DMST personality
Media
Part of The Carolinian
- Title
- DMST personality
- Creator
- Vergara, Nicolas
- Language
- English
- Year
- 1961
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- ASSISTANT COMMANDANT ROTC j DMST Personality by NICOLAS VERGARA Within the whole chain of commands of the whole USC-ROTC unit, there exists an additional sparkplug chain that links the P. del Rosario diehards in their quest for the laurel wreath—the star. Behind the cadet corps are the cadet officers, behind the cadet officers is the administration, and behind one of the tables of the Dept, of Military Science and Tactics office looms a figure that hails from the Philippine Military Academy— 1st. Lt. Antonio R. Samonte, INF. Although a hardboiled PMA product, he is still unassumingly reserved, friendly, with a proconsular look and leadership that asserts coolness under fire with tactical and tactful command over the cadet corps. He topped the examination given by the PMA for wouldbe scholars to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. However, after his papers were arranged, he declined the scholarship grant because he loved the PMA more. He was also a member of the PMA Corps Squad. As all of us know, he is now the gallant soldier beside Mrs. Julieta Samonte, one of the Borromeo sisters who at present is the adviser of the Cadette Sponsors. As a man, he is naturally proud of this victory and as a soldier, he is equally proud of an impressive and busy military career serving in different military engineering installations after being commissioned in the Army. When Maj. Jose M. Aquino was elevated to the Superintendency of all ROTC and PMT Units, he certainly needed a trusted and reliable Assistant Commandant to help insure a strategic blueprint in regaining the star, to formulate a compact, workable system that makes a cadet corps click, and to promote a knot of kinship between cadets and officers as well as to act as filler between the DMST and the Administration. This job falls on the shoulders of our DMST personality and there is no doubt that with his qualities he will render a great deal of decisive points in this coming Tactical Inspections. With this new link in the chain we expect the “OPERATION Maj. Aquino-lst Lt. Samonte” to hit a surefire formula in gaining the prestige of being A-l ROTC contingent in the whole III MA. “When you wish upon a star, it makes no difference where you are...” With this fragment from an old song the USC “diehards” just buckled their fatigue and khaki uniforms for this year’s training in “hitching their wagon to the star” under soaking rain and blistering sun on the regular Saturday and Sunday drills. In spite of this the Warriors come out of it still with that green and gold esprit de corps. The USC ROTC contingent this year again levels its gun against the coveted crown. Last yeal' the unit missed that crown in a hairline competition with the different ROTC units of the III MA. Central Philippine University emerged victorious through the underground warfare for that emblazon prestige. Last year’s tactical inspections was indeed a match with the hotly contested US presidential fight between Senator JFK and then Vice-President Nixon. Page 24 THE CAROLINIAN