Pages

Social Spark

Thursday, January 12, 2012

My PMA Cadet Years (Fourth Class) - Duties and Privileges

After our Recognition Day, we came back to reality... academics, duties and more responsibilities.  We had a series of unit exams (UE) and the last week of September was spent for sleepless nights of studying for our first final examinations.  Rotting and hard, in the sense that, most of us were making up for our deficiencies (doing double-time and 60-60 in studying just to cope up).  Our subjects were just the same as that of the other universities except for the additional military subjects for our training, but due to the pressures of being a plebe, we sometimes dozed during our lesson exams and woke up with only our name written in our answer sheets and most of the time find it hard to squeeze in our lessons since our minds were preoccupied with compliance and duties as a plebe (not to mention, the being psychologically and emotionally confused part).  But hey, no one's to blame but ourselves, it's part of the training... stability under pressure.  Good thing we had activities in between, we watched the Orator's Night... the following day, the Chorale Group Competition... then the day after, the Cadet Christian Fellowship (CCF) Anniversary... which calmed and relaxed our minds a little bit from the pressures of academics.

October of 1995 came in a flash, one thing I remembered was when our class (Masikhay) went to Poro Point, La Union during the first week of the month, funny that I seemed not  to recall what we were there for... but we surely had fun with the beach... after almost a year of not seeing one, you can't blame us (hehe).  I guess the real idea was to have bonding moments with our classmates, our mistahs... so we could also be familiar with those in the other companies.


Upon our return, we had a new responsibility... a lot of guard duties.  After being trained by our yearlings to familiarize us with  guarding duties and responsibilities, we're already tasked to post as "Cadet In-charge of Quarters" (CCQs), ACCQs (Assistant CCQ) and Sentinels.  Well, it's part of our progress, preparation as successors to their place.

October 31 and it was November, we were again "Kings of Barracks".  The term is used when a class dominates and left in-charge of the academy since almost all upperclassmen are all on leave... which normally happens during long holidays or semestral breaks.  It was a short break but cadets usually go home to their provinces just to spend time with their families, privilege which we rarely had.  Some upperclassmen already returned on November 2, to avoid being "slugged" (punished) for returning late from leave.  Being late is sluggable (grave) offense in PMA, which means demerits and "touring hours".  Touring by the way is a punishment given to cadets having grave offenses where they were obliged and bound to serve certain number of hours (depending on the offense committed) of walking with their rifle simultaneously, along the quadrangle or a designated location during their vacant periods.  More, they were not allowed to go on vacation or enjoy certain privileges other cadets have.

On the contrary, PMA wasn't always serious stuff, we also had lots of fun activities and acquaintances.  Nearing mid November, it was my first time to see a musical play.  Saint Louis University invited us to watch their rendition of "The Sound of Music", which after we had the opportunity to meet the stars of the show.  Also, as part of our sociology class, we had a couple of film showing from foreign to local movies.  It was big deal to us, since we were deprived of having such privileges as plebes.  Then came a "hop" on the later part of the month.  It was our first cadet hop.
A cadet's hop is sort of an invitational dance usually held inside the PMA.  It may be casual as a dance party or may also be formal as a ball, really depends on the occasion.  Cadets are usually given time to invite their friends or on-the-spot acquaintances (LOL) from Baguio City a day before the hop.  On the day of the hop, cadets are then given the opportunity to escort their drag (date) from their house to the academy.  And at the end of the hop (usually after midnight), cadets are given privilege to escort their drags back to their houses... just like a perfect gentlemen (haha).  Haven't thought in the case of women cadets though, maybe its just the same.
Oh well, after that night, I posted as a sentinel 3a.m. the following day.  Roughly, I had an hour of sleep... I guess that's hows life back then.  The month ended well, with another holiday and we were all busy preparing for the "Barrio Fiesta", another colorful PMA tradition... And I'll tackle it among others in my next PMA memoirs' post.  Yahweh bless.

Previous Related Post: Recognition Day

28 comments:

  1. I have tried an hour of sleep, I wouldn't want to do that again. :|

    ReplyDelete
  2. i understand cadets observe a really strict discipline. it really takes a great inspiration to keep up and reach the goal. it's good to know too that you also have other extra activities like watching musicale - that would further help you guys to become well-rounded cadets

    ReplyDelete
  3. One hour of sleep makes you super sabaw ... been there, done that ... guilty sobra!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's great that you were able to rough it up. I go to the gym, but cadet training is a totally different activity altogether. Much more radical circumstances!

    ReplyDelete
  5. i would probably try the PMA after high school if I am a man instead of taking up Dentistry but no regret being a dentist . i love my profession.hectic masyado schedule nyo and al ot of discipline. i wonder how you are as a husband and father?We have a family friend na PMA grad. and the last time i heard is Major na siya(5 yrs ago).dating naeighbor namin at barkada ng papa ko at nasa Pangasinan (?) na ngayon .mabait yon at strikto sa mga anak at pamangkin,stikto in a way na ginagalang pati na rin ng buong neighborhod namin.pati asawa super friends din namin.those were the dyas of my life in Philly.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LoL, oo nga.. ayoko na ulitin ang 1-hour sleep. Intense! Grabe ang enforcement ng discipline, you have to sink or swim. :D Good training though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. what about a 30-minute sleep, then take a bath..then the ship is shaking because of the waves of the sea?

      Delete
  7. it reminds me of my rotc cadet days in college.. forward march..

    ReplyDelete
  8. a worth reminiscing experience indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  9. one hour sleep I will faint if I were you

    ReplyDelete
  10. okay i thought when you're a PMAer you're always serious.. hehe and it's good that you can still recall every details way back and you still have those pics! really worth keeping :) Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This reminded me of my recent college years. There were days where I didn't even have a few minutes of sleep and it was really tiring. I can't imagine how it was with training as a cadet. I bet it's more body and mind-draining.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Why mixed your mind with the duties as a plebe when exams period or time is to be conducted. What guarantee could you have had to pass the said exams? Anyway, whatever the traditional PMA practices, you're there to abide.

    ReplyDelete
  13. i tried staying awake for one full day, and I'm telling you it's something you would want to forget. still, hope you had fun at PMA, dude.

    ReplyDelete
  14. several days of 1-hour sleeps will surely make you young...because you won't die old.

    ReplyDelete
  15. this people really are tough ..not just in body but in their heart..pretty amazing

    ReplyDelete
  16. this reminds me of my college years in nursing.. hospital duty from 10pm-6am then 8am long exam. Whew! Bangag to death talaga.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This post reminds me of a female schoolmate who went to PMA and was sent to West Point, NY. Kita naman sa pictures -the fun!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I experienced similar situations like this. I was working before at night till morning and then after work I have to hurry to go to school. Exams with no sleep.

    ReplyDelete
  19. reminds me during my thesis days, i didn't get sleep but still passed the final exams... gaining the top score! well most of the time when you sacrifice something, your will receive a double awesome reward.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hahaha feeling q indi q kaya yan, paperworks nga pagkulang sa sleep bagsak how much more:) kudos!

    ReplyDelete
  21. It's not really easy to be a cadet, my friend had push ups when he was late for the admission exam.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow bilib ako sayo kaya mo 1 hour sleep

    ReplyDelete
  23. keep on blogging about your PMA experiences, surely it will be a good source for those who want to be a PMA someday!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I quit because I can't make it through. It's not easy yet it makes a man to be a man and a tough woman. -Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  25. one hour of sleep, all-nighters, been though all that, but i cannot afford to do them anymore as childminding requires me to be alert + up on my toes 24/7...

    my Papa was a frustrated PMAer, he lacked the height + was therefore not allowed in....

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is the first PMA blog I have ever read. it's quite difficult pla tlga. Pero enjoy parin tlga kahit mahirap :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ahmmm parang ganyan din pinag daanan ni sir kaso sa PMMA naman sya puro kwento nya lang saakin. Gusto san nyang maging tulad nyo.

    ReplyDelete