My PMA Cadet Years (Yearling) - Punishment Tours And Other Hurdles

August 1996 - Aside from academics and guard duties, I spent the month serving my accumulated punishment tours.... and with a little help from those touring conversions... fatigue duty, study period and the most dreadful punishment... watching debates.  LOL.  Well, these conversions were a lot relaxing and beneficial than walking full battle attire with rifle under the scourging heat of the sun for hours.

September 1996

I started the month in maximizing my complied hours of punishment tours, as the long break at the end of the month was fast approaching.  And I needed to finish all of it, otherwise I won't be able to go on vacation... and I still had a couple.  Speaking of pressure, on top of it, I had deal with it during the month where we also had our academic final exams.

12- I had my first "Major A" from the platoon run competition for having the least time in finishing the race.  It was later sewn in my corps jacket.  This symbolized a victory from the yearly held intramurals fought between the PMA companies.  And not all cadets were lucky enough to have even one during their stay.

14-17-  We also had a inter-company dart competition where I was able to reached semi-finals.  I had competed with almost against my upperclassmen.  But sometimes, I had to cancel due to my touring duties tsk...

20-  We were again given the privilege to watch SLU students with their rendition of West Side Story.  How I wished we also got touring hours credits for watching the play or was I asking too much?  Hahaha, got it, then it wouldn't be a punishment anymore, isn't it?

23-26- Just like any other universities, our main focus, aside from our military training, were our academics.  Adding to the pressures of a yearling were subjects like physics, literature, calculus, philosophy, history, psychology, etc... Final exams week, cadet duties, touring... bring it on...

25- To help cadets reduce and finish their touring, we were given the optional distance touring where if we could finish a particular distance, that would be equivalent to 1 touring hour (TH).  I made 8 THs that day, making it very possible for me to go home.  I was never been so determined of finishing all my punishment tours... it was my ticket to home.

27- Initiation day for the class 2000.  Met a lot of "kababayans" 4th class cadets from Davao City, which I haven't got the chance to visit from other companies due to hectic time schedule.  It was a "rotting" (rough) day for the plebes, but for the soon to be recognized members of the corps, foresight... plebehood would soon be over.

It was actually a fun event for the upperclassmen.  We were in our relaxed mode during the event, we even sympathized with our plebes hairdo, wearing our general athletic uniform and just making sure every plebe that passed by us performed their designated exercises.  It really felt like it's more of a frolics than having the intention of giving the plebes the hardest possible day they could ever have.

28-  Then came the symbolic "Recognition Day".  In as much as I was proud of all the plebes that were standing in that octagon formation, I can't also help but felt proud of myself that day, since I was one of those who recognized the plebes.  It only meant that we survived our own challenges and obstacles that we must face as cadets.

29,30- Last days of "rallying" for my punishment tours, and I was able to finished every single one of it.  At last... going home.  By the way, that was my first since I reported to PMA to be a cadet.  And I thank the Lord that I managed all those hurdles... Yahweh bless. 

Recent Related Post:  New Things, Old Things