I am often lost for words to truly describe my experience spending precious time with my classmates in Naval Command and Staff Course Class 86.  All my life I wanted to be a soldier, but the Almighty God did not give me an answer to such calling, and the reason why is very much obvious to me.  Simply because I know I am not fit to be one, I do not have what it takes, can’t do all the sacrifices it demands, and the selflessness, tenacity and courage one should possess.  Not to mention that my whole family was against it, when I told them of my dream of becoming a soldier after my intermediate school.  That was the end of my military dream… so I thought.

     The irony to my strong passion to soldiery is that the majority of Filipinos nowadays do not even realize the price of freedom that our veteran soldiers had paid for, neither the blood, sweat and tears that our soldiers of today are paying to keep our country safe and secured.  Making matters worse, many would just like to brush off our patriotic duty of learning how to defend our country, maybe much more when the time really calls for it; I surely hope I am wrong.

     After almost two decades, I got in to the Naval Reserve Command as a Naval Reservist Officer of Northern Luzon.  Few years after, I was qualified and was recommended by our Naval Reserve Center to join the Naval Command and Staff Course Class 86, from March to September 2019.  This was the time I got deeply immersed and had more insightful understanding of vocation of soldiery.  This had sparked again my dream, but this time, with great appreciation and greater love for the military service.  I also have to admit, that every time I am have conversations with any of my classmates, there is this feeling of envy of their experiences and learnings while performing their duties in the vocation I never had the chance to pursue.

Looking back, though, I realized that it was not envy that I felt towards my classmates but profound admiration, respect and appreciation of their service, honor and sacrifice, including of their families, so I and the rest of our countrymen can live in peace.  They perform their mandate with the highest standards of professionalism and discipline, to the extent of sacrificing precious time for their family or other lucrative opportunities, living a simple and humble life, at times making ends meet financially, and for the women, the ultimate duty of being a mother to their children.

     Many times, I have heard, and from many people, civilians and military alike, that if one chooses to join the service, then you will have to endure all the responsibilities that goes with it.  Yes, I believe it is true, but only a few can answer to such calling, and I am proud that my classmates did, all in the Navy did, all in the AFP did.

     I also cannot help but to admire their mentoring and support to Naval Reserve Officers, despite our lapses and mistakes, nobody made us feel we are different, instead had strongly supported us to finish the course with them, side by side, as a brother, as a comrade.

     I remember during one of our classroom discussion, I was given a chance to talk before the class, I first though of thanking them not merely as my classmate but as living heroes to us and to every Filipino.  I am truly grateful and honored to have them as part of my journey towards realizing my dream of serving our country in my Navy Uniform.