Dedications and Climbing

Yesterday was the official dedication of the multi-use training tower at ALERT. It is an amazing story of how God provided the funds to build the tower. The materials all have a guaranteed life of at least 30+ years. So they will be able to use it for many more years. On the North side of the tower there is a 22’ rappelling wall with the side open above that. The East side is the new climbing wall that has three main routes all the way up to the top 50’ above. The South side is a solid 50’ rappelling wall with the word ALERT emblazoned from top to bottom. On the West side you have part of it open and part solid with windows for fire training. So it is truly a multi-use tower this will be used by many different aspects of the training as well as for recreation.

After the dedication at 11:30 they had an open climbing day for anyone on campus who wanted to climb or rappel. I climbed each of the three faces on the rock climbing side, rappelled on the high side, and hooked guys up to rappel. While I wasn’t hooking guys up to rappel Capt. Dankers taught me how to climb up a rope with just prussik’s, how to switch from climbing to rappelling, and how to do a self belay for rappelling. That was all very fun.

Today I went to church with SMAJ Patrick. He is a great guy and goes to a great church in Gilmer. It was good to go. The entire church is excited and on fire for the Lord. The pastor was speaking about “Roadblocks” in our “Journey” or relationship with the Lord.

Thursday night when I came back from Malaysia they had been moving people around in the dorms, so I had to move all my stuff over to my new dorm that night. Ben was really nice and stayed to help me for an hour while he was waiting on his dad to get here and pick him up. I now have my own room and bathroom on the second floor of Aspen. It is nice b/c it stays very nice and clean! J

Hopefully soon I will be able to share all about our time in Malaysia. Until then you can read some about it and look at some of the pictures on the blog for the trip. www.xanga.com/malaysia2007

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective though the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Philemon 4-6


Capt. Dankers speaking at the dedication.

Me coming down the high side.

Me going up the high side.

Morgan conquring the hard side of the wall.

Malaysia or Bust

Right now I am in Malaysia working with ALERT. You can keep up with all that we are doing at www.xanga.com/malaysia2007

Thank You

Each of the Cadet challenges would not be possible without the many tireless hours and the service or many different people. At Indianapolis it was no different. Many people gave of there time and energy to make an impact in each of the young men’s lives. Thank you all for your hard work and diligent service year after year. To God be all the glory!

II Timothy 4:7-8 says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” These men and women here have truly fought the fight and finished the race.


Red Unit Leader

Meal Chief and Logistics

Event Leader - Orienteering and Everybody Counts

Registration director and Meal assistant

Meal assistant and Registration assistant

Battalion SMAJ and Event Leader - Drill and Ceremony and Water, Water, Everywhere

Challenge Officer in Charge

Assistant Officer in Charge and Photographer

Green Unit Leader

Blue Unit Leader

Assistant to the Major and Event Leader - Obstacle Course and Travios and Chariot

Thank you all for your service and the many others that are not mentioned.

The Heavans Declare

Psalm 19:1
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

As I was walking back from PT this morning this verse came to mind when I saw the sunrise. The Heaven truly do declare what an awesome God we serve.

The sunrise also reminds me of the words to the song, "You Reign". There is peace in my heart...YOU are in control. Thank you Lord for always being in control no matter what! :-)

Morning and night the sky shouts Your majesty
Saying the whole universe is under Your feet
This is the peace in my heart
The strength of my soul
Whatever happens in life
This much I know
You are in control

Indianapolis ACC 2007

Here are some of the highlights from the ALERT Cadet Challenge in Indianapolis IN.

I am the one carrying the green Cadet flag.
Practicing sing during Squad Leader training.

All pictures courtesy of Richard Shoemaker, Brystol Reckner, Bryce Reckner, Nathan Blikstad, Stephen Winchell, and Lt. Dean Winchell.

A Day in Remembrance and Celebration

On Sunday, August 5th, One of the Cadets that had come from Big Sandy with us for the Cadet Challenge received a call from his parents saying that a cadet that we both knew had been killed in action in Iraq. Jaron Holliday was a part of our unit back home, Alpha 2nd Oklahoma. He was killed on August 4th when the vehicle he was riding in hit an IED. Jaron had always wanted to serve our country in the military and he loved his job. He was also a beacon of truth and hope to all those he came in contact with. At the funeral they had a time of sharing and every single person, for and hour straight, mentioned what an encouragement and light he had been to them. The legacy of what Jaron did still lives on both at home and in Iraq with his fellow soldiers.

Major Farr, Peter Farr, and myself were able to fly up to Tulsa for the funeral. It was a great celebration of life with the gospel being clearly presented many times. After the funeral we went out to eat at Chedders restaurant with my family. That was a lot of fun, then we were off to the airport and a two and half hour flight home. It was fun getting to fly with Major Farr. I rode up front on the way down and navigated then Peter switched with me for the flight home. When we arrived back we went over to the Farr;s house and had Ice Cream. Yum!

Friends and Family

Friday night I played volleyball with all the ALERT staff. We had three courts going most of the time. A first at ALERT. We had really good games because the teams were smaller, we had about 5-6 players most of the time. We played till 10:30, then I walked back to my dorm and talked to Rowdy till midnight. At 1:30am Bryce came back from talking with one of the ALERT guys and he and I talked for another hour.

Saturday: We awoke to Bryce's phone ringing, at... 9:10! oops, maybe we stayed up to late. :-) While Bryce went to talk to a friend I took Rowdy around and showed him some of the places he hadn't seen yet around campus. After brunch we changed and headed out to the shooting range. We shot Bryce's 12ga, his new 9mm, and a 22. We had a blast. It was so much fun. Some of the Hendrich's also came and shot with us. Then we headed to Longview or the afternoon. He went to Army Navy Surplus, Academy, Wal-Mart, Tractor Supply, Wal-Mart again :-), and then to dinner at Cheddar's. Dinner was really good and we had such a good time talking, and laughing, and talking more, and laughing more, and watching Bryce talk on the phone. :-) We got back on campus about 6:30 and decided to go shooting again. :-) After shooting up the last of the 22cal. We got the haircutting stuff and Brystol cut Bryce's hair. As soon as she was done cutting his hair his phone rang. :-) He started smiling and made a beeline for the door. :-) So Lynn, Brystol, Rowdy, and I deiced that we were hungry for some Ice Cream. After finding Bryce wandering around on the phone we got his order and drove to Gladewater to Sonic. We all ended up with fruit smoothies rather than Ice Cream, but it was just a good. Then we came back and dropped the girls off and Rowdy and I went back to the dorm, talked for a while, and decided to head over to the Quest cadre barracks. There several of the guys met us at the door and decided that it would be best if they came over and talked at my dorm rather than theirs. After talking for a while I went and called my mom since they were coming over from Dallas to stay here for a few days. This was about midnight, Elizabeth answered and said they had just gotten here but they hadn't found any reception to call me. So went over to say goodnight and some of the Quest Leadership knew my brothers so they came to say hi. we talked with my family for about 20min and then headed back to the dorm at about 1:30. We got in bed AND turned out the light but continued talking till 2:30am! :-)

Sunday: Bryce had gotten up a little before seven and gone to lunch with a squad mate of his from basic, Lt. Pierce. Rowdy and I got up at 8:45 showered, dressed, and were out the door in about 20min. Since Bryce still wasn't back from breakfast Rowdy and I took my family's van and picked up Brystol and Lyndsae, then got my family from their dorm and drove to the Behr's house for the Campus church service. After church we talked with Brystol, Lynn, and Bryce for about 20min then they, Reckner's, had to go eat with the Henderich's. So I took my family around campus and showed them all the different places things happen. They we had a few crackers and cheese, talked for a while, got my hair cut, and walked to supper. After supper I had to do dishes with the rest of the single staff guys. Mom wanted to see what my dorm was like but since girls can't even come near the guys dorms I showed her what one of he empty ones that is like mine was like. Then we went to the evening service.

Shooting in the afternoon.

Rowdy

We decided that while Bryce was on the phone after his haircut that we were feeling a little left out so we decided to take a few pictures!

Lyndsae

Brystol

Rowdy

Me