Gentlemen,

Each January the leadership team of ALERT Cadet meets to consider the vision, mission, and yearly goals for the ministry. This team consists of the ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer and the Regional Cadet Captains, as well as the support staff from ALERT Cadet Headquarters. I’d like to update you on decisions taken on the future direction of the ministry from our January 22-24, 2009 meeting.

At the 2008 meeting, the team considered the vision and mission for ALERT Cadet as well as laying out plans out to 2013. They reaffirmed the following:

• Vision – Tells Who, What, and Why
  • “Assisting fathers…
  • … to win and keep the hearts…
  • … of their 8 to 17-year-old sons.”
• Mission – Tells How to Accomplish the Vision
  • Develop tools and activities (programs, activities, training, and materials) and provide a structure to accomplish the ALERT Cadet vision.
  • Encourage and train a network of like-minded fathers who can and will assist other fathers.
  • Give fathers worthy goals for their sons, including a heart for service to God, His people, and those in need.

Additionally, the team laid out over 200 specific projects, the 2013 project list, to be worked on in 2008 and beyond.

At our 2009 meeting we focused more on operational details of accomplishing the ALERT Cadet vision and mission. We reviewed the 50 different projects completed from the 2013 project list and set specific ministry targets for 2009. I’d like to review those target areas with you below:

First, we want to focus on strengthening our exiting units. As ALERT Cadet has grown, our unit structure has not kept pace. We also had not updated our leadership materials in several years. A few of the projects in this area include a new leadership training video, expected in April, more frequent contact and counsel by our Regional Captains, and updates to our core leadership publications both in print and on the web.

Second, we want to focus on the families who join ALERT Cadet and are distant from their assigned units. The mentality should be that ALERT Cadet is fundamentally a father and son program done at home, with unit and squad meetings being an added bonus. Our curriculum is designed to be done between a father and son, and is easily incorporated into a home school day or as after school assignments. We want individual families to be successful until a unit forms in their area for further encouragement and accountability.

Third, we realize that additional leadership is necessary within the ALERT Cadet ranks. When we started with our Regional Captains four years ago, we knew that as God provided growth, we would need to seek out, train, and promote additional leadership. At our meeting we reallocated the regional areas and will be seeking additional men to serve as Captains for the areas where we have the highest concentration of ALERT Cadet families. As we make new appointments, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Lastly, we thanked God for the growth which He has provided. Last year we added 878 new fathers and sons to the ALERT Cadet ranks; this is an all-time high for yearly growth! We also heard reports of what God is doing in the United States, Mexico, and Indonesia regarding the open doors for the ministry. We will continue to make sure our systems and support structure are strong to support this record-setting growth.

Thank you for your support this ministry. We will continue to update our members as God clears the way before us and makes plain the path He wants us to take.

In Christ,

Roger D. Farr
ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer