Wheels of Happiness
This was post was called to active duty (CAD) as former Air Force Rotc and had a thirty day training at Villamor air base and had to contend with extreme condition: limited food, not taking a bath for days, being thrown into cess pool, jogging at 4 am to Baclaran. The next year 1991, our duties were for relief and rescue: duty at VAB ROC (Relief Operations Center) and relief operations to Iba Zambales.
Was privileged to have risen from AIC to T Sgt.
Privileges: tax free gasoline at the bases, Military ID, PX privilege, can purchase 2 guns: 1 long 1 short.
There was a lot of corruption going on: uniforms were not given, patrol allowances (which was given before in 1990) were pocketed, the allowances for the mission (we signed for yellow pages) asllegedly for attendance (but probably vouchers done) and these were for days (no wonder the finance officer Col were there)
We cant mobilize enough like Israel because of the Citizen Army fund corruption and apparent jealousy betweeen reservist and regular organic staff
The Citizen army allowed civilians to be given high ranks especially if they are business owners, owned transpo warehouses assets that could help AFP in times of mobilization. They had such programs. This post could be qualified but did not opt and preferred to be an EP (Ipis)
However I saw some anomalies with regards to ranks. 3 of them Lt Cols were to be promoted to full Cols. And one of the reqs was to join an ardous 1 week FTX (Field Training Exercise) This post did not see anyone of them at the FTX, and the CO probably reeling under pressure (because these were influential people one owned a gun store, another a housing official) certified that they were there. (Imagine a fake ftx certification but we endured the 1 week of hardship, extreme physical demands, hunger thirst, thorns in your unshod feet!
That a certain former cong is involved in a medal ribbon ruckus is not new, or something to be surprised about.
