Life of a Plebe.
SUMMER CAMP.
I thought that after the reception ceremony, I will wear the same uniform as the upperclassmen are wearing. I was wrong, all I have were fatigue uniforms (Drill C) and Athletic uniforms. As a plebe, we spent two months of indoctrination of the Military and Cadet System. We call this period the Summer Camp or Beast Barracks. During this training, a New Cadet Batallion was created and we were handled by the tactical officers and upper-class cadets called the "Plebe Detail”.
1st Day as a Plebe.
After the Reception Ceremony, finally, we marched to the barracks. I thought I have enough for that day, but I was wrong the exercises also called “mase-mase” are just like the tip of an iceberg, the icing on the cake. Upon reaching the barracks, we proceeded to our assigned room and we changed to bathing uniform to clean ourselves. Our time was very challenging because there was water scarcity in Baguio City due to the July 16, 1990, earthquake that devastated the city. I thought that I can clean up myself but to my surprise, we were given one gallon of water to finish bathing together with toothbrushing and everything in 10 counts. Clean ourselves with limited resources in a limited time? For me it was tough, but I must learn to adapt to survive. Then, we went to our room and we saw our bed (bunks) where our uniforms and supplies lay. We were thought how to tie our shoelaces, how to wear the uniforms properly and how things work in the academy. I cannot forget the 1st dressing drill, we change uniforms in 10-counts. Since we are new to it, all of us fell short and cannot beat the 10-count, so we suffer the consequences. I leave that to your imagination.
1st Dinner (Evening Mess).
Cadets dine in the Mess Hall. For the upperclassmen, Mess hall is a place to eat, but for plebes, we have another definition. We call it the MESS HELL! Plebes don’t go there to eat but to serve, observe, recite and entertain the upperclassmen. There are lots of learning experience in the MESS HELL for a plebe and I witnessed everything that made me a better person now.
1st Night in the barracks.
From the Mess hell, we went back to barracks and we had a break from the roars of the ferocious upperclassmen. From 1900H to 2130H is study period. In this moment I felt a moment of peace and our Squad-leader and his assistant became gentle to us and thought us how to fix our bunks (bed), lockers, iron our uniforms and shine our shoes. We have 2 1/2 hours of peace at that moment.
Then at exactly 2130H, a bugle call sounded the TATTOO - it signifies that all cadets shall prepare for lights off. All cadets shall be in their respective rooms when it sounded. Then here comes the TAPS, this is the time for cadets to sleep. The entire Cadet Corps shall go inside their bunks to sleep, all lights shall be turned off. Only the guards are authorized to leave their rooms. In this moment, there were lots of mysteries and memories that took place and my only witness was the hollowed ground of our Academy.
My 1st Reveille.
I remembered dreaming and I felt someone is waking me up, I don’t mind it and I said “later, more minutes pls”, then someone dragged me out off bed and then I saw my squad leader! Wake up! prepare for road-run. I then realized that I am no longer a civilian, I have to follow the rules.
1st Road-run
It was a cold early morning, we fall in a formation and we performed the army dozen to warm up. Then we ran together chanting around the Borromeo Field. The road-run seem unending but with the encouraging chant, I survived again.
The 1st Two Months, The Beast Barracks:
The whole summer, our upperclassmen did their best to train us to be a Cadet and a Gentleman. They have two months to transform young civilian kids to be gentlemen. Drills, Road-runs, Plebe Knowledges, Military Sciences, Military Discipline etc. It is not just physical but mental and emotional exhaustion, we were trained up to our limits. This 8-week of rigid training was designed to strengthen our core values as cadets to prepare us for Incorporation Day.
After summer camp, almost 10% quit the training. I thank God I am still alive and kicking.
Lessons Learned:
Adapt. We must learn to adapt with the environment, embrace the culture or we quit. We cannot dictate what will happen but we have a choice to react or respond. If we react, it will be hard because there will be an imaginary force against our direction. While if we respond, we subconciously moving towards our direction without resistance by adjusting ourselves with the present situation.
Observe. Observation is the key to survival. Whether in war or in business, we need to be aware of what is happening around us. Complacency can kill your dreams, always have a presence of mind, so when opportunity comes, you are ready to grab it.
Survival. Starting something whether in life, business or work is easy but finishing it is harder. There will be lots of challenges along the journey to success, we must remain committed and survive every battle along the way.
Thank you for reading my story. I hope you like it!
To God be the glory!
You may also want to read my previous blogs!
Memoirs of a PMA Cadet. The Story of Siegnificance (Chapter 1)
Start a Cause without a Cost. Welcome to the World of Siegnificance