Valour-IT Fundraiser

With only a few days left until Veterans Day, it looks like Team Navy is doing poorly in the Soldiers Angels Valour-IT fundraiser drive - and we need to help them out. Readers of this blog know this is the only organization I actively promote on the blog - and it is time to put our wallets behind the fundraiser for results.

A little about Project Valour-IT.

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries. Technology supplied includes:

• Voice-controlled Laptops - Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest of the world during recovery.
• Wii Video Game Systems - Whole-body game systems increase motivation and speed recovery when used under the guidance of physical therapists in therapy sessions (donated only to medical facilities).
• Personal GPS - Handheld GPS devices build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTSD.

The experience of Major Chuck Ziegenfuss (pictured), a partner in the project who suffered serious hand wounds while serving in Iraq, led to the creation of this program that has used voice-controlled laptops to the support recovery and reintegration of thousands of wounded troops since 2005.

Soldiers' Angels is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible and may be eligible for matching funds from donors' employers. Please consult your tax advisor for details. Team designations are created for the sake of fun and spirited competition and are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. All funds raised go to a single account and assist wounded warriors of any branch.

More about Soldiers Angels here.

Project Valour-IT 2009

It is Project Valour-IT fund drive time. This year the fund drive will run through Veterans day. Sounds good to me.

I have been involved with Soldiers Angels for several years now. Several years ago my wife emailed me one day and said "I adopted a soldier." I didn't really understand, so she sent me over to the Soldiers Angels website to look around. I've been involved ever since.

A little about Soldiers Angels and Valour-IT.

Soldiers' Angels is designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity by the IRS. Donations are tax-deductible and may be eligible for matching funds from donors' employers (ask your employer). Be sure to consult your tax advisor for further information. All funds received go directly to our wounded troops; 100% of your donation to Project Valour-IT will be used to purchase laptops and other technology that will support recovery and provide independence and freedom to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.

All money donated to Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops and other technology for severely wounded service members. As of November 2008, Valour-IT has distributed over 2700 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.

Valour-IT accepts donations in any amount to support our mission, but also offers a sponsorship option for laptops. An individual or organization may sponsor a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide that soldier with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. This has proved to be an excellent project for churches, groups of coworkers or friends, and members of community organizations such Boy Scouts.

Originally Valour-IT provided the voice-controlled software that accompanies the laptops, but now works closely with the Department of Defense Computer/electronic Accommodations Program (CAP): CAP supplies the adaptive software and Valour-IT provides the laptop. In addition, DoD caseworkers serve as Valour-IT’s “eyes and ears” at several medical centers, identifying patients in need of laptops and other technological support for their recovery.

It isn't just laptops though, last year I was having a conversation during Monday Night Football with a friend who has two sons in the Marines. She was looking forward to Christmas, because her oldest was coming home. Their oldest was wounded in Iraq, had both of his hands shot. She told me what helped him the most was staying busy playing the full body activity games on the Wii, with his hands wrapped up and multiple surgeries required to get his wrists working again, it was all he could do to stay active. While surfing around the Soldiers Angels website this morning i noted they have recognized this technology for those purposes and the Wii is also a supported Soldiers Angels technology for supporting recovery. That Christmas, the local pub raised over $1500 to get that Marine some Wii gear. It made a difference in his life, and Soldiers Angels is in the business of making a difference in the lives of soldiers and Marines wounded in the wars.

If you have a blog, join the cause, spread the word, help raise some money for a good cause. If you have a few dollars to spare, you will be hard pressed to find a cause you could spend the money on more deserving than Project Valour-IT.

If you have donations to spare, click the widget at the top of the blog and lets beat the shit out of Army this year.

Valour-IT Home Stretch

If you have been waiting until the last minute to donate on behalf of Team Navy for Valour-IT, your moment is now. Just click the nice little graphic up on the top right of the blog and away you go. We accept all donations over $1, and every donation counts.

Also there is an auction site up, I highly recommend taking a look at the last three entries. Good stuff.

Supporting Valour-IT

Blackfive has a list of books up for auction. The auction funds are not for any specific Team as part of the fundraiser, rather to the general fund in reaching our goal. We have a long way to go and Thanksgiving is Thursday, so every dollar counts.

If something on the list is of interest, support Valour-IT!

Supporting Valour-IT Day 10

Do you appreciate the EagleOne's insights into maritime security as much as I? Show your support for Eagle1 by helping him help Valour-IT.

Team Navy donations can be made here.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 9

Sometimes a picture says it all.

Learn about Project Valour-IT here. Donate for Team Navy here.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 8

So I am looking through the list of supporters for Team Navy, you know, pretending like I'm actually leading this fleet. For the record, I'm not, Boston Maggie is doing all of the work and I'm doing everything the Queen of the Sea tells me to.

As I'm scouting the list and reading various blogs I know little about, I came across this Health Information Systems site that focuses on Healthcare IT news and opinion. I have intentionally avoided talking about my work, and by contract terms I can't give details anyway, but I do have a ton of experience with Health IT software, including being the nerd who figured out how to run a bunch of McKesson and Cerner products in Citrix back when those companies were run by idiots who had never heard of Citrix. Actually, Cerner is still run by technical dipshits without a clue, at least I've never met an onsite tech from Cerner who knew how their own product worked on a technical level, although they are wizards with the software itself.

Even if you aren't in Healthcare IT, but you are just an IT dude, this is a really cool website and I added it to my RSS feed,. HIPAA has made health IT more complicated than it has to be, mostly because IT folks are taking tips from attorney's whose technical understanding is limited. Protect data? Most health care offices are wireless now, and if you look over their shoulder at the laptop, most don't use SSL and rely on WEP keys or whatever security is built into router based technologies. In my experience, security in healthcare is like security in most small businesses, I like to call it security through obsecurity. The hospitals do a better job than the clinics, well, the private hospitals do.

Anyway, I wanted to shout out a thanks to HISTalk for supporting Team Navy in Valour-IT. We need everyones support to reach our goal this year, add your donation here.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 7

I like this picture.




From here, the caption reads: "I call it Ninja v. Pumpkin . . . The Ninja won . . "

Boboblogger is another Team Navy Valour-IT supporter. Every dollar counts, and we take Euro's too.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 6

No Wonder the Commandant runs his own journal. You may be seeing this on a few Navy blogs supporting Valour-IT.

Admiral Allen, if you want to be part of the blogosphere, you might want to look into what has the pipes clogged among your troops. It is difficult to imagine it could be more embarrassing than this for the Coast Guard blogosphere. Perhaps it is time for a bit of leadership from on high?

While the Coast Guard bails water out of their sinking cutter, Team Navy will continue to wipe the competition from our horizon via your generous donation at this link, And should they approach our horizon by some new vessel more seaworthy, perhaps that one, we shall dispatch our new LCS to remove the threat...

Wait a second... I am sure we can find something with enough firepower to send that can do the job.

Remember kids, Valour-IT is a 'lighthearted' competition, take not the sarcasm seriously. At the end of the day, the only winner that matters is soldiers, sailors, and aviators who stand that line so we civilians can sleep comfortable.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 5

If you are paying attention to the Valour-IT fundraiser contest between the services, you might notice Team Navy has jumped out to the front where we belong. That is in no small part due to a massive contribution from Prudent Publishing Company, who also has a blog here. This isn't something new to them, apparently they make a habit of supporting the troops. I'm a terrible salesman, so I won't embarrass them or myself by pushing their products, but if you are like my wife and I and send out holiday cards to your professional peers, I think their site is worth a peek. I'll be a customer this Christmas.

The Valour-IT blogger fundraiser competition will continue until Thanksgiving, and we still have a long way to go to reach our goal. One of the ways Team Navy hopes to gain an edge on the other folks in through auctions, which I will have more details on soon. For example, if you read this blog and have not read Ian Tolls book Six Frigates, it is basically a party foul in the context of spilling your red wine on your boss at the Christmas party. Ian Toll is contributing a signed copy of his book for the Team Navy auction. If you want to donate, but want to also get value for your donation, that is one excellent example that might interest you.

And for the record, if you wear a Navy officers uniform and have not read Six Frigates, don't tell anyone. It may not stunt your career or prevent you getting a promotion, but it should. It is like I told a LT the other day, buy the audio book and put it on your MP3 player, that way no one knows you never read the book.

We are looking for ideas, suggestions, or donations from the highly esteemed professionals who make up the community here on ID for items that can be auctioned off in support of Valour-IT Team Navy. If you have an idea or want to contribute a product for the auction, email me anytime.

If every reader of this blog contributes only $5, this community could make a significant impact towards the support of our wounded soldiers by supporting one of the very best veteran charities in the world. $5 isn't much, hell you can't even get a meal at the fast food joints for $5 anymore, but we can help out our wounded soldiers in major way with our collective contributions. Every dollar counts.

In the meantime, join these fine folks and sign up to support Team Navy. If you are already supporting Team Navy, make sure you add your blog to that list so we can single you out.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 4

There are three ways to look at it.

First:

Second:

It is the right thing to do.

Finally:

Save Lex's dog.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 3

I have observed a small surge by the Army folks as they attempt to displace the Navy as the leading fundraiser for Valour-IT.

NOT
GOOD
ENOUGH.

While many Army blogs have more readers than our small but growing Navy blogosphere, and there is no question these are some outstanding folks, lets not mince words... we are more sophisticated. It isn't arrogance, and it might be snobby, but it is also called taste.

They drink beer that could substitute as water, we drink beer that has flavor. They drink wine that might as well be flavored with NutraSweet, we drink wine that comes from California, Oregon, France, Italy, Spain, and only the best vineyards in South America. They drink their liquor mixed with their slushy from a Sonic drive-in, we can demonstrate how to make and enjoy a martini. It is with love that we demonstrate the proper way to use a corkscrew, you know, because it really isn't a tool for engraving your ex-girlfriends name and phone number on the restroom wall in the bar...

In the spirit of good fun and competition, Steeljaw Scribe has thrown down the gauntlet on the Air Force bloggers. While you are hanging out over at his place, check out this post from last week: Eleven battle stars in eleven years, the story of the USS Endicot.

And if you have the means, support Team Navy as we catch the Army folks in support of a great cause.

Supporting Valour-IT Day 2

The theme from now until Thanksgiving will be the 2008 Project Valour-IT Fund Drive. Because there is only so much I can say to encourage you to give to this very worthy cause, as the "Navy team leader" for Valour-IT, I intend to highlight my 'teammates' also involved in Valour-IT.

This blog has a large variety in terms of readership. It isn't just active duty and retired Navy, there are also several who are interested in joining the Navy in the future. If I was to point out a non-official Navy link for those young people interested in joining the Navy, I would suggest Navy Cyberspace and its encyclopedia of relevant information readily available.

Tom Goering is a 26 year retired Navy veteran whose Navy resume basically says "if you have a question, I have the answer." If you get a chance, check out his website and his blog, because I think anyone in the Navy, retired from the Navy, or looking to join the Navy can find something useful there. I find useful information there all the time, and I'd qualify as none of the above.

Tom is supporting the 2008 Valour-IT Fund Drive and we need your help. Every dollar matters.

For more information oon Valour-IT, competition information is on the Soldiers Angels website. At that link you can track who is winning the competition, sign up to participate, or add the widget for donations to your website.

And uhm, Go Navy, beat Army.

2008 Project Valour-IT Fund Drive

Every year around Veterans Day the blog gets involved in the Project Valour-IT fund drive. This year the fund drive will run from Veterans day through Thanksgiving, and someone came up with the idea I play point man for Team Navy. Sounds good to me.

I have been involved with Soldiers Angels for awhile now, not even sure how long to be honest, several years. Long before I started blogging, my wife emailed me one day and said "I adopted a soldier." I didn't really understand, so she sent me over to the Soldiers Angels website to look around. I've been involved ever since, and learned just a few weeks ago our latest soldier is retuning home. In total I have adopted 7 soldiers, and I have found it to be a rewarding experience.

A little about Soldiers Angels.

Soldiers' Angels is designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity by the IRS. Donations are tax-deductible and may be eligible for matching funds from donors' employers (ask your employer). Be sure to consult your tax advisor for further information. All funds received go directly to our wounded troops; 100% of your donation to Project Valour-IT will be used to purchase laptops and other technology that will support recovery and provide independence and freedom to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.

All money donated to Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops and other technology for severely wounded service members. As of November 2008, Valour-IT has distributed over 2700 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.

Valour-IT accepts donations in any amount to support our mission, but also offers a sponsorship option for laptops. An individual or organization may sponsor a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide that soldier with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. This has proved to be an excellent project for churches, groups of coworkers or friends, and members of community organizations such Boy Scouts.

Originally Valour-IT provided the voice-controlled software that accompanies the laptops, but now works closely with the Department of Defense Computer/electronic Accommodations Program (CAP): CAP supplies the adaptive software and Valour-IT provides the laptop. In addition, DoD caseworkers serve as Valour-IT’s “eyes and ears” at several medical centers, identifying patients in need of laptops and other technological support for their recovery.

It isn't just laptops though, I was having a conversation last night during Monday Night Football with a friend who has two sons in the Marines. She is looking forward to Christmas, because her oldest will be coming home. Their oldest was wounded in Iraq, had both of his hands shot. She told me what helped him the most was staying busy playing the full body activity games on the Wii, with his hands wrapped up and multiple surgeries required to get his wrists working again, it was all he could do to stay active. While surfing around the Soldiers Angels website this morning i noted they have recognized this technology for those purposes and the Wii is also a supported Soldiers Angels technology for supporting recovery.

As "Team Leader" I have committed to posting every day until Thanksgiving in support of the Fund Drive. I expect a widget soon, but rather than waiting for flashy stuff I would encourage people to take 5 minutes and check out Valour-IT. If you have a blog, join the cause, spread the word, help raise some money for a good cause. If you have a few dollars to spare, you will be hard pressed to find a cause you could spend the money on more deserving than Project Valour-IT. See the donations page for Valour-IT for more

Adventures in Blogging: Early Impressions

The three embedded bloggers who departed with the USS Kearsarge yesterday have spoken. We intend to follow the adventures of David Axe, Chris Albon, and Boston Maggie because they represent exactly what the Navy is trying to do here. David Axe is a veteran reporter, so his perspective will be big picture. Chris Albon discusses war and health, so we should expect some insight from the humanitarian angle from him. Boston Maggie is, well, representative of most Americans, although she has special qualities, skills, and experiences that makes her perfect for insightful opinions for this type of deployment.

Today we got some early impressions from Chris Albon and a great starter from David Axe.

Before she left, Maggie sent out a massive email to a bunch of sailors active and retired, and I was copied in. She asked some great questions, and she got a lot of advice from insiders. Something tells me Maggie will always be where everyone else wants to be during each evolution. Clever lady that one.

If Admiral Stavridis intends to meet the bloggers while they take this adventure, we request he makes 5 extra minutes for Maggie. She is under strict orders to get your help so we can promote this, and we can promote this. Successful execution of the assignment could go a long way for both.

Project Valour-IT Contest WInner

Thank you to everyone who participated. Most importantly thank you to everyone who contributed to Project Valour-IT and Soldiers Angles, who my wife and I, as well as the crew, has proudly associated ourselves with for 3 years now.

1st Place - Mike for the two pictures shown.
2nd Place - Steve for excellent pictures of Bath
3th Place - Erik for excellent pictures from outside the LRAFB

Project Valour-IT 2007 Fund Drive Contest - Last Call

Updated 1-24-08: This is last call. Submissions must be present in the inbox by midnight 1-31-08 EST. Enjoy!

We have 9 submissions to date.

-----

Back on November 12th, this blog became aware of a gift for those who contributed $25 or more to Valour-IT. The gift was a coin from the good folks over at Soldiers Angels. At that time, we decided we would hold a contest in honor of this gift to reward those who contributed to Valour-IT and received a coin. Last week our coins came in the mail, so let the contest begin.

Contest Details

The contest is simple. We desire 2 photographs, one of each side of the Soldiers Angels coin. The best submission wins. My daughter and I took a little adventure over the holiday to demonstrate an example of the type of photography we believe can lead to a winning submission.




Curious what ship that is? Ask xformed. That is the winter home of the only remaining Destroyer Escort in existence, and unfortunately, where my daughter is holding the coin is as close as you can get to the ship during the winter.

Email Submissions Here

Larger photo's may need to be sent one at a time as attachments, or compressed as an attachment. If you try sending me a virus, you better do a damn good job of covering your tracks, because we already read your email for a living you know...

The winning submission will reward the individual with the 200x150 location on the top right of this blog until the next Valour-IT Veterans Day fund drive begins. You can either provide, or allow us to design, what the winner chooses for that space (within good taste). This blog continues to grow, and could expose the winner to as many as 150,000 visitors (or more) to the winners banner in 2008. Who knows, maybe our banner won't be lame, and maybe it will generate traffic to someones blog.

Good luck to all, and have fun with the photo's. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who helped support our Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines through Valour-IT.

Project Valour-IT and Other Stuff

Remember this? I got my coin in the mail today. Will work out details and start the new year right.

The coin appears generic, so it looks like anyone with a SA coin can get in the contest, regardless of service. That should make things interesting.

Otherwise, posting here will likely slow down until the new year. If I don't get a chance to say it later...

Happy New Year.

Valour-IT: Final Weekend and Contest at Information Dissemination

This post will stay on top through the remainder of the competition.

Valour-IT is offering a gift, the coin to the right, for donors who contribute more than $25 through a team.

This military-style challenge coin is available marked for each of the team service branches (Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine). Donors will automatically receive the coin appropriate to their team donation.

I like this idea a lot, so I just chipped again to get my coin.

We are going to hold a contest based on this coin. Specifically, once I get my coin I'm going to post rules for the contest that will in some way leverage the coin as an entry requirement, most likely something involving a digital photo as proof of your Navy coin.

The winner of the contest will have a tribute to that person (or their blog, or whatever) listed on the right side of the blog until next years Valour-IT fund raiser. It might be any number of things, but as an IT shop and since it will reflect our 'skillz' the only thing I will guarantee is that whatever the final product is, it will kick ass and look really nice.

Most importantly, support the troops. The team competition goes through tomorrow night and we need every last donation possible over at team Navy.

Valour-IT is for Liberals Too

Social liberals like me that is, although I can't lie, I'm a fiscal conservative first and foremost and what used to be a JFK liberal is now a conservative moderate. How I moved to the right by standing in place in my politics is a study I'm still waiting to read.

What can I say, I live in NY, I have to vote with my wallet in hand otherwise some local, state, or federal politician will grab it from my pocket. Other New Yorkers know what I mean.

However, everyone has their favorite liberal bloggers, mine is Springboard, although Jason over at the Armchair Generalist is a close second.

Springboard has been a big supporter of Valour-IT, leveraging his blog to get others to step up. The life long liberals here in the office have contributed. You can too. Valour-IT isn't partisan, but it is in every way American. It is an extension of the characteristics that makes the people of this country great. It is compassion, contribution, donation, and caring, and while you can find hundreds of other adjectives that describe the American spirit, I think these best represent some of the best characteristics of all of us regardless of politics, and are usually the basis of our nations passion in both politics and hopefully daily life.

We are in the home stretch of the Valour-IT fund raiser, tomorrow is Veterans Day. We may not all agree on the politics of the war, but I think we all agree that as citizens we have to step up and help those at home and abroad where we can, with particular focus on those who are casualties of the times we live in.