Click on WOCS for graduation pictures
Rich graduates from WOCS on June 6, 2008, and heads back to MN for a short visit. Click on WOCS and Family for more pictures and information.
Click on Basic Training & Graduation for information and pictures
Several new pictures from graduation from Basic Training have been added to that page.
The Adventure Begins...
In this picture Rich is being sworn in at the Military Processing Station building at Ft Snelling in St Paul.
After months of information gathering and much prayer Rich made the decision to join the Army and apply for Warrant Officer Candidate School. He took a number of tests including a flight physical in Colorado and submitted piles of paper work. He was accepted into Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) on the first round. Click Here for more information about Army-Warrant Officers
Dad, Mom and Ryan & Melissa attended the swearing in ceremony in St Paul.
Leaving for Basic Training
January 22, 2008, started the adventure of a lifetime. Rich reported for duty at the Army Recruiting office in St Paul, MN.
The first step towards becoming a helicopter pilot is to complete Basic Training, then Warrant Officer Candidate School and finally move on to pilot training. This three step process will take Rich about two years.
This site has been created by Lee Alberts, Rich's dad. The text in quotes are from Rich's letters. All other text was added based on information from phone visits and letters from Rich. Rich has no access to e-mail at this time and very limited phone access. If you would like to encourage Rich with a letter you can send an e-mail to [email protected] and you will receive his USPS mailing address in a reply e-mail. At this time Rich can only receive letters and pictures. Do not send food, candy, news articles, or personal items of any kind.