Makabagong Sundalo (Modern Soldier)

Soldiers. Army. Navy. Military. Air Force. Armed Forces. 

We all have definitions for these words. The common descriptions are defenders, guardians, protectors of the country. Soldiers defend us from threats of other countries, terrorist attacks, and insurgencies. But those definitions have been our connotation of soldiers since way back in the early years where war and political instability have been constantly present. Certainly, times have changed so much already; although political crises are still ever present, today's setting is totally different 50 years back. Along with the array of changes in our society, the concept of "soldier" has evolved as well.

The question is now:

What is the modern soldier? 

The modern soldier still is fundamentally the same as the traditional soldier. They still are defenders and guardians of our humble from every possible threat to disrupt our society. But the soldier today has added functions and duties to his repertoire. Entering the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio (PMA) is a one of a kind experience. When you are inside the vicinity, it feels like you are on a different country; it is hard to imagine that this ravishingly neat place is in the Philippines. From the cleanliness and quality of the facilities to the colorful trees and plants to the historical iconic landmarks and works. Viewing and just being within the perimeter of these structures; one can feel honor and pride for our country's armed forces.

But what does honor mean for our soldiers today? The Armed Forces of the Philippines have been battered recently of fraud and corruption issues. How do they keep the honor in their profession intact despite all of these? It is also a common notion to the people that soldiers are "puppets" of the government. They will do whatever their superiors ask of them, no matter the consequences. True you might answer but it is in fact no - for the modern soldier. In a talk that Major Jo-ar Herrera gave he said that they would confront their superiors when the plan is destructive to the society. If they feel it is heavily wrong, they would stand up for their case however high the position of their superior is. This statement of his does not readily assure us that they would do just that; but those are strong words nonetheless and it came from a sincere and gallant official. It only tells us that as long as there are officials and soldiers like him, our country is in good hands. 

Also included in his talk is the dominant theme in the modern soldier concept:

PEACEMAKER. 

The mandate for today's soldiers is to be peacemakers. They do not only fight for their country; they fight for the peace in their country. It is said in a UN peace campaign that "peace, like war, must be waged." And that is the true duty of our soldiers today. When before their only focus is to defeat the enemy, now they have to win the peace also. Peace is a quintessential factor for a developing country like ours. When there is no peace, there will be no development. The armed forces are focusing their talents to enforce peace in our country. Major Herrera mentioned that the armed forces wins this peace through partnership of values: being truthful, committed, people-oriented, selfless and a global thinker. They build partnerships and networks with several organizations to help promote peace amongst different communities in our land. They risk their lives in missions to hostile territories to negotiate with the rebels. They exhaust all peaceful means in order to make truces and to stop the hostility. When one thinks of soldier, the object that automatically comes to mind is the gun. We have associated armed forces with artillery and firepower but as Major Herrera puts it into words their value: "it is better to win the enemy without bullets".

The modern soldier has indeed evolved from the traditional soldier we have been accustomed to growing up. It has been molded to fit our new society that loves peace and wants nothing to do with bloodshed, corruption, and injustices. Today's soldiers are built and equipped to handle and keep those things away from us. Despite the bad image that has been tainted to them, we must have hope in our soldiers. We must love, trust and respect them. Respect and trust are of utmost importance in a healthy relationship - and in the way the things are going in the Philippines, we are going to need a mighty robust one with our armed forces.