1st Division - Primera División

The first division of the army has operational responsibility in the North coast of the country, with the city of Santa Marta, Magdalena Department command post. With a jurisdiction of 74.851 square kilometres, it covers the departments of Atlántico, Magdalena, Cesar, Guajira and South of Bolivar, in 98 municipalities. La Primera División is composed the second Brigade, based in the city of Barranquilla, capital of the Department of the Atlantic and the 10th armoured brigade, headquartered in the city of Valledupar, capital of Cesar.

After July 2005 the army had seven divisions assigned to territorial regions. At that time the 1st Division was headquartered in Santa Marta and as of 2007 had jurisdiction over the northern departments of Atlántico, Magdalena, La Guajira, César, Bolívar, Córdoba, Sucre, Antioquia, and northern Chocó. This division had five fixed brigades, with regional headquarters in Barranquilla (the 2d), Medellín (the 4th), Valledupar (the 10th), Montería (the 11th), and Carepa (the 17th). The 4th Mobile Brigade, with three counterguerrilla battalions and two Afeur units, was also assigned to this divisional jurisdiction.

As of early 2005 the army had seven divisions assigned to territorial regions. At that time the First Division had jurisdiction in the Departments of Atlántico, Magdalena, Guajira, Cesar, Bolívar, Córdoba, Sucre, Antioquia y Norte del Chocó. Its major component brigades were the IInd (Segunda Brigada), IVth (Cuarta Brigada), XIth (Décimaprimera Brigada), and XVIIth (Decimaséptima Brigada) Brigades, headquartered in the Departments of Barranquilla, Medellín, Montería and Carepa, respectively.

The background of the first division of the Colombian army dating from the conformation of the Liberator army, at the time of independence, whose structure had two divisions: the vanguard and the rearguard, created by General order issued on July 5, 1819, in the town of Tame, Arauca. On June 23, 1883, through Decree 335, the force is reorganized into two divisions. In this regard, the first Division, with headquarters in the city of Santa Fé de Bogotá, was composed of two brigades; the first, composed by the 1st Battalion of artillery and the second of Sappers and media battalions of the infantry battalions, 3 °, 11 ° and 13 °; and the second Brigade, consisting of media battalions of the 6th battalion of Sappers and 10 ° infantry.

According to data that lie in the historical archives of the first Division, their staff, in 1883, was composed thus: A Lord General of Division, Commanding General, a Lord General of Division, first Adjutant General and Chief of general staff, a Colonel Lord, first Assistant General, Mr captain or sergeant major, field assistant of the General Commander and junior officers and field assistants. At that time, the foot of force which had the first division was 4,000 men and had at its disposal an Inspector for each Brigade.

After many adjustments in the Organization of the army, on February 19, 1983, through available N ° 002, is activated in Barranquilla in the army's first Division, consisting of the second Brigade, headquartered in is city and fourth brigade based in Medellin. In the absence of the atlanticense capital with buildings suitable for this command, its temporary location in the city of Bogotá is ready. In June of the same year, the General Headquarters of the first division is transferred permanently to the city of Santa Marta, being its first Commander Mr Major General Joshua Leal Barrera and Chief of staff, Mr Coronel Hernán José Guzmán Rodríguez. Mr Colonel Guzmán presided over the ceremony of submission of 47 conscripts, members of the 4th contingent of 1983, comprising bachilleres soldiers and those who would constitute the first body of troops of the first division.