Packages for The Kids in Afghanistan In Honor of Tim Hetherington

Last night, my former boss now friend, Laura, and I were talking on the phone about Tim. We started laughing when we were remembering Tim. Little known facts about Tim:

• He promoted Laura from COL to GEN when they got to the Oscars.
• He is the only person who could drive and make it seem as though it was a galloping horse.
• He called me, "Our secret weapon."
• He was funny.
• He ate almost as fast as SGM Caldwell. (But remember, SGM Caldwell is a paratrooper, hence trained for that).
  
• When he spoke of his soul mate, his eyes lit up. She was very, very special to him.
  

This week a group of us have been packaging boxes to send to The Hubs. We're sending them with fond memories of Tim.
I haven't written about his deployment because there's not much I can share. But, he phoned the day before last -a rare occurrence. It was so good to hear him! At the end of a very quick call, he asked for a few things. Vitamins, fruit snacks, coloring books, crayons, notebooks, pencils --all for the kids who are in the hospital. As it was when he was deployed to Kunar, the majority of their patients are children. The enemy shoots, hurts, and blows up the children. In fact, when I ran a statistic that Sebastian told me: "83.3% of all Afghan locals are hurt by the Taliban," The Hubs responded, "If not more." He walks around the hospital and wards, does his rounds, takes care of the kids, his pockets full of things to give to the ones not on ventilators. "Anything to help make the stay better," he says.

Kids bear the brunt of war.
One of the best insights into this is from Chris Coppola, M.D., a former USAF Surgeon who did two deployments to Iraq. You can get his book "A Pediatric Surgeon In Iraq" and read about his experiences. Kids are always memorable patients. I'm sure every physician who has deployed remembers them.

Tim Hetherington At Waffle House: A Fond Remembrance

SGM La Monta Caldwell & Tim Hetherington, July 2010. (Click photos to bigify!)

In addition, my elegy to Tim is on the Kitchen Dispatch too. But now, after some of the tears have dried, let us remember some fun times. Here is one.

Despite my name being on the rental contract, I gave the keys to SGM La Monta Caldwell because my husband had given me this advice: "No one drives a SGM. You must let him drive you." So it was SGM Caldwell drove our small rented Toyota Corolla, Tim rode shotgun, and me--having been dubbed by Tim as "our secret weapon" sat in the backseat during our travels this summer with the film Restrepo.

It had been a great night, we'd shown the film at Ft. Campbell, KY. Jason Monroe, David Kelso and countless others had been on hand to meet up with Tim, the first they'd seen of him in a very long time. Even Leta drove in . The screening went well, and Tim was even presented a quilt made by military wife Ellen Patton, a volunteer with The Quilts of Valor Foundation. The inscription on the quilt was moving, a direct acknowledgement by someone other than me that he was part of the military family. He was one of ours. Tim was so surprised. He and Sebastian were two of only a handful of civilians to ever receive the honor being awarded with a Quilt of Valor.

And so it was late when the three of us pulled into Nashville -- a bit tired and hungry after the long day and evening.

Our deluxe Hollywood dinner took place at Waffle House somewhere near the Nashville Airport. I remember that La Monta and I had breakfast with waffles, while Tim --who really didn't get it, had a hamburger & fries. La Monta shook his head. I suppose just another transgression made by Tim, but this time off the battle field. I'm sorry to say that although we all loved and admired Tim's prowess in war scenarios, he never caught on that it's called Waffle House because and one is supposed to order Waffles, not a hamburger most likely made from some frozen patty that came from an old cow. Especially at midnight. In the South. On a hot summer night.

The bill came, and I reached for my wallet. Immediately, Tim reached for his, and said, "Oh, Kanani. Let me." I looked at him and said, "That's okay, I have Laura money." To which both Tim and La Monta both shouted, "Ah COL Kim!" COL Kim was the nickname they'd given to the head of promotions --my boss. She had done an amazing job scheduling, making arrangements, directing, and ensuring all of u were where were supposed to be. They loved her. And so we started laughing because who would have thought a film tour would have ended up at midnight at a Waffle House fighting over a $30 bill.

The rest of the story will have to be told later. It involves Tim's GPS, La Monta's disdain for them, the wrong La Quinta Inn, and me laughing helplessly in a parking lot.

But I thought everyone here would like a story that makes them laugh. And I think it would be really nice if everyone who could would go to Waffle House, and have a hamburger in honor of Tim.

Update: Several persons have gone out for burgers in honor of Tim. They even sent me photos! The funniest was sent by Marc Danziger who sent in a burger on a porcelain plate with stemware and silver nearby. He was in Manhattan!

Shift, point, re-focus

Today, I'm sending you over to this little site of mine for a simpler focus.
Jumbles and Images
Enjoy. Breathe.

The Gratitude Post: Tim Hetherington's Final Passage

Please read my elegy here, on Sebastian's Site. For Tim: The Promise Stands.

The Union Jack & American Flag waived as the bodies of Tim & Chris were brought off the Ionian Spirit. A sign for the two photographers. Photos from DayLife.

Cameras symbolically placed for Tim Hetherington
& Chris Hondros at a memorial in Benghazi -Getty Photos

Tim and Chris Hondros' final passage began in Misurata on a ferry chartered by International Organisation Migration to evacuate locals to Benghazi. After this 20-hour journey, his friend Peter wrote:

Tim and Chris' bodies arrived last evening in Benghazi. HRW (Human Rights Watch) and NYT (New York Times) organized a memorial service, and journalists and Libyans gathered to remember our dear friends. After a reading from Tim's work, the US and UK representatives spoke, as did the deputy chairman of the transitional council, Abdelhafed Ghoga. They are now on their way home, with the dignity they deserve."

There are photos here. And also here. And some good ones here.

His friends --who were legion, have posted photos of him on Facebook. He was that rare combination of adventurer, artist, planner, strategist, and gentleman. For us who are following this passage, we understand this to be sacred, like escorting a friend home.

Still, for all that boat rides usually are --quiet, gentle, and reflective, the Ionian Spirit carried "586 Nigeriens, 239 Libyans, 92 Nigerians, 26 Bangladeshis, 24 Filipinos, and 16 Pakistanis, the other evacuees hailing from Egypt, Chad, Algeria and Ukraine," all displaced from the war, most hungry, weakened and traumatised, and many gravely wounded. Emma Murphy, a journalist, was there. Though she doesn't write about Tim, she details the conditions here in On Board The Ionian Spirit With The Wounded.

Sebastian has written a parting Love note to his friend. Sebastian Junger Remembers Tim Hetherington.
Once you've dried your tears, go read a fun story at Tim Hetherington At Waffle House.
Sue Turton has the most loving tribute at Al Jazeera.

UPDATED: C.J. Chivers has the final notes on the small memorial service held in Benghazi. Music and bible passages are included.

I am grateful for his friends at the Human Rights Watch who worked feverishly through the night to get Tim's body onto the Ionian Spirit. Thanks to the IOM for holding the boat so that Chris Hondros' body could be brought aboard. I am also grateful that the body of a Ukranian doctor was there as well. All of this is a testament not only to friendship, but to love.

Onward.

Tim with Col. Perry Clark, Ft. Campbell, KY July 2010. Photo by me.

Tim Hetherington, Killed. The Promise From A Friend Still Stands

Tim at Ft. Campbell, KY. He's holding a quilt from the Quilt of Valor Foundation. Tim and Sebastian were two of a handful of civilians who received this honor. He was so pleased, and hand carried the quilt onto the plane. I worked on his film as the military outreach coordinator.

This is hard. This morning, three phone calls came in at once. Our friend Tim Hetherington has died, while covering the war in Libya.

Tim was one of the two producers and directors of Restrepo.
Tim always inquired first about how you and the family were doing. For me, it meant a lot. I was the only person working on the PR team with a military background and a husband in combat. Often the loneliness could be gripping and Tim knew this. He had the gift of listening, and was fully absorbed in what you were saying. I will always remember his inquisitive look, his way of detaching himself momentarily from everything going on to reach out to you and check in.

It's not just losing Tim the combat reporter, it's losing an artist whose unflinching focus enabled him to search for the truth in any situation. He had a beautiful aesthetic, an intense drive, the ability to call bullshit when he heard it, and could put aside his ego. Tim's generosity enabled him to see and highlight the humanity in each person, even in very difficult, complex situations. And he understood the forces of politics, corruption and how they could overturn a country.
We've all lost a friend.

Over the course of 2010, lots of people --most of whom he would never meet, sent him good wishes. When he died, he had been accepted by a new group: the military support community. He was very much loved. I hope he knew that.

Last summer, we spoke about the risks of covering wars. He'd been in and out of them for over a decade. His personal travel map had dots wherever hell was being unleashed on earth. He told me that his Father had recently taken to calling him before he went out, and that his voice had a gravity to it that he hadn't recognized before. "You take care," is what Tim told me his father would say. It made Tim pause and choke up a little as he thought about it.

I gave him my card, and asked him to give it to his loved ones if ever they should need me. As I think of his family and his long time love, his girlfriend Idil with whom he shared his life, I want them to know that the promise will always stand.

Tim --you'll be safe up there in heaven. Don't worry about the friends and family. We'll take care of them. Here's Tim's video diary, made just a few months ago.

Diary (2010) from Tim Hetherington on Vimeo.

Three Cups of Deceit and Tea: A Supporter Moves On

Dear Friends,
Since 2008, after reading Three Cups of Tea, I have supported Greg Mortensen's quest to bring education to women and girls in Afghanistan. In addition to recommending his books on no less than 5 different blogs, my husband and I have given funds to the Central Asia Institute (CAI). I have personally encouraged many, many friends and strangers to do the same. In addition, my daughter's school recently raised over 1k for Pennies For Peace.

I have never enjoyed exposés such as the one on 60 Minutes. However, I have just finished reading an early copy of Jon Krakauer's 79 page report titled Three Cups Of Deceit, which details the financial shortcomings of Greg's misuse of funds given to the Central Asia Institute.

The report includes statements from 2 CFO's, 1 board member, and 1 project manager here. All were US-based. The CFO's quit after being unable to get Greg to submit travel expense reports, as well as account for large amounts of missing money. The Project Manager found "ghost schools" and irregularities at existing schools in a province in Afghanistan. She quit when she grew frustrated when Greg pointedly ignored her pleas. In addition, 1 project manager based in Pakistan also quit due to fabrications and lies in Three Cups of Tea, and another has come forward saying he is not the Taliban as depicted by Greg. In 2009, the CAI staff fabricated the figures in the annual report. While Krakauer doesn't point out: it's probable the 2009 report is what Charity Navigator based its 4-Star rating on. Krakauer himself gave $70,000 of his own funds before figuring out that there was a problem with the financial end of things.

While I support the mission to bring education to women and girls, I will no longer be recommending either of his books, nor giving to the CAI. The mission is so much bigger than Greg. It always has been.

Fortunately, there are other organizations supporting women and girls in Afghanistan through a variety of projects. These range from the La Jolla Rotary Club's sponsorship of a school in Jalalabad, to the co-op started by Sarah Chayes and her sister that makes soap in Arghandab. Those are the voices that need to be heard, and whose work runs on a shoe string.

Simply put, I am moving on.

Please check out photographer Matthieu Paley's photographs of the Pamir Mountains in Afghanistan, as well as the person who took the shot of the CAI school as pictured on the cover of Krakauer's report. Excellent stuff.

Greg Mortenson: Derailed By The Memoir Fad?

I've reviewed Greg's books in the past, not only on this blog, but on two literary blogs that I used to maintain, as well as two mainstream media blogs. The first, Three Cups of Tea, was captivating and for many an introduction to the problems of getting an education in Afghanistan. It was (and still is) considered essential reading.

The second book, Stones Into School, I was less enthusiastic about. I reviewed it here, and while I recommended it, also urged readers to pick up other books as well. There were things that bothered me --mainly the sequencing of the events, and also the sense that Mortenson seemed to be the only one who could speak on behalf of the Central Asia Institute. It seemed odd because most NPO's usually have not one, but several persons who can do speaking engagements on behalf of the organization.

60-Minutes did an exposé, interviewing not only the distinguished American Institute of Philanthropy, which found odd accounting practices, but also others who had been on the ground in Afghanistan. Even author John Krakauer, who seems to have a knack for jumping from griddle to griddle lately, and used to be a supporter of CAI. All of them spoke out about exaggerations and fabrications in both books.

I can't speak about what did and didn't get built, but because this is a literary milspouse blog, and because I am a writer, I'll toss a stone into the pond, and hope to hit or get near the target in terms of the writing and publishing.

1. I wonder how the first book was pitched. Did Greg pitch the book? Did a colleague from the CAI? It's important because somehow, he picked up a co-author for Three Cups of Tea. I don't know if the publisher read the initial pitch and said, "Oh, that's so great" and assigned him the co-author or if Greg had him from the get go. The co-author had the task of cobbling together a story in which he only had Mortenson to rely upon for its veracity. But, pulling together events for a story that has a good pace and is compelling does not warrant exaggerations and falsehoods.

2. It matters because if the publisher provided the co-authors for both books, were they anticipating a best seller, and did the writing team feel the need to craft a story more compelling than things were? Note, I use the word craft, because that's what a good wordsmith does. We play with words, sequencing, and pace. We are always concerned with holding the reader's attention. But this doesn't mean, one can't do the same with the truth.

Everyone who has been to Afghanistan knows there's a lot of waiting --things can crawl and boredom is often in ample supply. However, Mortenson's books are an adventure. They have high drama, tragedy, action, and endings where things turn out well. If one considers the structure of the books: the pace, the positioning of Mortenson as the vulnerable and gullible hero in the first, and then the transformation of him as the infallible hero in the second, makes both books seem like movies. Damn. They're almost too good to be true.

3. Last month in The Writer's Chronicle, published by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, author Aleksander Hemon said,

"...there is a problem of memoiristic writing, and there are many problems with that. Not many people really deserve to tell their stories, as they don't really have much to say. Also, they're painting themselves into a corner, because how many books of addiction can you write in a lifetime?

While Mortenson's story isn't one of addiction, there is the problem of having to construct a compelling story that will make it a best seller. Three Cups of Tea wasn't the corner, rather it led to an unpainted hallway of millions, notoriety, and personal reliability. It was a first time novel that made millions. Hopefully, a second book should be bigger than the first. Stones Into School was big as well, perhaps not as big as the first, but enough to be released just before Christmas in 2009.

If anyone can remember the James Frey book scandal, we might glean clues from it. Frey and his agent submitted a novel. Somewhere along the line, there was a group decision involving the publishing PR team that the manuscript would read better as an autobiography. Memoirs are popular, they're compelling, and there are ways to package them to sell. Hence, A Million Little Pieces, was fed to the public as Frey's testament to his vomit-strewn life as an addict. It was dramatic, and had an unrelenting pace with a flawed hero you wanted to see get better. It was a best seller, and Oprah hawked it on her show. It was later exposed for being a lie.

And I can't help but wonder if everyone who believed in Mortenson's books has been taken in by the memoir fad.

All of this brings us to an awkward pause.
Yes, he built schools. Maybe not as many as he said, and obviously many have struggled or have been abandoned without oversight or more shockingly --ongoing financial support. But truthfully, without a military presence there to hold and secure the area, there is no controlling how those schools are going to be used.

These things are for certain. Mortenson has done good work. He gave many of us our first taste of the landscape of Afghanistan, which then led to the reading of subsequent books to get a broader understanding. Scores realized how important education was to the future, which led many to believe in outreach efforts like COIN, and to give generously in every conceivable way.

As someone who has donated, who has encouraged others to do so, whose daughter has helped gather money for Pennies For Peace, I'm pissed off.
But as a reader, I'm also wary. If Mortenson exaggerated, how many more books that have been popular best sellers --not only written by journalists but by soldiers, have followed the same path?
We don't know.
The verdict is still out.
And it might be for quite awhile.

Women & War Conference: A Thought. How To Use Outrage & Anger

I'm back from the Women & War Conference. Some Sunday morning thoughts about how to combine outrage and anger into a force for good.

Resources:

The Fighting Season: Bad Guys and Donkeys

There are five seasons. Spring, summer, fall, winter and the fighting season. It's this last one that we all fear the most, the season marked with fighting and death.

In a three minute conversation with The Hubs, he indicated the pace has picked up. Once the snow pack melts, the Taliban load donkeys with explosives, RPGs and other munitions to make the trek over from Pakistan into Afghanistan. This cache, born on the backs of some of God's sturdiest four-legged creatures will bring certain death and destruction to many, but mostly to innocent Afghans. While donkeys have been used for generations to move crops, supplies, cargo and even a pregnant Mary as she and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem, the bad guys now use them against troops as suicide bombers.

The snow pack melts.
We wait. The Afghans wait.
The donkeys make their trek.
The fighting season is here.

# # #

Please read Charlie Sherpa's updates. Two Red Bulls from Iowa have died in Paktiya and Laghman Provinces this week. Condolences to SPC Brent M. Maher's, and SPC Donald L. Nichols' families and friends, as well as to the entire Red Bull community. God speed to the four soldiers who were with them and injured in the two separate attacks.

UPDATED: The Weight Of The Stigma

NAMI

Yesterday, a military spouse who is also a blogger posted a big send off for herself, marking her decision to end her life. Her suicide note was a very long but important post detailing not only her own personal struggles but also those of her husband's mental illness.

Fortunately, she did not end her life. I don't know any more details that that. I don't know her, and before I read her detailed post, I had never heard of her.

However, I know from others she is active online, and apparently well-liked. But herein lies the double edged sword of online interaction. The stigma of mental illness is nothing new, nor are the problems it has created for generations. Even with all of the social networking, the military spouse & blogger still felt lonely, isolated, and unable to reveal the issues with mental health that she was dealing with every day.

For a person living with or around mental illness, diving inward, perhaps even putting one's real self aside in favor of an online persona can lead to further isolation.
Survivors' Truths

The challenge is to work with our real life communities to create face to face experiences that are supportive and help people gain a sense of well being. Some, like NAMI, have been doing this for decades and offers the chance to engage with individuals who have tread the path of mental illness (either themselves, or alongside with loved ones as caretakers). The benefits of face to face experiences is this: hearing someone who has been through exactly what you are going through, and realizing you're not nuts. Stressed, yes. Crazy, no.
The Soldiers Project

A balance of face-to-face experiences and online networking can ease the isolation, as well as the weight of the stigma of mental illness. Encouraging people to seek help, and creating outlets that lead to a sense of well being in our real-life communities is of vital importance. There is no substitute for consistent, ongoing positive face-to-face interactions in the battle to reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Check out NAMI's 12-week course for family caregivers of those with mental illness. It's free, it's in your community. You'll meet a lot of nice people. I know. I took the course to better understand a family member.

In Combat And No Paycheck

Hubs with another doc in a Vonnegut world.
Deployed overseas. Check.
Sent to a place where there are bad guys and innocents. Check, check.
Puts mission first. Check.
In danger. Check.
Puts their own politics aside for the mission. Check, check.
Gives to something bigger than themselves. Check.
Are there at the behest of our government. Check.
No sex. Check.
No booze. Check.
Receives no paycheck. Check.
Since when did our men and women in uniform sign on to be Monks and Nuns?

I know if I were to ask Senator Feinstein or Senator Boxer or even Congressman Ed Royce, I would receive a politically charged, self-serving answer. For all their grandstanding, the reason they can blithely shut things down is because they are still being paid.
I don't need blame, I don't need them to keep playing partisan politics. I don't want to read a press release from a Congresswoman saying she's donating her paycheck to a military charity.
But we are not charity! We are professionals.
I need them to keep our government working, because it is not a nameless, faceless work force. It is made of men and women like my husband, your spouse, son, daughter, brother, or sister.

Incumbents OUT next election. CHECK.

From today's paper. "Marines, families at Camp Pendleton brace for possible government shutdown."

Military families trying to make the best out of a ridiculous situation: CHECK.

Photos 2&3 from Facebook.

VFW National Defense Radio Show: Links Mentioned by Yours Truly

Panda on Skype.

I'll be on The National Defense radio show, VFW's weekly talk radio show with Jerry Newberry and Randy Miller. The podcast will be loaded here.
Open the link through iTunes. , then hit BLUE Button on the left. It will also air Sunday evening 7-8 PM on Radio America.

Here are links for things we mentioned.

1. Project Write! The North Orange County Military Support group is sending Easter, Passover & Mother's Day cards to its deployed service members in combat zones.

2. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month for the U.S. Army.

3. Women & War, a conference on women veterans sponsored by The Soldiers Project. On April 15-16 in Los Angeles at USC.

4. Free yoga through Yoga For Vets. Stress reduction for veterans and active duty service member offered through this organization started by a 3rd generation military veteran. 280 teachers and studios throughout the U.S. are offering 4 free classes for veterans. Check the listings for locations and encourage studios to get on board.

5. Clay Hunt, generous Marine who went on to organize and volunteer for subsequent humanitarian missions to earthquake torn regions has taken his life. Donate in his memory to Team Rubicon USA.

Also, wanted to touch on but ran out of time. But also very important.

6. One week free summer camp for military kids ages 7-17. Apply now. Locations throughout the U.S. Go to National Military Family Association Operation Camp Purple

7. Scholarships for vocational education and portable careers for military wives through Operation Homefront. Last day to submit application is May 1. Big scholarships, do apply.

8. Good book. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Lemmon. Details the lives of five sisters whose educations were cut short in 1996 when the Taliban came to rule. The sisters, led by the determination of a Kamila who was only a teen, managed to make a living as dressmakers while teaching other girls too. Order here.

Thoughts while on hiatus: The great challenge of health care & wellness for warriors. Plus, losing Clay.

Female Engagement Team Marine talks to young girls in Afghanistan.

Only America's 1st Sgt could pull me out of the reverie of hiatus. He sent me this WSJ article about the 1st Marine Regiment out of Camp Pendleton (currently in Helmand Afghanistan) that addresses how they combat stress in the battle field. An important article to read with a good quote from the Commander, Col. David Furness.

I think the biggest challenge right now is taking care of the needs of veterans for the next 50 years. We saw it after Vietnam. Not only services but diagnosis were lacking. I can't even begin to tell you how many veterans we saw in our small surgical practice from all the wars who fell through the cracks because they did not have regular access to, or felt lost at the VA. That's why I think everyone --private, public, non profits, for profits will have to get on board. Doesn't matter to me how you feel about politics or war, the fact is these men and women were sent there and in doing so, they deserve our full and total support.

The injuries our men and women are sustaining are of the type that prior to the advances in knowledge and technology, weren't survivable. We have an array of yet-to-be-identified services that will have to be offered and the government won't be able to do it all. I'm sure Traumatic Brain Injury existed in prior wars, but we were not able to diagnose it. The treatments for TBI and other injuries will be constantly in development and refined, and our warriors deserve to have those to lead productive lives. As for PTSD, I don't believe we can rely solely on medications as a long term therapeutic strategy. (But don't misread me --medications are often lifesaving and necessary). It'll take an openness and gentle nudging to companion therapies such as yoga, movement therapies, team and individual sports, as well as avenues of creative expression such as writing, the arts and humanities. The physical, emotional and spiritual. My keyword for the future: "Blend."

This being said, I'm asking you to please "like" the Yoga For Vets page on Facebook. It is one avenue started as a solo effort by third-generation military veteran and yogi Paul Zipes of Panama City to get yoga studios across the USA to offer 4 free classes to combat veterans. I've agreed to hop on the Board and help Paul and others grow the organization. So far, over 300 teachers and studio owners have signed up. We have just paid a small company to produce a new website. YFV acts as a portal for civilian yoga studio owners and teachers to be part of a long range and local solution to veterans in their neighborhood. Support this forward-thinking effort by asking yoga studios near you to check into and sign up with Yoga For Vets.

Former Marine Clay Hunt, helping children of Haiti. He was one of the founders of Team Rubicon. Photo from Blackfive.

To underscore the importance of my message, I'm ending this on a note of sadness, but hope. Clay Hunt, who gave his heart and soul committed suicide last week. Sometimes the giving is so much that the trail gets hard to find. May you find the peace that you found elusive on this earth. We rejoice in the good you did here on the earth, we mourn that your time here was short. Keep up the good works up in heaven. In honor of Clay, and to keep his good work going, please donate what you can to Team Rubicon USA and Ride 2 Recovery.

On Hiatus: Stepping Out Of The Online Jail

Spring is here, and there are many projects to take from start to finish. This includes visiting an uncle who has no internet connection (a God send, really), preparing for conference on Women & War at USC, a literary festival, and a publishing conference. I'm also moving my office from downstairs to up, gardening, painting and am transitioning back over to real writing (books and such). By the way, I have a manuscript on Scrivener that I need to toss over into Word. If anyone has done this and lived, let me know.

This blog will be on hiatus for at least the next two weeks. If you want coverage of the war, I recommend Charlie Sherpa's Red Bull Rising. His coverage is primarily the Red Bulls, the Iowa National Guard that deployed last fall. However, Charlie sticks to the facts, doesn't try to bend the news to his personal or political point of view, and will always give you a good read.

The other change is I will be spending far less time on Facebook during my hiatus. However, I will continue my two morning and evening status updates for North Orange County Military Support Group and also the ever-growing Yoga For Vets. (you might want to look at the gallery for April Fools). The only thing remaining constant is my tweets will remain at zero. Thank you for your readership! Keep your enthusiasm and generosity for our service members high and fluid.

Six Candles

Last night, we lit candles honoring the life & spirit
of the six solders who were lost, sending thoughts
and prayers to those who are grieving.

"The soldiers were from the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team from Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

The soldiers were identified as Ofren Arrechaga, 28, of Florida; Frank Adamski III, 26, of Connecticut; Jameson Lindskog, 23, of California; Jeremy Faulkner, 23, of Georgia; Bryan Burgess, 29, of Texas and Dustin Feldhaus, 20, of Arizona."