BOOK REVIEW: "44 Days Of Faith And Valor" by PLTGen Cesar Hawthorne Binag (2022)
Police Lieutenant General Binag discussed his book, The 44 Days of Faith and Valor, with us and shared his experiences in the police service. This book review reflects my thoughts on the chapters I felt most related to my Cadetship Training Program. I can assure that the free copies He gave would not be wasted and all of his ideas would be put into action. I strongly suggest reading this book if you want to learn how to overcome various difficulties and hurdles in your job as a Police Officer.
RECEPTION
Police Lieutenant General Binag coined the term Reception as one of the memorable moments in his life as it happened during his time while entering the prestigious military academy known as the Philippine Military Academy and after graduating from the said academy. He again went on to another reception in an elite training institution called the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police where he underwent rigorous training and transformation to prepare him for actual battle. And I could relate well to all of these circumstances because as a PNPA Cadet, I faced numerous reception rites. The challenge of overcoming these obstacles and trials reflects our real battles in life and that true law enforcement work is a never-ending process.
Rifle: Choose and Know Your Weapon
When I entered the Philippine National Police Academy, we were introduced to our wives. Little did we know that these ‘wives’ we were asked to take care of are the M1 Garand Rifle which we often use during drills and ceremonies, parades, and field drills. We refer to our rifle as our wife because, at any point in our Cadetship Training, we should always know the whereabouts of our rifle and maintain its good condition. Police Lieutenant General Binag reiterated the importance of knowing your weapons and the manner in which you maintain their stature and condition. It is expected that one is familiar with his/her choice of weapon especially to be used on the battlefield.
Boodle Fight: All in the Family
There may be old and barbaric traditions in training, but we must always remember that there is always light after the dark. Boodle fight is a positive traditional practice among military and police personnel which is meant for unison and solidarity among the troops. It is also observed to signify a celebration because a certain objective was achieved by an officer or the whole organization. When police personnel is in the jungle areas and hunger struck our stomachs, this signals that an informal gathering should be made for recharge and briefing.
Called to Lead
The author recalled that He always wanted to become a lawyer but due to his father’s insistence, a former serviceman, let him enter the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). And despite his separate dream for himself, he was able to hurdle the admission for Cadetship Training in a premier military academy and eventually a successful frustrated officer. He then realized that he was called to lead. Being a leader is not meant for everyone, it is only vested for those who have the capacity to lead and manage their men. Just like in my personal experience, at first, I was not interested to enter the Academy. But after some time, the call to lead boils in my blood that it never left my thought even when I'm asleep. We are delegated with the power to acquire the necessary skills of a law enforcer and then become fully equipped leaders in the PNP.
I was brought up as a religious person by my parents and every night in my room, my squadmates gather for a devotion and sharing of experiences for the day. I thought of it as the idea of being a leader based on faith and values. Therefore, Putting my faith into my way of leading helped me make decisions that were more effective and gave me a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Reference: George, B. (2007. ")True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership" San Francisco
“Better to Sweat in Training than to bleed in Battle.”
Nobody likes physical pain. But it is said, "To Train is Pain". The less you sweat in training the more you bleed in battle. This declaration is a manifestation of Police Lieutenant General Binag's testimony of his endless quest for excellence through training and continuous physical exercises to improve the capability of a military person to be battle-tested and ready for a physical battle. As a member of the Special Action Force, the declaration holds great significance because SAF training is like a simulation of the true and uncontrolled battlefield.
OPLAN: the thin line between success and failure
Based on the book, it is said that involvement in Operational Planning is important as part of the security protocol. To carry out any OPLAN or mission at a hand, there is an operational plan in which the team would carry out the mission. With the primary objective of delivering the mission and the same time minimizing or exterminating the possibility of any casualty in both parties. There is a thin line between success and failure because you may be able to accomplish the mission but lose your men while doing such a mission.
