We Set the Standard
The 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion celebrates its founding anniversary every 29th day of July every year. For its 10th year anniversary, the unit decided to have it on the 26th of July, Saturday, in order to give way for the Eid’l Fit’r of our Muslim brothers and sisters at the end of the month. Different suggestions were given, various ideas were presented, and many changes were made just to improve, if not, perfect every detail of the upcoming battalion anniversary.
We started the celebration by conducting pre-anniversary activities which involved basketball (where only non-players were allowed to participate) and volleyball. On the anniversary’s D-1, we decided to conduct a trending “Zumba” dance program that lasted for more or less an hour. Our civilian friends facilitated the program early morning that day. It was unique (bizarre, at worst) for a ranger unit to conduct such activity, but we did it for the first time to do away with the usual physical and military exercises, as the officers and troops stretched their “war-stricken” muscles to the beat of modern music. Its main objective was to have fun and still get physically fit.
The next day, D-Day started right with a mass presided by the Parish Priest of Lamitan City, subsequently followed by the Program Proper to recognize the efforts made by our worthy soldiers, as well as members of LGUs and the civilian sector that were of great help to the unit. Words of inspiration from Mayor Rose U Furigay (Lamitan City Mayor) and BGen Galvez (Commander, 104thBde) followed the awarding ceremony. The morning’s activities were culminated by a boodlefight shared by all officers, men, women, visitors and guests of the battalion.
The battalion’s fellowship in the evening was called “the Ranger’s black and white party,” where the visitors were required to wear only black or white attires. The socials consisted of company talent presentations, raffle draws, and of course, the traditional CLASS CALL of the Scout Rangers. Everyone was excited to witness the different events. One surprising part of the program was the ‘SEARCH FOR MR. EX!’ inspired by the TV program “It’s a Date.” The company commanders didn’t have any idea that they were the “SEARCHERS” for the night, while we invited a mysterious woman to be the “MS. SEARCHEE”. She asked series of questions that should be answered by the company commanders in their own creative way to get the nod of the woman. The troops cheered their respective COs, but in the end, the 8SRC won (because he was not yet drunk!). Bloopers became part of the fun (and can qualify as a “classic”) as the program progressed, like when one of the emcees, PFC Macapinlac (one month old member of the unit), said: “I’m sure, na si Mayor Durie (male) ay kasing ganda at sexy ni Mayor Rose!,” after recognizing his arrival that evening. Another blooper was during the ‘SEARCH FOR MR.EX!’ part, for while introducing the searchers, she unintentionally said: “Itago natin si CPT BALAIS, ang CO ng 7SRC, sa pangalang rucksack (his code name/moniker in the battalion)!” Who could ever agree that CPT BALAIS is still unknown to our MS. SEARCHEE after saying that? By the end of the program, the guests, troops, and officers continued to party and drink while the band played along. True enough, the concept of “black and white” was applicable to some key personalities of the unit as they experienced ups-and-downs before, during, and after the occasion.
The 10th founding anniversary of the battalion, and its first-time concepts and activities would surely remain in the minds of the people. Though there were some gaps, very minor as they were, we declared it very successful as it achieved its main objective, for the troops to enjoy! As they used to say, “party-party pag may time.”
