Bi-Annual Psychological and Behavioral Assessment

October 21, 2019 Sideglance

The plan to subject plebes to regular psychosocial assessment and interventions in order to determine their mental stability is a step in the right direction for the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in its campaign to remove the stigma of hazing from the premier military educational institution in the country.

It is also suggested that PMA thru its new Commandant of Cadets Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr. should take further steps and institutionalize the conduct of psychosocial assessments and interventions on a bi-annual schedule and on all the cadets especially those belonging to the third and fourth class category.

It is important to remember that a first class cadet or plebe is subjected to all forms of rigorous trainings and education that should transform him/her not only as a warrior and soldier but also as a leader of men in the battlefield.

So while it is vital to conduct psychological and behavioral evaluations for those entering and new to the military way of life it is equally important or perhaps even more of a necessity to conduct these evaluations and assessments on those cadets about to leave the academy in order to determine how well they have coped up with the stress and rigors of military training.

The reason for the suggestion to conduct the psychological and behavioral assessment twice a year has to do with the effect of an almost daily intense and rigid training regimen that would see a cadet exposed to all types of verbal and written directives to do this and that which definitely takes a toll on his/her mental stability and fortitude.

This is the military way to inculcate discipline and so called proper military attitude that is necessary not only to lead other soldiers but also the ability to survive in possible violent conflicts which they or course signed up for.

PMA cadets are soldiers; they have taken up an oath to defend the country from all threats that would endanger the freedom and democratic way of life that the people enjoy. This is not an easy task.

These soldiers have also taken an oath that in the most extreme and worst case scenario of a physical conflict they would be the first ones who would be willing to lay down their lives so that others may live. This is not an easy pledge to make but the cadets at PMA are being trained to do just that. It therefore becomes necessary to conduct regular check-ups on their mental stability and behavior even before they are assigned to the front lines so that the country is assured that the future military officers of the country are truly leaders who would know how to take care of their men as they lead them into battle.

It is also important to realize that while these PMA cadets are being trained to become leaders of men and be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice if needed they are also being trained to become killers of men. Of course ordinary people would have a hard time getting around the fact that soldiers are in fact trained killers. But that is the truth of
the matter. And so it is vital that at all stages of the cadets training and right up to the time he/she will graduate from the academy he/she is still in the right frame of mind and understands that to protect others would sometimes entail the taking of life, not of the innocents but those who would seek to destroy the democratic way of life that Filipinos have come to enjoy.