4th Division - Cuarta División

The Fourth Army Division has jurisdiction in the East of the country and command post in the city of Villavicencio, capital of Meta Department. Comprises a total 389 municipality with an area of 154.984 square kilometers, in the departments of Cundinamarca, Meta, Guaviare and Vaupés, with a population rate of 968.596 inhabitants. It consists the seventh brigades, with command post in the city of Villavicencio, Department of Meta twentieth second Brigade, with command post in San José Guaviare, Department of Guaviare and the 37th 1st Brigade, headquartered in Mitú, Vaupés Department. With the creation of the *th Division in 2009, the 4th Division no longer had responsibility for the Departments of Casanare,Guainía, or Vichada.

After July 2005 the army had seven divisions assigned to territorial regions. At that time the 4th Division was headquartered in Villavicencio and operates in Casanare, Guaviare, Guainía, Vichada, Caquetá, Vaupés, the extreme southern territory of Cundinamarca, southern Boyacá, and the eastern areas of the departments of Cauca and Meta. It has two brigades, the 7th, based in Villavicencio, and the 16th, which operates out of Yopal. The Eastern Specific Command, also assigned to this division, was based in Puerto Carreño. Special units in the 4th Division’s jurisdiction include the 7th and 9th mobile brigades, with 12 counterguerrilla battalions and two Afeur units, the 31st Combat Company for Support Services, and the Plan Meteoro 5th Company.

As of early 2005 the army had six divisions assigned to territorial regions. At that time the Fourth Division had jurisdiction in the Departments of Casanare, Guaviare, Guainia, Vichada, Caqueta, Vaupes, Eastern Cundinamarca, Southern Boyaca, and Eastern cauca, Meta, and Huila. The division's component brigades were the VIIth (Septima Brigada), XVIth (Décimosexta Brigada), and the Eastern Command, headquartered in the cities of Villavicencio, Neiva, Florencia, Yopal, and Puerto Carreno.

The creation of the army's fourth Division was motivated in the natural process of growth of the institution and to the need for the Organization of the force with units operating more as essential steps of the command in the institutional hierarchical structure. There were also key factors the complexity, diversity and increase the problems of public order, the desire to meet the aspirations of the various sectors of public opinion and the need to address better the guard of their sovereignty in all directions.

It was activated through the provisions number 00025 of 1983 of the army command, no. 000431 1983 No. 5712 of 1983 of the Ministry of national defense and the General command of the armed forces. On January 12, 1984, Dr. Belisario Betancourt, President of the Republic appoints the Lord more General Luís Enrique Rodríguez Botiva as Commander of the largest operational unit.

The theatre of the Fourth Division is the Colombian Orinoco, formed with a land area of 406.309 km2 and a population of 1.020.470 inhabitants, 61 municipalities that correspond to the departments of Meta, Casanare, Guaviare, Vaupés, Vichada, Guainia, 02 municipalities of Cundinamarca (Medina, Paratebueno) and 05 municipalities of Boyacá (San Luís de Gaceno, Pisba, Paya, farmland Grande, Pajarito, as well as the responsibility of 880 Km of border with Venezuela and 990 Km with Brazil.)

The dimension of the struggle that throughout history has been deployed within the scenario of the Fourth Division to counter the groups outside the law, is not only measured by figures who have realised the enemy casualties, catches, neutralized terrorist acts, the destruction of complex coca growers and the Secretariat of the Farc and the AUC illegal campsthe seizure of pertetrechos, the staunch fight against the scourge of kidnapping and extortion, and the different heroic acts that throughout history have done our soldiers, but also it's worth noting that since its creation it has devoted great efforts to unite wills and achieve that society is a his army in a comprehensive and determined manner to confront the enemies of Colombia.

On July 19, 1994 presents a regrettable fact which put the history of the largest operational unit and national army which was the vile murder by terrorists of the FARC from the Lord General Carlos Julio Gil Colorado, when it moved from Apiay in Villavicencio, in whose honour was built the monument of the heroes of the Fourth Division killed in combat.

Major operations have marked the existence and growth of the largest operational unit, the outstanding point now allows you to serve proudly as one of the most efficient units of the national army. Within these operations include the Colombia operation of the 09 of December of 1989, where troops of the Seventh Brigade occupied area general of doubt River, ravine the Mil, the foothills of the Eastern Cordillera in the town of la Uribe, to dismantle the self-styled general staff of the FARC and General Secretariat, thus ending what became known as the myth of "Green House".

In February 2001 with troops from the operating unit in the departments of Guainía, Guaviare, and Vichada begins operation "Black cat", resulting the capture of the Brazilian Fernandino capo, the location and destruction of 65 laboratories and 32 camps and low 14 terrorists more 84 catches. In August 2001, the so-called operation is carried out '7 August' in the sector of Puerto Siare and Mapiripán in meta where shot was Elías Salamanca, alias ' Urias Cuellar, ringleader of the company mobile Juan José Rondón of FARC and 55 terrorists; 45 bandits were captured and were dismantled 45 camps.

As of January 26, 2005 and until the present, anticipates the Emperor operation in the southwest of the Department of Meta, with participation of troops of the seventh brigade, brigade Mobile N °. 12, Brigade Mobile N ° 4 and the support of airborne combat CACOM-2 command, where significant results against all terrorist organizations have been achieved as: the 149 terrorists, the capture of 79 combat casualties, demobilization under pressure from troops abducted 39, confiscation of 126 long guns, 16,000 hectares of coca fumigation and manual eradication of 386 hectares.

The coat of the Fourth Division is the emblem that represents beautiful lands the Colombian East, filled of water and ecological wealth, which makes this region a natural treasure and a large reserve to humanity. The Buckler of this greater operational unit consists of a laurel wreath which marks totally badge representing the chivalry and the warrior caste of llaneros men that with bravery and courage, led by the Liberator Simón Bolívar and General Francisco de Paula Santander crossed soils of the East in search of the victory and the independence of the Republic, sole purpose of our gesta libertadora.

At the top stands a blue color intense, accompanied by a radiant and intense sunlight that characterises the sunrises and sunsets from this region, consisting of the departments of Casanare, Meta, Vichada, Guainia, and Guaviare. In turn, blue reflects the water heritage of this landscape, bathed in the basin of the Orinoco River, with its large tributaries such as Meta, Vichada and Guaviare rivers as well as the Vaupés River, sources of work and progress, that with its ecosystem diversity make this part of the country a great natural, unique reserve in the world.

The Center shows a line that glimpse of the wonderful horizon, which characterizes the beautiful landscape of the Colombian Eastern Plains. The stroke from an emerald green color which represents the abundance, beauty and productivity of these lands, considered to be the great pantry of the country. In turn, symbolizes hope and the thrust of his people, as well as the immensity of the jurisdiction of the Fourth Division, corresponding to 40% of the national territory approximately.