Back-Breaking Dawn
(JOC GUMANGAN OC-2431
PA)
S
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o this is how it feels to be finally
in the profession of arms. Early morning of 18 May 2012, all the qualified
Officer Candidate Course applicants of Class 40-2013 were busy in preparation
for the jump off day. At about 0800H, the Oath Taking Ceremony finally commenced
at the Procurement and Attrition Branch of the Army Personnel Management
Center. Among the 78 initial qualified applicants who went through the 4-month
Physical and Medical Examinations, only 62 were able to pass the Final
Deliberation and took oath before the Philippine Army.
We had mixed emotions when we got inside the
Officer Candidate School Bus bearing with us our huge backpacks because deep
down we know that the moment we step out of it marks the start of our reality. From
then on, we really had no idea of what really is in store for us. The 2-hour
travel from Taguig, Manila to Capas, Tarlac had been enough for us to contact
our loved ones and say our “good-byes” because we would be spending several months
away from them with very limited access to the “outside world” -- a new journey
in life.
We were delightfully welcomed by the
sound of the band and bugle, and several Army Personnel at the Capas Shrine. At
some point, we felt overwhelmed in spite of our nerve-racked minds due to the
many uncertainties that lay before us. A short tour began regarding the historical
place lead by MAJ RICHARD T SERVITO (INF) PA. Subsequently, we had our blood
pressure taken as a safety measure for the next activity which is the
traditional 7-kilometer walk from Capas Shrine going to OCS,TRADOC to immortalize
the death march of about 70,000 Filipinos and 15,000 American troops captured
as prisoners in Bataan during the World War II under the Japanese regime.
Upon our arrival at the Officer
Candidate School vicinity, our personal belongings were inspected. Items such
as mobile phones and money were being surrendered since no officer candidate is
allowed to have them during the course of dumbguardship. The female candidates
also had their haircut afterwards. For a short while, we had an opening program
as a kick-start for the chief activity - the reception rites.
COL PEALE JON L BONDOC INF (GSC) PA challenged
us to outlive this one year training no matter what it takes. According to him,
the real battle would be on the field someday and so it is a must for us to
grasp or master everything that will be taught to us.
All of a sudden, we were
thunder-strucked by the entrance of OC CL 39-2012 “KABALIKAT” coming out of
nowhere. We couldn’t really describe the aura that we felt at that very moment.
In a click of a second, chaos raged as we, the confused dumbguards, were
ordered to do various exercises that were foreign to us. The confusion was
heightened also as it was our first time to hear those lingos of the senior
upperclassmen. The endless shouting and exhaustion made us weep to the point
that we asked ourselves why we were doing those things. Some of us even felt
like quitting but surprisingly, nobody gave up.
There were a total of 5 stations for us to
undergo. Each prescribed a number of exercises to perform. After making it all
to the stations, we had an approximately 3km run around TRADOC area. With all
our garments soiled and wrecked, we were showered with fire truck water, which gave
us great relief. The reception proper had transpired for about an hour.
The next activity therein was to proceed at
the SOQ on the double and change to athletic uniform. Without delay, we had our
first meal ever at the mess hall (or should we say “mess hell”?). The food
wasn’t really appreciated since we had to consume it in 5 counts. As expected
of us, we were not able to take proper nourishment that night and all we had to
do was to sigh for protest is nowhere to be found in soldiery. A short
orientation began afterwards which was directed by our Course Director CPT
ANTONIO T TIMBAL (INF) PA. Though great puzzlement was immensely observed in
us, at least some of our queries were answered.
On or about 2200H, we eventually laid
our bodies on the AFP mattresses with lights off while thinking about our first
day that had gone. Tired eyes and painful muscles were all possessed and
disorientation was all we have got. One simple thing, all of those was our
first time. They will always linger in our memories, for first times are rarely
forgotten.
With all those laborious exertions we
had gone through, we could still call it a beautiful day. We have remained
alive and are still elated despite of adversities we were compelled to do.
Well, we have to be. Otherwise, we will conk out. And that’s a big NO for
Class-40-2013 “MANANDATA”. B
JOC GUMANGAN is a graduate of Bachelor of
Science in Nursing
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