules. However edited segments tend to persist in scattered form across video channels. Determined viewers may be able to find brief clips capturing parts of the 2017 blooding mission and training aftermath. Of course, re-uploads come and go depending on platform moderation activities meaning availability constantly fluctuates.
More complete assemblies of the mission footage itself remain in small circulation among members of Philippines veteran groups or private chat servers. Links get shared by word of mouth in recognition of the sacrifices borne by those trainees killed or maimed. Some assemblies have custom dedications to the casualties like “Forwarded in honor of Ranger Caasi- never forgotten.” As a tightly held tribute reserved out of sight, public visibility remains somewhat limited.