A Cadet Reservist She Once Was

Sa silong ni kaka,si buddy nakadapa!

Kaya pala nkadapa,naninilip ng palaka!

Palakang may buhok,ngipin ay nkalubog!

Kaya pala nkalubog, laging binubugbog!

_______________________

The jingle reverberated in the corners of her brain cells. She was not able to browse her facebook account for some time now but everytime she does she felt left behind. Her classmates in college were all doing good in life. Some are abroad practicing their degree, the others were already hired during the pandemic to cater the growing need of the country at the medical field, others took an oath to serve and protect the country and other offices as a uniformed personnel. While she was caged in the four corners of their house doing household course and tending her kids.

Memories of college came flashing.

She enrolled at the very last minute of enrollment in college. She doesn't even have a plan to do so. It was a choice.

She likes to do things on her own and hated being dictated. That's why she was all alone. Alone going from building to the other and from one department to the other. Holding the enrollment form which she was filling up she was hesitant to copy those subjects. She'd rather crumple them up and go to the flood control in the river banks but it was already the last day of enrollment at 4pm.

No choice!!! She had to copy the subjects, at the block section because all 4 sections were already full. NSTP was the last she filled in the subjects. It's either CWTS or ROTC. Without a double thought, she put ROTC-MS1 advance.. Whatever that was, she doesn't care.

The first day of classes seems like hell. She had to go up and down from one building to the other building to catch her classes. Full load that is which her last subject ends at 7pm. She get used to it after the first week and gained acquaintances.

Saturday came at the open gym at the oval field where ROTC classes were held. She arrived on time at 8am. Glad she met her cousin who enrolled the same advance ROTC. There were actually three categories, the basic, the medics and the advance. They were briefed about the course and the corps the advance were in. Some went from advance to either basic or medics but she remained.

Four weeks after and they were required to have their hair cut off into the shortest one or better yet barbered (boy cut). She was asked by one of their 1st class cadet officer to give him her cut hair after. She was wise enough not to do so? She was required but others were not! What's with the hair? She dared defy the first order given to her. Does she received her first punishment but her cousin who turned to be her constant companion, buddy and friend joined her. That's the buddy-buddy system. Leave no one-man army.

Monday-Wednesday- Friday reveille started, so she needed to wake up at 0300 hours to prepare for the 0400 hours head count call. White, round-necked shirts and strictly no using of V-necked, white knee-length shorts and rubber shoes for their jogging attire. No wearing of jackets even if it's freezing cold in the morning. A minute late required an additional workout for either a cadet alone or the whole COQC (cadet officer qualifying course) class.

Stretching workouts were vein straining, muscle tightening, and heart and lung wrenching that took 30-45 minutes. That was what she felt during the first week of reveille. A jog around the oval for 3 times is also included with the jingles that made it more lively. So this were the ones making noises at around 5am in the morning with their heavy combat shoes stomping on the oval floor, she thought. (They once lived outside the oval that's why the heavy stomping as cadets jog can be felt at their house just some meters away). If not on the oval ground then it would be a kilometer jog on the road then back to the CDC front. While days and weeks were rolling over the 1-kilometer jog became two.

The reveille doesn't end their, another round of commands to be performed until the time reached 0630. Thus she need to hurry, double-time to get home and prepare for her 0700 class. Take a bath, eat a little then ran to school. Everything's done quicky but with grace.

At 1900 hours after her last academic class, everyone should be at the SOP (standard operating procedure) room which she need to attend to. It was a night class where MS1 course was discussed. The history, the vision and mission, the do's and don'ts of the corps, the Hymn, military disciples, and some military related topics were taught. This took at least 2 long hours of every MWF. Kabog at paddle pag may konting pagkakamaling nagawa sa campus na nkita ng upper class.

Saturday was more of a hell day. Basking in the sweltering heat of the mid day sun with no caps on. Clad on that brown fatigue suits which should be tucked neatly and smartly with their belt buckle gleaming. Their matching heavy combat shoes that should be shinier than their upperclassmen, they marched and learned the military drill with those heavy wooden rifles on their hands.

"Quit!!!" The first class officer barked at her face one SOP, kursunada ata ey. It was one way the upper class to test their morale. But she was never budged by his barking.

The semester was nearly to end, welcoming or graduating of the new reservists was also near.

At 1900h they gathered, white shirts black pants and rubber shoes was their suits on. Strenuous workout were ordered for the COQC to perform at the oval ground. At different station at the ground, they performed what was asked of them. They roll and crawl on the wet rough ground. Hands and knees were now burning in pain from scratches in crawling, some started to bleed. "Quit!!" Upper classes would repeatedly shout at them.

One station was filled with pig manure they need to crawl. Mouth-to-mouth passing of a candy in one station. Then crawling in the canal located at the far north side of the oval.

A ritual of drinking a glassful of concoction of god knows whats in it. You would like to spit it out at your upper class's face who offered it to you.

Stand at attention. Eyes closed and with grimace on the face, she swallowed that concoction.

Master Sergeant, 2nd Lieutenant (INF) PA, and the Brigade General of the CDC welcomed them with a handshake. Their upperclassmen welcomed them too with a kabog on their chest while they're at attention (hands at their back thighs, leaning backwards).

Cadet 2nd Lieutenant she was. Fatigue suits were changed into camouflage, sleeves already rolled up. Should be snappier and more smart-looking, model of discipline at the school campus. Her academic class schedule for Saturday was in contrast with her ROTC class but she still managed to put them in harmony. The pressure from academics and being an officer was unimaginable. She was always told to quit because she's one lone cadet from the medical course but she never did.

This went on for another 2 semesters, staying on the reservist coarse though her morale gets down sometimes. She and her buddy's were nearing another promotion from Cdt 2nd Lt to Cdt 1st Lt to Cdt Cn but a twist happened and turned her life around.

What could she had been today if and only if?

05-22-21

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