Pax of The Fort and F3 Nation:

I’m looking for 12 -14 High Impact Men that are Father’s or Father Figures to a daughter, niece or any combination. I know we have many of them among the pax of F3. For what…wait for it….

As many of you know, my wife and her colleagues are working to ignite a movement to illuminate the awareness of the importance of the father daughter relationship and help fathers to be a positive influence on their daughter’s life – they’re doing this through a documentary titled A voice that Carries. A powerful teaser of the documentary, being produced by Brett Culp (@brettculp), can be found here:

http://avoicethatcarries.com/teaser/

For me, as a father of two young girls, you know that this topic hits home and that I’ve shared my perspective with many of you.  And if that’s not enough, here’s an alarming fact: statistically there are only 3 out of 10 of us(fathers) that think our involvement plays an important role in our daughter’s life and her well-being. Now, I’d like to hear more from you on what it means to be a father to your daughters.

The casting call – We need 12 -14 fathers that are willing to be filmed on camera and included in the documentary sharing their perspective on fatherhood and being a father figure. You will be discussing topics in a small and close setting with 4-6 other father figures being moderated by Brett.  Topics will include questions such as;

• What is hard/easy about having daughters?
• What are the challenges that you face with daughters?
• What do you wish someone told your younger self about raising daughters?
• What advice would you give a new father of a daughter?

If this sounds like something that you want to be part of, which I hope is the case, here are the logistics.

• Filming Date: 7/18/17 (Tuesday)
• Time: Morning 9 -11:30; Afternoon 3-5:30
• Commitment: about 90 minutes give or take
• Location: TBD but likely either South Park or Fort Mill Area (still scouting a location)

If you’re still in, here’s what I need.

• Email me at BMCKEON29@gmail.com
• In the body of email share:
  1. Birth Name
  2. F3 Name
  3. Your Age
  4. Number of kids and sex (i.e. 3 kids, 2 boys and 1 daughter)
  5. Brief background and any story or perspective you know you already want to share. (I.e. I have an adopted daughter, I’m primary care giver for my niece, etc…)
• Filming Preference
  1. Morning
  2. Afternoon
  3. Either works for me

The big question, since we normally see one another in the gloom, what is the dress attire?  First, a shower is a must. But from that, feel free to where your latest F3 shirt or any other appropriate shirt.

If you have other questions not in the pre-blast, send me an email at BMCKEON29@gmail.com.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing about your perspective on being a positivie influence on your daughter’s life.

WhatDid

Who: All F3 pax

What: 20mile night-time ruck through Rock Hill

When: 7/8/2017 starting at 2000, ending approx. 0200-0300

Where: Starting at Impact Church in Newport and ending at Impact Church.

Why: Pathfinder, Goruck Training, Mastodon Training, Fellowship, Experience, Fun, Challenge

The Thang: With all the ruck events coming up and the interest in rucking, I decided to map out a course that will benefit any who decide to participate. Those in Pathfinder can use this as a requirement, those wanting to do a Goruck or Endurance event can use for training, or if any just want to come out and participate in full or in portion should come (don’t have to do the whole 20miles if you don’t want to).

We will ruck through Rock Hill to the river and back mainly on Cherry Rd and Celenese Rd. This is not a timed event so any and all are welcome to join in. There will be several rest stops along the way to grab a bite, grab a drink, change clothes, stretch, etc. The only requirement is a positive attitude, 30lb ruck, a headlight, and some reflective clothing or strips. See map my run link below for route: and yes…I know it looks like a spearhead…hahahha

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/1565934379

We are just shy of 5 year anniversary of F3 The Fort being born. We are Celabrating 241 years of the birth of our Nation. How does one relate to the other…..Leadership!

It took men to think outside the box to create our Nation, the best in the world and a beacon of hope for so many. F3 was and is outside the norm of our culture and it took men to realize……we can be better!

Join us on July 4th as we celebrate our United States of America and F3 Nation: The Fort and the leadership it took to make us all better for generations to come.

Here’s the Plan:

WHAT: Pre-Ruck

• Q: CSPAN
• Launch from WEP 
• Time 0515

WHAT: Pre-Run – Panera to WEP and Back post Bootcamp

• Q: Cake Boss
• Launch from Panera Bread Kingsley
• Time 0515

WHAT: Bootcamp for all levels

• Q: Double D & Santini
• Launch from WEP
• Time 0600

2nd F at Panera Bread post workout.

Bring family, friends, neighbors, FNGs!!! Let’s get better together and celebrate the greatest Nation in the world!

Cake Boss out!

Today in The Fort we held a Convergence to honor the memory of our F3 Lexington brother Cheech. As with all things in The Fort we must PreDo somnething. There was both a PreRun and PreRuck option starting at 0600 before the 0700 Main Event. Convergence held at The Yard as it allows for more Parking. The Fort at Walter Elisha Park is the Original Fort AO. Luckily its only 2.6 miles away.

The Thang

Disclaimer given about sticking together and making sure you always have another runner with you. Route was given and we grabbed a shovel flag to take with us as we ran the 2.6 miles to The Fort AO. The shovel flag passed through many hands as we made our way and it was always in the front of the PAX. Once arriving at Walter Elisha Park, the flag was planted in its normal spot, with YHC’s sweaty sleeveless shirt around the shovel. The 2.6 miles back to The Yard were at your own pace with all PAX returning in time for the main event.

Moleskin
1. To my record, YHC Believes this is the first ever PreRun Backblast written in the history of F3. YHC may be wrong (likely) but I doubt it.

2. Those that know YHC know that sometimes I’m short with my words, sometimes I’m long with my words, and sometimes my words make no sense. I’m guessing you’ll get 2 out of 3 on this one and 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. Honestly I felt God had put these words on my heart since Wednesday and this is how I get to share them.

3. First off, I didn’t know Cheech. When asked prior to the Main Event how many PAX knew Cheech, not a single one raised their hand. But if you think about it, we all know a Cheech in the PAX we workout and post with. That #HIM probably goes by another name but we all have at least one in our midst. The guy that loves the Lord. The guy that would do anything for his wife and kids. That guy that is intentional in what he does. The guy that is always wearing his reflective vest, headlamp, and flashers. Right now that guy is already coming to your mind. Like I said, we all have a Cheech among us.

4. YHC was asked why we left the flag at The Fort and why YHC left his sleeveless shirt. The easy answer. I don’t know. Felt like the right thing to do and it’s what God put on my Heart Thursday morning as Cake Boss, CSPAN, Saturday Site Q’s, YHC and few others tried to plan out the Convergence. Personally, YHC thinks it symbolizes a single spirit at The Fort while we honor his memory at The Yard. Just as Cheech in now doing the Lords work at the Best AO ever – Heaven, while we’re still in this broken world doing the best we can knowing one day we’ll be called home to the Best AO ever.

5. The reality in life is that we all will have grief and struggles and things we don’t comprehend as to why they happen. I think of brothers like Olive and Spud and Stang and others that lost children way too early in life. I think of Cheech and Papa Smurf and the countless others gone too soon. Not to mention those that have lost a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, spouse, or close friend. We may go though a divorce or have friends or family going through divorce. Or add in whatever struggle or grief that is in your life. We all have them as we were never promised an easy life. And just as we all have different griefs, we all grieve differently.

6. 3 years ago today, June 24th, my dad passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. He was 66. YHC had just started attending workouts on Saturdays a few months earlier (and I wasn’t even attending those regularly). What stood out to me, was the outpouring of support from guys I had met only 1-2 to guys I had never met at all. Thats what makes this group special. What makes it different. We sweat together, we bleed together, and we mourn the loss of those around us, TOGETHER.

#CheechStrong #SleevelessforCheech

Shanks out

The Mission of F3 is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. In order to invigorate male leadership, we must strive to invigorate and encourage new males to step up and become leaders. One of the best ways we have to accomplish this is to help new PAX learn what it takes to Q at TheFort and then give them the opportunity to do so.

As such, I’d like to announce VQ Summer 2017. #VQS17 will entail 2 parts:

• Q School – Q School will take place weekly at Block Party for 4 weeks (July 11th, 18th, 25th and August 1st). Q School will be led by some of our most experienced Qs (who are still trying to perfect their craft as well).
  • Q101 – 3 weeks (July 11th, 18th, and 25th) – Perfect for VQs – Come learn the basics of Q’ing.
  • Q201 – 3 weeks (July 18th, 25th, and August 1st) – Great for everyone – Slightly more advanced and detailed.
• VQ Month – September 2017 – SiteQs will make every effort to involve a VQ in every workout, either leading the complete workout or leading the warmup.

This is a great opportunity to work together to develop new leaders not only within The Fort region of F3, but also within our communities. Contact Ginsu, Double D, Cake Boss or Pusher with any questions.

On Wednesday morning in Lexington, our F3 brother Cheech was hit by a car during an F3 workout. Many of us posted Thursday morning #sleevelessforCheech with thoughts and prayers for him and his family. If you’re like me, you probably got on twitter after the workout and read the sad news that Cheech had passed away overnight. This Saturday in The Fort we will honor his Memory with a special Convergence.

Convergence will begin at The Yard (Fort Mill Middle School)

0600 – PreRun to WEP and back with YHC on Q (5 miles) or PreRuck with CSPAN on Q

0700 – Moderate/Tradional/Black Diamond Bootcamps
Moderate Q – Old Bay
Traditional Q’s – Flat Tire/What Did
Black Diamond Q’s – Walker/Geronimo

Due to the Convergence, The Fort, Alcatraz, and The Deep are CLOSED

Although this Convergence is happening in The Fort Region, we invite brothers from across the Nation to join us if they can’t make it to Lexington.

Don’t forget to post #sleevelessforCheech #CheechStrong and bring any Shovel Flag you have

To all PAX of The Fort region:

2017 marks the 5th anniversary year of The Fort in F3 Nation, as prominently noted with the centralized Shovel Flag. This new logo took the previous The Fort parapet design and incorporated it into the new design so we do not lose sight of our past and where we came from while we evolve towards our future. The overall outline is of a shield – a symbol of protection, a badge of honor, as well as to indicate how everyone in the F3 Nation strives to be Shield Locks with each other. The canons are the exact depiction of the one in downtown Fort Mill, the heart of The Fort.
Congratulations PAX of The Fort and F3 Nation for this milestone anniversary!

To order, click on the following link:
https://f3.mudgear.com/collections/newest/products/f3-the-fort-2017-shirt-pre-order?variant=44511531731

ORDER CLOSING IS THE END OF DAY OF 7/7/2017.

Order this new gear while you can and show your pride in The Fort.

NOTE:  There will be another order later in the year for cold weather gear.

F3 Dads is coming back to Walter Elisha Park on Saturdays in July 2017.

WHO: You and your 2.0s (boys and girls – if they can run, they can come!), and FNG’s.  This is also a great opportunity to EH other fathers that need F3, by inviting them with their 2.0’s.

WHAT: F3 Dads workouts are kid-friendly way to get some 1^st and 2^nd F with your F3 brothers and their 2.0’s, jack up the heart rate, sweat a little, and play some games.  Mostly it’s about sharing what we do in the gloom every week with our children, and having some fun!

Workouts are structured on the core principles of F3, modified to engage our 2.0’s.  There will be SSH’s, merkins, burpees, squats, and games like tag, sharks & minnows, 2.0 carries, and relay races!

Like every F3 workout, we will end in a COT with a prayer, so EVERYONE will need a cool F3 name.  If your 2.0’s don’t have a name already, give them one before the workout so that they can participate in the name-o-rama.

WHEN: F3 Dads will meet each Saturday in July (1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, & 29^th) from 10:00 – 11:00 am.

WHERE: Walter Elisha Park – Fort Mill

WHY: We have accepted the mission of F3 and have the opportunity to share our principles and leadership opportunities with our 2.0’s.  Investing time in those that we love and sharing our values with them.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Mainframe and Smuggler are serving as Site Q’s for 2017.  If you’re interested in Q’ing a Saturday in July, please DM @F3_Mainframe and @F3_Smuggler to sign up.

Pre-Blast

It is time once again to step up and be leaders in our community by helping an organization that supports those in need. The Fort Mill Care Center provides food and assistance within the Fort Mill community. The Fort Mill Care Center has built a storage building and needs help moving in. There are two projects that will need to happen at the same time.

First we will be building pallets and shelves for the storage of food. Work will began at 9:30 AM on Saturday February 11 2017. We will need some HIMs to step up and help with construction and cutting of materials (I will have a stack of pre-cut materials on hand so construction can begin first thing).

Tools required:

Electric drill, impact, or screw gun with spare batteries and #2 Phillips drive bit. (I will have 3 extra with me)

Speed square if you have one.

Clamps with at least 3” capacity if you have any (we won’t need many)

I will handle the saws that will be needed.

Second we will need to move food from the pantry to the new building. Work will began at 11:00 AM on Saturday February 11 2017. We will need several HIMs to help with this as well. We will be moving several hundred/thousand pounds of food.

Tools required:

Dollys

Strong legs (lift with your legs, not your back!)

Please contact Spencer Arnold (Dreamhouse) at spencea15@gmail.com and let me know if you will be able to assist.

2760 Old Nation Rd, Fort Mill, SC 29715