Title

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THE RESERVIST PERSONNEL IN HANDLING
RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS CADETS

Author(s)

ASTILLERO, LEE NAVALES

ANDOY, JANNA JANE P

CARPIO, HUMPHREY

Affiliation

MISAMIS UNIVERSITY

Degree Program

Bachelor of Science In Criminology

Contributor

ALLANIC, ELMIE A - ADVISER

LAGATA, LOVE S - PANEL MEMBER

ALVARICO, ANGELITA B - PANEL MEMBER

CUEVAS, JOSE JR. F - CHAIRMAN

ORONG, MARKDY Y - INSTRUCTOR

Year

2026

Abstract

Leadership development occupies an important place within military educational activities, especially when considering the preparation of future officers to respond to personal as well as professional challenges. The study explored the experiences of reservists in handling Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets to understand their leadership approaches, challenges, and contributions to cadet development. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological design that used purposive sampling. It was participated by 8 Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) reservist officers who were enrolled in one of the higher education institutions in Misamis Occidental. The data were gathered through an interview guide as the primary research instrument. It was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring leadership themes and experiential patterns. The study revealed 3 themes: leadership development through mentorship, responsibility and experiential learning, challenge of enforcing discipline and cadet compliance amid diverse behaviors and resilience and self-motivation as core coping mechanisms in overcoming leadership struggles. The study showed that accountability and discipline were the main pillars of leadership, which formed the foundation for ROTC reservist growth, and to overcome challenges and foster growth, resilience and self-assurance were crucial, while role modeling and the development of values influenced the morals and character of cadets, which boosted trust. It may be recommended that ROTC leadership development initiatives may continue strengthening mentoring systems, experiential leadership training, and reflective learning strategies to further enhance discipline, accountability, resilience, and ethical leadership among future reservist officers.

Keywords

ethical decision-making, experiential learning, leadership challenges, leadership development, military training