march 9, 2007

It was March 19, 2007. It was a fine day in school. All was well. School was still school, and lessons were still lessons.

In the afternoon of that day, section Gonzalez had physics for the first period, while section Tan had research for theirs. After those subjects, the fourth years had the next period, CWTS.

CWTS is pretty much like the CAT but way a lot less harsh. We had the usual things to do. We had the usual inspection, and we had the usual drills. But since we have to give a little treat to the retirees, all of the fourth years have to be in the pass-in review.

The pass-in review is a march that we will give the retirees. It needs marching skills of all the fourth year students. The marching has to be perfect so that we can give them our best performance because that is something that they will remember us for. In order to achieve this perfection, we really have to practice, constant correct practice. Everything has to be perfect.

The marching is perfect when there is no sound during the marching, the legs must be parallel to the ground, and the most important aspect of all, synchronization. Once again, practice is really needed.

We started to practice on March 2, marching was terrible (I’m just being honest). But the thought of perfection is in arm’s reach. March 9 was only the second time that we have practiced. As I was saying, the marching was terrible. There was a loud sound when they were marching. To eliminate the sound during marching, the marcher has to land his foot on the ground with the tip on the foot and gently lower rest of the foot. I have trust in all of us that there would be that elimination of that sound.

I, being one of the CWTS officers, would strive really hard so that the sound would be gone because we were once like that when marching. I don’t know why others don’t look like they are serious of the pass-in review. I can’t see sincerity in their faces. I don’t know if they really understand the purpose of it. Some don’t look like they are trying their best to perfect this (if you are guilty, please try a little bit harder). All of the cadets were asked to march to see if there was synchronization, but there was none. Some were too fast, some were too slow. What bothered me was the sound they produced while marching. This took much of their energy.

(Moving back to the happenings on March 9) In the middle of the practice, all were to carry chairs to the Arts and Sciences building because HSAT (High School Admission Test) would be held there the next day. This added to their fatigue.

After practice was over, the officers had to dismiss the cadets. Richard Rey Caminade called up platoon Babaytan for formation. They came late. The summon (humanay) has to be complied within 15 seconds only. The platoon came for 46 seconds. Of course, an incompliance of an order would result to punishment. That is the agreement (THIS IS REALLY THE AGREEMENT). Usually, the punishment is the pumping (a.k.a. bombers). The number of bombers is the time that the platoon consumed to form their formation minus the time of compliance (15 seconds). That is 46 – 15. Babaytan had to perform 31 bombers for their punishment. An additional of 5 bombers were given because when their commanding officer asked them if they wanted more, only one answered. That answer was ‘yes’.

Now I ask you, was Richard being harsh or was he just doing his task? For me, he was doing both.

You see, 36 bombers are really tiresome. Thinking that they were also from a tiring practice and also from a chair-transporting task, the fatigue that the platoon had was really great.

BUT think also about the time they consumed just to be in formation. Isn’t 46 seconds too far from 15 seconds? If I was the commanding officer there, I would feel a little disrespected because the platoon didn’t comply with orders right away. It would be natural that Richard would become angry. And if you look at the agreement (incompliance of an order would result to punishment), the 31 bombers were the consequence for the mishap. The additional 5 bombers, it was also to be complied with because one answered yes. Platoon members are in the idea of all for one and one for all. A mistake of one is a mistake of all. When the one who wanted more answered yes, it would follow that all would receive the same. Just like one lesson of the Practical Law class, dura lex sed lex, the law is hard but it is the law. Think of it, was their punishment proper?

For me, Babaytan shouldn’t have been late so that the disaster wouldn’t have had happened. It is unfair in Richard’s part because his fault was the only side that was heard. By Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, one is touched when it touches. Since Babaytan had a fault, that fault would come back to them.

It may look like I am on Richard’s side, but I am really in the neutral side because both parties had done something wrong.

Now I ask you again, was Richard being harsh or was he just doing his task?