"I pledge allegiance to the flag and my heart to the soldier who defends it"
On one Sunday afternoon, with the prodding of a dearest friend An, I dragged myself out of bed and joined her to visit the 37th Infantry Battalion at Nituan, Parang, Maguindanao. There I met the Battalion Commander and some of his officers whose names I will always remember.
The only reason why I spent time in joining her was the idea of gun and fun firing. Having a gun of my own and learning to use it was always my passion. With the kindness and goodness of heart of the battalion commander, he gave me the very rare opportunity to experience it. Everything was all set for us, the guns, the firing range, the food they have prepared for us, and not to mention the great soldiers who made fun firing possible. I was way too excited that I wasn't able to have a good taste of the food. With the kind assistance of one of the troops who patiently taught me gun handling and gun safety, I decided I was ready to do it. I fearfully grabbed the gun and pulled the trigger. Whether I hit or missed the target, there is a sense of fulfillment of my desire. It was nicely relaxing and physically satisfying. But there is more to life than that. Ever since I set foot on their headquarters, I come to realize what's behind the boots and the guns. Has anyone ever thought deeply about what these soldier are going through everyday?
As I take a short tour on their camp, accompanied by their kind and witty battalion commander, I have seen the life that they are living. If I lived to tell about the them, I must say that they live in an uncomfortable and unglamorous life like most civilian do. Soldier spent a lot of their time sitting in camps waiting for orders. There lives when not fighting were mostly spent on trainings and drills on battle techniques and strategies. The rest of their time was trying to overcome boredom. They spent their time in making meals, doing laundry and writing articles for their official newsletter "Conqueror". Playing basketball and singing along to a music video were just one of the things that helped to relieve the boredom. Although their lives maybe easy, they are always up on their toes waiting for the lawless elements. It surprised me how varied and interesting soldier life can be. Their life is challenging and can also be rewarding.
So remember that there is a soldier out there that wishes they could be appreciated and admired for their sacrifice. They sacrifice themselves for our safety and freedom. I give praise to these unnoticed heroes of war. Glad that such heroes have lived. GOD BLESS ALL OF OUR TROOPS!
***sharing with you this article i have written in "Conqueror", the official newsletter of 37th IB, Philippine Army, August 16-31, 2010 issue.
