Service is an important element of the ALERT Cadet ministry. In fact, every one of our Handbooks requires a father and son to serve in their home, church, and community to complete the requirements for advancement.

God often provides unexpected opportunities to serve as evidenced by the recent hurricane in Texas. Cadet Captain Randy McDonald, our Southern Region Coordinator, took the initiative to coordinate with the ALERT teams being deployed to assist with the clean up efforts. I’d like to share with you his report below as an encouragement to serve in your community and to personally experience the joy of serving.

Cadet Captain McDonald’s Report

Hurricane Ike came ashore at Galveston on Saturday, 20 September 2008, with a diameter as wide as the state of Texas. Although it had been downgraded from a Category 4 to a strong Category 2 storm, its initial strength produced an unusual storm surge as high as 13 feet in areas, which devastated regions far beyond Galveston. One of those areas was the town of Bridge City, Texas, in the Golden Triangle area near Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas.

The State of Texas Emergency Management Office called upon the International ALERT Academy to assist victims of the hurricane. ALERT Colonel Tanner initially led a group of ALERT men to Anahuac, Texas, in Chambers County, before the state redirected them to Bridge City, in Orange County, Texas, near the Louisiana border. This was an especially hard-hit area that had received little assistance. Colonel Tanner left half his team in Anahuac to finish up work that they had begun, and he arrived with the rest of the men in Bridge City on Sunday night, 21 September, only a few hours before the first contingent of ALERT Cadet fathers and sons arrived.

The ALERT Cadet and ALERT teams were initially housed with the National Guard in a church but were later moved to Bridge City High School. The entire Bridge City deployment began on Sunday, 21 September, and lasted through Saturday, 27 September. The total of 23 ALERT Cadet fathers and sons who participated in this deployment came from four units in Texas and Louisiana. Along with the 22 men from the ALERT team, this deployment was the largest joint deployment effort of ALERT and ALERT Cadets in recent history.

The Bridge City area had gone through many powerful hurricanes over the decades, such as Hurricane Carla in the early 1960’s, but never one similar to the devastation caused by Ike. One resident who was helped by an ALERT Cadet team stated that she had lived there over 60 years, and she was not aware of another time that the city had flooded in a storm. However, Hurricane Ike’s storm surge produced flooding in houses in Bridge City up to 8 feet. In fact, only 12 houses in the entire city escaped flooding. Residents who returned following a mandatory evacuation order found that their houses had not only flooded, but in many cases were filled with swamp reeds and a thick, smelly black mud which coated the contents of their houses. Alligators and snakes were found in swimming pools and houses.

The ALERT Cadets and ALERT men performed work ranging from hauling furniture, appliances, carpet, and general house contents to the street, to shoveling out the smelly mud from homes. They tore out sheetrock, cabinets, and brick fireplaces from houses, removed wood floors, power washed the inside of homes, and hauled hundreds of wheelbarrow loads of debris. In most cases, ALERT Cadet fathers and sons and ALERT men worked right alongside homeowners, many of them overcome with grief at losing almost everything they owned. While many of the residents had flood insurance, some did not. One single mother with a disabled daughter had no insurance on her contents, and an ALERT Cadet team spent a day and a half assisting her in various ways.

Four joint teams assisted the hardest hit areas of the city, and the street names of Dugas, Sharp, Young and Norbert became well familiar to ALERT and ALERT Cadet members. Residents of this area often flagged the men down and asked for help as word spread that they were available to assist. One wife, whose husband’s employer would not allow him off work, was frustrated and physically exhausted when she was initially approached with offers to help. After several hours of working alongside ALERT and ALERT Cadet members, her frustration had turned to smiles and laughter. At almost every house, ALERT Cadet fathers and sons and ALERT men sang and prayed with residents. One resident kept asking for “another hymn” and the team members were “hymned out” after four selections. Residents often broke into tears and said, “How can we ever repay you?”

However, the greatest joy was not felt by the victims of the hurricane, but by the team members themselves who experienced the joy of serving and giving God the glory. They will never be the same, as they truly experienced the truth that it is “more blessed to give than to receive.”

May God continue to allow us as fathers to model service for our sons.

Major Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer

Gentlemen,

September has been an incredible month for ALERT Cadets with many new members joining, my trip to Malaysia, much activity on the publications front, and contact by you, the folks we seek to serve. This month, I’d like to give you a flavor of what God is doing in our midst by sharing with you a few of the messages and e-mails I received recently.

Let me start in Iraq with an e-mail from a Marine Corps officer and ALERT Cadet father. We have many ALERT Cadet fathers serving in the US military, and I am personally grateful for their service. Our office prays for them regularly; my middle son is now a 2^nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps while in veterinary school, so I am especially aware and proud of them all. However this father asked how he could pray for us! I shared with him some of the work going on in our publications and our desire to see further expansion of the program into Indonesia, Malaysian churches, and U.S. book fairs with our ALERT Cadet Challenges. Bottom line, God is raising up men who are praying for us, and I was totally unaware of them!

Next, God is working in the Northeastern part of the U.S. where a father informed me this week that God has been patiently gathering together a few fathers in his area to get a new unit started. It began several years ago with a desire in one man’s heart, and now God has placed other like-minded men in the same area to begin the ALERT Cadet ministry.

In Malaysia, God has now raised up a father to start a unit in the southern part of the country where we did not yet have an ALERT Cadet presence. Again, it started with God bringing together three like-minded fathers, each desiring to grab and keep the hearts of their sons. A pastor in northern Malaysia is excited by the results he sees in the fathers who are involved with ALERT Cadets and is sharing his excitement with other church leaders.

During a recent dinner conversation with the ALERT Basic Training Chaplain, himself an ALERT Cadet father, I learned how some of our ALERT Cadets were fairing in their training. I also learned that this unit, Unit 40, of ALERT contains 22 young men who have been a part of an active ALERT Cadet unit. This is 30% of the unit and the highest absolute number and percentage since 2000, the first year we kept statistics! In 2003 we began an effort to retain older young men in ALERT Cadets by creating challenging projects, changing the format of our LTC camps, and expanding the curriculum and teaching opportunities for LTC members. God appears to be using these efforts in the lives of fathers and their older, young men who choose ALERT training.

Another e-mail, not on such a bright note, informed me that an ALERT Cadet father was having marital difficulties, leading to possible separation from his wife, and that he is unsure whether he could continue in the program. This was a sober reminder to me that Satan is alive and busy with his work of lies and deception seeking whom he may devour. My role is often as an encourager to fathers with questions on using the ALERT Cadet program to raise their sons (and daughters); however, this time it was a man-to-man discussion.

Finally, a “Thank You” card came in from a newly commissioned ALERT Cadet squad leader with the following. “In July 1979 I was commissioned a second Lieutenant in the US Army. Now, God has allowed me to be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in ALERT Cadets. God has given me a unique second chance to serve and bless the fathers and sons of this unit as God gives me grace. I am very grateful for the ALERT Cadet program. It is exactly what I wanted to do with my older sons.” Our God is a God of second chances, and this father is doing well in his new role and in raising his own sons. I am grateful for his prayers and the opportunity to serve.

Gentlemen, I want you to be encouraged as you fight for your families in these difficult spiritual and economic times. I am reminded of what Nehemiah said when they were under attack for rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. “And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’” (Nehemiah 4:14, NKJV)

Let us fight well for all that we hold dear and pray that our sons will become “Strong to Overcome,” and that our wives and daughters will be safe and thriving.

In Christ,

Major Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer

Gentlemen,

I’ve been thinking a lot about excellence and its opposite, mediocrity. I want to live a life full of excellence in what I say and do. I detest mediocrity in my own life. When I find myself mired in mediocrity it usually means my heart was not in the project or activity in the first place, and I was simply going through the motions. Mediocrity is not a good place to be, for anyone. Let’s dive in and see how to avoid the “curse of mediocrity” that our enemy seeks to foist upon us to render us ineffective for the Kingdom.

First, let’s be clear on what mediocrity is. Webster’s defines it as “the quality or state of being mediocre; of moderate or low quality; ordinary.” When I look at the Man Jesus Christ, He was anything but mediocre. I often talk to fathers about their sons and usually in the conversation they say he is “above average” in his (fill in the blank). For the record, by definition, 50% of the population is above the average! (For the statisticians amongst us, this implies a normal distribution; more correctly I should say 50% is above the median.) So, mediocrity is the state of being average or ordinary; these are words I usually do not want said about my family members or me. I hope you feel the same.

Second, I believe mediocrity is the absence of a drive for excellence. It is the result of not putting out the time, energy, passion, or whatever it takes to accomplish the goal. I don’t know about you, but I do not find the Scriptures teaching a mediocre lifestyle. Look at the Apostle Peter. He tried to be an average fisherman and in fact went back to fishing after he had denied Jesus during His trial and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus reminded Peter that he was no longer average and no longer a fisherman, but as the “rock” upon which the church was to be built, he was now a fisher of men! When the Holy Spirit empowered Peter, he became anything but mediocre in his speech, passion, and impact for the church. He became all that Jesus had foreseen in him. He became an excellent minister of the gospel of God and a leader. Like Peter, I know from experience that my energy combined with God’s empowerment is a powerful force for change.

Third, mediocrity comes as the default when there is no vision. Proverbs 29:18 teaches that where there is no vision (goal, objective, reason for existence) the people perish (go their own way, descend to a mediocre state). I often have young men and fathers seeking counsel cross my path. The single greatest need in their lives is a vision for what they can become and how they can be useful to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Without a reason for existing, a man of any age will simply dry up and become fruitless. Without meaningful work to do, a man dies. Just look at those men you know who have bought the lie of retirement and now live a life of carefree ease. They either become mediocre and ineffective, or they quickly find purpose in a new line of work for the kingdom. Dads, it is our job, I believe, to impart vision to our young men. If we do not have vision ourselves, then we must seek out our counselors and sharpen our own vision before seeking to impart vision to our sons and families.

Lastly, what exactly is excellence and how do I achieve it? For me, excellence is not about being the best. Rather, it is about being and utilizing 100% of what God has given to me in terms of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual resources. I will always remember Buddy, a member of our discipleship group many years ago. Buddy made his living by repairing household appliances. He could barely read and relied on his wife to keep the business books. However, his low reading ability did not impact his ability to preach the gospel. Buddy was so skilled in repairing the machines that he usually had time left over on the service call to share the gospel with the homeowner. He led hundreds to Christ, sometimes three or four in a single day. Buddy was excellent both in his chosen profession and in his ability to communicate the gospel.

If you find that you are mired in mediocrity, instead of pursuing excellence like Buddy, let me share a few items that have helped me.

• Focus on only one or two items where you have passion. There is simply not enough time to do all things well. Christ did what His Father sent Him to do. Ruthlessly cut out the activities that just steal time and that do not help you become excellent. I used to do a lot of business on the golf course and was a 12-handicap. Now, I would struggle to even break 100; golf is not my passion.
• Keep your priorities straight; Relationship with God first, wife second, children third, work fourth, ministry fifth. Ask your wife or children how you are doing on this. My current struggle is that I work with and serve with my wife, so things can get a bit mixed up at times!
• Find your 100% mark and constantly move toward it. In running this is called the maximum heart rate, which you find by doing a stress test. To increase cardiovascular fitness, experts recommend extended training at 70-80% of your maximum. The same is true of your resources and capabilities. If you are only using 50% of your resources, ask why and then remove the barrier. Keep striving to improve until you’ve reached your God-given maximum. I am serving, and I am busy, but I am not using 100% of my God-given abilities.
• If you’re stuck in mediocrity get help. Seek out a counselor with whom you can share your heart and struggles. The Scriptures teach that a wise man has many counselors; the counsel they give may conflict with each other, but it will help you to see all sides of the issue. I recently had a check-up with my pastor and a trusted Christian friend; I asked them to assist me in evaluating my life. I appreciated their straightforward counsel; their words are changing my life.

The Apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:13, “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” He did not focus on a multitude of things, but rather, on one thing. Paul did not stay mired in mediocrity. He set aside the past, with all of its mistakes and false starts, and focused on what lies ahead. He set his sites on excellence and the upward call of Christ Jesus. May you and I do the same.

In Christ,

Major Roger D. Farr

Gentlemen,

Many people have crossed my path in the 30 years I have been out of school. Some I remember as acquaintances, some as true friends, and some as those who impacted my life in a significant way. Those in the latter category are the ones who seem to be messengers of God, sent to me at a particular time and place with just the right words or life message that I needed to hear. So it is with Bob Schultz, my friend, who in June went to be with the Lord.

Bob is known to many of you as the author of three books on raising young men, Boyhood and Beyond, Created for Work, and Practical Happiness. All three books were designed to assist fathers and young men in growing in godliness as they mature. I heartily recommend the books to you if you are struggling with raising your 12+ year-old son. As the father of three girls, Bob still had a significant ministry to young men through his carpentry trade, Sunday school teachings, writing ministry, and one-to-one mentoring.

Bob suffered a heart attack during a break from a speaking engagement at a homeschool bookfair and passed away a few days later. Please join me in praying for Bob’s family and friends as they learn to live without Bob in their everyday lives.

While Bob was an author and reluctant retreat speaker, his true passion in life was to exemplify the Christianity of “Everyman.” To Bob this was the man amongst us all who was not at the top, nor the bottom, but in the vast middle of the work-a-day world, where rubber meets road. Bob desired to live out his Christianity in a simple and non-elegant way. Bob considered himself successful if he connected with one other man at a retreat and helped him to take the next step in his Christian faith and do it well.

It was this quality of being “everyman” about Bob that was the message I needed to hear approximately four years ago. At that time I was leaving behind the corporate world behind with all of the titles, salary, and other trappings that go along with a senior executive position in a major company. While this was not hard, and I actually initiated the change, it forced me to find my identity not in what I did, but who I was (and am). Bob came alongside to help me focus my message to young men and fathers, the desire of my heart. He also sent one of his daughters, Molly, to work with us in ALERT Cadets for nearly a year! Molly also helped me focus on that which was important to the mission at hand of assisting fathers in winning and keeping the heart of their 8-17 year-old sons, the vision of ALERT Cadets.

Let me encourage you as fathers to look for the “Bobs” in your life, those men who come as divine appointments to give the words, encouragement, tools, or kick-in-the-pants that you need at just the right time. I have probably had 15 men in my 30 years of Christian growth who have had this kind of impact on me. I am grateful for them and the impact they have had in my life to make me the man I am today. Praise God for His goodness in bringing them into my life.

If you do not have a man, or men, in your life who holds you accountable and asks you hard questions about how you are doing with your wife, finances, work, honesty, pornography and, raising your children, then get one, ASAP! The apostle Paul knew that all of us would need accountability when he wrote in II Timothy 2:2, “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men…”. While Paul was Timothy’s teacher, Timothy was also the one who kept Paul accountable to teach the truth and impact lives.

I am also grateful for you men who keep me accountable and keep me in the battle. Many of you comment on my monthly newsletters; I appreciate your feedback, be it positive, negative, or full of questions. Also please, pray for my wife and constant companion, Sue, who has been holding the fort while I have been out traveling.

Stay in the battle for your sons (and daughters)!

In Christ,

Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer

Gentlemen,
My sons are now 22 and 20. When they were 12 and 10, we started with the ALERT Cadet program as my way of beginning to win and keep their teen-age/questioning hearts. ALERT Cadets helped me to build the bridges then that I need now, as they have matured. I’m now learning what it means to continue to keep their hearts as they prepare to be “shot out” from our quiver. I’d like to share with you some of the principles I am using to make sure my arrows hit their intended mark as my sons prepare to leave home.
First, I do large-scale meaningful activities together to create shared experiences. As my young men become larger in physical stature, so must the activities we do together also grow to create that shared experience that will draw us together through the years. The experience of building a birdhouse together with my 10 year-old no longer suffices. I must now work together with my 20 year-old to build a case to display his military saber from his college ROTC days. The day-long hike and campout in our backyard are now replaced by eight days of hiking the Appalachian Trail together with my two sons carrying everything we needed on our backs. Does this mean that Dad must put out more energy and effort? Of course it does, and it means that I must continually stay connected with what is of interest to my young men.
Second, I continue to extend their five-year “life purpose plans.” When my sons first turned 15 it was time to pull out the booklet that helped us to develop a five-year plan for their lives. By doing this, we began to “unlock” our young men and see how God had wired them emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. We also then had a clue as to their life calling with which to guide them in making decisions regarding further training after high school. When our sons each turned 20, it was time to revisit their plans and make any mid-course corrections, as well as to now include such topics as leaving our home, graduate school, careers, and marriage. Doing this revisit of the plan helped both sons and parents look objectively at what was ahead and then make plans to accomplish the goals, together. This is exactly the bonding process I wanted to continue as we discussed the normal things of adult life such as cars, clothes washers, and 401K plans.
Third, I execute this five-year plan with them. What do I mean by this? In short, after I work together to put the plan in order with each son, there are a myriad of details to actually make it work. If college or graduate school is in the plan, then I go with my son to visit potential schools. If moving to another living situation is required, then I help him pick out a suitable apartment, furniture, and household items. If he will be joining the military, I meet the representatives, read the contract, and attend his commissioning ceremony. If he is working, I try to go to his job site and meet the people with whom he will be working so that I can identify with people and situations when interacting with my son over the phone or e-mail. In summary, I stay connected with my young men as they continue to mature so that we can go through the decisions of life together. This helps prevent costly mistakes and ensures that everyone is on the same page in utilizing family resources to send the next arrow out.
In my case, Peter, my 22 year-old, is finishing up his undergraduate education, preparing for graduate school, and beginning the process for licensure in architecture. Brian, my 20 year-old, has finished his undergraduate education and is now headed to veterinary school and the Army Veterinary Corps as a Second Lieutenant. I am still working hard every day to maintain their hearts. As I write this I have just completed a 15-day, 200-mile hike at 6,000-10,000 feet elevation with one son around Lake Tahoe in California. It really is hard work sometimes to keep their hearts, but I love it!
Gentlemen, don’t give up on the development of your children once they reach 18 and complete high school and the ALERT Cadet program. Continue to be involved in their lives so that they complete, successfully, the missions for which God placed them on this earth. They are to impact the next generation for Christ, as you and I fade from the scene. I constantly remember the words of Acts 13:36 regarding King David, “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers…” When I have accomplished the purposes of God in my generation, I will be gathered home and my sons will be left to carry on after me. May they be fully prepared and do it well!

Your fellow servant,

Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer