Separate Service Academies

I'd like to solicit inputs, comments for or against the idea of separate service academies.

The Philippine Military Academy remains the primary source of regular officers. PMA has a tri-service program that prepares cadets for commissionship in the branch of service of their choice.

Why not? Isn't it there was a proposal before for such separate service academies?

Anyway, I think it will serve the purpose right. Like for those graduates of PMA going to PAF and PN, they still have to go on specialization courses like the PAF flying school etc. which needs about another 2 years before you could be a flying officer. And to add another cost for the gov't. But if it's a dedicated air force academy, after 4 years he could earn his wings in that period.

And being dedicated for such branch of service the graduates are focused and can easily function as officers for that branch (PAF or PN). Like as you mentioned before the PNP stop getting PMA graduates since 1992 and graduates from PNPA are now the sources of officers who are really trained to become police officers.

Is there still a pressing need to produce new PAF pilots every year?

If we dont have enough flyable or assets, then theres no sense establishing a separate air force academy.

same w/ the PN too if we dont have enough vessels.

At this time when we dont have a big requirement to train more sailors and pilots anyway, doing with what we have right now is the best setup.

Moreover, creating separate academies would mean MORE FUNDS the AFP must set aside.

Is it welcome at this time?

But when the economy improves a lot later on, or if ever, ... then that shall be the time that we must put up this academies to produce a more able pool of pilots and sailors.

There's nothing wrong if we start drafting the program now so that when the right time comes, all that we have to do is implement the drafted program.

The faster the program is set in place the faster the benefits of having such setup will be reaped.

Who knows?

It could even be just soon enough before the time that they will be most needed comes.

I think there's a politician who proposed the creation of the Air Force Academy in Visayas (probably in Cebu), and the Naval Academy in Mindanao (I forgot kung saan lugar, pero siguro either Zamboanga, Cotabato or Davao). I am not really sure thought if there are many politicians who support this idea.

Although I like the idea of spreading academies around, I'd rather spend the money to be used for putting these other academies together on keeping the AFP intact.

Consider the following

- More stars to an already star-studded organization. The PMA has several O-7 or higher positions (I've found 4 thus far). I doubt if the folks running the air force or naval academies will "accept" anything less. More academies means more generals to pay and keep happy

- Duplication of facilities. Separate academies means that money will be spent duplicating some of the basic facilities that are already in place in the PMA. The controversy surrounding AFP-backed engineering projects come to mind.

- Public backlash. If the public cried foul when the AFP set aside a few million for sidewalks, how much more if we spend more millions on additional academies? At this point, the condition of existing academies are currently drawing flak -- they won't be receptive to more of the same. This'll be a political hot potato that the Senate won't want to touch in a period of financial distress.

I'd rather spend the dough on beefing up existing training organizations. Is the PAFFS still in suspended animation?

This post has been edited by adroth on May 23 2005, 10:55 PM

creating seperate academy for each service is only a waste of money, we should continue with the present set up, although I am not ruling out the possibility of having an air force and naval academy. but not this time. If there is a shortage of officers in the AFP. We can always look for competent and qualified ROTC officers.

I have a question Guys. Do we have a cadet or a graduate of the US air Force academy? because most of the Filipino graduates of the foreign military academy are from the US military academy and naval academy.

The government provides funding and facilities for the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy. PMMA produces outstanding graduates for foreign flag ships. Some of its graduates go to the navy. Why not expand the PMMA to produce not only merchant marine officers but naval and coast guard officers as well. As it is, foreign countries are major beneficiaries of our merchant marine academy. Why can't our armed forces utilize that capability. PMMA has a campus, facilities, infrastructure and curriculum.

USAFA graduated it's first class in 1959. Since then, there are quite a number of Filipinos who graduated from the US Air Force Academy who have served on active duty. I'm also aware there are fewer applicants for USAFA than USMA, USNA and USCGA.

To name a few:

Lt Colonel Roberto Barangan PAF - first Filipino USAFA graduate
Colonel Abraham Estavillo PAF - PMA Corps of Professors
Colonel Armando Castro PAF - PMA Corps of Professors

Others include Felipe Villafranca USAFA '71, Napoleon Concepcion USAFA '74 (former C-130 pilot, now airline captain), Roberto Ribay USAFA '78, Roberto Ravina USAFA '84, Bernard Lagmay USAFA '90.

Araus Musico USAFA '90 currently on active duty.

I'm sure there are others.

This post has been edited by Pendejo on May 24 2005, 01:44 AM

Good idea! My cousin is a graduate of that academy I think it is somewhere in zambales. he is now a LT senior grade ( I am not familiar with navy rank)
Graduates of PMMA are trained as sailors. I would like to know if they can transfer to the marine since the marine is part of the naval infantry

This I can agree with.

I'm always in favor of beefing up existing institutions, rather than starting from scratch.

I once had a correspondence with a PMMA graduate who lamented that the institution needs to be revitalized. The funding that would go into turning the PMMA into a Naval Academy would be good for the service.

There are currently two Commodores in the Philippine Navy from the PMMA. These were folks who joined the service via direct commission (Advance ROTC).

I wonder what MBLT thinks about this.

If PMMA can take care of naval and coast guard officer requirements then PMA can produce more army officers.

Now, for the Air Force.

The officer requirements of the air force is not limited to pilots. The air force needs a source for professional officers not just pilots. In fact, there are more openings for non-rated officers in career fields like aircraft maintenance and engineering, research and development, civil engineering, meteorology, security and special operations, air ground operations, intelligence, law enforcement, finance, administration, finance, logistics, information systems, communications, weapons controllers, legal, chaplains, nurses, etc.

The number of pilot training slots will depend on the operational requirements of the air force. Train officers to be pilots. Not cadets.

Fernando Air Base has complete facilities for an officer training school. It has the classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, gymnasium and athletic facilities, hospital and medical, parade grounds, training areas, everything including the ktichen sink.

All it needs is the curriculum for an air force officer training program. It could be a finishing school with 1 year training. It can accept candidates with 60 college units then two years officer and academic training culminating in a BS Degree. It can later be expanded to a complete 4 year course. The nucleus for this is already existing. It is the PAF Officer Candidate School.

Captital budget wise, the bulk of the facilities are already there.

PMA has a budget of P500 Million a year producing up to 200 officers a year. The Army normally gets 80-90, the rest are split between the navy and air force.

Split the PMA budget. Give P250 Million to the air force and the navy to produce their own officers.

Like it or not, PMA still produces officers with an infantry grounding and orientation. It is basically an army culture even with the current tri-service program. The tri-service program is a compromise. How can PMA develop an ideal naval orientation when there are no naval vessels in Baguio. The closest it has for a body of water is Burnham Park lagoon.

We should be getting young men and women during their formative ages (17-19) to mold them into air force or naval officers.

Maybe not now but the seeds for separate service academies should be planted to eventually ripen.

This post has been edited by Pendejo on May 24 2005, 02:05 AM

Wanna revive the PAF Regular Officer Procurement Program (PAFROP), with a revitalized PAFFS as a foundation?

PMA is already enough to produce professional men to man our AFP, what we shall concentrate is to be vigilant on these young graduates not to emulate the footsteps of the older incumbents who are expert "goldminers".

This I can agree with.

I'm always in favor of beefing up existing institutions, rather than starting from scratch.

I once had a correspondence with a PMMA graduate who lamented that the institution needs to be revitalized. The funding that would go into turning the PMMA into a Naval Academy would be good for the service.

There are currently two Commodores in the Philippine Navy from the PMMA. These were folks who joined the service via direct commission (Advance ROTC).

I wonder what MBLT thinks about this.

as well

This is the best and the most workable compromise at this time.

The facilities, system, expertise and funding is already in place so there's no reason at all why we shouldnt consider that option.



BTW, diba nuon pa lang marami na naman ang nanggagaling sa PMMA na mga Navy sailors?



So what's the big change that you want to happen here?