South Florida filmmaker's 'All Wars End' and 9-11 fundraiser

South Florida filmmaker's 'All Wars End' and 9-11 fundraiser honor Iraq soldiers with PTSD
By Ben Crandell
September 11, 2012

South Florida filmmaker Carlos Londono knew that authenticity was critical to the effectiveness of “All Wars End,” his attempt to shine a light into the darkness that is war-related, post-traumatic stress disorder and to honor a childhood friend killed in Iraq.

He did his research, interviewing soldiers and hanging out in online chat rooms where he says combat veterans discussed their demons with amazing candidness. He read books, including Sebastian Junger’s “War” and “House to House” by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia. And he found a construction site on Miami Beach’s Normandy Drive that allowed him to create a realistic stand-in for the Iraq city of Fallujah.

He also enlisted the husband of one of his actresses, a Marine who had done two tours in Iraq, to act as a consultant on the movie. The husband collaborated with vets from his old unit to gather items that would give the look of the film an added legitimacy, from a sniper rifle to uniforms.

The uniforms came with a surprise.

“Inside the pockets was sand. It was not the color of sand here. It was sand from Iraq,” Londono says. “This movie was meant to be.”

“All Wars End” is a short film at 22 minutes and shot in Broward and Miami Dade counties over the course of five days by Londono, a Cooper City High School grad who studied political science and social psychology at Florida Atlantic University before giving in to his creative impulses by taking a screenwriting course.

The story is set in motion with a scene of a U.S. Marine sniper, Matt (Michael Joseph, far right), who is wounded and pinned down behind a concrete barricade with his friend and spotter Eric (Rico Reid, right) as they face off with an insurgent sniper. Unknown to Eric: The war has taken such an emotional toll on Matt that he has decided to let himself bleed to death from an earlier wound, hoping to provide insurance money to the wife and son he has been avoiding with repeated re-enlistments.
read more here

Horse Therapy Helps Veterans Break Through PTSD

Horse Therapy Helps Veterans Break Through PTSD
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 5, 2012 – A Pentagon Channel documentary sheds light on how military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder are finding help through the power of horse therapy.

"Recon: Unbridled" highlights “Horses for Veterans,” at Flag is Up Farms in California, an intensive three-day program designed to help veterans of all ages who have PTSD, free of charge.

“I think No. 1 is to work with veterans who have given up on life,” said Monty Roberts, a renowned horse whisperer. Roberts uses his horse-friendly “Joining Up” techniques on abused and mistreated horses, and adapts it for self-isolating veterans who have post-traumatic stress.

Roberts’ program is about learning to trust people by choosing to, rather than by force, he said. By using the language of the horse or the stress of the veteran to communicate, he added, his program engenders trust.

“When they trust you, they will migrate toward you, rather than going away [out of fear],” he said. “Horses are flight animals. They are frightened of everything they don’t understand. If they don’t trust it, they need to get away from it, and that’s how a veteran feels, too.”

The old style of “breaking” horses often involved using violence to force them into submission, but Roberts' style, which he calls “gentling” or “natural horsemanship,” is nonviolent.

“They get nothing from the fight, so they literally give up,” he pointed out.

Veteran Alejandra Sanchez is on her fourth visit to Flag is Up Farms, but remembers her first time like it was yesterday.

“I have never been so scared in my life,” she said. “I wasn’t even that scared when I was in Iraq. My anxiety was through the roof, because I had to face that I had post-traumatic stress.

“Every night you knew when the sun set, action was going to happen,” she continued, recalling her service in Iraq. “I remember coming to the oddly weird term of ‘I might not make it.’” Sanchez faced her fears head-on in the “Horses for Veterans” program.

“You have to work with people you don’t know, and you already have trust issues,” she said. “It definitely brought out all of the symptoms I face, but at an intense level I normally haven’t dealt with.” Sanchez said she had to learn to calm herself down for the horses to learn to trust her. “The horses would not respond to me if I was anxious, angry or violent,” she said.
read more here

If you live in Florida, there is a great program here for you too!
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center

Veterans Groups using horse sense

NWS Vail Veterans Program 1 DT 7-31-09 Dominique Taylor/dtaylor@vaildaily.com Army specialist Keith Maul, center, gets a hand getting off his horse from volunteer Cricket McLaren, during the Vail Veterans' summer program Friday at Yarmony Creek Lodge along the Colorado River Road. Miller, who lost his leg and his arm while serving in Iraq in Feburary, was enjoying getting back on a horse after his own horse bucked him off a few weeks ago.

Vail vets: ‘Best treatment out there'
Vail program take 14 injured vets fishing, horseback riding, rafting and camping
Lauren Glendenning
lglendenning@vaildaily.com
Vail, CO Colorado
VAIL, Colorado — Less than six months ago Keith Maul had two arms and two legs — now he's learning to get around with a prosthetic right arm and right leg after a grenade exploded on top of his vehicle near Baghdad.

You'd never know it happened so recently — Maul is moving around almost effortlessly and his attitude is positive.

“I just try to be happy and cheerful around everybody,” he said.

Maul is one of 14 of veterans in town for the Vail Veteran's Program. Different groups of injured soldiers come to Vail in both the winters and the summers to get active and realize their injuries can't stop them from doing whatever they want to accomplish, said Cheryl Jensen, the program's founder.
read more here
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090731/NEWS/907319946/1078&ParentProfile=1062

These programs are wonderful and Florida has our own program taking care of wounded veterans

Welcome and Thank you for Visiting SouthFloridaVets.org
The South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center (VMPC), is unique. It was started by Veterans in 1989 out of a single desire to help and benefit all Veterans and their families in South Florida.

Since the granting of its IRS 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt status in 1991, the Center has been involved in a broad base of Veteran services. The Center works closely with the VA and other government agencies as well as the public and private sectors to provide quality services and benefits to Veterans throughout Florida.

We are proud that we are the only Veterans organization in South Florida with an IRS 501(c)(3) status that:


Provides professional referral and outreach services to Veterans utilizing public, private, and government organizations.


Owns and operates a Mobile Veterans Center that travels throughout the state and participates in community based Veterans' events.


Funds food programs for Indigent Veterans and their families.


Partnerships with other non-profits for the sole purpose of providing transitional housing for homeless veterans.


Provides a substance abuse and recovery program for Veterans.


Doesn't have special eligibility requirements for veterans to receive services.


Our position is to work towards making a change in the life of veterans who have suffered from the trauma of war or any other duty-related issue. Our goal is to provide veterans of all ranks, backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses with the services they need and deserve.

We recognize that substance abuse and alcoholism is alarmingly prevalent among veterans. For this reason we dedicate a good portion of our programs and projects to those suffering from the trauma of war (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD) and those who may need ongoing counseling and special assistance.

They need donations to keep providing help to our wounded!

On a personal note, last year, when I was about as depressed as I could get, I received an email from Bob offering to help with the work I do. He found my videos on YouTube and thought they would be very helpful. He is a dear, caring man focused on making life better for our wounded veterans. Bob also made a donation to the work I do. This was at a time when the IRS had me so confused I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I know a lot about PTSD but not the rest of this cluster of bureaucratic mess. I asked for a tax exempt number. It took almost a year to figure out what I was told on the phone by the IRS rep was wrong. Working alone, it has been extremely difficult to figure out exactly what I had to do but I'm learning. The IFOC and I set up a Charter for me. While I have the certificate of Charter from the IFOC, I found out there is more needed to be done before I am registered with the IRS. Donations made to me after July 1 will be tax exempt but I'm asking you not to donate to me right now. Please donate to the South Florida Vets instead. (Believe me, I'll be asking for all the help I can get once everything is done with the IRS because I'm flat broke and really tired of going to H and R Block to be told I can't keep taking a loss and still be considered a business.)

People doing this work not only face very stressful and heart tugging times, they also have to face a mountain of paperwork to provide the work they do. I have a greater appreciation of groups like the South Florida Veterans than ever before after understanding what kind of other things they have to go through to provide help to our veterans. Working with veterans is what we have been called to do and it one of the most gratifying pleasures to see their days a little easier. It is also expensive. The South Florida Veterans not only have to pay the usual expenses, they also have to care and feed their horses. Even is you only have little to spare to donate, please do it and support this organization that is helping so many of our veterans.

Thank you for your interest in donation to the South Florida MPC. Please make a donation using any of the following methods:

Mail us your donations:
South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center
4311 SW 63rd Avenue
Davie, FL 33314
Phone: 954-791-8603

They also have a PayPal button on site.

Our Director: Mr. Robert Bambury
Veterans Affairs Field Services Representative

Mr. Bambury is the Executive Director of the Center and is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is assigned responsibilities involving the coordination of benefits and other related services for eligible veterans and their dependents and as legal representative/Power of Attorney on their behalf before U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) federal boards. Serves as an advocate for veterans in order to maximize services and benefits for eligible veterans and their families in a designated geographical area. Serves as a liaison to other federal and state agencies in matters related to veterans services and benefits. Interviews veterans and families assessing their needs and eligibility as related to receipt of state and federal benefits in the areas of medical treatment, disability compensation, insurance, pension, debt management, education, training, rehabilitation and housing placement.

Performs case management duties throughout the processes of assessment, researching information, compiling reports, filing claims, formulating appeals, and obtaining benefits; interprets laws, rules, regulations and procedures and provides assistance in the completion of required forms; counsels and assists clients in utilization of appropriate resources, identifies deficiencies and develops a strategy to initiate actions necessary to obtain maximum benefits; advises clients of documentation required to support benefit claims; and makes referrals to other agencies and resources.


Reviews rating board decisions insuring compliance with Title 38 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations; determines if appeal is warranted; initiates the appeal process by preparing a written brief outlining the basis of disagreement; and obtain client's Power of Attorney to utilize as necessary.


Prepares financial statements and interprets the correlation of Social Security, military retirement, other income and net worth affecting USDVA pension and compensation; assists clients in dealing with USDVA Debt Management Agency; prepares financial reports to support client's request for waiver, postponement, compromise offers, or repayment plan for benefit overpayments.


Independently reviews client USDVA files, evaluates evidence including veterans' service and post-service medical records, as well as service histories; researches laws, regulations, policies and case law/precedent decisions from USDVA Board of Veterans Appeals and US Court of Veterans Appeals to prepare for hearings; and writes appellant briefs on issues that were previously adjudicated at a lower level.


Acts as claimant's legal representative during informal hearings before USDVA decision review officers, formal hearings before USDVA administrative hearing officers and Board of Veterans Appeals administrative law judges; presents oral arguments during hearings; obtains sworn testimony during formal hearings through a series of questions that are supportive of the issues on appeal.

By Direction of the Board 2008

War-torn Troops Soothed by Horses’ Spirit

War-torn Troops Soothed by Horses’ Spirit
By Emily Oz
August 8, 2008

MIAMI -- The science of the human-animal bond is proving very effective in a new arena: on the home front of a new war. Returning veterans are finding help, as well as healing in therapy that involves a saddle and a set of reins.

"It feels pretty good. I feel tall," said U.S. Marine Gene Calonge, who recently returned from his deployment.

Learning to ride again is strengthening the bodies and minds of young vets here at the South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center in Davie, Fla.

The last time Calonge mounted a horse, was his service with the Marine Corps. This time around it's Sam, a 4-year-old Arabian, giving him a much-needed boost.

"It's different bonding with an animal, you feel like you're not going to be judged so much about anything so ... you and him just have a good time,” said Calonge.

A crowd of people recently gathered to celebrate the grand opening of a new facility. It's got all the features needed to accommodate a growing Equine Therapy Program that started one year ago. Professional horse trainers and mental health experts work with the Veterans, using a very powerful tool: the love and respect of a horse.

"A horse is a prey animal,' said Bob Bambury, the executive director of the South Florida Veterans Multi-Purpose Center. “So it's used to being attacked by predators. So it has a ‘stand-offish’ effect. You're going to have to bond with that horse before you're going to develop any kind of relationship.”

go here for more
http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/wartorntroopssoothedbyhorsessp
You can view the video on the top of the side bar.

South Florida Veterans Center Grand Opening

SOUTH FLORIDA VETERANS
MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER
4311 SW 63RD AVENUE
DAVIE, FL 33314
954-791-8603





YOU ARE INVITED TO A GRAND OPENING





SOUTH FLORIDA VETERANS MULTI-PURPOSE CENTER’S

NEW MILITARY VETERANS, NATIONAL GUARD

SUPPORT CENTER



DEMONSTRATION OF EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY FOR DISABLED VETERANS



TYPICAL AGENDA OF THE WEEKEND RETREAT PROGRAM



MEET VA AND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS,

COMMUNITY ELECTIVE OFFICIALS,

PROGRAM SPONSORS,

NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING,

CENTER VOLUNTEERS,

VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS,

HORSE PROFESSIONALS,





FREE FOOD AND BEVERAGES



PLEASE RSVP TO 954-791-8603



AUGUST 3RD 2008 NOON TILL

I was honored to have been invited to this but unfortunately I cannot attend. They are showing some of my videos. My heart is tugged but I cannot get out of a prior commitment. If you live in Florida, please go to the Grand Opening and show your support of this. Veterans centers are vital in the healing of our veterans. There is not enough help to go around for them and many do not want to turn to the VA for help and support. Please support all veterans centers, not just for the new veterans, but all veterans.

Davie is near Fort Lauderdale.