This is fantastic… It’s a really funny parody of a video done on Saturday Night Live which featured “T-Pain”. This should serve as a fine example of what bored Junior Officers do with their free time. Enjoy…

The good people at SoldiersAngels.org are sponsoring a fund drive called “Valor – IT”. They are trying to raise $140,000 dollars to purchase voice activated laptops for wounded warriors.

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops and other technology for severely wounded service members. 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.

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. Wounded military personnel can also directly request a laptop through the sign-up form or through the Valour-IT/Soldiers’ Angels representatives at the following medical centers, and other veterans health care facilities across the country:

* Balboa Naval Hospital

* Brooke Army Medical Center

* Madigan Regional Medical Center

* National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital)

* Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton

* Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital (29 Palms)

* Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Please CLICK HERE to support the cause!

Most anyone who knows me knows that I have not been the biggest fan of the war in Iraq. However, I am a big supporter of the war in Afghanistan. I firmly believe, that if the war there is conducted properly, and given the logistical support required, that the efforts there can result in a very positive outcome not only for the United States, but for Afghanistan and the world as a whole.

The October 17th-23rd issue of the Economist refers to the war in Afghanistan as “Obama’s War”. I find this to be a rather interesting misnomer. Afghanistan is not Obama’s war, it is America’s war, and we have done a disservice by not providing it the full attention and support required to conduct it properly. I understand that the President’s handling of the war in Afghanistan will likely play a major role in the success of his presidency, but to call it “Obama’s War” seems to belittle the whole thing in my opinion. This war is more than just a talking point, it is an international effort that is of vital importance to the whole of southwest Asia, and indeed, the world.

General Stanley McChrystal, a long time Special Forces veteran and current Commanding General in Afghanistan has submitted a request to the President for an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that he has submitted multiple plans, with his least favorable option requiring only 10,000 more troops, and his most favorable option requiring between 40,000 and 60,000 more troops to serve on the ground in Afghanistan.

The case for supporting the General’s request is strong. The West has a very real security interest in preventing the region from slipping into further conflict and utter chaos. Pakistan, Afghanistan’s neighbor to the east, is particularly vulnerable to the Taliban’s potent mixture of ethnic-Pashtun nationalism, and radical Islam. Anarchy in Afghanistan, or a restoration of power to the Taliban would leave Pakistan woefully vulnerable to cross-border instability. Let us not forget, that Pakistan has nuclear weapons, which we certainly want to keep out of the wrong hands.

Just as importantly, defeat in Afghanistan (or the perception thereof) would only serve to embolden the West’s opponents in Pakistan and around the world. It would be a major “IO” (Information Operations) win for our enemies, thus leaving us open to more attacks and garnering further support for Terrorist organizations globally. In short, it would only serve to show the tactic of Terrorism works.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, to leave Afghanistan or to falter there, would be a terrible betrayal of the Afghan people. Many of these people have risked their lives to help us, many more are suffering troubles that are a direct result of our intervention in the country, and many of Afghanistan’s best and brightest are Afghans who repatriated to their homeland to help rebuild, trusting in American success and the promise of long-term stability and security.

The U.S. currently only has about 62,000 troops in Afghanistan out of a total of about 100,000 foreign troops serving there. Whereas that may sound like a lot, it really is not when you consider the reality of the logistics imposed by the harsh Afghan terrain.

One must also consider the types of troops that are deployed. A war requires many types of service men and women to ensure success. You need infantry and Special Forces to ensure security and conduct kinetic operations on the ground, but just as important are the Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations troops who conduct Civil Assistance missions and ensure stability. The continuing effort in Afghanistan is not a simple one by anyone’s standards. General McChrystal himself was quoted as saying “Every day I realize how little about Afghanistan I actually understand.” The has a bewildering tribal make-up that is alien to most westerners, it’s communities are broken at best due to tribalism and 30 some-odd years of war. And the country is physically comprised of forbidding deserts and mountains. This is not an east problem to solve, but it must be addressed and any signs of uncertainty on the part of the United States will dishearten our allies, while serving to embolden our foes.

I personally feel very strongly that we MUST send more troops to Afghanistan, and we must do so quickly. We cannot appear to be uncertain or undetermined, the costs of losing this war are too great, and too wasteful and would be a slap in the face to those of us who have served and continue to serve there.

Well, if you have been reading my blog, and I know many of you have, you know I have been away for a while. I have also been somewhat remiss in reading and posting your comments. I have read your comments, and e-mails, and there seems to be two common trends… 1) Many people would like me to continue writing & 2) A surprising number of you are still reading and enjoying the site. So with that in mind, and an inbox full of requests, I have decided to once again start updating this site.

I am not going to remove any of my posts from Afghanistan. They seem to be very popular, and I intend to add more of my tales and photos from my time there. I am also not going to change the name of my site. My time with the U.S. Army permanently changed me, and my Navy career. I am and always will be an “Army Sailor”, so the site will remain, ArmySailor.com.

Though I am not currently deployed to Afghanistan, I do intend to continue to write commentary and thoughts on what is going on over there, from the perspective of an active duty veteran of that war. I also intend to include any other writings that I think may be of interest on a Military Blog.

So with that being said… I look forward to resuming my writing here at ArmySailor.com.

Additionally, if you are a Sailor who has been serving on IA, or are (or has been) stationed with an Army unit, and you are interested in contributing to the site, please feel free to let me know. I would kind of like the idea of expanding the site to include a few more authors.