UCF Operation Giveback drew huge crowds

UCF Operation Giveback drew huge crowds
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
May 11, 2013



This morning I was out at University of Central Florida for the Operation Giveback Run for wounded warriors. It was a fabulous turn out.

As you can see in some of these pictures a lot of companies sponsored the event.



I met the founder of My Warrior's Place Kelly Kowall. Her son Corey was killed in Afghanistan.

A Mom's mission to help vets and soldiers grieve Kelly Kowall needed a sign. She didn't want a nebulous sign subject to the interpretation of the moment. She needed something serious, something strong. Kelly stood on a beach and asked God for a “burning bush” sign. Then a large caliber bullet washed up at her feet.

She is featured in this video report.

Publicity stunt for Iron Man backfires

Movie theater publicity stunt triggers officers to respond to active shooter situation
Daniel Winn
Jefferson City Reporter
May 09, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
Management at the Goodrich Capital 8 Theaters is defending what it calls a publicity stunt at the movie theaters this past weekend.

During the opening weekend of the latest 'Iron Man' movie, a man walked into the theater in full tactical gear and carrying a fake gun.

Jefferson City police and witnesses, however, are not pleased with the stunt and are questioning the theater's logic after recent shootings in Aurora, Colo. and Newtown, Conn.

John Molock is a retired Army war veteran and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He told ABC 17 News this most recent trip to the movies triggered memories he never wanted to relive.

"We had just finished watching Iron Man 3," said Morlock. "We're just getting into the car when I spotted a man in full assault gear, carrying what appeared to be a modified M-4 and 9 mm on his side."
read more here

93% of financial advisers had PTSD after 2008?

This is a very odd day for Wounded Times. Two stories on PTSD and Wall Street but I have to admit when I read the headline on this one, I thought it was a joke.

93% of financial advisers had PTSD after 2008
Study finds emotional fallout had lasting impact on decision making
Wall Street Journal
May 09, 2013
Quentin Fottrell

Financial advisers were shellshocked in the months and perhaps years following the 2008 financial crisis. Many couldn’t sleep, they suffered bouts of anxiety and depression and self-doubt. In fact, according to just-published academic research: some 93% of advisers and planners surveyed wrestled with post-traumatic stress disorder. And many are still reeling from the effects.

Nearly every single financial professional interviewed as part of the research reported medium to high levels of post-traumatic stress, according to the study published in the Journal of Financial Therapy. The survey — “Financial Trauma: Why the Abandonment of Buy-and-Hold in Favor of Tactical Asset Management May be a Symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress” — found that another 40% of planners reported severe symptoms. The respondents managed assets with an average value of between $20 million and $40 million.
read more here

Maybe that is why they do actually seem to understand what the troops are going through.

Wall Street party to "stop soldier suicides"

"Heroes" Rebuild Vietnam Vet's Sandy Wrecked Home

"Heroes" Rebuild Vietnam Vet's Sandy Wrecked Home
By: Vivian Lee

The Heroes at Home Campaign and Rebuilding Together NYC are repairing homes in Brooklyn damaged by Hurricane Sandy, all with the goal to make them and accessible for those living there.

Sawing wood is music to Vietnam veteran Michael Chirieleison's ears which, six months ago, were ringing with the sound of water rushing into his Red Hook house.

"I saw the waves going down, there had to be five foot of water in the street," Chirieleison recalled.

On Friday, a work crew was making his house liveable again. The materials and labor are thanks to Heroes at Home.

The program was hatched by Sears and the non-profit home repair group Rebuilding Together NYC to serve those who have already served.

"We identify veterans in need across the country who need home repairs, home upgrades, they've fallen on hard times, show a need. We go in there, make their homes warm, safe, accessible," said Brian Hanover of Sears' Heroes at Home.
read more here

Congressman Webster thinking outside the box

Today I attended a Florida Association of Veteran Business Owners luncheon and Congressman Webster was the speaker. He is one of the reasons why I am not a Republican or Democrat.

I am an Independent because I do not agree with any of them all the time. That is a wonderful thing because after hearing him speak, they don't agree with each other either.

Congressman Webster talked about giving money back to the treasury and having a hard time doing it but even Warren Buffett was stunned he did. Buffett said that if any member of congress returned money he would double it. Buffett had to write a check.


He also talked about "cookie-cutter" answers to everything. So far I agree with him. What really got my attention was when he was talking about not checking off the "box" the rest of the members of congress do all the time. He thought about what he was doing and it saved the tax payers money. You can hear him tell this story in the video below.

One thing to keep in mind if you think that none of them are "all good" or "all bad" that is how most people feel and they are not interested in political games no matter how much the media wants us to be constantly bickering. Most of us just want what doesn't work fixed and what works improved on.

Congress members have a habit of saying they want to end something, like Obamacare, but we want them to fix it. They talk about the problems we all deal with but again, back to what Webster was talking about, cookie-cutter "solutions" make more of a mess and we get the crumbs. That is not what he said but that is what it boiled down to. There is no one size solution to anything but doing nothing is often just as bad.

I also know that Congressman Webster cares about veterans and that is something readers of this blog all agree with him on. We have got to do a better job making sure they have the best this nation has to offer them since they all paid it ahead.