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Leaders and Scholars Combined
A cadet officer of the of the University of the Philippines Manila ROTC lives perhaps the most challenging
life among the ROTC units of the UP System, while the cadet officers of the UP ROTC units are considered the best, both in
tactical and academic know-how. What makes a cadet officer from 'Manila' distinct?
Perhaps, the first line of the Vanguard's "Who Are We?" would best describe what being a cadet officer in UP Manila means: Leaders and scholars combined.
A cadet officer, besides being either respected, feared, hated, or awed, more than anything, has a role
and responsibility to perform. Fellow students, classmates, college friends, anti-ROTC sympathizers and activists, and professors
seldom understand, if they exert any effort at all, these specially trained (no, they are not of special breeding, they are
simply exceptionally trained) of students.
Cadet officers enter their college in a demagogue of student activity, and the students, whether male or
female, do one of two things: 1) do the Japanese nod; or 2) "Red Sea" Effect, the mass of people shy away from the path of
the walking cadet officer. While this may be awesome, what is not recognized is the person behind the facade of rigid movement
and reserved behavior.
Function and Responsibility
A cadet officer performs several tasks, but they only have two responsibilities: responsibility to their
cadets and responsiblity to their academics.
Responsibility of a cadet officer to their cadets understand that they are living for themselves alone,
nor are they cadet officers to play with power. They are representatives of their cadets, and so they represent them, their
unit's ideals and their cadets' performance, in every move that they do. The reserve is not just for show. It is a necessity
in a University in which the ROTC is known for its toughness - even to the cadets.
Responsibility of a cadet officer to his/her academics is a primary concern, and a constant one. Despite
significant developments and measures, however, being implemented by the upper classmen (particularly, the First Classmen),
the Alumni, and sometimes, the DMST, this aspect of life-balance is a weakness that virtually all cadet officers fall into.
Very few cadet officers go through ROTC as a cadet officer and do not experience the terrible challenge of balancing academics
and ROTC responsibilities.
This does not mean that a cadet officer is bound to fail in his or her academics. If anything, this is the
challenge of being a cadet officer - not the sleepless nights or physically demanding activites - it is in this aspect that
a future Vanguard is being initiated. Identifying priorities and determining measures of achieving the objectives.
Officership: Specific Functions
A cadet officer has the following functions, all being done or being thought of virtually simultaneously:
- Command - In this one word, a cadet officer fulfills a number of roles. This means ability to direct and
lead cadets in the field or while in school premise;, whether with other persons or just between the two of them; identify
mistakes and correct; set standards of performance and being able to communicat the rationale; and being able to identify
those who deserves rewards.
- Office/Administrative - While cadet officers are excellent performers in the field, whether in military drills
or tactical action, they all have administrative responsibilities. They must play dual roles in making things happen: lead
in the front and manage from the rear. This rear/office work is like the submerged part of an iceberg - only a few is seen
in the field or in parade where everyone claps on the performance. They appreciate only 10 percent of hard work.
- Motivating - This function demands of a cadet officer the interpersonal skills. A cadet officer constantly
interacts with a number of types of personalities, both within the University and outside. What is the demand for motivating
when a cadet officer converses with a security guard, you may ask? In truth, simply put, if a cadet officer cannot communicate
EFFECTIVELY with any person, that cadet officer would have serious problem giving commands in any training day. Remember that
a UP cadet officer deals with at least 30 different personalities, in a University where activism is the norm, and powerplay
is constant.
- Model or Boundary Expander - A cadet officer is identified once he graduates the Cadet Officer Candidate
Course. That person is a target of hostile fraternities (maybefor recruitment since they know that a new cadet officer is
not yet a member of the Vanguard Fraternity), student political organizations (knowing the leadership training a cadet officer
undergoes, if they get a single cadet officer, they get a strategically valuable item), or the student press. The cadet officer
also is seen by non-ROTC members of the University, who look to the ROTC for leadership and model. Of course, no good thing
is ever recognized of the ROTC, but every wrong move done by a single cadet officer is easily judged as representative of
the whole cadet corps.
- Military Specialist - While cadet officers are not expected to be top in their classes, they are expected
to know the advance lessons of the military organization, history, command principles, military strategy and tactics, and
the details of the current politico-military globe. Geo-politically inclined courses demand advance learning in current military
trends, like counterterrorism and intelligence. Cadet officers need to be on the top of this game, despite perhaps being only
in the active Cadet Officers' Corps for less than two weeks.
Strategies of Victory
Cadet officership is not a matter of surviving (this is how most quitters describe the way of life in the
ROTC), but rather a matter of constant learning, failing and achieving. Cadet officers, particularly the upper classmen, know
that the situations of a cadet officer is exceptionally demanding. That is why they have learned to recognize and impart to
their lower classmen four basic principles of living and winning the situations of living a life in the Corps of Cadets.
- Time Management - Before anything hits you, remember, you have the opportunity to plan. Why risk the morrow
with irresponsibility? This is a matter of responsibility and discipline. Is it so difficult to take five minutes of determining
the goals of the next time period to minimize uncertainties?
- Presence of Mind - Respond, do not react. Take consideration of all factors; if you cannot, determine the
risks and make a decision, but do not let your emotions get the best of you - whether fear, anger or selfishness. A cadet
officer makes the action of all his or her unit. An error he or she commits falls to the unit he or she commands.
- Shibboleths - The guiding words of the cadet officers. They are not literary pieces to be memorized, but
they are to be put in the heart. Others have made the mistake and learned the lesson, why should you take the same step of
making the mistake?
- Classmates - A class can be made of one cadet officer. But that is a situation that should be avoided. A
classmate is the only person who can understand your situation, and guide you to make the right decision, or whom you must
correct in moments of challenge. Do not let yourself be left, because you would slow down the whole team. Do not leave your
classmate, because you have a role to the whole organization. They could be your source of strength, or your barkada
in a gimmick, but more than anything, in your life in the University, they are the few who are of your same 'species.'
Cadet Officership: Leaders are not born, they are made
Being a student and a cadet officer requires an intricate and delicate balance of responsibility - to academics
and to the Corps. Aside from this, a cadet officer is a person, a social animal, a Godly creation, and person limited by physical
or other types of restrictions. Still, out of these individual limitations, and the social and environmental situations, Vanguards
are born.
That's what a cadet officer is.
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