By Dr. Dennis Acop
Joji, my parents, auntie Lina Baltazar, Mrs Diane de Vault Fajardo, and a few Fil-Am friends and distant relatives came to attend my graduation from the United States Military Academy on May 25, 1983. I still remember what Joji wore that day. She came in her green pants and white blouse. She was gorgeous! And she always brightened up my day with that infectious smile of hers! I told her that unlike me, she always wore a smile in all of her photos. On the other hand, I usually looked formal in most of my pictures. Joji changed all that. I began to look more cheerful after I met her. I recall that after I introduced her to the other guests as ‘my date’, she later teased me about it. That I didn’t introduce her as ‘my girlfriend’. Like I said, I was bumbling back in the day!
My parents Rodolfo and Caridad flew all the way from the Philippines to attend my West Point graduation that Spring of 1983. Of course they were proud of their son and said they wouldn’t miss it for the world. Back in my hometown of Benguet province, I was also being cited as the First Igorot West Pointer. That is why throughout my four years at the academy, I was both terrified and so ashamed at flunking out for any reason as I bore the honor of my country upon my shoulders. But it was great to have my close family for the first time throughout those four years. I only got to go home once during Christmas break in 1980. The closest kin I had during all four years were my aunt Lina and her family in Virginia Beach.
My parents were not at all unfamiliar with military academy settings. Four years earlier, they witnessed me and my older brother Rodolfo Jr. enter the portals of the Philippine Military Academy not too far from where we lived. My brother and I were both members of ‘Matikas’ class of 1983. My parents and my siblings were used to visiting us on weekends at the academy. Through all of the summer training or ‘beast barracks’ in 1979. And early part of the academic year until I was selected to be an allied cadet to West Point. I left PMA on June 22 and reported into West Point on July 2nd. Where I officially became a member of ‘Proud To Be’ Class of 1983 and the original Long Gray Line. My mother loved watching military parades. I have a younger brother, Rolando, who was at the academy between 1982 and 1986, and mother feasted on those parades with my brother in them. And she certainly felt similarly watching our graduation parade only this time some 10,000 miles at the other side of the world!
Even my auntie Lina only got to visit me once throughout my four years at the academy. Uncle Gary too! They visited me each on separate occasions. A long US Navy sailor, uncle Gary visited me along with their kids just before I graduated. My aunt Lina was a nurse, just like Joji. I often visited with them while I was in the States. They have three children: Bryan, Melanie, and Mark. In fact, I baby-sitted the older two.
Diane de Vault was an American who had been married to General Tirso Fajardo USMA ‘34. In her twilight years, she made a habit of attending the graduation of every Filipino cadet at West Point. Gifting each with a cadet saber. I received one from her. I fondly remember her kindness to me when I was a newly-arrived plebe and homesick as hell. She usually stayed with our foster parents Colonel Clarence and Mrs Li Endy whose quarters on Thayer Road overlooked the majestic Hudson River flowing from New York City to the Atlantic. Endy was USMA ‘60. I was only unfortunate that both had already left a year earlier and therefore missed my graduation. They moved west where Endy became CEO for some company in San Francisco. It was in their home where I met General Fidel Ramos USMA ‘50 for the very first time in 1980 while Ramos was attending his class’ 30th reunion. Ramos later became my boss in the armed forces and in Malacañang.
Unlike my classmates who recited their oath of service at Michie Stadium where we all received our diplomas, I did mine near the Cadet Chapel. Being an allied cadet, my oath was apart from my classmates’. Unfortunately again for me, the army attaché from Washington couldn’t attend to render my oath as all attaches were called home by President Marcos at the time. It would have been Lieutenant Colonel Narciso Abaya USMA ‘71 who showed up for me and pin my second lieutenant’s bars. In his absence, Consul Antonio Villamor did the honors. Joji, my parents, and aunt Lina were there to witness the small ceremony. Cadets receive their bachelor of science degrees and commissions as army second lieutenants when they graduate. By the way, it was Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger who graced our graduation as President Ronald Reagan did the one at Annapolis that year. The president rotates his keynote among the three service academies. He missed out on the best of the three for sure that year!
I cleared out my room at Pershing Barracks. And out of the academy. Joji was there with me. Then she got a call to come home as her father was in hospital and gravely ill. Our goodbye was hurried. But I was certain I would see her again. This time in Manila. Meanwhile, I had a date with my parents and a month of leave time to spend with them in the states before I went home for return service. I am glad I had the opportunity to spend quality time with mom and dad those few weeks in the spring and summer of 1983. My parents and I visited with friends and family in New York, Virginia, and California seeing places and attending socials. But my heart and mind were also elsewhere. Somewhere in Manila