...with some fantastic, rare, and one-of-a-kind items end this weekend (many today).

If you can't find something for yourself, you'll probably find something for someone on your Christmas list - and 100% of the proceeds goes to help wounded troops through project Valour-IT.

Browse and bid here.

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From one of the many deployed soldiers with family at Ft Hood:

I've been deployed to Iraq for the past four months, and I've figured out how to cope with the stress that comes from being thousands of miles away from my family.

But I wasn't prepared for what happens when violence intrudes on my loved ones, who are supposed to be safe at home while I am in a combat zone. It flipped all of my attitudes toward deployment upside down. And the aftermath of the attacks at Fort Hood, allegedly committed by a fellow Muslim, also raised a different set of concerns -- not just about my family's safety, but about the perceptions of my faith.

I was working late on Thursday and decided to call my wife, at home on post in Fort Hood, Tex., to check in. She didn't answer. I tried again.

The story continues here.

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The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is pushing back a trip to Capitol Hill aimed at discussing the proposed health care overhaul with lawmakers.

Obama had planned to head to the Capitol on Friday. Now the White House schedule shows Obama planning to visit the Capitol on Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, Obama plans to visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama spent nearly two hours visiting wounded U.S. soldiers Friday afternoon.

The president met with 19 soldiers being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital, as well as the families of three soldiers in intensive care, and hospital staff. He also awarded two Purple Hearts.

The president's visit came a day after an Army psychiatrist who once trained at Walter Reed hospital allegedly killed 13 people at Fort Hood. The White House says the hospital visit was planned before the shootings.

Friday's visit was Obama's first to Walter Reed since taking office, though he visited as a presidential candidate.

Obama will attend a memorial service that will be scheduled at the convenience of the victims' families, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Gibbs added that a memorial service is keeping Obama's schedule next week in flux. The president is scheduled to leave for Asia on Wednesday but wants to attend a memorial before starting the 10-day trip. Gibbs says the White House would not rule out delaying the trip because of the service.

With families of fallen soldiers living throughout the United States, the logistics of the mission could prove complicated.

However, it appears the effort to simplify may be under way:

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft will arrive at Dover Air Force Base the night of Nov. 6 with the remains of 12 U.S. Army soldiers and one U.S. Army civilian employee killed Nov. 5 during a gunman's rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.

Upon arrival the bodies will be transported to the Air Force Mortuary Operations Center.

The families of the Fort Hood servicemen have not authorized media coverage and media access to the base will be restricted.

A forensic investigation, including a complete autopsy, will be performed by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology's Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. The autopsy results will be made available to the appropriate federal agencies active in the ongoing investigation into the shooting.

Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations is working closely with affected families to determine their wishes regarding final preparation of their loved ones remains.

Transportation to Dover is not standard protocol for military members killed in the United States.

Previously: Aftermath

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From a story on one of the soldiers wounded at Ft Hood: "Lunsford is in stable condition at the hospital in Temple, Tex., where hundreds waited in line to give blood for the wounded."

Staff Sgt. Joy Clark, 27, was standing in line when shots rang out, says her father, Jerry Nelson of Des Moines.

"She heard some noise and the soldier in front of her went down," he says. She tore off her jacket and knelt to apply it to his wound.

"That's when she got shot," Nelson says. The bullet tore through her left forearm and broke two bones. A soldier for seven years who was a medic before becoming an occupational therapist, his daughter reacted instinctively, Nelson says.

She was about to deploy to Afghanistan. Clark's husband, Josh Clark, drove all night to Temple, Texas, where his wife is hospitalized, Nelson says. He and his wife, Danise, are flying to Texas today.

"I'm glad that she's alive ... and very disappointed for those who lost their lives," Nelson says.

Cpl. Nathan Hewitt was hit by two bullets as he led other soldiers out of the Fort Hood building during the rampage, says his uncle Rex Deaton, who spoke with him two hours after the shooting.

Deaton told USA TODAY that Hewitt described one bullet grazing his hip and another hitting his calf.

In an interview with CBS' "The Early Show", Lt. Gen. Robert Cone said soldiers caught in the hail of bullets at an on-base medical facility were "really remarkable in terms of their reaction."

Witnesses told Cone that the suspected gunman, military psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, walked into the Soldier Readiness Center and opened fire in a "very calm, measured approach." Thirteen people - 12 of them military personnel - were killed and at least 30 were injured.

One soldier, who was wounded four times, told Cone that when he was on the ground, he "made the mistake of moving," and was shot again.

But the carnage could have been worse if not for soldiers' reactions.

"As the shooter would change directions, the soldiers would scramble on the ground and try to help each other to carry each other outside the building," Cone told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith.
<...>
After realizing some of the soldiers were escaping, Cone said the gunman followed them outside where he continued to fire at them. He was eventually brought down by civilian police officer Kimberly Munley, who was the first responder on the scene. She shot the suspect four times while sustaining a gunshot wound herself, though she was in stable condition.

The toll may still rise:

W. Roy Smythe, head of surgery at Scott & White, said six of the wounded at the hospital remain in intensive care, while four have been moved to regular rooms. Smythe said the patients were shot in various parts of the body, and several had multiple gunshot wounds. Of the six still in intensive care, he said, two require additional surgery.

Although all the patients are stable at the moment, Smythe said, it was possible that the death toll could mount.

"I don't think there is an excellent chance that everyone will recover," he said. Several of the patients are "not at all out of the woods."

Names have not been officially released, but around the country family members have been notified. And the story isn't just about Ft Hood, it's about a cross-section of Americans - men, women, old, young - united by service to the country in which they fell. The youngest was 19, the oldest, 62. Many were health care professionals. One, 51-year old Russell Seager, was described by his uncle as a man who "joined the Army a few years back because he was a psychiatrist who wanted to help returning veterans adapt back to civilian life."

Their stories follow.

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A "socially awkward, quiet type":

Hasan was born in Arlington to Palestinian immigrants from near Jerusalem who later settled in Vinton.

Neighbors on Vinton's Ramada Road remembered him as a "studious" boy who went by "Michael."

While his brother Eyad -- "Eddie" -- would play football with Zachary Garlick, 21, who lived across the street, Michael didn't come out to play much.

"Michael was more school and less play," said Zachary Garlick. "He'd get home and he'd have his book bag, and he'd go straight inside."

That quiet demeanor and apparent social awkwardness would follow Hasan into adulthood.

Hasan's family settled in an apartment on Lancelot Lane off Cove Road in Northwest Roanoke, the 1987 Roanoke City Directory shows.

Hasan's father, Malik Awadallah Hasan, immigrated from Palestine to Virginia in 1962, when he was 16, stories in the Times' archives show. He moved to Roanoke in 1985, with his wife, Hanan Ismail "Nora" Hasan, following in 1986. Neighbors on Ramada Road said they moved to the Vinton neighborhood in the early 1990s.

The Hasans ran the infamous Capitol Restaurant on the Roanoke City Market from 1987 to 1995. It was a dive beer hall and diner with a bad reputation and a lot of down-and-out regulars. The Hasans closed the Capitol to open the short-lived, Mediterranean-themed Mount Olive on Jefferson Street.

Other details of his later years are emerging.

Great comment here: "To me, this is just a guy that, for whatever reason, decided to cut ranks and join the other side." I agree.

And this appears to be the now-frequently mentioned message board comment - allegedly from the Major - that supposedly brought him to the attention of authorities:

There was a grenade thrown amongs a group of American soldiers. One of the soldiers, feeling that it was to late for everyone to flee jumped on the grave with the intention of saving his comrades. Indeed he saved them. He inentionally took his life (suicide) for a noble cause i.e. saving the lives of his soldier. To say that this soldier committed suicide is inappropriate. Its more appropriate to say he is a brave hero that sacrificed his life for a more noble cause. Scholars have paralled this to suicide bombers whose intention, by sacrificing their lives, is to help save Muslims by killing enemy soldiers. If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard that would be considered a strategic victory. Their intention is not to die because of some despair. The same can be said for the Kamikazees in Japan. They died (via crashing their planes into ships) to kill the enemies for the homeland. You can call them crazy i you want but their act was not one of suicide that is despised by Islam. So the scholars main point is that "IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOUR INTENTION IS THE MAIN ISSUE" and Allah (SWT) knows best.

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Hotline for relatives of Fort Hood personnel: (254) 288-7570 or (866) 836-2751 for information about loved ones.

If you live in the Ft Hood area, blood donors are needed.

Blood donations are being accepted at Scott & White Blood Center until 6 p.m. today and all blood types are needed at this time. No appointment is necessary. Currently the wait is approximately 30-45 minutes.

Remember to bring a photo ID when donating and please make sure you have eaten a good meal prior to donation.

The hospital reports "10 people were transported to Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple yesterday after a shooting incident at the base."

According to local news "victims were being transported to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center where they were triaged and sent on to other hospitals. Victims were flown to Scott & White Hospital in Temple and to Seton Hospital in Round Rock. Other victims were also taken to Metroplex Hospital in Killeen."

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"I hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow was around, and so I want to give a shout-out to that Congressional Medal of Honor winner. It's good to see you." - President Obama, in remarks that preceded his statement on Ft Hood.

But for the record, while Joe Medicine Crow sounds like an incredible and accomplished person whose service during WWII is awe-inspiring, he has not received America's highest military medal:

Joseph Medicine Crow (or Joe Medicine Crow, full name Joseph Medicine Crow-High Bird, born October 27, 1913) is a Crow historian and author. He is also an enrolled member of the Crow Nation of Native Americans. His writings on Native American history and reservation culture are considered seminal works, but he is best known for his writings and lectures concerning the Battle of Little Big Horn. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Bronze Star Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal and the Légion d'honneur.

President Obama did present him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in August of this year.

More on this incredible man here.

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Yes, there's an ongoing global war - troops are wounded every day. What can you do?

Consider donating to the Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT fundraiser, running through November 11 (Veterans Day). We're raising money for technology that reconnects wounded warriors and supports their recovery.

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops and other technology for severely wounded service members, aiding in their recovery and reconnecting them to the world. As of October 2009, Valour-IT has distributed over 4100 laptops to severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines across the country, and is now expanding its mission to include other technology that supports physical and psychological recovery.

Donate here.

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Readiness:

The hero cop who ended the bloody rampage at Fort Hood had been directing traffic moments before she confronted the gunman and pumped four bullets into him despite being shot herself.

Civilian police Sgt. Kimberly Munley and her partner responded within three minutes of reported gunfire Thursday afternoon, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said Friday.

Colonel Steven Braverman, commander of the base hospital and Major Hasan's supervisor, said that Sergeant Munley was in a stable condition in a nearby community hospital.

Her Twitter biography reads: "I live a good life ... a hard one, but I go to sleep peacefully @ night knowing that I may have made a difference in someone's life."

More - a slightly different version of the story:

The police officer who brought down a gunman after he went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army base here was on the way to have her car repaired when she responded to a police radio report of gunfire at a center where soldiers are processed before being sent overseas, the authorities said Friday.

An incredible story - read the whole thing.

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Watching the television talking heads going on about Ft Hood this morning, they're trying to figure out what might motivate a murderous Islamic extremist to kill American soldiers (without jumping to conclusions). One thing is clear: because the Ft Hood killer had never deployed, a new mental affliction will have to be defined. I propose calling it "Pre-TSD".

In other news:

The news of the mass shooting at Fort Hood Thursday hit close to home for some Utahns. One man says his daughter heard the shooter exclaim "Allah Akbar" as he opened fire.

We want to stress that no government or military officials are reporting that and there is no way for us to independently confirm that it is true.
<...>
"A person behind counter stood up, and he said, 'Allah Akbar!' And just opened up on everybody," the father told us.

Again, that's what the man tells us his daughter said, but no one else is saying that and we cannot confirm whether it's true. He, himself a military veteran, says at first his daughter thought it was some sort of drill but quickly discovered it wasn't.

"It was within a second or two she realized it was real because the person right next to her was shot and killed instantly," he said.

Earliest report:

"I was here for a 2 p.m. graduation,"Retired Army Col. Greg Schannep said. "A I drove up, I heard some shots. A soldier came running past me and said 'sir there is someone shooting.'

"As he ran past me I saw blood on his back. I don't think he even knew he had been shot. He has since been treated and should be OK," he said.

"I can tell you there are casualties," Schannep said.

"I heard three or four volleys of shots with eight to 12 shots in each volley. Initially, I thought it was a training exercise," he said.

Just as the tragedy was unfolding at Fort Hood, officials from a veterans group based in Austin were meeting in Washington with the staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee to plead for more mental health counselors for U.S. soldiers coming home from war.

"We warned the military about this. We warned the military about the need to increase the number of mental health care providers. We warned the military about lowering recruiting standards, about the medical exams for soldiers coming back from the war and needing mental health care and brain injury exams."

Later they would learn the killer was a mental health care provider - one who had never deployed. Other than that, we'll acknowledge that lowered recruiting standards could have been a factor, but there's an obvious lesson about jumping to conclusions without facts here.

What name did this veterans group chose for itself? "Veterans for Common Sense".

But as ridiculous as that seems in hindsight, this defense of the Ft Hood killer (part of a longer piece explaining that the soldiers got what they deserved) might be the most ignorant bit of typing I've ever seen:

"There are also reports that he had recently been the victim of a hate crime: His car was vandalized, with the word "Allah" scratched into the paint, and he was reportedly extremely upset by it."

But it's early; plenty of people will have the chance to top it, and many are trying their very best.

It shouldn't have to be emphasized that not every Muslim is a murderous fundamentalist, or that not all mass murderers are Muslims, but common sense ain't so common anymore - as the very old saying goes.

Sure, the Major was a Muslim. Sure, the Major was "anti-war" (at least at the time of the shootings). Sure, he was a psychiatric medical professional. Sure, he set his sites upon and fired his weapons into the bodies of United States military troops. And this all leads up to... what again? Nothing more than what has been previously stated. He was a crazed lunatic of a military psychiatrist who was an anti-war religious guy. That's it -- unless and until we learn there is more to the story. Until anything more is confirmed, let's try to refrain from becoming bigotted racists, shall we?

I agree that his actions reflect on him, and no more on other Muslims than on other soldiers.

More: Know your mass murderer: Nidal Malik Hasan

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According to ABC, President Obama will make his first visit to Walter Reed as Commander in Chief tomorrow:

White House officials tell ABC News that President Obama will visit with wounded soldiers tomorrow at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The trip was scheduled before the incident today at Fort Hood, officials said. President Obama visited wounded troops at Walter Reed as president-elect in January and has visited wounded troops at Bethesda Naval Hospital as senator. Last week the president made a secret late-night journey to Dover Air Force Base to participate in the dignified transfer of troops and DEA agents killed in Afghanistan. He is in the midst of making up his mind about a new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which administration sources say will likely include sending more troops.

Barack Obama stopped by Walter Reed Army Medical Center Saturday to visit wounded war veterans, a group that he has said endures substandard care under the Bush administration.

The presumed Democratic nominee, who was in Washington to speak to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, slipped into the facility shortly after 9 a.m. without stopping to speak to the small group of reporters who follow him. The visit wasn't on his public schedule.

A day after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, Obama began Monday with an unscheduled stop at Walter Reed, where he is meeting with those wounded during their military service.

Monday is the federal holiday commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and Obama is leading a day of community service Monday, asking the nation to honor King's legacy by making a renewed commitment to service.

One military official who was working on the Obama visit said because political candidates are prohibited from using military installations as campaign backdrops, Obama's representatives were told, "he could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers." In addition, "Obama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record Obama's visit."

The official said "We didn't know why" the request to visit the wounded troops was withdrawn. "He (Obama) was more than welcome. We were all ready for him."

"The last thing that I want to do is have injured soldiers and the staff at these wonderful institutions having to sort through weather this is political or not or getting caught in the crossfire of the campaigns," Mr. Obama said then. "So rather than go forward and get potentially caught up in what might have been seen as a political controversy of some sort, what we decided was that we would not make a visit and instead I would call some of the troops."

The president's visit to Landstuhl in June 2009 was much more low-key, with no reporters present. Here's the White House announcement issued a week prior to alert the media the visit:

The President will visit wounded warriors and their families at Landstuhl Regional Medical Facility in Germany on June 5, 2009. Landstuhl supports our service men and women stationed in Europe, and serves a leading and vital role in the care and recovery of personnel medically evacuated from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other forward-deployed posts within the U.S. European Command, Central Command and Africa Command areas of responsibility.

President Obama took time during his remarks at the Closing of the Tribal Nations Conference yesterday to note the events at Ft Hood. The president was criticized last summer after failing to issue any statement in the wake of the shooting of two soldiers in Arkansas by an Islamic fundamentalist.

According to the New York Times, the event ABC refers to as the president's "secret late-night journey to Dover Air Force Base" last month was "intended by the White House to convey to the nation that Mr. Obama was not making his Afghanistan decision lightly or in haste."

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This defense of the Ft Hood killer (part of a longer piece explaining that the soldiers got what they deserved) might be the most ignorant bit of typing I've ever seen:

"There are also reports that he had recently been the victim of a hate crime: His car was vandalized, with the word "Allah" scratched into the paint, and he was reportedly extremely upset by it."

But it's early; plenty of people will have the chance to top it, and many are trying their very best.

Footnote: The definition of a "hate crime" was expanded to include crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity last month. The measure was passed as part of the 2010 defense spending bill. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said the approach put "radical social policy" on the "back of our soldiers."

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Note: we've reached a point in this story where old news is being reported as new (including on evening news broadcasts); scroll through this post and you'll see info in order reported, with latest confirmed reports below older information.

Six November update: In stories like this one, erroneous news reports are the norm. In the military we call it the fog of war. First reports are always wrong - and reporters eager to get a scoop are generally willing to pass on anything as news, the more sensational the better. As an example, in the earliest reports of this event CNN presented a live phone call with someone claiming to be in the hospital on Ft Hood. The first thing this individual related to CNN was that they didn't know anything about what was happening except for what they had seen on TV - then the interview continued.

Here's what happened yesterday: the global war on terror continued, with a battle on American soil. That's twice this year. Here's what matters at this point:

Hotline for relatives of Fort Hood personnel: (254) 288-7570 or (866) 836-2751 for information about loved ones.

As of a 7:30 CST press conference, officials at Ft Hood were unable to confirm if all next-of-kin notifications had been completed.

Video from Ft Hood:

Latest -

8:15 CST: Single gunman, in custody, hospitalized, not dead. Death toll is 12 or 13 (for now).

First report - 2:28 CST - Developing story:

At least seven people are dead and 12 wounded in a shooting at Fort Hood in Texas, the base's public affairs office told NBC News on Thursday.
<...>
One gunman was reportedly in custody and another was on the loose, NBC News said.

There are unconfirmed reports that one of the shooters is surrounded by police in the 42006 building on Fort Hood. That source tells KCEN the shooter has a high-powered rifle and is aiming to kill.

Early reports are often wrong... but that would be the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic. However, other reports say the Commissary.

CNN reporter Barbara Starr at the Pentagon says "US military officials" have not confirmed multiple shooters. CNN is also running the "soldiers are psychos, and there are more of them on Ft Hood than anywhere" storyline.

Local news from the area:

Two and possibly three gunmen were involved and only one is confirmed to be in custody.

A military statement confirmed seven dead and 20 injured.

There are also confirmed reports that a police officer was shot in a post exchange, but other details weren't available.

CNN reported that the president was advised of the shootings at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday.

Live local news broadcast here. Reports Killeen City police say three shooters, one captured, one "holed up" in a building, one location unknown.

Local report:

So far there are 7 people reported dead, and 20 wounded.

There are also reports of two different crime scenes: the SPC and Howve Theater on Battalion Ave.

One person is in custody.

Police surrounded the 42006 building, said to be used for traumatic brain injuries, on Fort Hood and fired shots at a male suspect in an Army uniform with a Major rank. The suspect was injured, but has now run in to another building.

Reports say the shooter had a high-powered rifle and was aiming to kill.

Killeen ISD says all Fort Hood schools are on lockdown.

Two suspects now reported caught.

Temple (Texas) Daily News:

FORT HOOD -- Rescue crews have been dispatched to Fort Hood for what is being described as a mass casualty event. Fort Hood officials are meeting media representatives to escort them onto post.
The base is closed amid reports that several people have been shot and killed at the post, The Associated Press is reporting.
At 2 p.m. it was reported that Soldier's Dome was not safe as a staging area for emergency responders who were enroute.
" I was here for a 2 p.m. graduation,"Retired Army Col. Greg Schannep said. "A I drove up, I heard some shots. A soldier came running past me and said 'sir there is someone shooting.'
"As he ran past me I saw blood on his back. I don't think he even knew he had been shot. He has since been treated and should be OK," he said.
"I can tell you there are casualties," Schannep said.
"I heard three or four volleys of shots with eight to 12 shots in each volley. Initially, I thought it was a training exercise," he said.
John Fisher, Bell County commission for the precinct that includes Killeen, said the shooters were wearing military clothing, but was not sure if they were military.

The paper's web site is now just a text version of that story - the site for the Killeen Daily Herald appears to be inaccessible this afternoon.

Report: As many as nine people are dead and as many as 30 more are injured after two or more gunmen in military uniforms opened fire Thursday afternoon in a deployment processing center at Fort Hood. Schools on and around the post are locked down and hospitals report receiving mass casualties.

News conference, 3:50 CST, Lieutenant General Robert Cone, recently assigned Commanding General: "One shooter killed - he was a soldier. Two other soldiers apprehended, they are suspects. (Eyewitnesses indicate more than one shooter, all soldiers.) Twelve dead, 31 wounded. All casualties took place in initial incident at 13:30 CST. 'Primary shooter' had two hand guns."

4:12 CST: ABC News: Shooter: Major Malik Nadal Hasan. ABC does not name a source for this information.

04:31 CST: Independent sources confirm a soldier by that name is stationed at Hood.

He was a Psychiatrist.

04:53 CST:

A law enforcement official says a shooting suspect at Fort Hood has been identified as Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan.

The official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The official says investigators are trying to determine if Hasan was his birth name, or if he changed his name and converted to the Islamic faith at some point in his life.

8:15 CST: Hasan Single gunman, in custody, hospitalized, not dead. Death toll is 12 or 13 (for now). Other two suspects reportedly questioned and released.

Repeat: early reports are often wrong. What is certain is several good people are dead, a lot of families are grieving, and many more are wondering - and very uneasy right now, to say the least.

Hotline for relatives of Fort Hood personnel: (254) 288-7570 or (866) 836-2751 for information about loved ones.

Statements:

Secretary Gates: "I am deeply saddened by the tragic events today at Fort Hood. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen, the wounded, and all those touched by this incident. There is little we can say at this point to alleviate the pain or answer the many questions this event raises, but I can pledge that the Department of Defense will do everything in its power to help the Fort Hood community get through these difficult times."

Army Secretary John M. McHugh: "This is a terrible tragedy that we will know more about in the coming days. For now our focus is squarely on taking care of our soldiers and their families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have been killed and wounded. The leadership at Fort Hood is marshaling the medical support and counselors necessary to take care of our soldiers and their families and to notify the next of kin."

President Obama:

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Via Soldiers Angels :

Seems it is all the rage to have an armed force Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT thermometer widget on a blog or website right now! It is not too late to join in, the fundraiser does not end until November 11th.

1.There are a variety of items up for Valour-IT auction. Go bid on one of them!

2. Go your blog or website to join one of the 4 teams and get your own thermometer widget.

3. Make a donation - no matter how small. Remember 100% of proceeds go directly to purchase & delivery of technology to our wounded heroes.

4. Tell everyone you know about Project Valour-IT! Create a viral email or put on you Facebook wall.

5. Buy a fabulous gift for yourself or for someone for the holidays from one of the businesses supporting Valour-IT. Or register for the opportunity to win a beautiful Christmas quilt.

Though either Army, Air Force, Navy/Coast Guard, or Marines will be declared the winner of the competition and will gain bragging rights until next year, our wounded heroes are the winners! Go Project Valour-IT!

Team Air Force has been very busy bringing attention to Valour-IT.

Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq, says this technology is used for both troops and Iraqi patients in Balad as they recover use of their bodies after injuries.

Team member, Day by Day artist, Chris Muir has a One-of-a-kind, signed original piece of artwork up for auction you don't want to miss.

The Watch Cat has created an awesome video for Team Air Force to enter in the video contest.

The songs on this page were written and recorded by James Hooker, 7 Star Commanding General USAF, SDTTSSSC (Super Duper Tippy Top Secret Strategic Songwriters Command) ALL of the songs you find there during this fundraiser are free downloads until 12 November, 2009. The album is slated for release early December. Then no freebies.

Not Your Average Brooklynette reminds us of a very important holiday that many don't recognize or have forgotten

One Happy Dog shows us Items you can buy as Christmas Gifts.

Misfit in New Jersey smacks the Army Team ;)

Baldilocks points out to the knuckle-dragging Army team, the Air Force can raise plenty of money for the heroes without getting our hands dirty, isn't a bug--it's a feature!

A Conservative Lesbian tells us some things about the 14th Air Force you may not know.

Snark Patrol swears she's not dead and tells you how to builds massive amounts of karma points!

Dangling Invective says it's payback time!

Ironic Surrealism v3.0 posts in honor of his father's service

And Reporting for Doddie is donating 10% of the price of her book to Valour-IT



Thank you all for all your efforts.

Now you all out there can thank our wounded the best possible way, by helping in their healing process. Donate today!.

Go Team Air Force!!!!

Speaking of which, it's not too late to join Team Air Force, either - click here.

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Speaking of weather, here's a simple idea for a web page I just saw on CNN - click here and you'll arrive at Obama-weather.com, where the President of the United States will tell you how to dress today.

I entered Kabul in the input window, but couldn't get a prediction on Afghanistan from Obama.

The site has some other interesting features, though. (Warning: link may be NSFW - depending on where you work.)

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Jim Wilkinson didn't like the secrecy. "I'm taking a beating out there," he said, pointing toward the press center. "They're filing stories that we've lost the war."

"Good," I said. "We couldn't ask for a better deception."

"Damn, general," Jim said. "We should tell them something."

A story of the early days of the war in Iraq, originally posted in March, 2009, that includes a rare look at Air Force troops on the front lines...

Anyone who has been to Iraq for any significant amount of time has pictures like this one:

The sun near its zenith, obscured by dust. That's one of mine, one of several. As is this one:

If you spend any time reading milblogs at all you've seen it before. No one can resist posting pictures of their first dust storm, they are mind boggling, and the photos hardly do them justice.

Such photos were less familiar in 2003. But we knew they were coming:

A powerful storm is likely to pummel military forces in and around Iraq with blinding sand and choking dust starting on Monday night, meteorologists predict.

The dust storm would probably be nearly twice as strong as the one that grounded helicopters and limited troop movements in Kuwait on Wednesday, the forecasters said.

General Tommy Franks:

Just as I was checking the latest message traffic before turning in, Gene Renuart was called away from the war room. He returned a few minutes later. "General, we're getting an update on the weather."

It was the most ominous weather forecast I had ever sat through. A strong cold front would cut across the region like a giant scythe, bringing gales from the west-southwest, thunderstorms and blowing dust -- a classic shamal sandstorm.

The young officer reporting on the video link from combined air operations command in Saudi Arabia added: "We'll see the wind increase around 1800 local tomorrow, sir. It will be peaking out with 50-knot gusts by late tomorrow night. The dust load will be major. Our models call for zero-zero conditions."

Zero visibility. Zero ceiling.

"And how long will this storm last?" "Current models call for 72 hours of marginal conditions, sir."

Down the table someone muttered, "The mother of all sandstorms." Nobody laughed.

Still, some apparently didn't get the memo.

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"Owens, by contrast, is big and rugged-looking. He's an Air Force veteran and he has that military solidity, calm and self-possession."

Update - campaign video:

Worth remembering - the election was needed because former Representative John McHugh (a Republican) accepted President Obama's nomination as Secretary of the Army.

He took up that post this week. Although this Army press release is titled Gates, Casey welcome new Army Secretary, rumor has it he showed up at the Secretary of the Air Force's office because someone sent him over to ask for 100 yards of flight line.

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It's not too late to enter the video contest - the deadline has been extended to November 6.

Instructions are in this video:

More on the contest here.

And even though we've got an entry... or two

...we'd be glad to post yours here. I'm sure other Team Air Force members would, too.

Speaking of which, it's not too late to join Team Air Force, either - click here.

And there's great stuff available in the auctions.

Or simply donate to VALOUR-IT here.

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Al Jazeera:

Hamid Karzai listened to a mixture of congratulations and straight talking down the telephone from President Obama on Monday just hours after Mr. Karzai was declared the winner of the Afghan elections by default.
<...>
President Obama made clear what the United States expects.

"I emphasized that this has to be a point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter based on improved governance, a much more serious effort to eradicate corruption, joint efforts to accelerate the training of Afghan security forces so that the Afghan people can provide for their own security," he said.

In addition, some American officials and their European counterparts would like at least a few arrests of what one administration official called "the more blatantly corrupt" people in the Afghan government.

Administration officials declined to provide the names of people they wanted to see arrested and acknowledged that such arrests were a long shot.
<...>
"A couple of high-profile heads on a platter would be nice," said one European diplomat involved in Afghanistan. The diplomat, like other officials, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the matter.

But neither report offers word on whether background noise could have impacted the discussion: "In the capital, a sense of relief was instant and palpable. Kabul residents honked horns and exchanged celebratory text messages as the news spread." News of Karzai's victory, that is.

But that response was not universal: "There is no point in voting,'' one Afghan told reporter David Wood prior to Abdullah's withdrawal. "Karzai will win anyway. You know that. He is your man.''

And that perception could be even more injurious to success in Afghanistan than any claims of corruption, real or imagined. But in post-election Afghanistan we'll deal with all of the above, and in Wood's grim assessment, "The script couldn't have been improved if Taliban chieftain Mullah Omar had put himself to the task."

And there lies the irony - not only is Karzai not Obama's man, the conversation between the two was one of the few they've ever held.

As the New York Times reports, "In the early days of Mr. Obama's presidency, he and his aides searched desperately for a plausible alternative to Mr. Karzai." And even al Jazeera will acknowledge that the President of Afghanistan's access to the White House is via the kitchen door:

When Karzai was finally invited to Washington in May he was forced to share the spotlight with Pakistan's president and was not granted a bi-lateral meeting with Obama - a courtesy normally extended to world leaders deemed to be significant.

Just over one year ago, then-candidate Obama had explained to Americans that "we're also going to have to work with the Karzai government," and "we have to press the Afghan government to make certain that they are actually working for their people." But from the beginning their relations as presidents of nations allied in war would turn out to be distant, at best.

Afghanistani President Hamid Karzai admitted on Friday that he had not spoken to Barack Obama since the new US president assumed office last month and conceded that he had become increasingly isolated as American support drained away.

And until recently, Karzai was even further down the list of acceptable people to talk to than General Stan McChrystal.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad:

"...I believe that there was a mistake in terms of dealing with Karzai. Clear indications were given as least as Karzai saw it that the administration, some key members of the administration, did not like him and wanted to get rid of him and was encouraging others to run against him. And the meetings with him were quite contentious."

"At the same time the administration did not have a realistic plan about how to get another leader elected by the Afghan people. And so that in turn has been a factor in getting Karzai to hedge against the U.S. being administratively against him by assuring his prospects by making deals with others."

Some of those others could now find their names on that list of desired high-profile heads on a platter.

For his part, in his first speech following his victory Karzai pledged to address corruption in his country:

"Afghanistan has been tarnished by administrative corruption, and I will launch a campaign to clean the government of corruption," he said.

Asked if that might involve changing important ministers and officials, he said: "These problems cannot be solved by changing high-ranking officials. We'll review the laws and see what problems are in the law, and we will draft some new laws."

David Wood:

If there is a silver lining here, it is the opening created for the Obama administration to shift its focus from creating a strong central government to simply ignoring the capital and focusing on building good governance in Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

However, he adds, "Provincial governors are not elected... they are appointed by the president." (Of Afghanistan, to be clear.)

That emphasis on the provincial is the last-minute Plan B we've mentioned here before...

...Obama had requested data on provincial governments. Presumably that's already been done in-country as part of prioritizing where any number of troops could most effectively be deployed, but the Post reports the request for detail "reflects the administration's turn toward Afghanistan's provincial governors, tribal leaders and local militias as potentially more effective partners in the effort than a historically weak central government that is confronting questions of legitimacy after the flawed Aug. 20 presidential election"

...but once again, some powerful figures in provincial politics may be on the platter list, and the U.S. and its allies have little time to spare now in a hunt for those without pure heart.

But don't worry - the White House indeed has a plan to "boost popular support for President Hamid Karzai and erase the doubts about his legitimacy raised by his fraud-marred re-election." That according to "a U.S. government document that outlines part of the proposed Compact and was obtained by McClatchy."

The document outlines proposals for ceding greater power to authorities who run Afghanistan's 34 provinces and nearly 400 districts, including providing them with more development funds and the ability to direct them to projects that they think are most needed.
<...>
The success of the so-called "Afghanistan Compact" will hinge on Karzai's willingness to take bold actions such as cracking down on official corruption, replacing ineffective ministers and surrendering some power to local authorities, which in the past he's resisted or failed to undertake.

Certainly every American will appreciate Obama's concern with a corrupt, uncontrolled federal government wielding excessive power.

"The Obama administration has been developing the Compact for months in coordination with U.S. allies and Karzai's government." McClatchy reports, "It's tried to keep the effort quiet so it could be presented as an Afghan initiative, according to several U.S. and European officials and the U.S. government document. "Afghans must lead," the document says." Obviously - otherwise, the people might believe their government is only following the dictates of the West.

Step one in a plan to make it look like their idea might be not leaking that it isn't - but leaks are certainly nothing new in this ongoing drama. And if the we've been working on this plan for months claim also sounds familiar, it might be because Vice President Joe Biden used the same line back in July in defense of plan A: "I think the right approach is the one we have chosen, the Obama/Biden administration," he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos by way of saying "give it time."

"We did a thorough review of what our objectives and policies were and should be in Afghanistan. We set in motion a policy which is now only beginning to unfold. All the troops we agreed to increase are not even all in place at this point."

"We spent five months, with the entire national security team - the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Adviser - down in that tank, down in that situation room, laboriously banging out the plan"

In Kabul the celebrations have ended for now, and the people have returned to wondering where the next car bomb might hit.

And five British soldiers were killed "by a suspected Taliban infiltrator who turned his gun on the servicemen at a checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand, dubbed the 'Wild West', on Tuesday."

Meanwhile, back in the United States, the staffer who "leaked" information on ethics investigations of "30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling" has reportedly been fired. Alert action by the ethics committee chair ensured lawmakers weren't caught off guard by the revelations. "Shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, the committee chairman, Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), interrupted a series of House votes to alert lawmakers about the breach."

Previously: Friends

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Awesome song, great video.


This, on the other hand...

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Among the many great items in the VALOUR-IT auctions (check 'em out if you haven't lately - by far the most impressive collection I've seen to date) you'll find several Nolan Ryan-autographed items, donated for the cause of helping our wounded troops.

Read the story of how that came to be here.

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The Washington Post: Afghan election commission declares Karzai winner. "In the capital, a sense of relief was instant and palpable. Kabul residents honked horns and exchanged celebratory text messages as the news spread."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown "welcomed the cancellation of the second round run-off in the disputed Afghan poll and congratulated President Hamid Karzai on his re-election, Downing Street said." And Brown hailed opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah's decision to pull out of the presidential election run-off, saying he had acted "in the interests of national unity".

In the United States, Senator Joe Lieberman urged the White House to move on: "I think it's time for us to stop beating up on President Karzai and start building up President Karzai and his government to be the government we need because they're not the enemy. The enemy is the Taliban. Our troops need reinforcements. General McChrystal has said that. We lost more American soldiers in the last month than in any month previously in the year. It's-- it's time to send help."

That point about the enemy being one that may have become somewhat muddled in the administration's zeal to prioritize restructuring the Afghan government - even as the country descended ever deeper into the chaos of war.

In simplest terms, this was the plan:

Karzai wins election, Abdullah concedes, Karzai magnanimously gives his main rival a key position in the Afghan government - no runoff required. To sweeten the deal the Obama administration had tied the future of the American military presence in Afghanistan to the outcome - the culmination of months of calculated planning and often contentious (and always uncertain) diplomatic effort.

But negotiations in Afghanistan do not follow rules established in the West, and both candidates remained obstinate. Karzai, by virtue of his mandate (even after fraudulent votes for both men were discarded Abdullah was a distant runner-up) wanted Abdullah's concession prior to offering him a position in the government; Abdullah preferred that his participation result from Karzai coming to him - and felt he had the support of the American White House to bolster his position. Behind the scenes, representatives of foreign powers, heavily invested in the country's future, tried desperately to broker a deal between the two while hoping to avoid the appearance of meddling in Afghan affairs.

But Karzai knew the "power sharing" option (and a concurrent "constitutional rewrite" suggestion) was just step one towards the Obama administration's goal of diminishing the authority of the elected President of Afghanistan - at least as long as Hamid Karzai held the office. Ultimately he called the (thus-far) final bluff, declaring that in accordance with the Afghan constitution a runoff election would be held - a contest in which Abdullah was widely expected to finish a distant second once again, emerging with his position of strength for negotiations even further diminished.

Expressing their displeasure with Karzai's adherence to his nation's laws was clearly a losing proposition for the Obama administration. But even though a heavy price of blood and treasure would be paid for a second round with a foregone conclusion, the Obama White House quickly (but somewhat cautiously) took up a position in front of the story, embracing the development but crediting an administration 'outsider' (Senator John Kerry) with the accomplishment - and seizing the opportunity to describe Karzai as man forced to bow to their will. Given that Karzai was the only player to potentially benefit from the runoff, that story should have been a hard-sell - but when it comes to messaging the Obama administration has dependable allies.

The New York Times:

By the looks of it, the ceremony that unfolded last week inside the Presidential Palace here was marking a joyous, even triumphant, occasion...

And that, ultimately, was the underlying message in the ceremony announcing Mr. Karzai's concession last week: Mr. Karzai may have agreed to follow the law -- he may have agreed to act in a democratic way -- but he did so only after representatives of the United States, the United Nations and the largest European countries all but pushed him onto the dais to do it.

"For its part," the Washington Post would explain, "the administration says it is more than happy to have Kerry aboard, especially to the extent that he hews to White House policy." Within days, however, Abdullah withdrew - and the White House found itself in desperate need of damage control.

Once again, friends in need - and some are more dependable than others. During David Axelrod's appearance on CBS TV's Face the Nation, long-time media pro Bob Schieffer would carefully read the administration's previous position in the form of a question, and Obama's senior adviser would quickly explain how badly the media had misinterpreted the situation mere days before:

BOB SCHIEFFER: And good morning again. Joining us from Chicago this morning, the White House Senior Advisor, David Axelrod.

Mister Axelrod, the President insisted that the Afghan people have a run-off election. He convinced the Afghan President Karzai to do that after charges that the general election was a fraud. He agreed but he refused to replace the officials who were in-charge of the last one and now the other candidate Abdullah Abdullah has quit. I guess I would ask you first, is this going to have any impact on the timing of the President's decision on when to send those troops to Afghanistan?

DAVID AXELROD (White House Senior Advisor): Well, let me correct one thing that you said, Bob, what the President said was he wanted there to be a-- an election that proceeded in the constitutional way. It-- it did, in fact. Many ballots were thrown out, a run-off was called. Now Mister Abdullah has exercised his rights as a candidate to withdraw. He's made a political decision to withdraw from this contest and-- and that does not markedly change the situation.

Both versions are fiction, of course, but Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia after all.

And following that exchange, the conversation shifted rapidly to Emmanuel Goldstein Rush Limbaugh.

Next: Plan B

Previously:

The Plan Unveiled

Hanky panky

Smokescreen

The wicked game

Round two

Abdullah Abduallah pulls out - should we?

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While Team Army and Team Marine are comfortably ahead in the competition, it's been brought to our attention that contributions in the name of those services could be even higher if potential donors understood some of the complex terminology involved in the process. Since all donations go into the same pot - and will help wounded troops regardless of branch - Team Air Force is more than happy to once again set aside rivalry and assist our more tech-challenged brethren to reach higher heights.

So we've prepared this instructional video, to save wear and tear on computers and to help those who might be confused.

Note: use your mouse to position your cursor over the full screen logo (the small square box at the bottom center of the video player above) and left click for a larger, more viewable presentation.

Check out our totals below, and "hit the Donate button" for Team Air Force! (Or for a closer look at baby pictures - and a chance to donate exactly as depicted in the "right way" section of the video - click here.)

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Abdullah Abdullah, Hamid Karzai's main rival for office of President of Afghanistan, has withdrawn from the scheduled November 7 runoff election there, saying his demands for ensuring a fraud-free election had not been met. However, he stopped short of calling for his supporters to boycott the vote.

The BBC recaps the results that led to the runoff:

An investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) led to Mr Karzai's share of the vote dropping to 49.67% - below the crucial 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a second round.

Dr Abdullah was adjudged in the end to have won about 31% of valid votes cast.

That's accurate - but it neglects to point out that Abdullah gained in percentage only because he had fewer votes declared fraudulent than Karzai did - a point lost in reports on the Afghan elections now focused exclusively on Karzai's numbers.

Few (in or out of Afghanistan) actually want a runoff election; weather, security, and voter apathy in the face of a predictable outcome are among the reasons - and "power sharing" is the ultimate goal. Current actions by any participants in the contest should be viewed as tactics used to gain leverage to negotiate from positions of strength. Karzai benefits from an Abdullah concession prior to an offer to participate; Abdullah from an offer to participate in the government without first offering that concession. This, in short, is the situation in Afghanistan today.

While most reports explain that the legitimacy of the Afghan government would be damaged if the runoff elections proceed without Abdullah's participation, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offers a dissenting point of view: "We see that happen in our own country where, for whatever combination of reasons, one of the candidates decides not to go forward," she said. "I don't think it has anything to do with the legitimacy of the election. It's a personal choice which may or may not be made."

Clinton's comments may be an indication that the Obama administration is not pleased with Abdullah's action; a concession and an acceptance of a position in the Karzai government would have been the quickest solution to what's now become a domestic dilemma confronting the American president. A reasonably quick establishment of a new Afghan government with a diminished role for Karzai was desired following the August elections, and potential American troop levels were the centerpiece of negotiations. But Karzai resisted pressure, ultimately supporting his position by declaring the existing Afghan constitution would be followed and runoff elections would be held. These drawn out negotiations forced the Obama administration into a series of apparent delays on a decision to respond to General Stan McChrystal's request for additional forces, the latest of which occurred this week. After indicating a decision on troops would be made public sometime "between November 7th and 11th" (immediately following the runoff), sources in the White House are now indicating no announcement is likely before November 20th. But while tying troop levels to election results rather than strategic requirements could ultimately prove disastrous for military efforts in Afghanistan and lead to serious questions of government legitimacy among the population there, President Obama's domestic political opponents have attacked him for what they describe as "dithering" on the decision instead.

From all indications, Abdullah is the Obama administration's preferred partner in Afghanistan, and a man who's shown early signs of American political savvy. Last weekend he assured CNN viewers "the president of the United States is doing the right thing" by taking his time to deliberate Afghan troops levels, but warned Fox viewers that General McChrystal's additional troops were needed to reverse his country's deteriorating security situation.

And in a move away from neutrality, Western officials are beginning to (anonymously) signal their desires. Descriptions of Karzai as "belligerent as hell" and Abdullah as a man who's "done a great job of elevating himself as a statesman on the international stage" are beginning to appear in media coverage, as the odds of Afghans getting a (second) vote on the matter grow increasingly dim.

But while the Obama administration would like to see Abdullah holding a substantial position in a re-tooled Afghan national government and has tied potential troop increases to the outcome, this week the president requested data on provincial governments in Afghanistan, suggesting he would be willing to "work around" any national government there altogether.

Meanwhile, the deaths of British, American, and Canadian troops in Afghanistan during the final days of October pushed the already record-setting monthly death toll there higher still - and even before the "record numbers" were announced Obama's approval ratings on Afghanistan were plunging.

Previously:

The Plan Unveiled

Hanky panky

Smokescreen

The wicked game

Round two

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First some inspiration - Cassandra reminds us that part of what Valour IT seeks to accomplish is the return of hope, and an affirmation that wounded troops aren't helpless victims - they're warriors, and uncommon valor is still a common virtue.

For those who contribute, 100% of your donation will go towards helping wounded vets fight the longest of long wars. Show men like triple amputee and Valour IT laptop recipient Sgt. Bryan Anderson that America still honors their sacrifice.

And now the Valour-IT Auctions have begun. I'm sure there's something there that will suit your fancy and help a wounded warrior at the same time.

For Baseball fans - some Nolan Ryan memorabilia: a AUTOGRAPHED Baseball and a couple of other autographed items are also listed separately.

One-of-a-kind, signed original artwork by Day by Day artist, Chris Muir.

A couple limited edition Navy lithographs (listed separately); Galloping Ghost of the China Sea, signed by artist Ted Wilbur and Medal of Honor-winner Rear Adm. E.B. Fluckey, and 'Victory Over Guadalcanal', signed by artist Ted Wilbur and Medal of Honor-winner Joe Foss.

And many military books that will make for some interesting reading.

Nothing in the auctions interest you yet? Check back regularly, we'll have more items available soon! (Or Donate directly today!!! OR adopt a Soldier today, there are currently over 1900 Heroes Waiting for Adoption!!!)

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(Part one here)

As the scheduled November 7 second round election date draws near, last minute efforts to replace the Karzai government in Afghanistan are moving into high gear.

From London:

Dr Abdullah Abdullah is meeting his main allies in Kabul today and tomorrow to discuss his options after failing to strike a power-sharing deal with Mr Karzai in talks this week, according to sources in both camps and Western officials.

They said that it seemed increasingly unlikely that Dr Abdullah would stand in the run-off, because his staff were not even campaigning, and that without a power-sharing deal he was more likely to boycott in anger than withdraw gracefully.

The Times report acknowledges that Dr Abdullah's decision "will also dictate to a large extent whether President Obama decides in the next few days that he has a credible enough partner to send more troops to Afghanistan as part of a new counter-insurgency strategy." For their part, the Obama administration has taken several steps this week to increase pressure on Karzai, and today's stateside reports claim Abdullah's decision to withdraw is all but made.

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Our Valour-IT team leaders are dressing up for Halloween again this year. We'll do just about anything to get donations for our wounded troops.

To start off with, we have the Marine Team known for their battlefield prowess and oh so sharp uniforms.

The Navy Team known for their Destroyers and Nuclear vessels.

Then we have Team Army... Don't ask.

Saving the BEST for last we have the Air Force Team, known for their Predators and Bombshells, whose logistics systems based on this mission are the most sophisticated.

Wait for it...






Wait for it...

Trick or Treat boys. Who wants to fly with us? Come on, just click the picture. She won't bite...much.

Yes, again, I have no shame.

Check out our totals below the fold. We're currently kicking some Navy arse.

Now let's Aim High and be One Over all!!!! DONATE TEAM AIR FORCE!!!! and help our wounded vets fight their most difficult battle yet.

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Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and various sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.Refresh for updates.

AFGHANISTAN

Gen. Petraeus visits Logar province, hears voice of the people -- [CJTF-82 News]
Gen. David Petraeus, commander of United States' Central Command, met with U.S. and Afghan Soldiers, as well as Baraki Barak Sub-Governor Mohammed Lodin and local businessmen at Combat Outpost Baraki Barak, Oct. 30.
Petraeus removed his body armor and made his way out the gate into the bustling marketplace (without his protective equipment). He shook hands, waved to children and invited shoppers down the block to a local bakery for bread and chai. Once seated, with Lodin standing nearby, Petraeus spoke to several locals about their government.
...Before leaving, he made a point of letting the people know he realized many issues were emotionally charged.
"As we used to say in Iraq, 'it's okay to talk ... it's even okay to shout, it's just not ok to shoot," Petraeus said.

5 British soldiers shot dead in Afghanistan -- [CNN]
Five British soldiers have been shot dead in Afghanistan by a "rogue" Afghan policeman they had been training. The soldiers had been living and working for the past two weeks with the man who killed them.

Great Britain Loses one of its Finest -- [Michael Yon]
...Courage is as common as boots among these soldiers, but Olaf stood out even in that company. You could tell that Olaf knew his business from mean experience, and that he was ready for battle. His mind was very quick.

Soldier Aaron Deans shot by Taliban but refuses to fly home -- [Helmand Blog]
A SOLDIER who was shot in the back during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan refused to fly home, because he wanted to end his tour of duty with his friends this coming weekend.
At his base in Helmand province, Trooper Aaron Deans, 19, said being shot was like "getting hit with a sledge hammer".
But he still managed to drive his colleagues to safety before blacking out.

Medics face 'awe-inspiring' task -- [BBC]
Col Peter Gilbert, from Rochester, is in charge of the main field hospital at Camp Bastion in southern Helmand.
He said some injuries were worse than the NHS would ever see, including regular cases of lost limbs.
"We are seeing injuries here on an almost daily basis that nobody in the health service will ever see," he said.

US backs Karzai's Afghan poll win -- [Al Jazeera]
The US president has congratulated Hamid Karzai on his re-election as Afghanistan's president, but Barack Obama also told him that he must be "much more serious" about tackling corruption.

US Gives Karzai Six-month Ultimatum to Stem Afghanistan Corruption -- [The Times]
President Karzai has six months to sideline his brother and reduce corruption or risk losing American support, Afghan officials have told The Times. Senior palace insiders said that President Obama delivered the ultimatum when he congratulated Mr Karzai on his re-election on Monday. Top of his demands was action against corruption, the appointment of "reform-minded ministers" and several high-profile scalps to prove Mr Karzai's commitment to cleaning up his Government.

Exclusive: U.S. drafts Afghan 'Compact' it hopes will bolster new Karzai government -- [McClatchy News]
The Obama administration has been quietly working with U.S. allies and Afghan officials on a package of reforms and anti-corruption measures that it hopes will boost popular support for President Hamid Karzai and erase the doubts about his legitimacy raised by his fraud-marred re-election.

Abdullah: Karzai victory 'illegal' -- [Al Jazeera]
Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) declared Karzai the winner on Monday following Abdullah Abdullah's withdrawal from the November 7 runoff after his conditions for holding "free and fair polling" were not met.
"This decision does not have any legal basis and a government which takes power based on such a commission's decision cannot have legitimacy," Abdullah said on Wednesday in his first public appearance since the announcement.
"Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption.
"A government which comes to power without the people's support cannot fight phenomena of terrorism threats, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems."

Abdullah rules out joining new Afghan government -- [Reuters]
Technocrats and some existing ministers will be appointed to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's new government, a spokesman said on Wednesday, but his main rival branded his re-election illegal and ruled out taking any part.

Lone Airman at Combat Outpost Keating recounts enemy attack -- [Bagram Airfield - in Afghanistan]
...From his perspective on the ground, Sergeant McMurtrey believes that the close air support was what turned the tide of battle.
"Once air support showed up, they started bombing everything... the blasts through the door from the bombs being dropped almost knocked me over," said Sergeant McMurtrey.
After more than 10 hours of bombing and strafing from an Air Force B-1B Lancer and F-15E Strike Eagles, nearly 100 militants were killed by the combined response that included Afghan soldiers as well as U.S. air and ground units. Eight Americans and three Afghans were killed, while nine Americans and 11 Afghans were wounded, according to CJTF-82 officials.
"There is no doubt that without the incredible air support we received, it would have been a much worse day," said Army Lt. Col. Robert Brown, 3-61 Cavalry commander from the 4th ID. "Your ability to keep a steady flow of aircraft and ordnance on the enemy turned what could have been a terrible defeat into a hard fought victory."

IRAQ

US military suffers first casualty of month in Iraq -- [San Jose Mercury News]
Twenty-year-old Pfc. Lukas Hopper was just two weeks away from the end of his deployment in Iraq when his Humvee rolled over Friday in a noncombat crash. ...

Brigade Prepares for 'Advise, Assist' Mission -- [Defense Link]
As the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade prepares for its fourth deployment to Iraq, its soldiers are getting lessons in the art of leading from behind as they help to set the stage for the eventual drawdown of US forces in Iraq. The "Raider Brigade" was part of the initial US invasion into Iraq, and returned for two more deployments, in 2005 and 2007. Now, Army Col. Roger Cloutier, the brigade commander, calls it fitting that his soldiers will serve as one of four new "advise-and-assist" brigades tailored specifically to support Iraqi security forces.

Marines, Sailors Shut Down Major Base in Iraq One Area at a Time -- [DVIDS]
Marine Corps participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom is drawing to a close as Marines, Sailors and equipment make their way back home or to other parts of the globe. As part of the departure, one of the Marine Corps' largest bases in the country is on its way to being in the hands of the Iraqi government once again.

Iraqi logjam over vote law has U.S. anxious -- [Washington Post]
An impasse over a law crucial to organizing next year's Iraqi elections is illustrating more starkly than ever the United States' dwindling ability to shape Iraqi politics and settle disputes.
U.S. and U.N. officials have grown increasingly worried in recent days as Iraqi lawmakers have continued to put off a vote amid bickering over how to hold elections in the disputed city of Kirkuk. Because the stalemate threatens to delay the elections, and ...

Whatever Happened To Iraqi Oil? -- [National Journal]
...The country boasts the world's fourth largest oil reserves, with 115 billion untapped barrels, but is just the 13th largest producer, according to the Energy Information Administration.
What's The Holdup?
A lack of foreign investment has been the primary problem. Baghdad has been slow to award contracts, and potential investors have been scared off by corruption, a lack of established law governing the industry and poor infrastructure.
And what's really retarded the industry's growth, experts argue, is the hard bargain Baghdad is driving with foreign oil companies.

Iraq to Award Oil Field To ExxonMobil, Shell -- [Wall Street Journal]
Iraq is expected to award its giant West Qurna-1 oil field in southern Iraq to a consortium comprising Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch

Iraq Swears by Bomb Detector US Sees as Useless -- [New York Times]
Despite major bombings that have rattled the nation, and fears of rising violence as American troops withdraw, Iraq's security
..."I don't care about Sandia or the Department of Justice or any of them," General Jabiri said. "I know more about this issue than the Americans do. In fact, I know more about bombs than anyone in the world."

Tourism returns to Iraq as country takes delegation to World Travel Market -- [Daily Mail]
It may not make it into a list of the world's most hotly-tipped travel destinations, but Iraq has set its sights on marketing itself as an

A Year of Combat MEDEVAC -- [Far from Perfect - in Iraq]
So I finished up my last scheduled duty cycle this morning. No more flying MEDEVAC in Iraq for this tour. We are almost done for this round. The new replacement unit is on the ground, they are almost ready to stand up and take over the mission, and I am off to another country in a few days to watch over all our stuff until its headed home.

Female Pilots Train Iraqi Males -- [You Served]
In a sign of times - and the progress American forces have brought to the nation of Iraq - female troops are invading the male dominated world of the Iraqi military. Historically, women have not been permitted in the military and their place in society has been reduced to education and other menial positions.
However, women are training the Iraqi military just as much as the men are. And it's working!

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Army Corps moves to protect New Orleans from flooding -- [Washington Post]
Mindful that the West Bank of New Orleans has regained its pre-Hurricane Katrina population and is primed for growth, the Army Corps of Engineers is launching a $1 billion effort to protect the area from the next storm.
New Orleans's population plummeted by 300,000 after Katrina, but residents quickly returned to the west bank of the Mississippi River, many under the mistaken impression that the area was safer. The fact that it didn't flood after the hurricane was mainly chance, however.

Japan 'has no time' to meet US -- [BBC]
Plans for a Washington meeting this week between Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been dropped.
Japan's government said the talks had been cancelled because of an inability to co-ordinate schedules.

Brave Iranians Hold MASSIVE PROTEST Against Regime - Chant "Obama, Obama Are You With Regime Or With Us?" (Video) -- [Gateway Pundit]

HOPE, CHANGE, AND PEACE IN OUR TIME -- [One Free Korea]
Kim Jong Il announces that he's reprocessed another 8,000 fuel rods, enough to make at least one more bomb. Thank goodness Chris Hill came along in time to end this d*ck-measuring contest with the give-and-take of compromise. Thank goodness our president isn't afraid to talk to his enemies. Now please send Philip Goldberg to freeze the bank accounts of Orascom, Koryo Tours, and the Korean Friendship Association.

Russia 'Simulates' Nuclear Attack on Poland -- [Weekly Standard]
The timing here is beautiful. The exercises reportedly transpired during the 70th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Poland... also the same day that President Obama killed plans for Polish based missile defense.
The [Russian] armed forces are said to have carried out "war games" in which nuclear missiles were fired and troops practised an amphibious landing on the country's coast. Documents obtained by Wprost, one of Poland's leading news magazines, said the exercise was carried out in conjunction with soldiers from Belarus.
Poland is scared, and for good reason. After decades of repressive Soviet occupation, the Poles invested everything in tightened defensive ties with NATO and the United States. Now the Russian Bear is once again pounding down their door, and -- after Poland loyally committed whole battalions to both Afghanistan and Iraq -- America is nowhere to be seen.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Muslim spying will boost terrorism -- [Guardian]
Kim Howells's weasel words about increasing surveillance on 'certain communities' are unwelcome and counterproductive
Kim Howells's call for British service personnel to be withdrawn from Afghanistan will be welcomed on the streets of Britain, most notably because people have realised that Tony Blair's support for George Bush's "war on terror" has cost so many lives, including those of British soldiers, without any real results - other than the fraudulent election victory of President Karzai and the fragmentation of al-Qaida's Afghan core into other countries.

Wants Congress to change Patriot Act -- [Bellingham Herald]
Members of the House have introduced the USA Patriot Amendments Act, reforming the Patriot Act. Unlike the Senate bill, the House bill will institute much ...

US Congressmen want to designate Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism -- [The Examiner]
Two South Florida congressmen introduced a resolution yesterday to officially designate Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Soldiers' Angels Volunteers Vow to Shave Heads for $100,000 -- [Soldiers Angels Network]
Members of Soldiers' Angels' volunteer leadership have raised the stakes on this year's online Valour-IT Veterans Day fundraising competition, which helps provide America's wounded soldiers with voice-controlled laptops and other technology that supports their physical and psychological recovery.

Friends, colleagues memorialize fallen soldier -- [FOB Tacoma]
One on of the last missions before he died, Spc. Kyle A. Coumas was tasked with carrying the extra ammunition for his squad. The extra 120 pounds of gear wore on the California native's body as he marched through southern Afghanistan.
He fell again and again. He waded through waist-deep water. He carried the equipment for miles. At one point, he fell 20 feet and plunged into the Arghandab River. His comrades had to pull him out.
"His face was beat up and bloodied," said Staff Sgt. Chad Brinkley, his former squad leader. "His clothes were covered with mud. Yet once he made it to the top, all he said was, 'Put my assault pack on my back please, and hand me my rifle.'
"Not once did he quit or complain."

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has now embraced Twitter.
Individual administration pages:
http://twitter.com/VeteransHealth
http://twitter.com/VAVetBenefits
http://twitter.com/VANatCemeteries

Wounded Warriors and Caregivers need your HELP Today! -- [Wounded Warrior Project]
YOUR ACTION IS NECESSARY FOR SENATE TO PASS A STRONG BILL TO HELP OUR MOST SEVERELY WOUNDED WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES
The Family Caregiver Legislation that Wounded Warrior Project has been strongly advocating for has been merged into a larger Veterans Health Care Bill. This larger bill is now referred to as Senate Bill 1963 (S.1963), the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.
Please continue to call and email your Senators asking that they support S1963. Our most severely wounded warriors and their caregivers need your help today!

Recommended holiday mailing dates released for Afghanistan -- [Bagram Airfield - in Afghanistan]
The U.S. Postal Service announced its recommended mailing dates for delivery by Christmas to U.S. military servicemembers serving overseas at APO/FPO addresses in Afghanistan.
Holiday mail send via First-Class Mail and Priority Mail for servicemembers stationed in Afghanistan should be sent by Dec. 4, 2009 for arrival by Christmas, according to Postal Service officials. The deadline for Parcel Airlift Mail is Dec. 1, 2009, Space Available Mail is Nov. 21, 2009 and Parcel Post is Nov. 13, 2009. Express Mail cannot be used to mail packages to Afghanistan, however Priority Mail is available.

VA secretary promises help for homeless veterans -- [AP]
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Tuesday unveiled a plan to end veterans' homelessness in five years, saying that without action the improvements of recent years could be lost because of the bad economy.
Shinseki said the VA will spend $3.2 billion next year to reduce homelessness among veterans and is working to strengthen partnerships with other government agencies and service organizations. He said he recognizes that a goal of zero homeless veterans is ambitious but that he wants a high target so that everyone puts in their best efforts.

Veterans in Alaska nursing homes caught in dispute over meds -- [The Anchorage Daily News]
Military veterans living in the state-run Alaska Pioneer Homes are losing out on free or low-cost prescription benefits they are entitled to for serving their country because two medical bureaucracies can't seem to figure out how to get VA drugs to them.
The problem -- mostly about the packaging the medicines come in -- affects those veterans who need help from staff to take their meds.
Instead of pill bottles, the Pioneer Homes want the medicine to come in blister packs

Program teaches amputee vets the game of golf -- [AP]
David Flowers knew his right leg was gone as soon as he stepped on the mine.
"I saw this leg come off," he said. "It came up and flew over me and splattered me with blood everywhere."
"And this one," he added, pointing to his damaged left leg, "one bone was sticking out from the leg that way and one the other way, and everything was shredded."
Flowers recalled the violent day while holding a golf club at the driving range on a gorgeous, peaceful autumn morning at Woodmont Country Club, not from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He has been at Walter Reed for six months, ever since triggering a booby trap while trying to clear a weapons cache in what he described as "a little crappy house" near Bagram, Afghanistan.
Flowers and about a half-dozen other amputee veterans from Walter Reed took swings at the driving range for about an hour, then played a couple of holes in the afternoon as part of a program called "First Swing."

Stop Loss Special Pay, Round Two -- [Karaka Pend]
here's some relevant information about Stop Loss Pay:
If you served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009 and were stop-lossed, you should be eligible for special or retroactive pay.
You must file a claim yourself; this isn't an automatic process. The claim must be filed with the appropriate documentation indicating your stop loss activation.
Your claim must be filed by October 21, 2010. The stop loss program is very short, so do it ASAP.
Retired/separated servicemembers and family of deceased servicemembers can apply for the program with the appropriate documentation.
Servicemembers who are already receiving Stop Loss special pay from fiscal year 2009 are not eligible for this program.
Reserve members keep active under Stop Loss were made inactive in August/September of 2009. The goal is to do the same for the standing members by January 2010.
There is ...

MILITARY

Army reduces 'Stop Loss' numbers as Pentagon begins payments -- [army.mil]
As the Defense Department begins to compensate military members forced to serve beyond the expiration of their contracts, the number of those still serving under "Stop Loss" has been greatly reduced, a Pentagon official said.
The Army, the only service still using the program, still has 9,600 Soldiers serving involuntarily beyond their resignation or retirement date, Sam Retherford, the Defense Department's director of officer and enlisted personnel management, said during an Oct. 29, "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.
That compares to 16,000 servicemembers on Stop Loss in 2005, he said.

The Navy and Ready to Launch Satellites -- [Information Dissemination]
The Commander of the United States Strategic Command, General Kevin Chilton, USAF, gave a speech this week in which he presented the view that he would give up state-of-the-art space systems in order to swell the number of satellites the military could launch as the need arises. I rise in support of the General's view, and I would suggest that the Navy has a role to play here.

WELCOME HOME

Students bond with Marine -- [Explorer News]
He got a surprise welcome-home party at Copper Creek Elementary School. Last year, Valora and the rest of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 were "adopted" by

Amarillo VA to hold Welcome Home Rally -- [KFDA]
Amarillo, TX -- Veterans Affairs in Amarillo will hold a Welcome Home Rally from 10am - 2pm on Saturday, November 7th.

THE MEDIA/ SOCIAL MEDIA

Free Speech on the Cheap -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
I'm at a little outpost in northern Iraq, fresh back from a patrol where we met with a local Sheik. The previous day I had rode with US Soldiers to a logistics base on a resupply run and while there picked up a few back issues of Stars and Stripes where I read the story.
In the story, a previous graph has a quote from University of Delaware Journalism Professor Ralph Begleiter one of the above mentioned free speech advocates. Begeleiter said, "Taking pictures of the returning casualties to Dover is a measure of the human cost of war. Do you want the government ultimately to have control over what we see or not see? Or do you want independent observers, an independent press or media, relaying those images?"
Mr. Begleiter if you really want to understand the human cost of war, don't stand on a fucking tarmac, get embedded and see the human cost of war up close and personal where the price is actually paid.
But many of the free speech advocates have no desire to put themselves at risk to tell the stories of the women and men who have willingly put themselves in harms way.
They want to do it on the cheap, ...

Secret copyright treaty leaks. It's bad. Very bad. -- [Boing Boing]
The internet chapter of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a secret copyright treaty whose text Obama's administration refused to disclose due to "national security" concerns, has leaked. It's bad. It says:
...That ISPs have to cut off the Internet access of accused copyright infringers or face liability. This means that your entire family could be denied to the internet -- and hence to civic participation, health information, education, communications, and their means of earning a living -- if one member is accused of copyright infringement, without access to a trial or counsel.
* That the whole world must adopt US-style "notice-and-takedown" rules that require ISPs to remove any material that is accused -- again, without evidence or trial -- of infringing copyright. This has proved a disaster in the US and other countries, where it provides an easy means of censoring material, just by accusing it of infringing copyright.

Army Technology Live Launches -- [Army Live]
Army Technology Live is officially live today. We welcome you to the blog on behalf of the Commander of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Maj. Gen. Paul S. Izzo, and the RDECOM team of more than 17,000 people around the world.
Our goal for the blog is to enable a conversation that helps us achieve the RDECOM vision: Keeping the Army on the cutting edge of technology. That conversation will include news about the technology that makes our Warfighters safer and more effective, the team that creates and maintains that technology, the places and organizations where they work and the educational and other outreach the Army engages in to help create the its own high-technology workforce of the future.
That means blog is not going to be limited to RDECOM. The Army's technology efforts are far-reaching and yet interdependent, so we will tell as much of the story as we can.

'V' aims at Obamamania -- [Chicago Tribune]
Imagine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care.
The news media swoons in admiration -- one simpering anchorman even shouts at a reporter who asks a tough question: "Why don't you show some respect?!" The public is likewise smitten, except for a few nut cases who circulate batty rumors on the Internet about the leader's origins and intentions. The leader, undismayed, offers assurances that are soothing, if also just a tiny bit condescending: "Embracing change is never easy."
So, does that sound like anyone you know? Oh, wait -- did I mention the leader is secretly a totalitarian space lizard who's come here to eat us?

POLITICS

Republicans win key US elections -- [BBC]
Republicans have scored victories in two key US elections for governor, one year after Barack Obama was voted in as president.
In Virginia, Republican candidate Bob McDonnell won by a comfortable margin, while another, Chris Christie, ousted the Democrat governor in New Jersey.
...Correspondents say the gubernatorial defeats are a setback for Mr Obama, who had campaigned in both states for his party's candidates, as he tries to reform healthcare, pass a climate change bill and rally support for his handling of the war in Afghanistan.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Day By Day

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