Ateneo de Manila University ROTC

The Ateneo de Manila University ROTC Unit, also known as the Ateneo de Manila University Corps of Cadets is designated as the 131st Department Of Air Science and Tactics, and is the official ROTC unit of the Ateneo de Manila University. The 131st DAST is located at the Blue Eagle Gym.

History

The Ateneo Reserve Officers Training Corps was first established in 1918 by American Jesuit, Fr. Raymond Goggin, SJ. They were instructed by Major Morrisey and Lieutenant William A. Knapp of the 27th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, and Colonel Robert Hill, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Department.

On October of that year, the Corps made its appearance in the Liberty Loan Parade and won the coveted Carnival Cup. This achievement marked the first of many accolades that the Corps was to receive.

During the years 1924 to 1925, the Ateneo Corps made its first public appearance on the Fourth of July Parade, where they bested the University of the Philippines and National University Corps. This led to more invites to numerous other competitive drills.

Among the people impressed by the Ateneo Corps was Governor-General Leonard Wood, who hailed the Ateneo ROTC as the "West Point of the Philippines", and General Douglas MacArthur, who arranged materials such as tables, chairs, and ammunition for the Corps during their summer trainings in Baguio camps. MacArthur further spurred military training in the Philippines when he served as an adviser to President Manuel L. Quezon during the Commonwealth Government of 1935.

During the outbreak of World War II in 1941, President Quezon ordered that all ROTC units in the country to disband. However, 34 cadets and officers decided to stay and fight for their country, 15 of whom perished in the war.

June 15, 1946 saw Major General Calixto Duque, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, officially designating the Ateneo Corps as the Ateneo de Manila Air Reserve Officers Training Corps.

Officership

The Ateneo Corps of Cadet Officers (ACCO) are upperclassmen who have finished Cadet Officers Candidacy Course (COCC) training and hold various staff and field designations within the Ateneo ROTC. The current echelon of the ACCO is as follows:

Training

Officership in the Ateneo ROTC begins with Cadet Officers Candidacy Course (COCC). This holistic training encapsulates all aspects of Special Flights training, in addition to training in leadership and administration. COCC training lasts all throughout the first semester and culminates in the Cadet Officer Candidates (COC) graduation towards the end of the semester. After graduation, they are recognized as Cadet 2nd Lieutenants (C/2Lt) and as official junior members of the ACCO.

COCC Training comes in two forms: Regular and Summer. Regular COCC takes place during the first semester of the student's second year in the Loyola Schools, while Summer COCC takes place in the summer between the student's second and third year. Summer COCC is only open to regular and Special Flight cadets who have finished basic ROTC in their sophomore year. Graduates of summer COCC skip Third Classmanship, but graduate one rank lower than their batchmates who underwent Regular COCC.

Classes

Officers are divided into classes based on seniority and rank, with First Class (1Cl) officers (fourth year college students) being the most senior, followed by Second Class (2Cl) officers (third Year college students), and Third Class (3Cl) officers (second year college students who have recently finished COCC training).

Ranks

Special Flights

The Special Flights are the various units under the HQHQ program led by the HQHQ commander. Along with their basic cadet training, flights under HQHQ also specialize in different areas such as first aid, security, advanced ceremonial drills, weapons care, and journalism. The Special Flights are: Medics, Air Police, Honor Guards, Armorers, and Press Corps.

Special Flights cadets are deemed as "aspirants" all throughout their basic training in the first semester before their recognition towards the end of the semester. During the second semester, they are recognized as bona fide Special Flight cadets and undergo more advanced training in their respective fields of expertise.

Collectively, the Special Flights are recognized as the Headquarters and Headquarters company (HQHQ), led by the HQHQ Commander.

Medics

The Medical Corps is in charge of the health and safety of all the cadets in the Ateneo ROTC. They are trained in basic and advanced first aid, and provide assistance to any and all cadets in need, earning them the nickname “The Heart of the Corps”.

The Medics are led by the Medics Commander.

Air Police

Regarded as the Sentinels of the Corps, the Air Police is in charge of safety, security, law enforcement, and discipline within the Ateneo ROTC. Under the Provost Marshal and the Air Police Commander, they are the sinew and muscle of the Corps.

The Air Police is led by the Air Police Commander, who is also the deputy of the Provost Marshal.

Honor Guards

The Honor Guards are the model cadets of the Ateneo ROTC. They’re the representatives of the Corps in ceremonial duties and thus are some of the snappiest and most disciplined cadets in the Ateneo ROTC. Their most celebrated duty is performing silent rifle drills and sequences.

The Honor Guards are led by the Honor Guards Commander.

Armorers

The Armorers specialize in the care, maintenance, and inventory of different weapons and armaments used by the Ateneo ROTC. Among their primary responsibilities is overseeing the armory of the 131st DAST.

The Armorers are led by the Armorers Commander.

Press Corps

The Press Corps is in charge of archiving, promoting, and providing visual and written documentation for the events of the Ateneo ROTC. They are also in charge of maintaining the various online pages of the Corps.

The Press Corps is led by the Press Corps Commander.