AFP comes up short for new commander-in-chief

On their first formal encounter with their new commander-in-chief, the Armed Forces came up short – a gun salute short.

Perhaps excited over her arrival, soldiers yesterday fired one gun salute too early as they prepared to welcome President Arroyo to Camp Aguinaldo in
Quezon City.

What Mrs. Arroyo got instead of the regular 21-gun volley was a 20-gun salute. While the early accidental firing of the 105-mm. howitzer went unnoticed by most of the civilian guests, it rang loud and clear to the enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Apparently, the first volley thundered prior to the arrival of Mrs. Arroyo, who was at the camp to be the guest speaker of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PMAAAI).

Marine and Army sergeants, who noticed the snafu, claimed the deficit in the gun salute spelled trouble for whoever was in charge.

"Worse, the guy in charge could be court-martialled," a Marine sergeant was overheard saying.

It was learned that the miscue took place after the President’s convoy entered the camp’s gate on EDSA.

Before Mrs. Arroyo proceeded to the PMAAAI affair, she was accorded arrival honors at the camp’s parade grounds.

Apparently the getting to-know-you blues were not confined to the soldiers.

The new commander-in-chief also seemed a little uneasy as she trooped the line with Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes.

This also did not escape the attention of the soldiers, who were, however, understanding of their chief’s awkward behavior.

"She will eventually get used to it," they said, noting that Mrs. Arroyo still swayed her hands as she trooped the line.

All in all, Mrs. Arroyo’s visit did not come up short of the soldiers’ expectations.

"At least we know where to go from here, unlike in the past administration," they said after Mrs. Arroyo outlined her plans and programs for the AFP.