As a student officer in the Infantry School in Ft. McKinley, Rizal (New Fort Bonifacio), I not only missed using my profession as a lawyer but my salary was also reduced because of my reduction in rank.
My only advantage being a regular officer is that my term of office was no longer just good for six months unless renewed for another six months. In short, I no longer feared reversion to inactive status every six months at the mercy of superior officers.
Our classmates who were reserve officers were sent to fight in Korea if they wanted to become regular officers. Some of them died there fighting the Communists.
Being an Infantry Officer, I was assigned to fight the Huks (local Communists) in Central Luzon. Col. Solud was retired and Capt. Laspada was reverted to inactive duty status.
My assignment was in the FIRST MILITARY AREA stationed in Camp Olivas, Pampanga. I was designated Chief, Personnel Branch, G-1 Section, IMA.
I left the QMSG where I enlisted my two cousins, Bernardo Bravo and Cornelio Bravo, as my soldiers in the Service Co. with me as their Commanding Officer.
Mg. Bodong remained with QMSG and attained the rank of Master Sergeant. Conning transferred to the Navy, then joined his boss, Capt. Prias, in Vietnam later on.
I regretted not joining the Judge Advocate General Office when Lt. Fred Ruiz Castro offered me to join him after I became a lawyer, but I did not know I was to part with Col. Solud later on after President Magsaysay took over and reduced the Headquarters personnel for field duty. Col. Solud said that had I approached him, he could have helped me.
Leave a Reply