Wannabe

A friend told me earlier tonight that he will enter the army next year. Initially, he was planning to get into the air force and be a pilot for the armed forces, however, he has just declared that next year he will start training for the army.

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I have been fond of soldiers and soldiers wanna be since high school. Maybe because I found the discipline, focus and courtesy attractive. I was exposed in high school Citizen Army Training. I liked my experience so much that I thought of enrolling with the PMA. My parents were totally against it and my heart seems to favor being in law school more than in the military academy that I decided to pursue pre-law at a university.

While there, I can't keep myself away from the ROTC. However, events lead me not to the cadet corps but to the sponsors' organization. It was during this time too that I assisted one of my male college friends to take the PMA exams. He passed but did not pursue training.

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Only recently a batch mate of mine died in a Mindanao mission. He is someone I was not able to meet during our college years but seeing my organization mates from his former Alma mater get hurt and cry over his demise somehow made me feel the pain of losing a soldier friend.

That was what made me tell this young friend of mine who is planning to get into the army that I will hug him before he goes to Mindanao.

I know, not everyone goes there die. I know also that dying in Mindanao is not an option to any soldier going there. But reality is that we are at war in Mindanao. And war does not care whom will it sacrifice. I want to be able to hug my friend even before he goes. A prayer for his safety will go with that too.

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Like before, I salute and admire young men and women who take the soldier's noble profession.