Shaving my head the first time
To be with the muster of more than 400 aspiring female and male Candidate Soldiers to undergo a rigid Basic Military Training (BMT) at the 7th Division Training School was never in my plan much more shaving my head.
Until one day, a senior military officer encouraged me to be part of his team at his former office -- the 7th Division Public Affairs Office in 2020.
Fast forward, almost two years after my enlistment, I found myself at the lineup of more than 400 aspiring soldiers at the 7DTS for our first haircut.
I was standing with hundreds of CS under the scorching sun having deep thoughts and searching for reasons why I decided to enter the military.
Later did I know, it was my turn already! It turned out that it was not your ordinary haircut -- yung skin head pala talaga siya!
My tears ran from my cheeks as the school barber started to cut my hair in front of hundreds of aspiring soldiers.
And that signals that the Basic Military Training for Candidate Soldiers Course Class 733, 734, and 735 - 2022 has started.
That time, I realized how women sacrificed their hair for a greater purpose. And for women in the armed service, it simply means doing something significant beyond themselves -- and that is to serve the Filipino people.
And on my part, I was doing it in preparation to serve my countrymen as a writer/soldier.
A snappy salute to all women in the armed service.
THE BMT AS A FOUNDATION
I was enlisted in 2020 but it was only two years after that I was permitted by the Command to undergo the BMT as a requirement for re-enlistment.
They said that BMT is hard but people around me would always say, “mahirap, pero kaya mo yun.”
I recalled former 7ID Commander, now LTGEN ALFREDO V ROSARIO PA, saying to me during my first attendance to him saying, “Mag training ka ha, alam kong kaya mo yun.”
I was not physically active before I entered the world of command which is why I doubted my capability to handle the physical, mental, and psychological demands of the training.
The BMT aims to teach future soldiers about infantry operations, and military professionalism that instills discipline, camaraderie, patriotism, unity, honor, and love of country.
As a civilian, the transition period from civilian mentality to the military was never easy.
It happens in the first month of the rigid military training wherein someone’s physical and mental strengths will be tested.
The programmed activities intend to remove someone’s pride and instill the importance of following instructions.
Undeniably, removing the civilian antics was a challenge to every Candidate Soldier as they are in the process of adjustment.
Imagine entering the ‘World of Command’ without any idea what will happen during the training has brought so much stress.
A lot of activities and academic classes have helped change my civilian perspective into a military one.
A significant part of the CS life is to memorize by heart The Military Professionalism and the Pledge of Loyalty. The words were strong that would make someone realize the amount of commitment that our uniformed personnel offer as they practice their profession.
They said each activity in the training has a purpose particularly in molding someone’s character.
Joining the Army was an impulsive decision I would never regret. Despite the physical limitations I have, I did my very best to meet the requirements and pass the Physical Fitness Test among others.
THE THREE ‘S’: SUMUNOD NG SUMUNOD NG SUMUNOD
My seniors often remind me that the key to surviving rigid military training is just you need to follow the instructions given to you.
At first, I was puzzled by some instructions that I found unnecessary and unreasonable but later I realized that all those things were just part of the training to test your character.
Surviving each day is already a huge achievement for me.
There were fun and exciting moments but of course, there were activities that challenge us to do better performance.
Building teamwork, camaraderie, and unity among all the CS wasn’t a piece of cake. It takes capable and competent Training Models to do that. A snappy salute to our male and female TMs for doing a great job.
We appreciate and highly acknowledge the efforts of the Training Directorates, Tactical Officers, and Training Models, especially to our Senior Course NCO, SSg Marshall Bautista, for molding us to be disciplined soldiers and his commitment to producing Army professionals that will be the source of our national pride.
About the Author: Pvt Lorelie S Salarda 964200 (Inf) PA is a Military Journalist/Researcher presently assigned at the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of the 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army.
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