Would you give up your life for you country?

[66bunny]

"How would they have ended it for the students? No one made a stand against the corruption? Like a stand against an enemy?"

---- Kaya nga tinibag ang ROTC. Dahil walang kuwenta. Bulok ang sistema. Laganap ang corruption. Kaya, inalis. Tinanggal. Kung ibabalik man, gumawa sila na magandang programa at plataporma at hindi yang lecheng beauty queen pageant na naghihikayat kumuha ng mga kadete. Anong susunod? Mga artista naman ang magiging endorsees nila? Haay, napaka-showbiz talaga natin.

Siguro nung panahon ng erpat ko pwede pa.

My father is a WW2 veteran. Guerilla unit, Signal Corp. to be exact. He was there during the Leyte Landing (the biggest naval landing in history), he fought alongside with the americans and pinoys during the Japanese occupation. And I'm proud to be his son. He asked me then when I was a kid if I'll die for my country, I said yes, just like what you did.

If he was alive today and saw how the ROTC "degraded" the past decades, god knows what will be his reaction.

CAT officer ako nung HS. Balak ko ring mag-PMA pagkatapos ng graduation. Ang pinsan ko, isa na ngayong Kapitan sa Army. PMA graduate. Hinikayat niya ako nung high school ako na sumali, pero mas malakas ang tawag ng musika sa akin nun.

Kung magkagiyera bukas, handa kong itabi ang gitara at kunin ang armas. Kung maghikayat man ang army ng mga volunteers, itataas ko agad ang kamay ko.

Now if you still doubt my loyalty to our country, wala na akong magagawa. Siguro isama ko na rin na ilang beses na akong tumanggi mag-trabaho sa ibang bansa, dahil umaasa ako na uunlad pa itong bansa natin.

Tandaan mo, di nanalo ng mag-isa ang mga 'merkano sa hapon nung araw ng digmaan. Malaking tulong ang intelligence reports galing sa mga guerilla unit na mga pinoy.

Idealistic ako. Di ko lang maintindihan kung bakit ang ROTC para sa iyo ang kaligtasan ng kalayaan ng ating bansa.

[shadow]

How would they have ended it for the students? No one made a stand against the corruption?

there was one before sa UST, unfortunately he was found tortured and dead, done by the supposedly "officers" who would protect us from any wars....

[niky]

Funny story...

When I was in High School, I was a cadet officer. I could drop to the ground, do 100 push-ups, jump up, drop again, and do 100 more. I could jog a few kilometers with a pack of supplies on my back, too... and I was a pretty good shot. But all we ever did was marching drills, formations and the like. Yeah, like you can actually serve in the military by marching up to the enemy in a compact platoon unit, making you an easy target for guerilla machine gunners.

In College? Since I'm not actually a citizen (still working on my dual citizenship papers... ), I couldn't join ROTC, simply because I might "steal state secrets about the military..." ...I really did want to go, though.

But looking back on it, maybe it's good I didn't. All I heard about ROTC was corruption of the officers, power-tripping and abuse (meh... if I wanted that, I'd join a frat). It was only when ROTC was made non-mandatory that the military was encouraged to look into these abuses and try to rectify them... otherwise, they'd get no students!

The sad thing about ROTC is that our previous ROTC was just a bunch of kids playing power-games with other kids and marching around in front of a grandstand.

We should not bring that ROTC back. The community service that replaced it is superior, though also fraught with corruption and abuse.

If we want to strengthen our military, and the discipline of our people, instead of ROTC, we should endorse mandatory reservist training for College-age students... say, two summer's worth, plus Saturdays for two years... done by real Army Officers, and with real training.

Or better yet... make a short tour of duty in the military compulsory for all young people, as in the Israeli model, where everyone over the age of 18 was conscripted into the military.

This helps to increase discipline amongst young people and instill a sense of patriotism. Heck... what makes you feel more like a true Filipino? Marching in circles all afternoon? Memorizing the "mi Ultimo Adios" for the nth time? Or doing reservist work or civil service... which could include community outreach, disaster relief, or "war games" with regular soldiers?

To see where this idea could lead, try reading "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlem (and hell no, it's nothing like the stupid movie based on it...). In this theoretical political model, you could choose either civil service or military service upon coming of age.

And if you do neither? You don't get to vote. It was of Heinlem's opinion that if you felt it beneath you to serve your country or at least understand how the government functions, you get no say in how it's run. ;)

Too bad that kind of thing would never get through Congress... but it's an appealing idea. It's not anti-poor... as anyone could sign up for service... but it'll force a lot of people to put their money where their mouth is.

[6shooter]

there was one before sa UST, unfortunately he was found tortured and dead, done by the supposedly "officers" who would protect us from any wars....

so his death was in vain? no one rallied to his cause? would it be far-fetched to say he died for what what he believed in? yet no one was brave enough to rise up for his fight? is that public sentiment now? no one willing to fight for a bigger cause? ang kinamatayan niya po ay apathy.

tanong lang po.

would vigilante justice be warranted here?

[RafRaf]

How spoiled we have become. Kausap ko dati mga Vietnamese. Dati may company driver kami na sniper sa NVA. Proud sila dahil natalo nila ang mga Kano. Bakit? May nasyonalismo sila. At pride. Milyon milyon sa kanila ang namatay vs the hundred plus thousand na kano. At ang sabi ng mga Vietnamese, kahit mga bata, na handa sila lumaban kahit maubos sila. 'Wag lang sasakupin ang lupa nila. Tanong ko ngayon. Bakit kaya malapit na tayo maunahan, kung di pa naunahan ng Vietnamese?

By the way, sinubukan ng People's Liberation Army of China sakupin ang Vietnam pag ka alis ng mga Kano. Ang ginawa ng Viets ay massacre the Chinese forces.

True... but you can't expect the same tactic to work again. The enemy has evolved too.

You brought up the young fighters... poor victims of war. Do they really know what they are in?

[6shooter]

True... but you can't expect the same tactic to work again. The enemy has evolved too.

You brought up the young fighters... poor victims of war. Do they really know what they are in?

Could that evolved enemy have the same problems in other theaters like Iraq? The premise is simple. If you have a guerilla force disciplined and dedicated and passionate enough you can accomplish much. Pero dapat nga well led unfortunately. Castro took over Cuba with a handful of men against a US backed govt.

[wren]

yes...i did serve my time in the US marine corps.

[shadow]

so his death was in vain? no one rallied to his cause? would it be far-fetched to say he died for what what he believed in? yet no one was brave enough to rise up for his fight? is that public sentiment now? no one willing to fight for a bigger cause? ang kinamatayan niya po ay apathy.

not really.... his death was one of the reason I think why ROTC was removed from the curriculum, and now military is thinking of bringing ROTC back, now if that materializes, then yes he's death was just in vain....

[6shooter]

yes...i did serve my time in the US marine corps.

That is good to hear. Iba talaga ang patriotism sa States. You go there and people have the flag on their yards.

[RafRaf]

changing my post... 6shooter, going back I now understand what you were trying to point out. That there are other factors to win a battle, not merely weaponry or arms. And you do have a point.

Have a nice day!