Skipping ROTC

To be acceptable, forced ROTC training must be relevant. Otherwise, the trainee will just devise ways to get around the system

The revival of a proposal, coming no less from President Duterte, to make the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory again has triggered renewed debates as to the effectiveness of ROTC as a tool to “inspire patriotism and love of country among the youth.”

During my college days, I was an officer of the Ateneo Air Force ROTC for four years. I underwent ROTC cadre training for eight weeks. After graduation, although not required, I even attended the Probationary Second Lieutenants Training Course at Nichols (now Villamor) Air Base. I now hold a reserve commission of Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Air Force.

But would I support the proposal to make ROTC mandatory? With due respect to President Duterte, my answer is NO.

First, ROTC is simply not for everybody. True, it worked for me. But I had my reason and my own motivation which many do not necessarily share.

Second, the current school system is not prepared to handle an effective training program. Prospective school participants are still adjusting to the K-12 program and may not be geared for the job.

Third, the current training alternatives are sufficient. ROTC does not have a monopoly in instilling discipline and love of country.

To be acceptable, forced ROTC training must be relevant. Otherwise, the trainee will just devise ways to get around the system. President Duterte attempted to skip ROTC when he was a student.

I submit that compulsory military training is only effective where a country is always under imminent threat as in the case of Israel and Taiwan. We cannot say the same for the Philippines. As a candidate, President Duterte reportedly justified his support for mandatory ROTC training by saying that it would augment Philippine forces to repel Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Of course, the remark was one of those subsequently dismissed by his spokesperson as having been said in jest. That said, let me just relate my own ROTC experience.

I was drilled by my father to always be prepared. “Heaven forbid that we get involved in another war, but when that happens I hope you will be prepared.” With such a mindset, I went through the Boy Scouts, Preparatory Military Training and ROTC.

At the Ateneo, our ROTC training was relatively more enjoyable. It was not all drills under the sun. We spent some time in the shooting range, firing Springfield rifles. We had frequent competitions, including disassembly and assembly of carbines.

Towards the end of a school year, we staged a “mock battle.” We were issued flare rockets which, using our Springfield rifles as launch pads, we fired above the heads of our “enemies.”

In the summer of 1962, 15 Ateneo cadets were chosen at random to attend ROTC cadre training in Nichols Air Base. It was in Nichols where I met my future wife, Mira. A fellow cadre trainee Ernie del Castillo and I frequently slipped out of our barracks to go a-courting in the Officers Quarters.

At the end of each visit, Ernie and I sneaked back, commando style, into our barracks. Our training in evasive technique was effective.--from SunStar Manila online