I'm back... but not really

Im like 20 pounds lighter and around 3 inches off my waist but still the same. The past month had been shall I say life transforming and the next succeeding days is become more and more exciting each day.

I just finished what we call as the Leadership Development Course. It is a rigid one-month course where we live in tents with our M-16 rifles and train for combat leadership and learn the intricacies of an ordinary foot soldier -- the infantry man. With the help on a 10 kilo rucksack on my back, constant excercises I was not only able to lose weight (as if I have to) but also became stronger... I feel as if I'm superman :) But sad to say I can only report this things now as for some reason there is no internet connection inside the Philippine Military Academy.

Being forced to live simply under a tent, eating in individual mess kits and subjected to little or no rest kind of allowed me to mature more when it comes to appreciation of the things around me. I remember how much pleasure it gave me when finally I was allowed to use my cellphone during the holy week. It was also some sight just to see the other batch of my classmates who were then handling the plebes. My matress suddenly felt so special and a simple bath just blows me away. Deprivation can really do so many things to a person plus my appreciation to the many sacrifices that many of our soldiers out there, risking their lives and doing their duties. Somehow at the end of it all, I just wanted to learn more and do all the things well after coming to the realization that the things that I learn might spell out the difference between life and death for me when I go to the field to join the war out there. I guess for all of us there just comes a point in life when things that are important to us suddenly becomes crystal clear and we just have to decide once and for all that we have to take on the challenge and just do what we have to do. At the end of it all I am a better person.

Next in the many challenges that I have experienced in the past days is becoming a squad leader. Talking to an officer the other day, he simply said that it is the hardest job in the Cadet Corps. I realized that he just might be right. What I teach the plebes under me might break or make them as future leaders of this country. Imagine the life of a 17 something individual is suddenly placed on my shoulders and I teach them the ways of soldiery, the foundation of their life as soldiers. Every now and then, I am amazed by the innocence of the 7 young men under me, how my every word is taken very seriously and that I am looked up to as someone who is so great. I kind of felt the responsibility, imagine the things that I teach them will be the foundations of their concept in going about their training. Again, it is life changing but in a different way than that of the LDC, this time the future is somehow in your hands and thats scary. But then again, I must be capable for those above me entrusted me with the responsibility and every night I pray that I am being true to that responsibility. Well its just like that, a leader seeks responsibility and takes responsibility for their actions. Anyway I'll just post the pictures that I had for the past weeks....