Archive for category Call To Action

Call To Action: The Civilian Contractor Casualty Accountability Project

Sep 15

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Call To Action, Industry Talk, Iraq | 1 Comment

Now this is something we all can appreciate and get involved with. This would also give one more source that the media and the government can use to get a true accounting of civilian contractor casualties. From the US plumber killed in a rocket attack in Afghanistan, to the South African security contractor killed in an IED attack on the roads of Iraq. We are all civilian contractors and our sacrifices must be counted in this war.

Check it out and be sure to go over to Death Valley Magazine or the website for this project and read about how you can get involved. Bravo to James and company for getting the ball rolling on this project. -Matt

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The Civilian Contractor Casualty Accountability Project

By James G

September 15, 2010

Civilian Contractors remain the unmentioned (and often times demonized) cog that has helped keep our Military fighting and defensively strong for over 200 years, doing everything from highly skilled scientific duties to Cooks to High-Risk Security Operations, thereby allowing our Armed Forces to free-up their soldiers for important direct combat tasks.

Back when I first started working as a Civilian Contractor I was curious as to how many of my fellow contractors had made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting our armed forces.

But at that time there wasn’t a resource online where I could find that information – flash forward almost 10 years now there still isn’t, even with all the wars and conflicts the U.S. has been involved in these brave men and women have still not been accounted for properly.

Some people online have attempted to keep track of Civilian Contractor deaths (most notable for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) as best they can, but these resources are still quite incomplete. And Civilian Contractors who have been killed, kidnapped or are missing in action in other parts of the world have simply not been accounted for outside of some old news articles archived on news sites.

I have lost several friends, former co-workers and acquaintances who have been killed while in contracted service to the DOD or U.S. State Department. It pains me that these brave men and women (many not even U.S. Citizens) have not been recognized for their sacrifices – or even accounted for.

So after much thought I have decided to found a web-based project to do exactly that – The “Civilian Contractor Casualty Accountability Project” or “CCCA-Project” for short will not only account for all of the Civilian Contractors who have been killed in service of the U.S. Government around the world (regardless of nationality) – but also to account for those Civilian Contractors who are Missing in Action, currently being held as Prisoners of War or Unjustifiably Held in Captivity.

To say this will be a monumental task is an understatement, the U.S. Government does not maintain any detailed public records of Civilian Contractors who have been KIA, are MIA or are currently being held as POW’s. That means the majority of these records are on a hodgepodge of independently run websites and blogs, with the majority of the information on online news websites.

I would not even attempt to do something like this alone, so that’s where you all come in. The Project will need a substantial amount of volunteers to do everything from research to graphic arts to Project Management.

How You Can Help:

Right now we are only looking for volunteers for the positions that have “*WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS” after the Volunteer Title.

For all other Volunteer Positions please stand by, we will announce when we are recruiting for these volunteers on our Facebook Group, Here on DVM and the CCCA-Project Website.

We really hope to make a small contribution to the contractor community and honor the Civilian Contractors who have bravely made the ultimate sacrifice – And with your help I am sure we will accomplish that and more.

If you would like to volunteer for any of the active positions below please Contact Us Here

- The project is currently looking for people to volunteer to assist us with the following functions:

CCCA Project Researchers – 50 Volunteer Positions Open *PENDING:

These folks will be the backbone of the project, they will search the internet for any mention of Civilian Contractor Deaths, Civilian Contractors who are Missing in Action (presumably kidnapped) and are currently being held as Prisoners of War or Unjustifiably Held in Captivity.

They will then take each instance of the above and present it to a Research Coordinator in a standardized format.

This will be a tedious job, but it is by far one of the most important jobs.

CCCA Project Research Coordinators – 5 Volunteer Positions Open *Pending:

The CCCA Project Research Coordinator will take the Civilian Contractor KIA, MIA and POW data provided by the CCCA Project Volunteer Researchers, confirm the accuracy of the data and then pass it to the CCCA Project Quality Control Researchers.

Organizational and interpersonal skills are of great importance here as you will be overseeing 10 Project Volunteer Researchers who will send you data on a daily basis.

Previous related research management experience is preferred. A Resume with verifiable references is required for this position.

CCCA Project Quality Control Researchers – 5 Volunteer Positions Open *Pending:

The CCCA Project Quality Control Researchers will double check and verify the data sent to them by the CCCA Project Research Coordinators then pass the data on to the CCCA Project Data Entry Clerks

CCCA Project Data Entry and Database Engineer – 1 Volunteer Position Open *WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS POSITION:

The CCCA Project Data Entry Clerk will input the data they receive from the CCCA Project Quality Control Researchers onto the CCCA Project Website (this will be a simple process that will only take about 5 minutes per entry) and make daily backups of the CCCA Project Website.

The CCCA Project Data Entry Clerk will also develop and maintain an offline database to prevent duplicate entry’s and for legacy archival purposes.

Previous experience as a Database Engineer and Data Entry required – A Resume with verifiable references is required for this position.

CCCA Project Lead Research Coordinator – 1 Volunteer Position Open *WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS POSITION:

The CCCA Project Lead Research Coordinator will oversee all of the above projects and volunteers. Additionally the CCCA Project Lead Research Coordinator will interview, pre-screen and select all CCCA Project Researchers, CCCA Project Research Coordinators and CCCA Project Quality Control Researchers.

You must have substantial previous project management or military leadership experience, HR experience is also a plus – A Resume with verifiable references is required for this position.

- We are also looking for volunteers that can help out with the following things – *WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FOLLOWING:

Logo Design:

We need someone to design a CCCA Project logo, please submit your logo ideas to: admin@cccaproject.com

Legal Counsel:

We are looking for a Bar licensed lawyer who will be available for us to bounce law related questions off of.

Additionally we are looking for a Lawyer who is experienced with forming a registered non-profit organization.

Accountant:

We will need a registered CPA that has experience with non-profit groups to maintain our books for us.

Board of Advisors Members:

We are looking for veteran contractors (over 5 years of contracting), industry representatives, current and former military (Senior NCO’s and Officers who are Major and Above) and industry bloggers. – A Resume with verifiable references is required for Board of Advisors Members.

www.cccaproject.com

Link to post on Death Valley Magazine here.

Call To Action: Vehicle Decals And Licenses In Iraq

Aug 4

Posted by Matt in Call To Action, Industry Talk, Iraq | 1 Comment

     Hey folks, get the word out on this.  If you are having problems getting your vehicles credentialed for work in Iraq, then tell your company that traveling outside the wire is a no go.  The reason for that is if you are pulled over by the Iraqis and you do not have that stuff, you could get in some trouble.  The kind of trouble that could get you arrested or heavily fined by the Iraqis.  This is especially important now that Iraq is kind of in limbo with the government crap right now, and the police and military might not feel like playing nice with contractors.

     Hopefully in the case of DynCorp, they will get this squared away before they force their teams to travel without those credentials.  If any other contractors are running into the same issues with their company, or have any input, I am all ears. Bravo to this contractor who contacted Marc Ambinder and got the word out about this.  As the war winds down, and the military pulls out, these types of things will be more common and very important to hash out.  Definitely demand that your company does the right thing out there.

     This also goes to the US government and their relationship with Iraq.  This is some basic diplomatic stuff here.  I realize that we are trying to get the Iraqis to take charge of their country and get responsible, but we also have a responsibility to our contractor force. To do all we can to protect them from these Iraqi growing pains is in our best interest.  After all, contractors are putting their lives on the line in defense of government property and personnel–I would think that would count for something?-Matt

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Contractors Pressured to Perform in Iraq Without Valid Credentials

August 4, 2010

By Marc Ambinder

The United States is rapidly drawing down troops in Iraq, and contractors are picking up the slack. DynCorp International, in particular, employs hundreds of ex-soldiers and cops to act as bodyguards and shepherds for State Department personnel across the country. The company also trains Iraqi police forces.

DynCorp is under intense pressure to perform without blemish. Private security companies and their employees are under scrutiny from both the U.S. and Iraqi governments more than ever before because of a string of incidents. Within the military, soldiers who quit to join these companies are derided as “mercs.” The culture among DynCorp’s ranks is similar to that of elite military units — what happens out there stays out there. It’s dangerous. Contractors get killed and injured with regularity. The pay is OK — it starts at $90,000 a year — and the working conditions — living in tents, eating MREs — are harsh. State Department officials have told me that the U.S. is generally pleased with DynCorp’s performance so far … but DynCorp is pretty much the only company that can do what State needs it to do.

But one member of an elite unit, a former Army Ranger who asked not to be identified, is concerned that DynCorp and the U.S. government are cutting corners unnecessarily.

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Call To Action: Free South African Security Contractor Philip Young From Afghan Prison!!!

Jun 19

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Call To Action, Legal News, South Africa | 3 Comments

     One operator said Phil Young had shot the Afghan guard in order to stop the bloodbath. According to the operator, the dead man’s brother was well-known in Taliban ranks. His family lived in a Taliban stronghold on the Pakistani border.    

     Trouble maker. The guard had apparently been a troublemaker for some time and was about to be fired. The six guards had apparently been conspiring for some time to kidnap or kill the foreigners on a certain day early in October. Young and the guards worked for the American company Anham, which is linked to the American government’s Counternarcotics Advisory Teams (CNAT), in Lakshar Gah. The Macedonian guard commander apparently knew of the plot but did nothing to stop it. 

     “Phil and some of his colleagues returned that day from a mission and when he saw the six in civilian clothes but armed with AK47s, he immediately suspected trouble,” said the operator. ”He confronted the men, upon which one aimed a weapon at Phil and fired a shot.” The shot missed Young and in self-defence, he fired three shots at the guard as he apparently realised that the lives of many of his colleagues would be in danger if all six of the men started firing at them. According to the operator, the central government in Afghanistan had rules and regulations for security guards, which stated that a person could fire back if he was being shot at.

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     This makes me sick.  All of these contractors that I have posted lately who are currently imprisoned in Afghanistan, are at the mercy of a corrupt government and pathetic justice system.  Just look at the facts with Philip Young’s case?  He should be given a medal and not a prison sentence. From the sounds of it, his actions probably saved the lives of his fellow contractors on that day, and yet he is currently being jerked around by a pathetic justice system in Afghanistan.

     So what can we do?  First, pass this around to everyone.  Second, write to the British Embassy in Kabul and let them know how you feel.  South Africa does not have diplomatic representation in Afghanistan, and the British government has agreed to help.  I say write the US Embassy as well, because what is going on with this man is just plain wrong. Thanks to Cassie for giving me the heads up on this. -Matt

Facebook for British Embassy in Kabul here.

Facebook for Philip Young here

Address: British Embassy, 15th Street Roundabout, Wazir Akbar Khan,PO Box: 334 Kabul, Afghanistan

Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday  08:30  to 16:30

Telephone:  (93)  (0) 700 102 000 (Switchboard)

Fax:  (93)  (0) 700 102 250  (Management)

E-mail: BritishEmbassy.Kabul@fco.gov.uk

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phil young 4Call To Action: Free South African Security Contractor Philip Young From Afghan Prison!!!

SA man gets longer sentence

2010-06-18

Erika Gibson, Beeld

Pretoria – A South African man who appealed against his five-year prison sentence in Afghanistan was given even worse news when his imprisonment was extended to 16 years.Security specialist Philip Young was devastated by the news, his brother Pat Young said.”My brother is dismayed, angry and frustrated.”

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Call To Action: Help iCasualties.org Update Their Statistics On Contractors

Jun 11

Posted by Matt in Call To Action, Industry Talk | 4 Comments

     Ok, this pisses me off.  I totally respect what Michael White has done over the years as far as counting the deaths in this war. But to depend on a hobbyist to keep this record as to whom has died is not right, and his list is not complete.  This should be a function of the US government and every death should be counted in my opinion.

     I say every death, because the icasualties.org list is missing a ton of contractor deaths, and especially in Afghanistan.  It counts US deaths, and Coalition deaths, but it is lacking in contractor deaths.  Especially this year.  I have listed several deaths that were sourced in the media on this blog, and there has been no mention at icasualties about it. This supports the idea that depending on just one lone hobbyist to count these deaths does not work.

     We are basically counting on the poor guy to keep up, and for him to fund his own little show. Meanwhile the entire world links to his website for their stories and studies, and holds his website as the top source for casualties.  Even governments link to iCasualties.org, and it pisses me off that this is what we have for accountability.  Contractor deaths count for something, as do all deaths in this war, and there must be a better effort to do this.

     My suggestion is for the US government to take it upon themselves and start a casualty count website of their own. It should be an organization that strives to be current, complete, and staffed with the appropriate amount of people and funds to keep it running properly.  This crew’s job is to count every single death coming out of the war.  I say count the civilian deaths too and there should be no question what so ever as to how much blood has been spilled.  But for the sake of this conversation, at the very least, contractor deaths should be counted.

     I also believe that this contractor death count should include expats, third country nationals, and local nationals.  Local nationals are never counted, yet they died in that convoy operation supporting our war effort and the least we can do is recognize their sacrifice. Why do we ignore the sacrifices of an Afghan or Iraqi contractor?

     The other thing that gets me is that I know why we are not counted.  Politically speaking, the less numbers of deaths on ‘the list’, the better.

     As for the compensation factor for those deaths, if no one knows about the death, then a company can say that it never existed, and thus not pay any compensation.  Now of course contractors are smart enough to know, that if the company does not have a life insurance policy for them, or that they know that DBA is not afforded to them (for local nationals, etc.), then obviously the family of that dead contractor will receive nothing. That is the contractors choice when they sign the contract. I would like to think that we could compensate the families of these men in some way, but that is the way things are at this point.  Private industry in those countries is not forced to provide this kind of compensation or insurance, and many industries in the global economy operate with this kind of dynamic.

     But at the least, a contractor’s death(expat, third country national, local national) should be counted and we should not be depending on some hobbyist who might be able to put up a contractor’s death on his website, if he catches it or decides to put the effort into it. I commend Mike for doing as much as he has, but if there was ever anything that should be a function of government, this is it.

     Another idea is for the government to issue a grant to this guy.  Help him do the job that government should be doing anyways.  Hell, contract him out and put him on the payroll to do what he is already doing.  Or if the IPOA or similar association wanted to do something cool, they could kick some money into Mike’s fund, just so he gets the hint to count ‘contractors’.  Also, if folks wanted to individually give iCasualties.org a hint to count our dead, just send Mike an email with a link to the media source that lists the death. What I will try to do in the future, is list Mike’s email under each death I find, and I will ask the readership to send the link of contractors deaths to him to make sure these deaths are counted.  I am sure if he gets a couple emails from several guys that he will add it.  If you find stuff that has not been posted here, feel free to send it to him first. -Matt

Emails for Michael White and icasuatlies.org here:

michaelw@icasualties.org

michaelw@speedfactory.net

or try this one.

icasualties@bellsouth.net

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 T Image 547.counts.cnnCall To Action: Help iCasualties.org Update Their Statistics On Contractors

As a hobby, he counts the war dead

By Moni Basu, CNN

Stone Mountain, Georgia (CNN) — Fall leaves blanket Michael White’s deck at his suburban Atlanta, Georgia, home. In the cluttered attic study, the software engineer slouches over his Hewlett-Packard laptop.

A full-length floor lamp stands on top of his desk — the overhead light went out a while back. Next to him is his 1960s Stratocaster, a reminder of the rock-star career that never blossomed.

Jillian, his Vivaldi-loving, violin-playing 10-year-old, has gone off to school. Wife Ashley is at work. The house is quiet except for the occasional mew from Izzy, the atypically friendly Tonkinese cat.

And yet, from the humdrum of this ordinary subdivision home comes an arresting daily statement.

For six years, White has faithfully produced a number that is critical to shaping the legacy of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: the death toll.

Every day, White, 51, updates a Web site he launched in 2003, icasualties.org, to keep count of the dead: American troops, coalition troops, contractors and Iraqi civilians. He eventually began documenting deaths in Afghanistan as well.

He knew the wars would carry on, but he did not anticipate casualties continuing at this pace. October proved to be the deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the beginning of that conflict in 2001.

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Call To Action: Give Your Input On What Is ‘Inherently Governmental’

Jun 4

Posted by Matt in Call To Action, Industry Talk | No Comments

     This is a simple one.  If you think your work as a security contractor overseas is not an ‘inherently governmental’ job, then let these folks know what you think.  There is little consensus going on with this debate, and I think the one voice that is missing in this discussion are the guys out in the field who are doing the job. I think security contractors and private industry are capable of doing this work, and have been doing so for awhile.  Government should focus on regulation and law making, and enforce those regulations and laws so private industry can be put in check.-Matt

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Go here in order to submit a comment about what you think is inherently governmental.

*****

Let Your Voice Be Heard

Regulations.gov is your online source for U.S. government regulations from nearly

300 federal agencies.

We are committed to improving your access to and participation in the federal regulatory process. On this site you can:

-Search for a regulation such as a proposed rule, final rule or Federal Register (FR) notice

-Submit a comment on a regulation or on another comment

-Submit an application, petition or adjudication document

-Sign up for e-mail alerts about a specific regulation

-Quickly access regulations that are popular, newly posted or closing soon-directly from the homepage

-Subscribe to RSS feeds by agency of newly posted FR notices

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Inherently governmental rule sparks little consensus

By Robert Brodsky

June 3, 2010

More than 100 individuals and organizations have offered public comments on a proposed rule change that would help clarify the types of government functions that are suitable for outsourcing.

On Tuesday, June 1, the comment period ended for a proposed policy memo by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy that would establish a single definition of inherently governmental functions, or those duties forbidden from outsourcing.

The notice, which was posted in the Federal Register in late March, also instructs agencies to avoid an overreliance on contractors for functions that are “closely associated with inherently governmental” or are “critical” for their missions. Contractors can perform work that fits into these two categories if agencies are capable of providing increased oversight and management, the rule said.

In the past three months, trade groups, labor unions, contracting attorneys and citizens with an interest in government contracting have offered 118 suggestions and comments on the proposal.

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Call To Action: Save Australian Security Contractor Robert Langdon From Execution In Afghanistan!

May 21

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Australia, Call To Action, Legal News | 1 Comment

   I like to do what I can to support my fellow contractors out there, and Robert Langdon is one guy that needs our support.  He is a former Four Horsemen International contractor and he was sentenced to death by hanging in Afghanistan for an alleged murder. I will not pass judgement on what happened, because I was not there.  The issue at hand though is that Afghanistan wants to execute him, but Australia does not believe in the death penalty and they do not want their citizen to be executed.  There is also the issue on wether Rob received a fair trial or not. (please read below)

   The big one here is that the Australian government promised that they would do all they can to pressure the Afghan government to hand over Robert.  The point of this call to action is that the Australian government has not put any pressure on the Afghan government (according to accounts below) and that they are throwing their citizen under the bus for political reasons.  So if you want the Australian government to follow through on their promise, and you do not want Robert Langdon to be executed in Afghanistan, then write the PM of Australia Kevin Rudd and let him know what you think.  Let’s get the word out about this, and thanks to the IPSSC and Miguel for working on this issue, as well as the Bill Shaw case.  -Matt

Edit: June 13, 2010 -I just got this letter from Elena Fon, and here is the latest that everyone can do.  There is a petition that everyone can sign.

Hi Matt,

I am the Elena Fon who wrote the guest article on Rob Langdon in this

month’s issue of Overwatch Report. You also very kindly wrote a piece about

him when Miguel sent you some info. Would you please kindly post the online

petition for Rob that began yesterday? Find it at

http://www.gopetition.com/online/37052.html.

Also there are some great comments on the petition. I need people to write

that stuff to the PM. I want him to be overwhelmed with emails/letters on

Rob’s behalf.

Write to: The Hon Kevin Rudd MP Prime Minister, Parliament House,Canberra, ACT, Australia 2600.

Email: http//www.pm.gov.au.

With a copy to the Leader of the Opposition Rt Hon Tony Abbott MP.

Email: tony.abbott.mp@aph.gov.au

It’s easy to sign a petition, harder to write but ask people to take the

time, remembering that Robert Langdon’s life is at stake here. Just write

whatever is in their hearts. And persevere until Rob is safe home. I welcome

any contact, suggestions, especially if anybody out in Afghanistan has

visited Rob in prison recently or has news of him to pass on.  Sorry I don’t

do Twitter etc. So please publish my email address. Thank you so much,

Elena

Email: fon_elenaisabel@yahoo.com.au

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robert langdon01 smlCall To Action: Save Australian Security Contractor Robert Langdon From Execution In Afghanistan!

Robert Langdon in Afghan custody.

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Hi,

I understand that IPSSC is raising awareness and support for British security contractor, Bill Shaw, who has been sentenced to 2 years jail in Afghanistan on trumped up fraud charges. Perhaps you would be willing to lobby support for Rob Langdon, an Australian security contractor, formerly employed by Four Horsemen International and sentenced to death by hanging in  Afghanistan on January 27 2010. Rob did not have a fair trial and his case has wide-ranging political implications as it would seem the Afghan authorities are testing the water with both Rob and Bill to see just how far they can go. Rob’s case appears to be very little known about, not only overseas but also in Australia and I would be very grateful for your help in publicising his case.(contact IPSSC for details of case)

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Call To Action: Everybody Draw Mohammad Day–May 20th!

May 13

Posted by Matt in Al Qaeda, Call To Action, Funny Stuff, War Art | No Comments

   The drawing below that Lars Vilks did, as well as the Mohammad in a bear suit that the guys at South Park/Comedy Central put together, are two prime examples of the kind of stuff that really winds up these extremists.  What’s better, is now there is a holiday being promoted on Facebook that declares May 20th as ‘Everybody Draw Mohammad Day’!  I love it.  And check out how many friends that page has? lol

   All I have to say to Al Qaeda and company is that you better sell some more drugs and get some more donations from your rich muslim friends for all of the bounties you are going to have to post, because you are about to get an onslaught of funny Mohammad drawings. -Matt

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Join up on Facebook for Everybody Draw Mohammad Day here.

Use your artistic skills (or lack thereof) and submit your drawings of Mohammad to drawmohammad @ gmail.com

Select entries will be featured on this page and on our website (currently under construction).

Invite all your friends to join this page – if individual freedom is important to you, now is the time to act!

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Call To Action: Everybody Draw Mohammad Day May 20th!

Swede cartoonist Lars Vilks attacked

May 12, 2010

Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who sparked controversy by drawing Prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog, was on Tuesday attacked while giving a lecture at a university, police said.

“The man was sat in the first row and suddenly he rushed at me. He punched me in the head and I lost my glasses,” said Vilks, adding that at the very most he was “a little bruised”.

Police said around 250 people were present at the time of the attack at the university of Uppsala, north of the Stockholm.

Story here.

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From the Facebook Page

In 2005, more than 100 people were killed in “cartoon riots”. Instead of speaking out against this insanity, people of the free world were bullied into the corner and decided that it would be better to appease Islamists with self-censorship under the threat of violence, since there is certainly plenty of evidence that they are more than willing to deliver on their threats. “If you dare portray Mohammad or criticize Islam” – you can end up dead.

The message was clear – and we were willing to give up our rights and forsake our values under the threat of violence from a group of thugs.

In 2010, we reached a new low when Comedy Central has decided to remove any mention of the name “Mohammad” from an episode of South Park, again as result of death threats from people who claim to be followers of a “religion of peace”.

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Call To Action: Navy SEAL Rally In Scottsdale AZ, March 27 2010

Mar 27

Posted by Matt in Arizona, Call To Action, Military News | No Comments

   This is great, and I hope there is a big turn out.  If you live in the Scottsdale area, show your support for these guys. -Matt

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News Release: Navy SEAL Rally in Scottsdale AZ

Support the Seals

March 24, 2010

Alexandria, VA

Rally: Saturday March 27, 2010, Scottsdale Arizona

In early September 2009, U.S. Navy SEALs secretly captured one of the mostwanted terrorists in Iraq, Ahmed Hashim Abed, the mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. Now, three of the SEALs who captured him are facing criminal charges because Abed claims he was hit in the stomach by one of the SEALs.

These terrorists are trained to claim abuse despite no physical evidence of such. More importantly, they know the powerful influence of our mainstream media & legal system and are using these facets as tools against us. This tactic with resulting media attention is effective in causing our heroes to question their training and decisions, placing their missions, lives and our security in jeopardy.

Because this story was under reported, a group of patriots started a Facebook group called Americans United Against the Prosecution of 3 Navy SEALs to show solidarity against what we believe to be an inappropriate and politically correct court martial against these SEAL heroes. No evidence has been released or offered to warrant these charges to date. Over 260,000 supporters from all over the world have joined the forum to voice their concern, support and outrage these heroes are facing.

The Navy SEAL advocates have created a fundraising event in Scottsdale, Arizona, to give awareness, show support and to raise money for these SEALs legal costs. Attending this event will be one of the SEALs, Matthew McCabe, his lawyer Neal Puckett and various political figures from across the country to show their support.

A CALL TO ACTION! You are invited to donate, attend and help spread the word to this seemingly and apparent injustice these SEALs are facing. We need YOUR support! They defend us. Now you have the opportunity to defend them!

Visit www.supporttheseals.org for more information and to RSVP to theevent or to donate to their defense funds.

Link to story here.

Facebook for Navy SEALs here.

Twitter for Navy SEALs here.

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Call To Action: The 2010 Warrior Pride Ride

Mar 20

Posted by Matt in Call To Action, Cool Stuff | 1 Comment

   This is a cool project that Jake is working on, and I figured I would do a little promoting for it.  Little fundraiser projects like this can be immensely helpful to the Wounded Warrior Project or similar foundations.  Especially if guys and gals started their own little fundraisers in their towns, and then you can see how big this could get if everyone started doing it. The point is, every dollar counts and it is all going to the cause of supporting wounded warriors.

   The contribuventure concept is really neat and I hope it catches on.  If you follow the links below, you can further investigate what this is all about. To those that are doing the 2010 Warrior Pride Ride, have a good one and thanks for caring. -Matt

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Welcome to the 2010 Warrior Pride Ride!  A Contribuventure to support America’s wounded veterans.

The Contribution

The purpose of the 2010 Warrior Pride Ride is to raise $5,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).  Donations will go to support the men and women who’ve served our country and who, as a direct result of that service, now suffer from a debilitating injury or condition.  Often their injury not only makes it impossible to continue their military service but also presents huge challenges in  re-integrating into civilian life.

The Adventure

As Contribuventurists we will ride our bicycles for 5 consecutive days going from the Washington D.C. area south to Virginia Beach.  The total distance is nearly 300 hundred miles.  Our adventure will  begin on or about Sunday, 30 May, 2010, and will end on Friday, 4 June, 2010.

We will stop to thank veterans along the way.

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Call To Action: ‘DynCorp International Afghan Operation’ Scam Warning

Mar 7

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Call To Action | 10 Comments

   Hey folks, get the word out on this one.  Do not send a resume to this email address listed below because it is a scam. -Matt

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DynCorp International Afghan Operation Warning

We have become aware of an internet scam using the DynCorp International name, and pretending to offer employment placement with “DynCorp International Afghan Operation” in return for payment to a recruiter.  This scam may also involve a request for personal data in connection to a visa application for Afghanistan. The false recruiter contact may use an e-mail of dynrecruiting@dynafghan.com, although other e-mail addresses or organization names may be used as well. Please do not send any money or any personal information to this organization or e-mail address, or to any other request for money to secure employment with DynCorp International or any of its subsidiaries.

DynCorp International has absolutely no connection with this internet scam. No legitimate recruitment effort by DynCorp International will ever include a request for payment from job applicants. Any attempts to request such payments should be reported to DynCorp International, to corporate.security@dyn-intl.com.

Link to alert here.

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