18 HIMs unfartsacked to post at 0630 in the gloom at Normandy in Lancaster. We welcomed our FNG (Buffett) and circled up around the flag.

Popeye started us out with a disclaimer and words of encouragement. He then led the PAX in a warm up of 20 SSH, 20 Moroccan Nightclubs, 20 Merkins and then moseyed us down to a lower parking lot. There, we did a couple of combination bear crawls/Merkins for the width of the lot and continued over to the stairs of pain. Popeye then had us run up and down the stairs multiple times; his hardest struggle resembled that of a kindergarten teacher, trying to keep the kids in a line so we wouldn’t run into one another. The Navy Vet showed his military prowess and fixed our issues. No one got hurt.

Popeye sacrificed some of his Q time for Bourne’s VQ; Bourne took over at the football field for a four corners of remembrance.

Bourne gave a devotion centered around remembering what God has done for us in the past; we have a special freedom afforded to us through Jesus Christ. We also have a freedom from what our military heroes have sacrificed. This would be the theme of the morning’s workout. (Deut 6:5-9, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”).

The PAX stayed together for a round robin, four corners workout.

Station 1: “CPO Chris Kyle,” in honor of our emotionally wounded Veterans. After reading a bio about CPO Kyle’s willingness to help wounded veterans upon his return from combat tours (even resulting in his death while helping a Marine with PTSD), Popeye led us in the following: 13 (stripes) Wide-armed Merkins; 50 (stars) Beat Your Boots (Airborne); 22 (veteran suicides/day) Merkins; 30 (% of Viet Nam Vets with PTSD) Squat with overhead air presses; and 20 (% of OIF/OEF Vets with PTSD) Carolina Dry Docks.

Station 2: “COL J. Nick Rowe,” in honor of our nation’s POWs. Sapper, although recovering from yesterday’s surgery, posted to read a bio about COL Rowe and then helped lead us in a five-minute, silent run: one minute for every year COL Rowe spent in Viet Cong POW Camps. The PAX naturally gathered around those us playing the 6 this morning and we finished our run together.

Station 3: “SGT Alvin York,” in honor of our Veterans who refuse to give up. Blackhawk read the bio of SGT York’s actions that earned him the Medal of Honor (leading 9 men to capture 132 German Soldiers during WWI). He then led us in teams of two: 17 Burpies (# of US Soldiers in initial raid where Corporal York assumed leadership over the nine); 132 Low Slow Squats with the partner planking in-between, representing the # enemy captured; no rest because the Soldiers did not get to rest while assaulting the German lines); and 340 Flutter Kicks / Freddie Mercuries (1 for every 10 Medals of Honor).

Station 4: “The Four Chaplains,” in honor of the teamwork and sacrifice of our Service Members and their families. Bourne read the bio of the Four Chaplains (Alexander, Goode, Fox, & Poling) who gave their life vests to others after their ship was torpedoed by the Germans in WWII. The men were last seen praying and singing hymns together. We performed 20 Derkins on our partner’s planked back and 20 LBS (also on a planked back).

We concluded by moseying to the flag, conducting a name-o-rama, and Fin took us out with a powerful prayer. Every HIM gave his best effort this morning and many concluded the F3 event with a 2^nd F at Chick-fil-a.