Soldiers and Families Threatened After CENTCOM hacked

Hackers hit CENTCOM sites, reveal contact info and issue threats 
Stars and Stripes
By Travis J. Tritten
Published: January 12, 2015
22 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — Hackers claiming to be with the militant group Islamic State took control of U.S. Central Command’s Twitter feed and YouTube channel Monday, posting threats to servicemembers and contact information of military staff and retired brass.

The postings lasted about 30 minutes and included what appeared to be a contact roster for U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg and other commands, the cell phone numbers and home addresses of some retired generals, and maps of North Korea and China. Stars and Stripes could not immediately verify if the documents were authentic.

On CENTCOM’s YouTube channel, the hackers uploaded Islamic State propaganda videos and footage of the group’s fighters. When contacted Monday, a CENTCOM spokeswoman said the command was still gathering information on the hacks. “We can confirm that the CENTCOM Twitter and YouTube accounts were compromised earlier today,” the command said in a released statement.

“We are taking appropriate measures to address the matter. We have no further information to provide at this time.
read more here

Great music from "Proud" soldiers

Proud of Who I Am
Patten and Goff

Linked from Military.com

THANK YOU VIDEO TO ALL OUR FANS

Bouncing Marines Frozen Chosen

VIDEO: Marines Freak Out While Watching Frozen's 'Let It Go'
PEOPLE Magazine
By K.C. BLUMM
UPDATED 05/02/2014
John Travolta may not know who Idina Menzel is, but we're guessing these Marines do.

In this video posted on Facebook by Bill Nuche, a Marine in Bryan, Texas, a group of the country's bravest sing along to the ubiquitous tune "Let It Go" while watching the hit movie Frozen.

There is so much to enjoy here: their off-key singing along to Menzel's vocals, the fact that they know the lyrics, their spirit fingers ...

"Ok this is what happens when you let a bunch of marines watch 'Frozen,'" Nuche wrote in a caption to the video on Tuesday. "They are all waiting for a specific part at about 2:20 in."
read more here

Job seekers interview for toughest job in the world

First I have not lost my mind posting this video. There is a reason for it. Watch the video first then go to the bottom for the answer.

World's Toughest Job - #worldstoughestjob

Here's a pretty cool project from Mullen for a client we won't immediately reveal, lest we spoil the surprise.
The Boston agency posted this job listing online for a "director of operations" position at a company called Rehtom Inc. The requirements sounded nothing short of brutal:

• Standing up almost all the time
• Constantly exerting yourself
• Working from 135 to unlimited hours per week
• Degrees in medicine, finance and culinary arts necessary
• No vacations
• The work load goes up on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and other holidays
• No time to sleep
• Salary = $0 go here for more

What is even harder, a Mom in the Military! God Bless All Of You!!

Boynton Beach Police Officer "Happy" feet

Mar 23, 2014
Boynton Beach Police Officer Ron Ryan shows off his smooth moves dancing to Happy by Pharrell Williams after responding to a call about a house party last night. Watching this will make you happy!!!

"Call Me Maybe" performed by US Army Infantry Soldiers

Aug 19, 2012 A cover of "Call Me Maybe" performed by US Army Infantry Soldiers in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

Original by Carly Rae Jepsen. Directed, filmed, and edited by the troops as a morale boost for our Soldiers here and our families/FRG back home. See you in just a few more months, and thanks for all your support!

Also, a shout-out to our ANA partners for their enthusiasm and excitement to get involved and film the partnered dance scene!

Unfortunately, we are unable to post a mobile version of this video due to copyright issues with the song in accordance with this website's policy. We apologize for this inconvenience but thanks much for your continued support!

A Facebook friend just posted this. I hadn't seen this one before but oh so glad I saw it now!

Long Island soldier's song to kids in Afghanistan caught on video

Long Island soldier's song to kids in Afghanistan caught on video
Long Island Now
47 m ago By Brittany Wait

As a group of children approached Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Coscia while his Army unit provided security in Qalat, Afghanistan recently, he began singing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.”

“Baby, don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing is gonna be alright,” he sang.

Before he knew it, the kids — smiling and jumping up and down — repeated after him. The kids knew his unit, who supplied them with cases of water, food and candy.
read more here

From YouTube
US Army's Joseph A. Coscia brings smiles to children in Afghanistan

With all the terrible things going on in the world, this video brings a huge smile to my face. Joseph Coscia in Afghanistan singing "Bob Marleys, everything's gonna to be alright" to children who are surrounded by war. Joe is away from his family, and missing almost the whole first year of his daughters life. In between serving our country, he has found some time to bring some smiles and laughter to the children in Afghanistan.

PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO in hopes that it will bring smiles to others faces as it did mine!!

Iraq war veteran Emily Yates arrested on Friday captured on video

Sep 1, 2013
Iraq war veteran Emily Yates was arrested on Friday after a dispute with police about where she could stand while playing her banjo during a protest against U.S. military action in Syria. Video uploaded to Live Leak shows Yates asking Federal Parks Police why she could not stand in a shaded area of Independence Mall in Philadelphia.

After several minutes of discussion, two officers bent Yates over a park bench and handcuffed her. "We live in a police state," she shouts! "We live in a f*cking police state! They're damaging my body and my personal property! I went to war for this country! Stop manhandling me! Stop! Stop! Help! Help!"

By the time Yates is dragged from the park, at least eight officers are participating in the arrest.

A web page claiming to be the "Emily Yates Defense Fund" insisted that the activist "was not engaged in any illegal activity and was not told why she was being attacked."

"While she was busy playing a song, park rangers accosted her. When she demanded an explanation for their aggression, they pinned her onto a park bench and dragged her off to an undisclosed location," according to the website. "We are not being told where she is being held and she has not been allowed any communication with the outside world."

Watch this video from Live Leak, broadcast Aug. 31, 2013.

Air Force veteran still jumping out of planes at 80

Veteran skydives for 80th birthday
The Dispatch
By Nash Dunn
June 27, 2013

Calvin Mullineaux waited until his 80th birthday to jump out of a plane.

Mullineaux, who spent close to 20 years flying planes in the Air Force, said he never received the opportunity to bail out of an aircraft or take a training jump.

"I used to tell paratroopers and some of my fellow servicemen, 'I couldn't understand why anyone would ever want to leave a perfectly good airplane,'" said Mullineaux, who lives off Swicegood Road near Churchland.

However, Mullineaux threw any of his apprehensions out of the window earlier this year when he went skydiving in Salisbury on April 20, his birthday.
read more here

This hilarious video uses Rocky "Gonna Fly Now" while they are walking to the plane!

Video captures soldier being sucked out of Hercules Transport

Accidentally deployed parachute sucks soldier out of plane
(VIDEO)
RT
Published time: May 09, 2013

A United States soldier was onboard a military plane recently when he unexpectedly embarked on what is likely to be his most memorable adventure ever — and it was caught on film.

An unidentified US paratrooper was preparing to jump from what is believed to be a C-130 Hercules military transport plane when his rip cord was caught on the launching ramp, triggering the release of the soldier’s reserve parachute.
read more here

Here is the video from damwhyyousad.

Real video footage of a wounded Marine in Iraq

When you think about Combat and PTSD being called the "moral injury" you need to take away one important point about it. It is because they love and care so much that they carry that deeper level of pain. Why? Because what makes them able to put the lives of someone else ahead of their own, willing to die for the sake of someone else, that comes from an incredible strength within them. That same ability is also what makes them grieve so much.

I was reading this news report and there was a link to the video below. It is not pleasant but I urge you to watch it. What the way they care for the their wounded "brother" and while they do that, others guard the group. This is what they do. The reasons they do it may seem unnatural to the rest of the population but it has been recorded throughout history.

Compassion remains within them and that is a testament to their character. Do not confuse compassion with the lack of courage because military service requires both. They have to be able to care in the first place and then be courageous enough to face whatever we send them to do. After all these years of helping them they are a magnificent example of true unselfishness.

PTSD plagues many military members, but help is available
KSDK.com
May 3, 2013
By Art Holliday

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - Three Vietnam veterans try to explain the unexplainable, how something that happened 40 years ago causes so much anguish today.

"In terms of veterans, it's a war wound. It's permanent. It never goes away," said psychiatrist Dr. Jay Liss.

"You can't unsee something you've seen and you can't unhear something you've heard and you can't unsmell the ungodly smells of war," said Bob Thompson.

"There's no medication to help you to forget. You never ever forget," said Albert Boyd.

The Department of Veterans Affairs questionnaire for diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder has 31 symptoms, including: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, memory loss, impaired thinking, difficulty adapting to stressful situations.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur following a life-threatening event like military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people have stress reactions that don't go away on their own, or may even get worse over time.
read more here

You can heal combat PTSD if you don't give up

The news reports say that while there are 22 veterans a day committing suicide, the truth is, we will never really know for sure how many. Too many unanswered questions. The only thing we can be sure of is they run out of hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

The other news reports say that the largest percentage of veterans committing suicide are Vietnam veterans.

While this video is for all of you it is especially true for Vietnam veterans. You have lived longer and carried your burden this long when most of you didn't know what PTSD was. There is help out there and hope of having a better life.

You need to take care of all of you, your mind, your body and especially your spirit. Learn how to forgive and find forgiveness so that you can do what you do best. Help others heal too.

Publish Patriot Videos

I just started a new blog to hold the videos I film for Veterans Events here in Florida as well as new videos I find. Publish Patriot will be the place to find my videos after they are posted here. Don't worry! Wounded Times isn't going anywhere! It was created to try and clear up this blog because after last year when I filmed over 40 events it got way too crowded to hold all of them. Publish Patriot is all about these patriots and will only have videos on it. Hope you link to it as much as I hope you like it!

Fort Hood Soldier Raps to Deal With PTSD

Fort Hood Soldier Raps to Deal With PTSD
KCEN.com
Posted: Feb 15, 2013
By Tiffany Lundberg

(KCEN) -- He's not your typical hip hop artist, because when Stephen Hobbs isn't dropping beats, he's serving our county as a specialist in the Army.

Hobbs said, "What sparked it off was the Soldier Boy Did song I made and I made that song in Afghanistan."

While over seas, Hobbs reacted to the song "Let's Be Real" by rapper Soulja Boy. The mainstream artist used foul language disrespecting the government and U.S. troops.

He said, "I just kind of compared like his life compared to a soldiers life and tried to show how it didn't even compare at all. It wasn't even a comparison because he's never been overseas."
read more here

Soldier famous for YouTube video of Taliban firefight

I don't mind admitting when I'm wrong but in this case I am doing it when no one knew I was. When this video first came out, I watched it a few times and there was something about it that didn't look right to me. I can't explain it, but it seemed fake. After reading the interview, now I know I was wrong.

Soldier famous for YouTube video of Taliban firefight interviewed
Stars and Stripes
Published: January 27, 2013

The formerly anonymous soldier made famous on YouTube for scrambling away from Taliban gunfire on an Afghanistan hillside reflected on the incident viewed at least 23 million times in a recent interview with The Washington Post.

The harrowing helmet cam footage, with bullets landing to each side of Pfc. Ted Daniels as he tries to find cover, perhaps is the most popular online video from what is known as the most filmed war in history.

For Daniels, a former cop in Maryland and Pennsylvania who enlisted at age 37, the drama of that firefight didn’t end when he was injured and eventually sent stateside.
read more here

Wounded Times Year End Thank You

Wounded Times Year End Thank You
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
December 31, 2012

It has been a crazy, busy, year. In May I finished Valencia College Digital Media Certification. Not bad, ended up with a 3.1 GPA.

The top post this year as well as last year was For Those I Love I will Sacrifice with a total of 35,038 views.

In November I re-released For the Love of Jack, His War/My Battle the book I self published in 2002 trying to warn families about what they were facing with combat and PTSD.

Last month I started a new book, The Warrior SAW, Suicides After War, because of requests from families needing help when someone they love committed suicide. I hope to have it finished next month.

I need your prayers while I get through this because it is emotionally draining.

Up until I was done with college, I didn't want to ask for donations because it just didn't seem right.

In August, I finally received my tax exempt from the State of Florida and was able to start getting donations. Up until then, all the work I did, the travel, equipment, food, phone and everything else was coming out of my husband's pocket. Usually it runs between $1,000 and $2,000 a month depending on how much traveling I have to do. While this is really low for a charity, what I do does not cost much at all, but when you are talking about taking the money out of your personal budget, it hurts!

Donations for 2012

August 24, 2012

Lenny $25.00

August 25, 2012

Rofkens $20.00

August 26, 2012

Fearless $10.00

Theresa $50.00

August 27, 2012

John $10.00

August 28, 2012

Ed and Sue $50.00

Veterans Multi-purpose Center $100.00

Thomas $25.00

September 4, 2012

Ivy $25.00

Aaron $50.00

September 18, 2012

VFW $1,000

October 13, 2012

Judith, $10.00

November 2, 2012

Richard $50.00

November 12, 2012

Kim $20.00

November 13, 2012

Steve $100.00

November 14, 2012

Michael and Patricia $200.00

November 27, 3012

Brian $20.00

December 6, 2012

Lenny $20.00

December 16, 2012

Nam Knights $200.00

This is what your money helped me do and I thank you very much for your support. You helped all of these groups get some attention for the work they are doing.

Videos filmed for veterans around Central Florida for 2012

January 22
Stunt Show Motorcycle Crash
Orlando Bikers Against Child Abuse
February 3
Memorial Service for John Michael Barrett
February 7
WWII Four Chaplains Service
February 12
WWII Montford Point Marine
February 22
Veterans Walk of Honor
March 8
Memorial Service for Daniel Hurley
March 10
DAV Dinner for Wounded Warriors
March 10
Nam Knights Bike Week Party
Dannis Bish
April 12
Three Wounded Veterans
April 15
Orlando Marines Come Home
April 18
Dannis Bish Memorial Service
April 19
MOMS
April 22
Vietnam Wall Escort
April 29
Guitarists Plays With One Hand
April 29
Veterans Reunion
May 7
Medal of Honor Sammy Davis
Combat? Talk About It
Nam Knights Homes For Our Troops Fundraiser
MOH Sammy Davis Shenandoah
May 27
Ocoee Memorial Day
May 28
Vietnam War Museum Memorial Day
May 31
Glen Haven Memorial Day
June 17
Orlando DAV Volunteers
DAV Convention Candy Man
Member of the Year Award I ended up filming myself getting the Auxiliary Award
June 23
Home Depot Helps DAV
June 28
VFW Military Awards
July 18
Orlando DAV New Officers
July 22
Rebel Rider Magazine Anniversary
July 28
Funeral for Capt. Bruce MacFarlane
August 7
Purple Heart Day
August 18
Lukas Nursery Butterfly Encounter about Spiritual Healing
August 29
DAV Van Dedication
September 15
Orlando Marines Fundraiser
Orlando US Navy Chief Petty Officers
September 23
Renewal of Vows Ambush
October 18
Nam Knights Memorial Dannis Bish
Nam Knights Memorial Eternal Chapter
November 11
Healing PTSD with Horse Power
November 18
Giving Thanks for Veterans
December 8
Coast Guard Fill the Boat
December 16
Coast Guard Fill the Boat Wrap Up
December 22
Brothers in Bras

Videos created for 2012


All of these videos from this year, as well as videos done going back to 2006, were all done for free! The donations above, while deeply appreciated, were not enough to cover the cost of going to these events during the year. The editing program to turn footage into videos is $2,500. Camera equipment along with everything else is very expensive. My car is getting old on top of everything else, so if you want to see more veterans events covered next year, I'm counting on you to carry me through!

Remember, your donations are tax deductible and also cover spiritual counseling I do with veterans and their families.

Toby Keith welcomed home Major from Afghanistan shocked wife

Because I have videos on YouTube I get a lot of links to other videos. Usually I get the links soon after they are uploaded but this one took a while. Seems like a great way to welcome in the New Year!
Sep 19, 2012
On September 8, 2012, Toby Keith brought a military wife up on stage at a concert in Houston, Texas. She sang a song with him before Toby surprised her with her husband, Major Pete Cruz, who had been away in Afghanistan.

Top 10 most popular military videos of 2012

Top 10 most popular military videos of 2012
By TOSHIO SUZUKI
Stars and Stripes
Published: December 24, 2012

There’s live video of a Coast Guard rescue at sea during Hurricane Sandy, a public service announcement on homeless veterans, and of course, a ‘Gangnam Style’ spoof music video in contention, but what were the top 10 most watched U.S. military videos of 2012?

This year’s winner, published in February, garnered almost 2.4 million views. In comparison, the most watched video from Stars and Stripes in 2012—‘Heat ray demonstration’—received about 57,500 views, good enough for 11th place if in the competition.

Videos were selected from dozens of YouTube pages affiliated with the military branches, their educational systems and government institutions focusing on veterans.
go here to view all of the top 10. These are my favorites

No. 5: ‘VA Homeless Veterans ‘Success Stories’ Public Service Announcement’ from the Department of Veterans Affairs with 647,644 views. For many reasons, there are homeless veterans out there. The more who know about resources available to them, the better

No. 2: ‘Gangnam Style-West Point’ from the U.S. Military Academy West Point with 1,407,552 views. The ‘Gangnam Style’ spoof videos came from all over the Internet, including all branches of the military, but the horse stable, operating tank and choreographed moves from the West Point cadets was too much to beat

Golden Eagle Snatches Kid captured on video

That kid-snatching eagle video? Fake!
NBC
By Alan Boyle

Canadian whiz kids pulled the wool, or the feathers, over the eyes of millions of Internet users with a fake video showing a golden eagle trying to snatch a child in a Montreal park.

For a while, "Golden Eagle Snatches Kid" spiked on YouTube's viral-video meter, chalking up 5 million views in just one day. One reason why the video leaped up the charts was because it was widely distributed via sites such as The Guardian and Gawker with a minimum of fact-checking. It didn't take long, however, for Montreal police to note that there were no reports of avian kid-snatching attempts. Besides, birders said, golden eagles don't frequent that part of the world — and the bird in the video didn't look like a real golden eagle anyway.
read more here

It was a fantastic job that's for sure. I believed it.

WOW, watch as the eagle actually picks the baby up. The footage is slowed down on replay.

Family ambushed by returning soldier caught on video

Nov 28, 2012 by nanojam1
My friend Josh wasn't going to be able to come home from the Army for another year, before being shipped off. but got word that he was going to be able to get leave for a week, so we planned a day that we could surprise his whole family and recorded the whole thing to share with others.