Marching can be fun

I can say that I have been bored to death with marching. I mean in this institution marching is like a way of life. When we wake up in the morning to eat our meals we march, when we go to class we march, when we go to some place we march. In fact, at times I try to do things just to excuse myself from marching. Its really not a wonder why some people think that all we do here is to march and go on parade. Then on saturdays we march again for some General who insists on coming to PMA with all those ceremonial "dugumons." Last weekend alone, we had two parades on saturday and the Close Order Drill competition on Sunday, that makes it three marching duties over the weekend and that excludes the various mess formations where we also march. And so sometimes I wonder if there is a way if not to stop from marching, maybe something that will at least make marching fun. That is what I had been contemplating a little while back.

Cadets always have to march in cadence. Usually, its the bass drum that we listen to to keep in step but when there is none, we coordinate that is we keep in step to the person in front of us. Its not really so hard to do because with some practice it actually becomes instinct..... bass drum is always the left foot and its kind of natural to keep in step with the person directly in front of you while marching. If you look at it at a greater picture, we do look like some robots with steps perfectly coordinated. Sometime ago when I was a civilian and I was a mere spectator in PMA parades, I was amazed by the beauty of these military ceremonies, maybe that's part of the reason why I am wearing this uniform now. But then if you look at it, the sound of the bass drum coupled with people who agree to step everytime the drum sounds creates an image so wonderful worth a General's time, worth the claps of so many civilians and worth a day or so of practice...... again all with a single sound. Its marvelous isn't it, its a beautiful thought and knowing that I am part of the group that makes that beauty, marching can really be fun.... would you agree??....... hehehehe