If you are looking for the original F3 Statement, see this link https://f3nation.com/2020/03/13/covid-19-response/Men of F3 Nation,
We started hearing about it in January and early February, by late February it made landfall in the Pacific Northwest (home of our Puget Sound Brothers), and now we find ourselves roughly 3 weeks into nearly the entire country enduring some semblance of shutdown or other.
As we all look into the eyes of another month (or longer?) of this situation, I wanted to say a couple of things. I saw a tweet the other day from someone saying that “F3 [had] closed”… Let me be clear about something…
F3 doesn’t close.
The sun doesn’t set here. (Heck, it barely rises by the time most of us are several hours into our days).
AOs may close. Schools may close. Parks may close. The government may impose restrictions that challenge our creativity, but you men are proving hour by hour that you are past all that. The external world can close entirely, and you (like the Marines) will improvise, adapt, and overcome. Figuring out the workout part has proven to be easier than many of us thought.
See the thing is, that while this Tweeter was well-meaning, they looked past something that I think is critical. Much like America is more than a group of states, a republic, or anything else, it is also an idea… F3 is the same. We see the hashtag all the time #MTAW (More Than A Workout). It’s also more than a friend/fellowship group, or even more than a faith accelerating group. This is a movement. It doesn’t stop when a workout stops. It doesn’t stop when we aren’t able to be physically proximate. It. Does. Not. Stop.
F3 has become a set of shared values and ideals that has unlocked our minds and hearts, invigorated the leaders that had been sleeping inside of us, and set us loose to lead and change the communities around us. To that end, of course you should continue to follow the laws where you are, the expert advice of doctors and scientists, and the exhortation of your Nant’ans. But my mind has been opened, and I’m not closing it again… for anything…
And one more thing… as you look around, you’ll notice that some guys are taking this as an opportunity to “disappear”, to give themselves a pass on acceleration, or to take a break from things because “it’s all just too much right now.” Don’t let that happen. Remember that we Leave No Man Behind, but we Leave No Man Where We Found Him. One of these days, we might be that man, and we won’t want anyone leaving us.
So, stick a shovel flag in the front yard, get on that next Virtual Beatdown, run with a buddy or two, Zoom your Qsource meeting, or whatever else you have to do to keep accelerating… because once this cloud blows by, and it will, it’s the men that stay on the path that will be there to help those who can’t help themselves.
As always, we love you, and if the Nation can help with anything on a level past your local region, let us know. We will.
ISI,
Dark Helmet (The Darkest of All)
