First Training Day (Part 1)

I saw the formation of a platoon of cadets from outside, when I got off the jeepney. Seeing that I am not as early as I thought, I ran. I have to.

I talked to one of the cadets in the formation, in whisper. I know in CAT that people who are in formation are not supposed to talk. But I have to know what I should do. (The number of people bothered me, Why is there only about 20 people here?)

The person commanding the unit asked what unit I was in (I learned later that he was a cadet NCO). I answered COCC. Upon hearing this, it seems that they have changed their attitude towards me. They pointed me to the building of the physical education, the Sports Science and Wellness Center. The headquarters.

I quickly went in and walked upstairs. I saw a group of cadets with the same attire I have: blue jeans, white shirt, rubber shoes and garrison buckle and belt. I saw them talking. They must be freshmen, I thought, talking about something they either don't know or not entirely sure about. I run to them and asked if they were in COCC. They are.

The wait for the unknown seems long. It actually took about 15 minutes. By 0630H, we heard the steps of boots on the wooden stairwell. The steps were well measured, and so the group of about 40 students in blue-jeans-white-shirt-and-rubber-shoes stopped talking about what they expect of the training day.

The officer shouted, "CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

Waking Up

Waking up at 0400H was easy when you know what the "dangers" are of waking up late - or getting late in formation. I do not even know where exactly to go. I barely learned anything in CAT* in high school. What could I expect? What should I do when I find no specific person to ask?

I don't remember any dream with my long sleep (I learned later that the sleep I have had is longer than I would have when I become a cadet officer). It was a dreamless one, but not really a restful one. I feel like it had its purpose - to clear my mind for the training day.

It was also easy to leave the sleeping place. I have prepared last night what I would do from the first thing of opening my eyes. I get up immediately - without question or thinking of not getting up immediately. I got up.

My uniform was downstairs. I went downstairs and heated the pan to fry eggs. Rice is not exactly cold, but just like that from last night. I ate with a definite thinking of what MIGHT happen, not knowing that it would all be wrong.

It took me about 15 minutes to finish the egg and the rice. I drink water and then proceeded to brush my teeth. It took me about five minutes.

I proceeded to take a bath when my mother got down to help me prepare. Actually, there's not much that she can do. She just prepared for going to mass - something that I've had a challenge of doing starting ROTC. But I always go to mass after the training day - until I changed religion.

The water was cold, of course. It is something that I have expected. My class normally starts 0830H, so I have the time to take a bath around 0630H or 0700H. By that time, water is not as cold as it is when it is not yet 0500H. Still, with my mind on the unkonwn but a purpose of surviving this day, I took the first drop of cold water.

Five minutes later, I was out of the bathroom. Well done (So bad, I learned later).

I got up to dress up. I wore my jeans and white shirt. The rubber shoes is an old one, but a comfortable-enough one. It was enough.

The logbook said I should only bring the lecture notebook, thickler notebook, thickler pages, white hanky, and black and red ballpens. Aside from that, I only had my uniform to think of. It was Type-C, blue jeans and white collarless shirt, and garrison buckle.

I learned from my father that toothpaste would serve the purpose of shining metal parts. I used it for shining my buckle. The instructions in the logbook said we should shine the buckle "inside out." I thought it was a figure of speech. I learned later that the military virtually has no speech to figure. Everything was literal.

The logbook also told us to shave. I thought I had nothing to shave on my face. I had little hair above my lips. My mother said I should not shave it because it would grow thicker if I do. I did not shave it thinking it would pass inspection. I was wrong.

I went out of the house, and walked three blocks to where I could take a jeepney to Pedro Gil.

It took me less then seven minutes to travel more than the distance of five LRT stations. I thought it was early, it was 0530H. But when I got off the jeepney, I saw a platoon of cadets already in formation.

First training day - Before

It's my first training day tomorrow. It's Saturday tonight. I'll just wear blue jeans and white shirt. No earrings and watch - I don't have either. It's gonna be an exploratory day.

The instructions in the logbook told us to have enough hours of sleep. For me, it meant eight (8) hours. I decided to obey that. I know it's gonna be a tough day tomorrow.

But now, I have to read again the SOPs.

How to enter and leave a room.
How to move when in the ROTC area.
How to speak to a cadet officer.
What to bring and where to put them (Only things allowed were the lecture notebook, thickler notebook, black and red ballpens).
What to wear (aside from what were told earlier, rubber shoes and nameplate).
Duty, Honor and Country.

I am excited, yet I am affraid. I remember how the cadet officers behaved when I enlisted.

I hope I don't get to do anything stupid tomorrow.