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ALERT’s Purpose is to forge extraordinary men who influence their world for Christ.
ALERT utilizes a military-style structure, intentional discipleship, unique experiences, and professional skills training to create an environment that facilitates the forging process. Our goal is to create men who are spiritually sound, physically fit, and ready to serve.
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“Every day at ALERT, I learn to depend on Christ more. I’ve learned there is always room to grow, that I don’t have all the answers, and most importantly, that it is my walk with Him that really matters.”
Kenjie S. | Unit 66
“Before I came to the ALERT program, my life was without direction and purpose. I would spend my time working dead-end jobs and playing video games, and occasionally participating in outdoor activities if invited. After going through Basic training, I saw a glimpse of what I could be if I wanted to change. Over my time at ALERT, I have seen God’s grace to me as my faith and reliance on Him grew. I can say for certain that ALERT has changed my life for the better in terms of leadership, discipline, physical strength, and so much more. I will forever be grateful to this program and the men in it.”
Joshua L. | Unit 64
“The unique tensions and challenges that I faced here forced me to rely on God and get out of my comfort zone. It taught me to behave with conviction, think with clarity, and speak with authority. ALERT gave me a valuable perspective about life, God, and people that I never had before.”
Len N. | Unit 61
Forging
Throwback Thursday
ALERT on deployment to the Birmingham, Alabama, area in response to the April 6-9, 1998 tornado outbreak. Across four days in April, a large storm system caused a total of 62 tornadoes that touched down across 16 states, ultimately killing 41 people in Alabama and Georgia. ALERT responded to the Birmingham area, which was hit with an F5 storm, the highest rating for tornado intensity.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #disasterresponse #tornadoresponse #deployment
2023 Spring Quarter
Congratulations to each of the men who finished the spring training quarter! Over the past 12 weeks, we have had the priviledge of working with each of these men as they trained in one of the six 3rd Phase options running last quarter: Construction, Dive, EMT, Flight, Missions, and Unit 68`s Basic Training Cadre.
For more information on our training, or to sign up for a future phase of training, please visit our website at the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #3rdPhase #training
Learn to lead
Registration for the summer Leadership & Communications course closes Friday! The course gives students an introduction to the skills needed to successfully influence people and articulate ideas from a Christian perspective and in a way that is fueled by conviction. The course is designed to prepare students to be better leaders, husbands, and fathers. Course subjects include public speaking, foundational leadership principles, personal finances, apologetics, and more. Additionally, each unit spends a week in Washington, DC studying leadership in the field through the lens of American history.
The next Leadership & Communication course will start June 24, 2023. For more information on our training options, or for our full training calendar, please see the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #leadershipandcommunications #leadership
2nd Phase: Intermediate Training
ALERT’s 2nd Phase of training is designed to develop personal competence, critical thinking, life purpose, and a service mindset through a variety of skills and experiences. Building off the lessons of Basic Training, our goal in this phase is to create a desire for maturity and personal growth in each man as they move into their third phase of training and accept their calling as men. The classes in the 2nd Phase will include:
• Structural Fire Fighting
• Basic High Angle Rescue
• Open Water and Advanced Open Water Diving
• Rescue Systems One
• Sawyer
• Service Deployment
The next 2nd Phase will start June 24. For more information, or to apply, please see the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #2ndPhase #intermediatetraining #sawyer
Eagle Response Unit
Congratulations to the men of Unit 67’s graduating class! The 27 men who graduated today finished Basic Training and Second Phase, and completed at least one of the following Third Phase training options: Aviation, Basic Training Cadre, Construction, Dive, EMT, Leadership & Communications, and Missions.
It has been an honor and a privilege to work with these men over the course of their training, and we look forward to seeing where God takes them, as they return after furlough for additional training, or move on from ALERT.
For more information on our training options, please visit the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #graduation #Unit67
Unit 67 Graduation
Unit 67’s graduation ceremonies will take place today. We will be livestreaming the full stage ceremony on our Facebook page. Congratulations to the men of Unit 67 on their graduation from ALERT and their induction into the Eagle Response Unit!
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #graduation #Unit67
Colonel Jesse Boulden
We are excited to announce the promotion of Jesse Boulden to the rank of Colonel, effective May 31, 2023. Colonel Boulden has been serving as both the ALERT Commanding Officer and the Basic Training Commanding Officer concurrently since September of 2021. With the advancement of Unit 68 last Friday, he has finished his time leading Basic Training and can devote his full attention to leading the ALERT program, and his promotion to Colonel reflects this change. Colonel Boulden is the first ALERT alumni to serve as Commanding Officer of the ALERT program, and the first alumni to reach the rank of Colonel. He has been with ALERT since he was a part of Basic Training Unit 40 in 2008. Since then he has served with Basic Training a squad leader, drill instructor, Senior Drill Sergeant, Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer, as well as Battalion Sergeant Major, 2nd Phase Coordinator, and Leadership class instructor.
His promotion ceremony was conducted by Colonel Marv Behr, ALERT’s immediate past director. During the ceremony, his father, Commander John Boulden, USN, Retired, gave him a charge to remember his first loves: his love for God, his love for his neighbors, and his love for his wife and family. Colonel Boulden was pinned by his wife Katy and his father, CDR Boulden, Ret.
Please join us in congratulating Colonel Boulden on his promotion, and in praying for him as he continues to lead the ALERT program.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen
Awards and Promotions
The 2023-2 awards and promotions ceremony took place today as we close out the spring semester this week. Congratulations to all the men who promoted, and especially to Jared Hendrich, Len Nafziger, Elias Peterson, Kenjie Stoltzfus, and Ethan Todd who joined the ranks of ALERT NCOs with their promotion to the rank of Corporal. In addition, SSgt Claude Dean was commissioned to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and 1Sgt Daniel Downs was commissioned to the rank of Warrant Officer.
Cpl. Peter Sawyer also received the Commander’s Commendation award for exemplary service above and beyond his expected duties as EMT class unit leader. The Commander’s Commendation award is the second highest award at ALERT, behind only the ALERT Commendation award for using training to save a life.
For more information about the ALERT Academy, please see the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #awardsandpromotions #NCO
Unit 67 Graduation
Unit 67’s graduation ceremonies will take place Friday, June 2 at 4 pm. We will be livestreaming the full stage ceremony on our Facebook page. Congratulations to the men of Unit 67 on their graduation from ALERT and their induction into the Eagle Response Unit!
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #graduation #Unit67
"On Memorial Day, we give thanks for the blessings of freedom and peace and for the generations of Americans who have won them for us. We also pray for the same strength and moral reserve demonstrated by these veterans, as well as for the true and lasting peace found in a world where liberty and justice prevail."
President George H.W. Bush, May 28, 1989
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #memorialday #memorialday2023
Unit 68
Congratulations to the men of Unit 68 on their advancement out of Basic Training! The 32 men who finished Unit 68 have joined the brotherhood of all the men who have gone before them, and are now part of the ALERT Battalion. As a symbol of their advancement out of Basic Training, the men are issued the ALERT patch for their uniforms, and may additionally receive a promotion to the rank of Responder. They are now also able to wear the ALERT t-shirt and their unit t-shirt.
As the men head home for furlough, please join us in praying for their continued spiritual growth and discipline, and for rest and physical recovery after the rigors of Basic Training. We look forward to seeing them back on June 24 for the start of 2nd Phase.
If you were part of Unit 68 and would like to be tagged in the photo, please send us a direct message and we will tag you.
For more information on ALERT Basic Training, please see the link in our bio.
#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #advancement #Unit68
Advancement Dayâ €
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Unit 68’s Advancement ceremonies will start at 1:30 this afternoon, Central Time. We will be live-streaming the skills demonstration, the drill and ceremony presentation, and the advancement ceremony in separate streams on our Facebook page. Please visit our Facebook for the live stream, and congratulations to the men of Unit 68!
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#ALERTAcademy #forgingmen #advancementday #unit68 #livestream