November 7, 2023

This Friday Unit 69 will advance out of Basic Training. For many guys, myself included, Basic Training was one of the hardest, if not the hardest thing they have ever done. There is the physical hardship of the hikes, daily PT, and smokings after failed inspections. There are also the mental hardships of losing the knowledge of, and control over, your schedule, the stress of the Basic Training environment, and separation from family and friends. But looking back on my time in Basic Training, I am so thankful for the hardship I went through. As the ALERT ethos says, hardship matures a man. The growth and maturity that I gained through Basic Training were well worth the physical and mental discomfort. Pray for each of the guys in Unit 69 as they finish, that they too would grow and mature from the hardship they experienced, and that they would be better men as a result of their time here in training.