Live From Vegas

We've just started the first MilBlog panel: Hey, What's a Milblog? Panelists are Steve Schippert, Bill Roggio, Uncle Jimbo and Eric Egland. I'll add to this post during the panel (will update below).

Update: Sorry, Mrs. G - having image uploading issues, so looks like you folks won't get photos....

The question on the table right now is, "Can you think of defining moments for milblogs?"

Egland: The creation of such sites as Blackfive

Uncle J: Michael Yon dispatches

Roggio: Eason Jordan

Schippert: Mix of Yon and Eason Jordan

AWTM and I are listening to the panel and working on our own list: DoD engagement of bloggers and, um....milbloggers meeting with The President of the United States!

Now, the panel is talking Beauchamp.

Roggio needs some intervention - he's thinking about starting a blog on his blog (we're a weird lot, are we not....).

Eric, who is running for Congress, is now talking about how milblogs really give the military community a voice.

Defense contractor is in the audience and asked the panel how they feel about defense contractors reaching out to milbloggers. Roggio replies - feel free to reach out, but be prepared to take the hits too. Don't assume we're going to tow the company line.

Valour-IT Needs You!!!!!

As some of you may have noticed, we are no where near our goal of $240,00. Ambitious as it is, we have managed to raise these these high numbers in the past. Currently all 4 team totals come to approx. $55000.00, plus donations outside competition brings overall total to about $85000.00

Although these current numbers may look impressive to some, we are still dealing with those troops who were wounded the first half of this year. I'm told that "Valour-IT is not going to survive the next 4-5 months without raising more than we have so far. Giving out from 30 to 100 laptops per month since June, Valour-IT is in more demand than ever. We literally scraped the bottom of the barrel with our last delivery of laptops, and Soldiers' Angels has said they cannot allocate any more funds for us until March 2008."

Obviously this means we need to give Valour-IT some more exposure. Besides just posting about it on your blog, make some kind of a challenge.

Some teams have a three friends challenge that's is a great idea.

Some teams have resorted to threats to shoot a cute little doggie

This poor doggies fate lies in your hands.

and others are threatening a cute kitten if you don't donate.

This would be treacherous, poor kitty.

kitten vs. frontrow from mattcoats on Vimeo.

So I suppose you might want to donate or you may be singing a song like this:

If you don't want to participate in these hostage situations you could offer nude photos of your kitty, (keep it clean). Or offer something from a far off land

The point is have fun with it. Whether a challenge or offer, we just need to get attention to Valour-IT, and please keep politics out, this is a non-partisan project.

Soldiers' Angels is offering the following gift to donors who give more than $25 to Valour-IT through the team competition this military-style challenge coin marked for each of the team service branches (Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine). Donors will automatically receive the coin appropriate to their team donation. However, donors must use a team button to receive a coin (no cost to Valour-IT; SA is paying for the coins).

Other options to get the word out is to contact your local TV, newspapers, and radio, promote our auction, where we have a signed original caricature by John Cox and a original autographed Day by Day, Chris Muir Print, a Peter Pace (CJCoS) Challenge Coin , Suzanne Brockmann has generously donated a new copy of this rare, out of print book.
and other cool memorabilia.

Many Bloggers are at the Blog expo where I hope Valour-IT will get a mention.

Express to your readers, what better way to support our injured troops, to show they believe in their recovery, giving them confidence, dignity, self-expression, some connectedness with those who will help them, find a new equilibrium in their world-turned-upside-down, and to their future than to give them a laptop that they can operate regardless of the depth of their injuries. Give a soldier something he/she can use to do things for themselves like email family and friends, pay bills, or take college courses online.

Please, help us help them.

Congrats to Patti Patton Bader...

...the Microsoft Above and Beyond Award Winner! Patti is the founder of Soldiers Angels, an amazing organization that goes above and beyond for our troops.

Soon after Patton-Bader began sending care packages to her son in Iraq in 2004, she started a group of volunteers to “adopt” soldiers and send care packages. This group has now grown to 100,000 members, which have sent tens of thousands of care packages and hundreds of thousands of letters to make sure no soldier is forgotten while serving. Her Angels have also helped those who have been wounded with First Response Packs directly at the Combat and Support Hospitals. They provide comfort to those who are now in our military hospitals here at home and help provided comfort and aid to military families in need.

Many projects have been developed thru Soldiers' Angels, Blankets of Hope, Valour-IT, Operation OutReach, for military families in need and so many more worthy projects, all which started with one woman whose motto is “May no soldier go unloved.”

Pundit Review has a recent interview with her here

If you like to donate to Soldiers' Angels you can online here

OR

By snail mail here:

Soldiers’ Angels
Project Valour-IT Fund
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, Ca 91104

A new Miserable Donut

I start 400 day orders today It will be January or so before I reach the CENTCOM AOR. I am sure you can all understand that I may be a bit vague on the details/times/dates. Ha.

I am not sure what my 'net access will be like, as I will be working with the IA (and possibly living with them too). I will post what and when I can. But for now, I will leave up the new "Donut of Misery"

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