The Lone Star Emergency Services Academy will be held June 19-28 in Big Sandy, Texas, at the ALERT Academy. Our school, in its third year, has been sanctioned by NHQ Operations and has been deemed the first of the regional arms of the National Emergency Services Academy. We are very proud of this distinction. The LESA staff looks forward to opening our doors to CAP members from across the nation.

It's been two years since we made a great arrangement with this facility, to everyone's satisfaction. The complex has been designed for indoor-outdoor training and offers us suitable billeting, small and large classrooms, a conference hall, and generous grounds. Once again we will have newer, upgraded dorm rooms that will afford more privacy to our participants. To obtain the great rate we've negotiated, students must bring their own sheets, blankets, and towels.

The curriculum for each LESA School follows the task guides and SQTRs developed by CAP or expands them with nationally recognized curriculums from CERT, NASAR, WFA  and Red Cross. Some schools have minimum-age requirements because of the level of academic commitment required to be successful, other training is governed by CAP regulations and is limited to individuals age 18 and up. Consult the application for age limitations and prerequisites.

We know Big Sandy is a long trip for many of you. However, we'll provide inbound or outbound sorties to cover the cost of fuel, and this should help make the trip easier. This should be arranged with the LESA Commander two weeks in advance in order to get sorties into WMIRS.

This facility is a great place, especially considering its very reasonable rates. Each school fee will be priced according to the cost of classroom and field training aids required, but they will all be bargains. The course fee will cover three meals a day, lodging, classrooms, and wireless Internet access. The Academy even has its own air field. We want to keep our long-term relationship with the ALERT Academy, and you can help us do that: be neat, watch your manners, and behave as you would in the best of company.

Lone Star Emergency Services Academy offers a wider variety of class options at a more affordable price than other CAP academies, our facilities are better, and we offer to cover transportation costs to the event. Why would you want to go anywhere else?