MILITARY PROFESSIONALISM

MILITARY PROFESSIONALISM

Men who adopt the profession of arms submit to their own free will 

to a law of perpetual constraint of their own accord. 

They resist their right to live where they choose,

 to say what they think, to dress as they like. 

It needs but an order to settle from their family and dislocate their normal lives. 

In the world of command they must rise, march, run, 

endure bad weather, go without sleep or food, 

be isolated in some distant post, work until they drop. 

If they drop in their tracks, if their ashes are scattered in the four winds, 

that is all part and parcel of their job.

-Charles de Gaulle, French General and Statesman.

Cartoons

You Are

                        You Are

(SOC AMORA OC - 2369 PA)

No words could I gather to let you know

Of how much I do love you

You’re the one who makes me feel better

Every time I feel down and seem unclear.

You’re the one who makes me feel good

Even things went wrong as it should.

You’re the air that I breathe

And give the strength of my feet

You’re my sun in the clear blue sky

Without you in my life I would surely die.

You’re my moon in the dark gray sky

That shines through, as the night goes by.

Nothing in this world would I dream and wish,

For God gave me nothing but the best.

Oh ,CINDY, my Wife, you’re all I need

And God gave me you, the BEST, indeed.

My Longing

My Longing

(SOC AMORA OC – 2369 PA)

A day without you seems a year of drought

Would this emotion I feel, endure it out?

Since the day we part our ways

There’s nothing but you that I miss

Leaving me in this lonesome state

So I wrote this out, to you I dedicate

This poem is for the one whom I love

Filled of what my heart needs to divulged

Missing you this much keeps me sad

Of the situation we know we’ll always had

I hope and pray that someday

We’ll have some time together and stay

We Are Dumbguards

We Are Dumbguards

(JOC ABOBO OC – 2408 PA)

This is the first stage of our OCS life

Too many questions if we could ever survive

Performing properly exercises and army dozen

To be stronger we have to do it more often

Five laps, ten laps, must increase our speed

Why think of negative when our stamina is develop instead

Bridge, bridge , bridge until we break our heart

Never mind the bone if it would ever crack

March, high knees and cadence

Face the officers and the colors with confidence

Double time is to keep us on the go

Give us work and we don’t questions we do

Never verify that is what they say

We have our eyes but pretend we don’t see

Stand up, brace up and chin-in

The square meal, hands back, okay just breathe-in

This is what  a dumbguard life is

Eliminating all our civilian antics

Attitude and teamwork are developed in us

Valor, integrity and duty are put in our mind and hearts

Endure the hardship and pain

We perspire for the knowledge we need to gain

To become snappy upperclassmen

And nation’s best army team

A Graceful Girl That I Know

    A GRACEFUL GIRL THAT I KNOW

(JOC PUEBLA OC-2453 PA)

There is a girl that I do really know

No one can resist or said NO

She was once a young girl playing on streets

Now a beautiful lady with a smile like sweets

Brain and beauty inside and out

It’s all in her without a doubt

A dream girl every man wants to marry

By looking at her you could say “I am so lucky”

Bunch of suitors giving her flowers

Promises they made to make her better

A heart so fragile no one could carry

With personality of her as sweet as berry

Then she try to love way back before

Two years of love broke her heart and sore

She was bitter I could really say

But what else can she do. He couldn’t stay

There comes a guy a friend of mine

A dare to kiss that make her shine

Then again she had a broken heart

We are so guilty we are part of that art.

Lessons are learned in every relationship

As irony as history sunk the titanic ship

Hopefully someday you’ll find the man you deserve

We are here as friends and we will observe

Anna Neriza

ANNA NERIZA

(SOC ARIAS OC-2371 PA)

Anna Neriza is your wonderful name,

Nothing is much sweeter than you are, like a honey or saccharin,

Nymph or the Goddess of Beauty, is what I can compare you to,

And everybody fascinates you, wherever you go.

Narcotic and that sweet smile from your luscious lips,

Electrifies my whole body ‘till to my fingertips,

Righteousness and other desirable qualities you’ve possessed,

Inspire and intensify my daily struggle and existence,

Zeus and Jesus know how much I love you,

Anna Neriza, I am willing to die just to have you.

Looking Forward

        Looking Forward

(JOC MABANTA OC-2439 PA)

You are my man forever

Making me feel each day better

Your smile made my heart beat faster

When you’re by my side Sir!

The way you walk and talk

Make me strive for a second look

Oh! How lucky I am today

I have you always to complete me

Thank you for the wonderful moment

That together we were meant

Hoping you will not change

For you make me stand on the challenge

Together, in this institution we will graduate

Wishing when you’re finish you’ll wait

I want to see you someday in the field

Giving you my snappiest salute for the memories we’ve shared

OCC CL 39-2012

      OCC CL 39-2012 

(SOC ARIAS OC-2371 PA)

Ang Officer Candidate Class 39-2012,

Ay binubuo ng mga kadeteng magaganda’t makikisig,

May mga magan at mayroon ding mababait,

May madaldal, tahimik, at may masusungit.

Ang aming class ay para ring zoo,

May mga mukhang hayop, katulad ng kangaroo,

May gorilya, tarsier, at kabayo,

May rabbit, butanding, at buffalo.

At sa loob ng labing-isang buwan,

Mahihirap at masasayang araw ay aming naranasan,

CTIS, FTX, Military Stakes, Land Navigation at Patrolling,

Ay ang mga activities na nakakapagpaganda sa aming  training.

Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng aming mga TAC-O at TAC-NCO,

Pagkat sila ang humubog sa aming pagkatao,

Darating man ang panahon na tayo ay magkakahiwa-hiwalay,

Ngunit ang ating matibay na samahan, ni kalian ma’y ‘di mamamatay.

Soldier's Pride

                  Soldier’s Pride

(JOC REMEDIOS OC-2456 PA)

As the calling in the world of command

Life and loyalty are in great demand

Obedience to duty always at hand

To serve the people and secure the land

Live with genuine ideals and virtue

Observing the Honor Code to follow

Judging actions with spirit fair and true

The beacon of righteousness ever glow

Hail to the commitment of a soldier

Relentlessly obeying to order

Promoting harmony as peacekeeper

Blessed by the great Heavenly Master

Through hardships being molded, dignified

In combats, courage to fight ne’er subside

Fighting for freedom and truth justified

Expressing gallantry as soldier’s  pride.  

Kabalikat Class Meets the Seniors

Kabalikat Class Meets The Seniors

(SOC MORTEJO OC-2397 PA)

T

he 10^th of August 2012 marks the 23^rd convention of the SRC/AFPOCS Alumni Association, Incorporation. The convention took place inside the walls of Bulwagang Tejeros at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The said event was attended by various graduates from the School for Reserved Commission (SRC), Armed Forces of the Philippines Officer Candidate School (AFPOCS), and Officer Candidate Schools (OCS) of the Philippine Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Alumni from various classes met, dined, and conversed throughout the rest of the evening with music. The newly-elected board members of the association were also determined that evening, having our very own Major Edgar Allan S Villanueva among them.

        The event was supposed to be attended by President Benigno C Aquino, the AFP Commander-in-Chief, who prioritized our fellow Filipinos in Luzon who were devastated by the recent flood due to heavy rainfall. Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire T Gazmin represented the president and gave His Exellency’s message to the SRC/AFPOCS Alumni which accentuates his appreciation to the SRC, AFPOCS, and OCS for producing “high-caliber professionals as officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines”. Along with the DND Secretary was General Jessie D Dellosa, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

       

When Green Meets Gray

 The Green Meets the Gray

(SOC RANOLA OC-2400 PA)

O

n the 3rd of August 2012, the OCC CL 39-12 “Kabalikat” visited the Philippine Military Academy in Loakan, Baguio City. For three splendid days, the members of the Kabalikat Class mingled with their brothers and sisters in arms from the PMA. The whole experience was filled with the spirit of camaraderie matched with the cold and chilling atmosphere of Baguio City.

Upon arriving, the Kabalikat Class was welcomed by the 1^st class Army cadets of PMA class 2013, the very same class which stayed at the Officer Candidate School for 45 days last June. The PMA visit was a sort of reuinion for both classes.

The Kabalikat class also spent their time with PMA cadets from the Air Force and Navy, who, Like the PMA Army Cadets, shared and showed how they live their lives as PMA cadets.

Other than spending time and sharing ideas with the PMA cadets, the members of the Kabalikat class were also very privileged to meet and actually converse with 1LT ROMERO, a member of OCC CL 32, who shared her wisdom to them. She was able to give the Kabalikat class encouragements and foresights on what to expect in the field.

The Kabalikat class toured Baguio City on their way home and went to experience the sight and ambiance of The Mansion, Burnham Park, and Mines View Park.

SOC RANOLA is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing

                       at the University of Bohol.

PAFOCS Hosts the First Ever Tri-Meet

PAFOCS Hosts the First Ever Tri-Meet

(SOC ALBANO OC–2368 PA)

J

une 20 marks a significant first for the Officer Candidate School (OCS) of the Philippine Army, Navy, and Air Force in a very long time since the separation of the three branches of service in their pre - entry training course. It was on this day that the Philippine Air Force hosted the OCS Tri - Meet, a trial of strength, endurance, wit, and stamina for all OCS cadets from the three branches of service. It was a 3-day event broken down into five different categories namely: Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Amazing Race, and Fun Games.

The event was held at the Air Education Training Center, San Fernando Air Base, Lipa City, Batangas. The host for the said event was the Philippine Air Force OCS and the idea of conducting such event was conceived sometime during their visit at the Philippine Army Officer Candidate School at Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac as a means of strengthening the ties of all the cadets from the three Officer Candidate Schools and fostering camaraderie among them.

During the 3-day event they have managed to compress and play all the five games employing single elimination as the format for determining the champion for a particular event. During the first day, first games for Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer took place right after the briefing and acclimation. On the second day the second leg of all the games was played in the morning and the Amazing Race was played in the afternoon. The Amazing Race is a relay race consisting of the following events: 5.5 km run followed by 100 m swim relay, map reading, obstacle course and finally a 3.2 km flight run. Each event has its different challenges and limitations like differing number of players and the inclusion of female participants. Each event tested the mettle of each Officer Candidate School and their teamwork. On the third day the fun games was played in the morning and the awarding ceremony was held during the afternoon.

According to Col Villanueva (GSC) PAF during the awarding ceremony, the Tri-Meet will be a regular annual event for the ruling class of each school to participate and have the same chance to meet their contemporaries from the different schools. According to Col Villanueva's speech, it could also signal something bigger like the synchronization of the graduation ceremony of every Officer Candidate School, with President Benigno S. Aquino III as the Guest of Honor, and to something even bigger like the merging of the three schools to re-establish the Armed Forces of the Philippines OCS. The overall champion of the games was the Philippine Navy, placing first in Basketball, Volleyball and the Amazing Race The Philippine Army placed second garnering wins in Soccer and Fun Games. Finally, last but not the least the Philippine Air Force was placed in third.

The games were not without the socials that was held on the second night. It showcased the different talents and specialties in performing arts of every cadet present and gave them time to unwind and get to know their comrades in arms better and have the chance to mingle and widen their network in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. According to an interview with the Philippine Air Force OCS cadet Probationary Second Lieutenant Rajiv B Capatoy PAF, “Definitely there is room for us to improve and work on and we will be ready upon the opening of the second OCS Tri - Meet next year and we will be back with a vengeance.”.B

SOC ALBANO is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing

                   at Our Lady of Fatima College.

Inside the OCS

Inside the OCS

(SOC Tecson OC-2405 PA and SOC Albano OC-2368 PA)

LIBRARY                                

                                                The OCS library is equipped with a 

                                                comprehensive collection of army manuals 

                                                and references that are essential in learning. 

                                                The library also houses various audio-visual 

                                                instructional aids that are used to supplement 

                                                the instruction received from the respective 

                                                instructors. It also has various computers with 

                                                internet connection for the students to utilize

                                                in gaining additional research materials that

                                                are not available in the library.

AUDIO-VISUAL ROOM      

                Is a state of the art classroom equipped with 

                the latest audio visual equipment. Among 

                them are a wide screen projector with an 

                advanced sound system and a computer with

                motorized back draft. The room is also equipped 

                with an air conditioning system that regulates the

                temperature to have an environment that is

                conducive for learning.

SPEECH LABORATORY        

                                               The speech laboratory is one of the crowning glories 

                                               of the Officer Candidate School. It gives the Officer 

                                               Candidates a chance to improve on their diction and 

                                               pronunciation of words. It has a central hub wherein 

                                               the instructor can    individually hear the speech given

                                               by the Officer Candidates and can be corrected 

                                               accordingly and without the other Officer Candidates’ 

                                               knowledge because

                                               they are isolated by cubicles and individually use 

                                               their own headsets.

SKILLS PROFICIENCY ROOM  

                                                This is where one can individually practice their 

                                                military skills. Contained in this room are various 

                                                military equipment and weapons. Given the time, 

                                                an Officer Candidate can fully utilize these tools 

                                               for practice and honing of their individual military 

                                               skills.

STUDENT OFFICERS QUARTERS AND BARRACKS

This particular building is the main lodging of Officer Candidates taking the Officer Candidate Course. The SOQ also houses Student Officers from the Officer Preparatory Course during their 6-month training and Student Officers from the Technical Administrative Service for their 2-month training. 

                                               

OCS MESS HALL

This place is not just where the OCS students take their daily meals. The whole TRADOC, PA utilizes the mess hall for other events such as conferences, socials, and for celebrating the Holy Eucharist.

OBSTACLE COURSE

In keeping with the TRADOC motto “Home of the Professionals”, the obstacle course keeps students in fighting shape to withstand hardships in the field.

MACHINE GUN RANGE

The “home court” of the Philippine Army’s Marksmanship Training Unit. The 500-m long MG Range serves as the main marksmanship training area of the OCS and other TRADOC schools. The range also hosted the AARM.

PATROL BASE

A taste of the outdoors right outside the OCS Barracks. The patrol base serves as a simulator for different practical field activities such as patrol base operations and battle drills.

OCS PARK

A place to unwind as well as to receive visitors. The gardens of the OCS park also brings out the artist/landscaper in the students.

DUNKING POOL

Important days in OCS are joyfully celebrated in the dunking pool. Graduations, recognition days, and birthdays are marked with a dunk to beat the Tarlac heat.

On Fear

 On Fear

(SOC MORTEJO OC-2397 PA)

O

ne thing that we know is that, we, human beings, are both similar to and different from animals. We are similar to them in that we experience sensations, including fear, and respond to them. We are different from them, however, in that we are capable to reason, to understand, and to act with free will – an act unique to man alone.

Fear is an emotional response to threats and danger. It is an experience that, if felt, can certainly affect human acts. It is an apprehension of an upcoming evil and is certainly one of the hard-to-overcome passions, especially when you are in a situation where your life is threatened. In such case, fear can be too powerful that it can cause a person to do what he/she would not do otherwise.

I think fear is the modifier or passion that is very difficult to overcome because among the other passions it is that which causes a person to act in a certain way which may be in opposition to that which he/she initially willed to act. According to the ethical principle on fear, an act done from fear, however great, is simply voluntary, although it is regularly also conditionally involuntary.

Upon writing this essay, I can’t help myself but to recall the unfortunate incident that I experienced just last January 2010 – I was robbed by two male teenagers on my way home. One of them pointed a knife at me and asked for my cell phone. That very moment I felt so much fear. I feared that I will be stabbed by those robbers or something else more unfortunate might happen to me. I then decided to hand the cell phone although handing it to them was not an assurance that I won’t get stabbed afterwards. I chose to give the cell phone over getting stabbed because I was thinking that in that situation it was the best thing to do. All I was thinking about that certain moment was to get out of that situation and save my precious life, and I did.

Days after that unfortunate incident, I still feel a certain distress or uneasiness inside. I think this is one of the reasons why it is very hard to overcome fear – it haunts you even after the experience. A person should find the confidence that she has before so that the feeling of uneasiness brought by fear would go away and obviously it takes a very strong-willed person to do that. When incidents like that happen it is not getting over the experience that most people find it hard to do but it is getting over the fear that was brought by the experience which is difficult to do.

Wanting and willing to overcome fear is a choice anyone would like to have. But there are certain instances in which no matter how willing you are to overcome fear it just can’t be done instantly. Forcing yourself to act like you have gotten over it will just worsen the situation. Again, fear is a feeling, like reason, it is part of being human. It involves emotions; that also explains why it is hard to overcome. One must understand that overcoming fear, or any emotion, involves a process. And certainly, it does not only require a strong will but also self-awareness, faith in yourself and in God’s guidance, and the aid of time. I think the best thing to do is not to will to overcome that fear right away but to be able to be willing to endure the process of overcoming fear.

SOC MORTEJO is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Psychology

at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan.

Life After Graduation

LIFE AFTER GRADUATION

(SOC RANOLA OC – 2400 PA)

E

verybody knows that in any course, the day of graduation is something to look forward to since it is one of the very special moments of our life.It is not the end but a new beginning to fulfill something. Our graduation is fast approaching and we are about to complete our eleven-month training. In the history of PAOCS, we are the first class to graduate with that span of time. This significant event means that we are now ready to face the reality of the path that we chose and become servants and protectors of our nation.

Since the dissolution of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Officer Candidate School (AFPOCS), the 24^th of August 2012 marks the united graduation rites of the three branches of AFP from the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy. This very important event is made even more special by the presence of our country’s head of state, President Benigno S. Aquino III.

        Undeniably, having an early graduation has its advantages and disadvantages. But what we have to keep in mind is that there are still many things that we can learn on the outside world and the rank that we will be wearing on our shoulders signifies the responsibility that we have to bear as military officers.      

        The end of our training also brings certain uncertainties in the actual battlefield. Questions like “Will we be able to handle our troops efficiently?”, ”Can we apply the things that we have learned in this institution?”, “Are we ready for the first burst of fire?” circle our mind right now. But although there are uncertainties, we must not forget that God is always on our side. Believe in him all the time and believe in yourself that you can surpass all the challenges and problems that will come into yur life. We must not forget our mission and purpose why we exist in this world. Cogratulations to all of us, OCC CL 39 – 12. I am very proud that I belong here. B

SOC RANOLA is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing

                   at the University of Bohol.

  

The Mirror of Success

The Mirror Of Success

(SOC AQUILATO OC-2370 PA)

W

hen you look into the mirror, the person staring back at you is the only person responsible for your success. No one else is the cause of your success or to blame of your shortcomings. We learned early in life that in order to succeed, we have to possess tremendous desire that is ingrained in our conscious and subconscious self.  Although each one of us has a unique and different view of what is meant to be successful, I always believe that success is a journey and not a destination.

Dealing with our journey, only few people are lucky enough to become successful by accident for one must undergo a process. Success requires both mission and vision of how you want to live your life and the courage to stick to it. This must be reflected back to our own mirrors so that we can have something to ponder upon. It is a very simple act, yet it requires commitment; it is not hard to do but does require hard work. The good news is that once you begin, the results start coming instantly. For every single step towards success, one attracts more success.

By gazing on our personal mirrors, we can evaluate ourselves through the spectrum that we are trying to create in line with our vision. Sometimes, our mirrors capture the moment when we are taking a quite honest look at ourselves and reflecting on how we shall move forward amidst every challenge. Overcoming all the barriers we’ve seen on it will lead us to the proverbial pot of gold at the rainbow’s end.

However, we are all human beings, we have our flaws. Sometimes we feel tired and the more we accept it, the more we will be exhausted. In the quest of life, everybody experiences fear of failure, uncertainty, insecurity, low self-esteem, indecision, depression, nervousness, and embarrassment. These are all trials along the line, a condition that should be taken with positive action.

 We must feel good about ourselves, our abilities and potentials. Do not dwell on every mistake we made. We should remember that positive thoughts have the great ability to shove aside difficulties and drives out those negative ones.

           Try not to focus negatively on how to come across the line. Instead, focus more on sticking to the plan, maintaining the vision by learning from setbacks and by reacting ourselves to the pursuit of the mission. There is no reason to stay stuck, doing things that are frustrating, boring, unhealthy, unproductive, demeaning or unfulfilling. So be cheerful, be optimistic. Always think forward for someday you will realize that you need to smile back at the person you see in the mirror. B

SOC AQUILATO is a graduate of Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education Major in Mathematics at Caraga State University.