A Cadet's Diary (I)

 I can’t remember everything from my cadet years, down to the smallest details. But a book can picture the scenes and bring them back to life. The book is the one I’ve carefully kept so far and contains the great part of my life, unforgettable memories and the days made me a real man. It is just a diary I wrote in my cadet years in Defense Services Academy. For my daily chores, I couldn’t read it for age since my graduation. But I admit, in retrospect of my cadet days, I do sometimes read it.  When I was going to serve as an academic instructor at Defense Services Academy, I was very pleased and happy for the chance to step again on our mother land of DSA, teach and guide the cadets, the triumphant elites of the future. For me, it happened to continue their alive diary.  And now I’m very proud of picking up a chalk, being their teacher and guardian.
My hand reaches my diary and turns the first page. The date at the right corner shows 15 January 2000. My eyes are running through the lines and close. The days begin to move in reverse.  As if through someone else’s eyes, I watch myself grow younger and become an innocent juvenile. Then, like me, the world begins to change:  
I was holding my dad’s hand walking to the gate of DSA.  Cherry trees could still be seen in pink along the way heading to DSA. My heartbeat was getting harder I think with a thought of going to be a cadet of Defense Services Academy.
Dad said, “I am here for several times since your elder brother has started his cadet life.”
 “Yes,” I smiled and his words made me remember the day I was looking at my elder brother’s photo, a cadet in smart uniform. He looked really great. From that day on, a strong desire to be a cadet of DSA got registered in my heart. Dad smiled right at me, obviously glad to see I was here and said,
“This year 2000 is really great because my elder son is gonna be graduated in April and you, the youngest one is gonna be a cadet of Defense Services Academy. “
I looked at my dad’s smiling face. I bet it was his first perfect smile I’d ever seen. On evening, the two of us entered the DSA and reached the place where the new coming cadets must be enrolled. When I’m done, dad asked, “Boy... how do you feel now?”
To be honest, at that moment, I felt bit sadness to be away from home, nevertheless knowing going to be a cadet of DSA made me feel better and stronger. I smiled. “Dad, I’m very proud to be a cadet. I’m always your good son.”
“Good to hear, boy. I was worry because you are not used to be away from home.” After a pause, he continued, “There will be a star ahead of you, you are running for it. Let everything you do have a meaning or purpose. Ok boy, I’m leaving now. Call me when your medical check is over, write home often and your mom and I will attend at your brother’s graduation. See you then.”
          His farewell words were quite simple but meaningful. A moment later, he left me. Then the cadets who have early been in the barrack came and helped me out carrying my stuffs. I glanced around again, dad could still be seen. He knew I’d seen him and he smiled and waved at me. I couldn’t help feeling sad to see his leaving. I smiled him back and hoped he could see my smile. Today was the great day and very first day of my cadet life.
The following day, my elder brother, a final year cadet of 41st intake who was going to be graduated showed up and said that he couldn’t believe I was here and was proud of me. He teased and laughed at my hair which was ruthlessly chopped off. “I was like you before. All first year cadets are supposed to be like that.” He said. He brought me snacks, consoled and encouraged me whenever he came. I felt much better than before.
I passed medical tests, got a cadet number and became a cadet of Anawrahta Company. In the early days of DSA, I was terribly homesick and couldn’t help thinking of home, my parents and school friends. But day after day, I was getting used to be the daily chores of a cadet, training officers and sergeants replaced my parents, senior cadets became my elder brothers. For the parade training, my skin was beginning to take on brownish tint.
The morning of February 14 was really bright and gay. We all cadets from 45th intake were excited and charming because today was the recognition parade of our intake. A moment later, the Commandant of DSA Brig-Gen Tin Oo delivered an address to us. Then we all wear the epaulettes. After parade, I went downtown with my elder brother. It was the first time to go out-pass as a cadet and I felt really great.  
Cherry said goodbye, nights were getting warmer and the summer days gradually shed the leaves. We all first year cadets had been trained for parade to be better and better. Our intake had to march in the graduation parade ceremony which would be held in April. I was very pleased to get participated in my brother’s graduation ceremony.
 Emerald buds appeared and some trees turned into green, some were still left in gray. Sein Pan Pyar was blooming. We had been training and rehearsing for this for days. Finally, the day came up. It was April 7th. The sky was covered with scattering clouds. The fog was beginning to thin as the sunlight of April morning came along. The weather was fine. We all were dressed up in smart white tunics. We all were marching in, to the beat of the band preceded by banner squad and the graduation companies of cadets. When the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services delivered an address, we all cadets were standing like statues of knights on this very parade ground and seriously listening to it. Some words still could be remembered.
“Comrades... As the nature military work is the kind which can bring success only when accurately undertaken, obeying of order is an innate nature of the Tatmadaw...”
When the Senior General left the parade ground, we all stood at attention, presented arms, saluted and did honor to the graduation cadets. They were leaving the parade ground in slow march to the farewell beat of the band. The farewell beat of Auld Lang Syne made me sad knowing my elder brother was one from the graduation companies. They all looked so straight, tall and stout. I could not know where my brother was. But it didn’t a matter. He was there, among his comrades, all smart and strong, friends of my brother and my brothers all.
 I stop reading. But the image of my brother is still on my mind and his words as well.

“Our Defense Services Academy is like an evergreen tree. Every year, every single day, the tree will always be beautiful and charming with the blooming flowers of cadets with the branches like instructors. We are not only the sons of our parents, also sons of DSA and become sons of our country as well. We all must keep on trying to be good sons of our country and DSA, our motherland.”

 I smile slightly and mutter to myself, “I’m always trying to be”. Then I close the diary.

I honored the 58th Birthday of the Defence Services Academy with my story ~
Published in 2009 DSA Annual magazine ~ Moe Thant Tin
( www.facebook.com/moethettin မွ ကူးယူေဖာ္ျပပါသည္)