Valour-IT Auctions

The annual Valour-IT fundraiser has received some interesting donation items, lead by Team Navy with an excellent selection of books and prints. The auctions are being run on eBay. You can bid on all of these books:

• SIGNED 'Command Attention' by Col. Keith Oliver
  
• 'Embedded' (in Iraq) by 1st Lt Wesley Gray
  
• 'First to Fight' by General Brute Krulak
  
• 'Bridge at Dong Ha' by John Miller - An excellent read and a great story about a man who did more than anyone imagined was possible
  
• 'Destroyer Captain' by James Stavridis - Lessons from the first command of the current commander of EUCOM
  
• Naval Inst Guide - Combat Fleets of the World - My dog-eared copy from 1990/91 could use a replacement, couldn't yours?
  
• Run Silent, Run Deep by Edward L. Beach - a classic, you need this book in your library
  
• Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. David Zabecki
  
• The Will to Win by Paul Braim
  

And, what I think is absolutely the coolest item up for auction so far, a lithograph of the Galloping Ghost of the China Coast (picture below), signed by artist Ted Wilbur and RADM E.B. Fluckey, Medal of Honor awardee for his actions in command of USS Barb (SS-220) during World War II.




Go bid now, these items are going to move! All proceeds from these auctions go directly to providing technology to assist our wounded warriors in their recovery.

Rumor has it that more items will be coming as well, so stay tuned...

GO NAVY!

Project Valour-IT

Project Valour-IT 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.

• 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.

These seemingly small items can make a big difference in the recovery of an injured soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine. Please take a moment to click the thermometer in my right sidebar and donate to the cause through Team Navy! The fund drive is open NOW through Veterans' Day, November 11, 2009.

Piracy!

It seems that to catch a pirate, one must think like a pirate. The Coast Guard seems to have taken that a step further, and their blogging team for the Valour-IT competition is acting like a pirate crew. They've hijacked the other teams' thermometers, and they are demanding ransom.
Fortunately, you can still track (and build on) the superior might of the Navy team via this:



One wonders if the Commandant is paying attention to the creativity and ingenuity being displayed by "his" supporters. Their actions, in the spirit of a friendly competition

Valour-IT

As I've done each of the last several years, I am supporting the Valour-IT fund drive. This project provides laptops so that injured service members can reconnect to the world outside of their medical facilities.

The project came from the experience of Major Chuck Ziegnefuss, and armor officer and military blogger who was wounded in Iraq. Chuck, who blogs at From my position... On the way!, has said that using a voice-activated laptop "was the first time I felt whole since I’d woken up wounded in Landstuhl."

Many soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have been helped by this program over the years, but there is still a need for more funds. Please support our Navy team by clicking the image below and making a tax-deductible donation. Our goal is $25,000, and we are only one tenth of the way there.

Valour-IT End Game

It's coming right down to the wire in the Valour-IT Veterans' Day Challenge, with just over 4 hours to go, we are less than $4,600 just over $1,400 from our goal! The graph below shows that we were at $175,610 as of 1911 EST; as I prepared it Army crossed the line and the Marines brought in another big donation, pushing the total to $178,568



The only team not over $45,000 is Air Force. They're $8,300 short of the goal; must have spent their time building O-Clubs instead of airfields. Pretend you are Congress and give them more money to make them operational.

Updated 2000: Here's a snapshot of Army crossing the finish line. Nicely done.


Update, 2119: Ladies and gentleman, we have done it! As of this moment, the total stands at $180,095; Army took the hill with a $500 donation to get us there, supported by the Marines with another $50 for good luck. There's still time to help Air Force make it to the summit, but the primary main objective has been achieved! Congratulations, everyone!

Tags: Valour-IT

$24,966 ...

... and 12 hours are all that stand between now and the Valour-IT goal. The chart shows that we are oh-so-close to hitting $180,000 by 1100, 11/11.



All four teams have done their part today, with Navy still leading the pack, the Marines going vertical, and the Army and Air Force moving along briskly as well.


Our Jarhead brothers and sisters only need another $1,761 to hit the $45,000 mark. Watch the space below, and shift fire to get Army over the line once the Marines make the grade. If we keep up the joint effort, all four teams together will have done something wonderful for the injured men and women who have sacrificed so much for us.



Tags: Valour-IT

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

At this instant in time, the Navy Valour-IT team is at the goal line, and has collected $45,000 to support our injured troops. Now that we have reached the first objective, it's time to push on. The next objective is $180,000 for the drive, and we must keep the pressure on to help the other services deliver.



Army, Air Force, and the Marines need our help, and this has always been a joint operation. Let's give the Marines a birthday present first, then move on to the Air Force.

Tags: Valour-IT, Navy

Two More Days to Support Valour-IT

There are an awful lot of bloggers supporting Valour-IT. Many of them have great stories to tell. I just realized how many of the Navy team members I haven't visited recently (see the team blogroll in the sidebar). Check out what a few of them have to say:

• Boudicca looks to the past and finds a parallel with the present
• An "old as dirt" mustang discusses real courage
  
• Barry at enrevanche is matching donations to Valour-IT - or at least he was until you generous donors maxed him out at $500.
  
• Jim from FEWL.NET worries about losing the chaplain from his cruiser
• Flag Gazer reports an unusual donation
• Jason is going to OCS to be a pork chop
• Frank J. says, "A chicken in every pot, a bullet in every terrorist."
  

These are the people who make Valour-IT work. Show them your support by dropping in once in a while.

Progress Update:

In just two short days, this year's Valour-IT Veteran's Day drive will come to a close. We remain short of our $180,000 goal, but with your help we can still get there; at the current total ($127,713) through PayPal, plus the auctions and any checks that have been mailed in it could be close.



The Navy team is almost over the $45,000 mark -- only $2,700 to go! Press on, Navy!



Tags: Valour-IT, Navy, Beat Army

Wednesday Upate

Thanks (again) to the folks at Power Line, Navy remains in the lead at almost $40,000, with the Army, Marines and Air Force each maintaining the same relative positions they held yesterday. With $5,244 left until meeting our goal, we can't let up yet - those Army guys will pull a rabbit out of their hat like last year and end up winning again, and we can't have that.



Of course, the competition is really just a means to stimulate donations, and while they are short of the goal we still have quite an impressive number on our hands. As of 2300 this evening, $119,772 has been paid via PayPal, and the auctions so far account for another $1,000 or more. That's more than 20% better than last year's drive, and we still have Thursday, Friday and Saturday for a final push.



Thus endeth the counting. Go forth and find more!

BEAT ARMY!

Tags: Valour-IT, Navy

Why I Support Valour-IT

My best friend from high school always wanted to be a soldier. Soon after we graduated, he was off to boot camp, and ended up in the field artillery at Fort Richardson while I studied at the boat school. He always had great stories when we were able to get together on leave; his passion for an Army career was amazing, even at the tender age of 19, and he wanted nothing more than the opportunity to defend our great nation against all enemies.
After a successful tour in Alaska, he transferred to Yakima, Washington, and that's where the story gets interesting. About a month after I got my commission, I got a call about my friend, who had been in a motorcycle accident. His helmet had saved his life, but just barely. Recovery was touch-and-go for a long time, but he finally pulled through.
In the twenty-one years since that accident, my Cold Warrior friend has been legally blind, as a result of brain damage from his accident. He also has great difficulty with fine motor control, and can only write well enough to fit a few dozen words legibly on a legal pad. He only recently got connected with e-mail, and needs help to be able to read and respond.
When I see what Valour-IT is able to do for wounded warriors today, I wonder how my friend's life would have changed if the technology had existed back then. The ability to reach out for support from someone in a similar situation, to stay in touch with family and friends, even to record his thoughts and fears could have made a huge difference.

Make a difference for one of today's warriors. Every dollar donated goes to the wounded. Click the link in the sidebar so that they have an opportunity my friend didn't have.

Tags: Valour-IT

Floored

Absolutely floored. Flat on my back, almost passed out. That's how I feel right now after seeing the response generated by the kind readers of Power Line. Scott Johnson put up his first post about Valour-IT 23.5 hours ago, and a second post 12 hours later. In the day before Scott's post, the Navy team collected $985. In the 24 hours since Scott brough Valour-IT to the attention of his readers, we have collected $17,145, and vaulted into the lead of our little interservice competition.



Even better news than Navy's big move, we've managed to pull the totals that much closer to the goal line. The project as a whole has gone from more than $26,000 behind to only a $16,000 deficit, and we are now well past last year's total collected with four days left in the drive. We have more than $111,000 committed, which is enough to buy 166 laptops to support our injured troops.



All of the credit for this goes to the readers of Power Line. We would not be where we are without them. From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of those not yet able to send a message themselves, thank you for all you've done.

Tags: VALOUR-IT, Navy

Update, 11:14 PM EST: Paul from Maryland just dropped a $3,000 donation on the Navy team. I am absolutely in awe of the generosity of people like Paul. They are great Americans and heroes in the truest sense.

Valour-IT Monday Checklist

Monday's Checklist:

1) Recruit new team members. Done. Welcome aboard, Power Line. Thank you for taking time to join us on what has to be the busiest day of your year.
2) Check out the auctions at NZ Bear's place. Done. Lots of cool stuff, like rare challenge coins, SUBGRU wine glasses, ship posters, books, and even a couple of sweaty old flight suits (worn in combat, no less!). Navy is leading the charge on this one, while the other teams fail to capitalize on the opportunity.
3) Suck up to local blog friends for more contributions and linkage. Done, done, and done. Thank you, New Jersey!
4) Post the latest stats. This job has gotten easier now that I've figured out a way to automate the data capture. Team Navy is still lagging far behind the others, but now that Power Line and the New Jersey crew are on board we should start to close the gap. Army has retaken the lead at $24,758, with the Marines $450 behind. Air Force has a comfortable 3rd place position, while we watch everyone else's six.


For the totals, we have effectively broken $90,000 with $89,901 in the till and another $800-plus promised through the auctions. There will also be checks and non-team contributions to bump up the numbers, but it's still a long way to go for $180,000.


Keep charging everyone!

Tags: VALOUR-IT, Navy

Valour-IT Sunday Update

Welcome, Power Line readers! For the latest stats, please head up to the top of the site.

Navy Team, there is good and bad news in the Valour-IT statistics at the end of the weekend. The good news is that Team Navy has so far collected $17,281, enough to purchase about 26 laptops for the injured who need them so much.
The bad news, as you can see on the chart below, is that we are getting our collective butts kicked by the other three teams. As of 2200 this evening, the Marines stand in the lead with more than $24,000; Army is second just over $22,000; and Air Force is third at around $21,000.



It really is time to get moving now, Navy! We need to average $5,000 per day to reach our goal by Veterans' Day. Our shortfall versus goal is $7,700, which would provide another 11 laptops to the program. We are responsible for 51% of the total miss of $15,109, and need to make sure that we don't continue to slow the effort down.


Keep your spirits up, and contact everyone you know, whether or not you think they will help. We need a massive surge over the next few days to get over the line.

Tags: VALOUR-IT, Navy

VALOUR-IT Saturday Update

Folks, we definitely need to kick it up a notch on the Navy team. To reach our $45,000 goal, we need to pull in $3,612 per day. Our running average as of this post is only $2,668! You can see in the chart below that we are fallling way off the pace, with more than $5,000 to make up and only a week left to do it. It's time to secure the brow, take in all lines, and get this ship underway!


Even worse, the project as a whole is slipping behind, with all of our competitors missing the mark. None of them are as far behind as Team Navy, but is still adds up to a $15,000 deficit.


Dig deep, folks. It's going to be hard to make our goal, but it can be done.

Update 12:47 PM: Here's the breakdown by team against the goal. Everyone (except Army) seems to be moving in the right direction right now; let's hope we can keep it up!


Tags: VALOUR-IT, Navy

VALOUR-IT Progress Report

The VALOUR-IT Veterans' Day challenge is off to a great start, with over $55,000 collected in just over three days! Only $125k left to go, and we can get there with your help. Here's the total progress so far:


In the competition between services, it looks like the (ugh!) Army is on top, but the Marines are close behind and coming up fast. The Air Force, in third place, is only about $500 ahead of Navy. Note in the chart below that Navy's average contribution is about $5 more than Air Force, so we should be able to catch up pretty soon.


Navy has gained a lot of ground today, closing the gap on Army from $3,700 yesterday evening to only $1800 as of this posting. This is great news, but there's still a long way to go -- our team is still more than $600 short of pace needed to hit the target.


Folks, this really is a wonderful cause, and the early returns via the blogosphere are very encouraging. With your help, the Navy team can reach our goal of $45,000 by Veterans' Day. Please, click the button in the sidebar, make a small (or large) donation, and help make a wounded soldier's life easier.

Tags: VALOUR-IT, Navy

Voice Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops

The VALOUR-IT project, in which I participated last year, is starting up its annual drive in preparation for Veteran's Day. The project, which has so far provided 650 laptops to troops injured in combat, is well worth your time, energy, and money. Please consider making an online donation at the link in my sidebar.

Like last year, blogger teams representing the Army (Blackfive), Air Force (Op-For), Marine Corps (Villainous Company), and Navy (Chaotic Synaptic Activity) will be competing to see who can raise the most. Navy was first over the line to the goal of $20,000, and ended in a close finish just behind the Army bloggers. This year, the bar has been raised, with a goal of $45,000 per team. Please give your support to our troops, and do it through the Navy team!


Tags: VALOUR-IT, Soldiers Angels, Navy

The Valour-IT Veterans Day Challenge

In a little over 2 hours, the Valour-IT Interservice Fundraising Challenge will end. In the end, the donations raised by the four service teams will provide enough funding to purchase over 110 voice activated laptops for our wounded troops. Nearly 76 thousand dollars, not including mailed in checks and undesignated donations. I am absolutely astounded at the results, though not surprised given the ingenuity, determination and generosity of the blogging community at large, and milbloggers in particular.

Thank you to every one who contributed, posted, talked and linked to help this project.

If you are interested in seeing the data I collected for the tracking chart, it's at
The Valour-IT Veterans Day Challenge, and it will stay up as long as I maintain this service. Feel free to hotlink it if you so desire.

Valour-IT Still Going Strong

Now that two teams have beaten the $21,000 goal, SMASH reports the Army has challenged the Navy in a race to $25,000.

So far, Navy has a slim lead, $22,318 to $22,128. A linear projection out to midnight tomorrow night would put us on pace for $25,282, with Army falling short of the mark (just barely).

Go donate to the Navy cause! C'mon, click the button, you know you want to!

Valour-IT News Flash

This just in from the Valour-IT database:

NAVY REGAINS THE LEAD!

To the generous donor(s) who pushed our team back on top, thank you!

The count now stands:

Navy	Army	Marines	Air Force
$19,348	$18,668	$11,905	$ 5,890

The chart in the previous post shows the details, and our illustrious leader's husband offers words of encouragement (see update 10). Sorry, Jim.

Update, 10:03 PM: It's going to be a nail-biter in the race to $20,000. Army is using its larger mass to rake in big gains, while Navy brings in higher average donations to keep a slight lead. The score stands Navy: $19.833; Army: $19,358.

Update, 10:17 PM: Navy: $19.933; Army: $19,358.

Update, 10:43 PM: Navy: $19.983; Army: $19,358. Only $1,017 left for Navy!

Cha-Ching! 10:48 PM, Navy first over the $20,000 mark with $20,008!


Update, 11:00 PM. In the 12 minutes since the last update, some Army sand baggers (John from GA and Randy) dropped $1,650.00 to pull exactly $1,000 ahead of Navy. John from GA is Army's single largest contribution thus far, at $1,500. That puts the senior service first over the line at $21,008. Congratulations, Army. We'll be there with you in a little bit.

Update, 12:00 AM. Closing out the day, Army remains in the lead at $21,008, while Navy has closed the gap again, sitting at $20,463. For those who are interested, here's a chart showing the final moments (scroll down to the previous post for full details on all teams).



Update, Thursday 6:30 AM: Navy's back in the lead, and has crossed the line with another $637 overnight.

Valour--IT, Day 7

Here's the latest status. Looks like the total is now at 70 laptops, if my calculations are correct.




Also, I looked at the total trend, and if it holds we should hit $60,000 by Friday at midnight eastern time. Here's the plot for that:



These totals only include those that have given to a particular team through the PayPal buttons. As the Valour-IT blog reports each night, there are undesignated and check donations coming in as well.

Keep pushing, and give til it hurts! Our Troops need your support!