U.S. Troops on Search Team for Nigerian Girls

DOD Official
16 U.S. Troops on Search Team for Nigerian Girls
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2014 – A total of 16 military personnel from U.S. Africa Command have joined the interdisciplinary team led by the State Department at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, to help in finding hundreds of kidnapped girls, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

Members of the extremist group Boko Haram abducted more than 200 girls from the Government Secondary boarding school in the town of Chibok on the night of April 14. Several countries, including the United States, have offered help.

On May 6, President Barack Obama said on NBC’s “Today” program that the immediate priority is finding the girls, and then the world must address the broader problem of organizations like Boko Haram that “can cause such havoc in people's day-to-day lives.”

At the Pentagon today, Army Col. Steve Warren said the group of 16 military personnel includes experts in communications, logistics, civil affairs, operations and intelligence.

“Their role is to assess the situation, advise and assist the Nigerian government in their efforts to respond to this crisis situation, and find the young women kidnapped by Boko Haram,” the colonel added.

A majority of the group members were staff officers and personnel from the embassy’s Office of Security Cooperation, whose mission is to enhance the long-term bilateral defense relationship between Nigeria and the United States. The rest came into the country from outside Africa, he said.

The Office of Security Cooperation in Nigeria is the largest in Africa, Warren said. “We have a total of 50 or 60 military personnel assigned to the embassy there as part of the country team,” the colonel added, and 16 now are devoted to the interdisciplinary team to find the girls.

The Defense Department has no plans at this point, he said, to put more personnel into the country.

Marine surprises family when he returns from Uganda sooner than expected

MARINE LYTLE MAKES AN UNEXPECTED, EARLY APPEARANCE
Marine surprises family when he returns from Uganda sooner than expected
Daily Record
By BOBBY WARREN Staff Writer
Published: January 19, 2014

WOOSTER -- Members of the John and Lydia Lytle family filled Declaration CrossFit Friday afternoon, and they all looked ready for a rigorous round of training.

Donning workout gear, the family bided their time waiting for a reporter and photographer to get some video equipment set up to do a story about the business, which is owned by the couple's four children.

Just about the time everything was ready to go, a big, burly, red-headed man busted through the large, steel door, surprising them and bringing them to tears.

Wally Lytle, a Marine who spent most of the past year deployed in Uganda, was home, and it utterly shocked his parents and siblings.

Lydia Lytle screamed and buried her face in her hands. The petite woman leapt into the large arms of her son and clutched him tightly around the neck. Still in tears, she just stepped away, directing others to welcome the U.S. Marine Corps sergeant home as she tried to process everything unfolding before her.

"It's wonderful," Lydia Lytle said. "It's great. I can't believe he's home. It's been a long time."

It's been 227 days, to be exact. Lauren Hicks knows.

Hicks shed tears, too, when she saw her boyfriend bust through the doorway.
read more here

Jan 18, 2014
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Wally Lytle shocked his family when he came home from deployment in Uganda a week earlier than they expected him. You have to see his mother's reaction. It is priceless.

Taliban Suicide Bomber Ends Life of Teacher in Afghanistan

Chicago native killed in Afghanistan blast
American University employee remembered for fearlessness, passion
Chicago Tribune
By Jonathan Bullington, Tribune reporter
January 19, 2014

She knew the risks, but Lexie Kamerman's family and friends said the Chicago native would not be deterred from her goal: helping young women in Afghanistan improve their lives through education.

"That's the wonderful thing about her. She had a sense of fearlessness," said friend Sherrille Lamb. "She was so focused on helping those young ladies that no matter what the circumstances around her might bring, that's what she was there for."

Less than a year after she took a job at the American University of Afghanistan, Kamerman was among 21 people who died Friday when a Taliban suicide bomber and gunmen attacked a restaurant in the capital, Kabul.

"She was an amazing young woman — smart, strong, beautiful, funny, stubborn and kind," her family said in an emailed statement. "As you could probably guess, her death is a shock to us all and we can't imagine a moment going forward when she won't be desperately missed."
read more here

Remembering Nancy Malloy

There are average people all over the world, doing whatever they can to make lives better. As the saying goes, "and the world is better for them having lived." They don't have a PR campaign and don't do photo shoots very well. They don't mind getting dirty, enduring hardships the rest of us would complain about too easily. They don't mind suffering because at the end of the day, they know they made a difference. No matter how small it may seem to some, they changed someone's life and it was all worth it.

I was just sent a link to the story of a nurse killed while serving with the Red Cross out of Canada. Nancy Malloy was just such a person.

Remembering Nancy Malloy
Canada Museum of Health Care
by Museum of Health Care
Posted on December 16, 2011

Nancy worked with the Canadian Red Cross for nine years, completing missions in Ethiopia (1990), Kuwait (1991), Belgrade (1993), and Zaire (1995) before arriving in Chechnya in 1996. Acting as medical and hospital administrator on these missions, among other titles, Malloy played a key role in facilitating the provision of medical care in areas rife with warfare and violence.

With a freshly signed peace treaty between Russia and Chechnya, Chechnya remained fraught with tension after two years of warfare when Nancy Malloy arrived at the hospital at Novye Atagi, approximately twenty-five kilometers south of the capital of Grozny. Aid workers lived in an almost constant state of stress, as the political situation remained uncertain.

Early in the morning of 17 December 1996 a group of armed men entered the hospital compound at Novye Atagi and made their way into the sleeping quarters of the international workers, where they shot and killed six Red Cross workers and wounded a seventh before fleeing. Nancy Malloy of Canada, Ingeborg Foss and Gunnhild Myklebust of Norway, Sheryl Thayer of New Zealand, Fernanda Calado of Spain, and Hans Elkerbout of the Netherlands died. Christophe Hensch, of Switzerland, recovered from his wounds. The Red Cross withdrew its remaining international workers from the hospital shortly thereafter.
click link above for more.

Platoon of Marines moved to Uganda After Four Navy SEALS Wounded

Platoon of Marines moved to Uganda amid South Sudan crisis
Stars and Stripes
By Jon Harper
Published: December 26, 2013

WASHINGTON — A platoon of U.S. Marines was moved from Djibouti to Uganda on Tuesday in the event the fighting in neighboring South Sudan deteriorates further.

“This forward posturing provides the Combatant Commander additional options and the ability to more quickly respond, if required, to help protect U.S. personnel and facilities,” U.S. Africa Command said in a statement.

AFRICOM said this contingent of some 40 Marines and a KC-130J aircraft are now in Entebbe, the capital of Uganda.

The KC-130J transport plane has airborne assault capabilities, and is also used for medevac, search and rescue, and aerial refueling.

“These movements were made with the full knowledge and cooperation of the Ugandan authorities,” AFRICOM said.

A Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response unit was moved Monday from Moron, Spain, to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, after an incident in which four Navy SEALs were wounded during an aborted rescue operation in South Sudan.

The SEALs were trying to evacuate American citizens from the city of Bor on Saturday when the Osprey aircraft they were flying in came under small arms fire while they were trying to land.

Three of the SEALs were transported to Landstuhl earlier in the week; the fourth was stabilized at a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, and was moved to Landstuhl on Christmas day.
read more here

150 US Marines ready to enter South Sudan

U.S. Marines poised to enter South Sudan
CNN
By Marie-Louise Gumuchian. Barbara Starr and Antonia Mortensen
December 23, 2013

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: U.S. special envoy to South Sudan says Kiir ready to begin talks with rival
About 150 Marines are headed to South Sudan to help with evacuations, security
Rebels seize Bentiu, capital of the oil-producing Unity state in South Sudan
U.S. citizens flown out of flashpoint town of Bor on Sunday

(CNN) -- About 150 U.S. Marines are poised to enter turbulent South Sudan to help evacuate Americans and provide security for the U.S. Embassy, two U.S. military officials said Monday.

The troops are moving from Spain to Africa, probably to the nation of Djibouti, the officials told CNN's Barbara Starr on Monday.

An estimated 100 U.S. citizens are believed to be in South Sudan, where steady violence is stoking fears of an all-out civil war in the world's newest country.

"By positioning these forces forward, we are able to more quickly respond to crisis in the region, if required," read a statement from U.S. Africa Command.

It cited the example of Benghazi, where an attack last year killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

"One of the lessons learned from the tragic events in Benghazi was that we needed to be better postured, in order to respond to developing or crisis situations, if needed. These precautionary movements will allow us to do just that," the statement read.
read more here

U.S. Military Aircraft Hit In South Sudan

U.S. Military Aircraft Hit In South Sudan
Huffington Post
By JASON STRAZIUSO and RODNEY MUHUMUZA
12/21/13

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Rebel fire hit two U.S. military aircraft responding to the outbreak in violence in South Sudan on Saturday, wounding three U.S. service members and heavily damaging at least one of the aircraft, officials said. South Sudan blamed the attack on renegade troops in control of the breakaway region.

The U.S. military aircraft were heading to Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei and scene of some of the nation's worst violence over the last week. One American service member was reported to be in critical condition. Officials said after the aircraft took incoming fire, they turned around and headed to Kampala, Uganda. From there the service members were flown on to Nairobi, Kenya for medical treatment, the officials said.

Both officials demanded anonymity to share information not yet made public. Both officials work in East Africa and are in a position to know the information. It was not immediately known what the U.S. aircraft were doing in Bor. One official said it appeared the aircraft were Ospreys, the type of aircraft that can fly like a helicopter and a plane.
read more here

Happy Thanksgiving, Team Rubicon Nation

Happy Thanksgiving, TR Nation!
November has been a busy month for us; our volunteers have been mucking out flooded homes in Austin, TX, providing medical relief to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan, and helping homeowners rebuild after the tornado in Washington, IL.

Whether we're sharing a Thanksgiving turkey with friends and family from the comfort of our home or splitting a pack of Turkey jerky and a cornbread MRE with our fellow volunteers in Illinois or the Philippines, we're incredibly thankful for your support.

Because of you, we've deployed volunteers on over fifty operations around the world and here at home. Over 13,000 veterans, first responders, and medical professionals have joined TR to answer the call of continued service.

Thank you, and from our family to yours,
Happy Thanksgiving!

- The Team

TEAM Rubicon Operation Seabird Responds to Philippines after super typhoon

A lot of people ask me where is a good place to donate to. One of the top ones on my list is TEAM RUBICON so if you want to help veterans and want to help the people suffering after the typhoon, donate to them. They are already there!

We’re Launching Operation: Seabird
We’re going up against one of the largest storms ever recorded – Super Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines Friday with massive force. Tomorrow, a team of 15 specially qualified TR volunteers from across the country along with three members from Making Change, a veterans-based relief organization in Norway, will board flights to Manila.

The primary objectives of Operation: Seabird are facilitating search and rescue efforts and providing medical triage for a full-scale field hospital in Tacloban. The field hospital can handle up to 100 patients at a time and will be managed by Mammoth Medical Missions, who’s standing up a surgical team of 17.

We’re in the process of outfitting volunteers with PPE and preparing packs so they remain self-sufficient for several days after arrival. The team will also be transporting medical response kits supplied by Direct Relief. We’ll continue to assemble intel gathered over the last 48 hours and adjust our strategy based on conditions reported from the ground.

This is TR’s first international mission since deploying to Burma to provide medical aid for ethnic Karen refugees in October 2012. Volunteers for Operation: Seabird were vetted and hand-selected based on a number of criteria, including medical and search & rescue certifications, past TR deployment history, and availability. We ask others to consider supporting our response and keep the people of the Philippine Islands in your thoughts as the death toll is feared to be very high.

U.S. military speeds aid to Philippines for Typhoon Haiyan victims

U.S. military speeds aid to Philippines for Typhoon Haiyan victims
Los Angeles Times
Brian Bennett
November 10, 2013

Japan-based U.S. Marines board an aircraft bound for the Philippines, where they are to help with the country's recovery from Typhoon Haiyan.
(Hitoshi Maeshiro / European Pressphoto Agency / November 10, 2013)

WASHINGTON — American military search-and-rescue helicopters, surveillance planes and Marines streamed toward the central Philippines on Sunday to survey the devastation and assist survivors whose homes were washed away by one of the largest Pacific storms on record.

Typhoon Haiyan — called Typhoon Yolanda by Filipinos — may have killed more than 10,000 people, officials said Sunday, as it lashed the island chain with winds over 200 miles per hour and caused widespread flooding.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed the U.S. Pacific Command to deploy rescue teams, helicopters for airlifts, logistics officers and cargo planes to assist in the relief efforts.

At the request of the Philippine armed forces, the Navy was flying two P-3 Orion surveillance planes above the islands to help rescuers locate the most severely damaged areas and find survivors.

In a statement released Sunday, President Obama said that he and First Lady Michelle “are deeply saddened by the loss of life and extensive damage done by Super Typhoon Yolanda.”

“I know the incredible resiliency of the Philippine people, and I am confident that the spirit of bayanihan will see you though this tragedy,” Obama said, adopting a term commonly used in the Philippines that means communal cooperation.

On Sunday, some 80 Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade stationed in Okinawa, Japan, boarded two KC-130 cargo planes bound for the Philippines, Col. Brad Bartelt, a Marine Corps spokesman, said in a statement. They were taking supplies and communications equipment.
read more here

USAID worker committed suicide

A Death in the Family
USAID's first known war-zone-related suicide raises troubling questions about whether America is doing enough to assist its relief workers.
Foreign Policy
BY GORDON LUBOLD
SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

On Aug. 15, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced that one of its employees had died suddenly. The agency didn't mention that Michael C. Dempsey, a senior field program officer assigned as the leader of a civilian assistance team in eastern Afghanistan, killed himself four days earlier while home on extended medical leave. However, the medical examiner in Kent County, Michigan, confirmed to Foreign Policy that Dempsey had committed suicide by hanging himself in a hotel-room shower. His death is USAID's first known suicide in a decade of work in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. And what makes the suicide particularly striking is that it came a year and three days after Dempsey's close friend and colleague was killed in an improvised-explosive-device attack in Afghanistan.

After a decade of development and reconstruction work in two of the world's hottest war zones, USAID now has hundreds of Foreign Service officers who are potentially at risk for post-traumatic mental-health issues. While an enormous amount of resources and attention has been paid to military suicides, comparatively little focus has been given to civilians' struggles. And it's a sign that it's not only members of the armed services who shoulder the emotional burdens of war.
read more here

News coverage of unemployed multi-tour veteran ends job search

Local Buffalo Veteran Lands Job Through WGRZ Channel 2 Interview
WGRZ News
Jun 20, 2013

BUFFALO, NY - Soldiers who fight for our freedom overseas come home to a new battle - finding a job.

In fact, 19.1 percent of young veterans between the ages of 20-24 are unemployed. That was the case for Williamsville native Eric Chiazza.

The 23-year-old Marine veteran was deployed three times in four years. He did tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti. Once returning home to Buffalo, Chiazza struggled to find a job that fit his unique skill set and paid enough to cover his bills.

"When you get out of the military, you're kind of on your own... It's kind of scary, and I was worried that based on the job choice I had, that my job choices were limited and that it would be difficult to find one," Chiazza said.

2 On Your Side wanted to help.

During the first week of June, Chiazza was featured in a story about veterans struggling to find work. He shared his frustrations about how he was unable to find a well paying job in Western New York.

Later that week, Chiazza attended the "Hire Our Heroes" job fair sponsored by 2 On Your Side. The event brought over 60 employers from all over Western New York together to helpveterans and military spouses find jobs. Chiazza applied at a few different places, but nothing clicked.

Meanwhile, David Jones, Regional Vice President of Executive AirShare, was watching the night that Chiazza's story aired and wanted to do help. He attended the job fair in hopes of finding Chiazza, but the two didn't connect. Jones decided to contact 2 On Your Side, and was put in touch with Chiazza to set up a job interview.
read more here

Retired General David Petraeus joins TEAM RUBICON

Retired General David Petraeus joins TEAM RUBICON
TR Nation

Almost one month ago, an EF-5 tornado hit the city of Moore, OK, leaving catastrophic damage in its wake. As Moore picked itself up from the rubble, a tremendous outpouring of support came in from across the country.

Team Rubicon was on the ground the very next day, and as we built out the framework for the long-term recovery efforts, we saw what kind of impact TR Nation would have on Operation: Starting Gun.

Four weeks later, we've collected 2,374 damage assessments, completed over 250 work orders on damaged structures, and deployed over 300 veteran volunteers from all ten regions. Because of your support, we estimate TR has saved the community roughly $1.1 million in demolition and debris removal costs.

And today, we're pleased to announce that Team Rubicon is adding General David Petraeus USA (Ret.) to our Board of Advisors. Between his time in uniform and as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General Petraeus served our Nation for over 38 years. By joining our Board of Advisors, General Petraeus is making good on his promise to help our veterans continue their service and ease the transition from military to civilian life. His ability to develop and implement radical strategies will serve Team Rubicon greatly as we attempt to revolutionize disaster response and veteran reintegration.

There is still a lot of work to be done in Moore. Your continued support will put more volunteers on the ground and provide us the equipment needed to help Moore rebuild. Can you help?

We couldn't do this without you.

Thanks,
The Team

How Team Rubicon honors Memorial Day

On Memorial Day, we pause to remember what this day signifies: a time to commemorate those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to this country and those veterans lost here at home.

Amidst door-buster sales for flat-screen TVs and backyard barbecues, it is too easy to forget the true importance of this holiday. For many of the volunteers of Team Rubicon however, we spend this final Monday in May the same way we did two years ago in Joplin: serving a population in their time of need.

With nearly one hundred volunteers deployed to Moore, OK, we are honoring our fallen brothers and sisters through continued service. And it is through your generous support that we are able to do so.

May 27, 2013
On Memorial Day, we pause to remember what this day signifies: a time to commemorate those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to this country and those veterans lost here at home. This year the volunteers of Team Rubicon choose to honor their fallen brothers and sisters by serving the people of Moore, OK in their time of need.

PTSD led to deadly encounter over traffic ticket

If you want to know how everything can converge to fail, this is it.

Dusty was diagnosed with PTSD but didn't want to go for help. So much for the outreach the DOD has been doing all these years to make it ok to seek help.

Dusty had a supportive family and they tried to get him to the help he needed to heal from where he'd been. Family support is key to helping them heal but even that was not enough to prevent what was to come from a simple traffic ticket.

Dusty had faith and went to church. We tell them that they need to take care of their spiritual healing as much as their "mental healing" and that didn't work.

Dusty and his family were failed by everything we're told is being done for these veterans. The Sheriff's department was failed too because now they have to face the fact that another veteran was killed because he didn't get what he needed to heal.

Family: PTSD led to deadly encounter
WCAX.com
Posted: Jan 10, 2013
By Matt Henson

ALTONA, N.Y.
It's been an emotional two and a half weeks for Sheila and Edward Clark.

"My world is going to be radically changed," Sheila said.

"It's been tough, it's been tough," Edward said.

Their 28-year-old son, Dusty, was shot and killed by a Clinton County deputy sheriff two weeks ago. Dusty allegedly pulled a knife out when officers went to his home in Altona to arrest him for failing to appear in court for an ongoing traffic ticket.

"PTSD is what brought this all on, I think," Edward said.

The Clarks say their son was not a violent person, but a young man who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder. He spent four years in the Marines. But in 2009 he was diagnosed with PTSD and was not allowed to re-enlist.

"His struggle to fit into this world and wanting to be still in the Marine Corps was just tough for him," Sheila said.

His parents say they noticed a dramatic change in his behavior. Dusty isolated himself, would go days without sleeping, thought people were after him and even walked 25 miles in the woods from his home in Altona to his mother's in Plattsburgh.

"I asked him, 'what are you doing for it? Are you getting help for it?' He said, 'I don't feel like I have anything wrong with me, mom,'" Sheila said.

Just a few weeks before the fatal encounter with police, Dusty Clark's father called the New York State Police to come check on his son. He told them he was acting strange.

"I told them, I think he needs to be medicated, and they tried, tried and tried again to get him to go to the hospital and get checked out," Edward said.

On Dec. 30, Dusty went to church with his mother like they did every Sunday. He served as an altar boy and was an active member of the church's fundraising efforts. After church, she gave him several hundred dollars to settle the traffic violations.
read more here

Former Marine killed by sheriff's deputy had PTSD

Former Marine killed by sheriff's deputy had PTSD

Parents: Former Marine killed by sheriff's deputy had PTSD
By FELICIA KRIEG
Press-Republican
January 5, 2013

PLATTSBURGH — Dusty Michael Clark suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, his mother says.

The Altona man, 28, was shot and killed by Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason R. Winters on Dec. 30, 2012, after Dusty threatened him with a knife and wouldn’t back down, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

He was diagnosed in 2009 at a Veteran’s Affairs clinic in Albany but was not receiving treatment at the time of his death, said his mother, Sheila Clark of Altona.

“At first, in my heart, I was so hurt (that Dusty died that way),” she said. “In retrospect, I am thinking my son had a flashback” when he grabbed the knife.

The day her son died, Sheila said, one of her brothers shared some information that Dusty had confided to him.

He had been among Marines who responded after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that rocked the world on Dec. 26, 2004.

“He had to take bodies out of the water,” she said. “Dead children.”
read more here

Team Rubicon makes top 5 of American Giving Awards

Team Rubicon Makes Top 5
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
December 9, 2012

While it was wonderful to see so many people starting charities to take care of others as quiet heroes, my heart was cheering for Team Rubicon because of what has inspired them all this time.

American Giving Awards on NBC last night focused on how charities are not just doing good work for others, they are changing minds about the causes they work for.

"The Leadership Award was given to actress Glenn Close for her work with her non-profit organization Bring Change 2 Mind, which aims to end the stigma of mental illness. The cause is a personal one, because Close has family members that suffer from mental illness."

Glenn Close said “It's huge. You don't see that many things about mental illness. ... That shows that mental illness is not a comfortable thing for people to talk about, and the fact that they are giving me this award and my family — my sister, two of her children and my daughter are going to come up with me — because I think the image of a family together surrounding and supporting their members who have mental illness, there's no words for it. That's where I'm so moved and honored by this recognition and excited, actually, that we can put that image on television."

Families think they have to protect the member of the family with mental health illness but more and more are talking about it knowing there is no shame in having this type of illness anymore than there is any other illness.

Gary Sinise talked about how our veterans are showing up to help out areas hit by hurricane Sandy. A strong advocate for veterans and our troops, Sinise has been traveling the country and overseas entertaining the troops, visiting the wounded and working hard for our veterans.

The best part for me was when Team Rubicon made it into the top 5. This group is made up of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans traveling the country when disaster hits.

Mission Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with medical professionals to rapidly deploy emergency response teams into crisis situations.

I have been tracking this organization since the suicide of Clay Hunt, one of the founding members.

Clay Hunt (1982-2011) was an original member of Team Rubicon, joining the team in Port-au-Prince for its first mission. Prior to Team Rubicon, Clay served two hard tours as a Marine Corps sniper with TR cofounder Jake Wood. Clay was wounded in combat in Iraq in 2007, only to return to duty and deploy again to Afghanistan in 2008. Clay was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) upon leaving the Marines.

Clay became a national face for PTSD awareness and suicide prevention, but sadly, Clay lost his battle with depressions when he took his own life in March, 2011. Clay’s death inspired Team Rubicon to focus on helping veterans through continued service in disasters; by doing so Team Rubicon can provide the purpose, self-worth and community that Clay so badly needed.

Team Rubicon was one of the nominees of the CNN Hero Awards as well.

Congratulations to all the winners of the awards and to More Than Me

CNN Heroes has Veterans

Mary Cortani, Operation Freedom Paws help war veterans train their own service dogs in northern California.

Jake Wood
COMMUNITY CRUSADER
Iraq war veteran Jake Wood started Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that brings military veterans together to help communities hit by natural disasters. Since 2010, the group has grown to 1,400 volunteers and carried out 14 missions around the world.



Lyrics to Heroes by Ne-Yo
Never doubt never doubt
Here for you, here for me
Worry not, I'll be there
Strength when you feel weak
In the dark when you can't see
Guiding light I will be
All I need all I need
Is for you to do the same for me
Cause

Even heroes need heroes sometimes
And even the strong need someone to tell them it's all right
Even heroes need heroes sometimes
Will you be my hero tonight?


Just above, up so high
Just above you is where I fly
But if I fall from the sky
On you, can I rely
I'll protect you from the world
Whenever I can
But will you do the same for me
Now and again

Even heroes need heroes sometimes
And even the strong need someone to tell them it's all right
Even heroes need heroes sometimes
Will you be my hero tonight?

Come to my, my rescue
Do for me as I do for you
Be my eyes when I am blind
'Cause no one can be strong all the time

Even heroes need heroes sometimes
Will you be my hero tonight? (will you be my hero?)

Even heroes need heroes sometimes (will you be my hero?)
And even the strong need someone to tell them it's all right (will you be my hero?)
Even heroes need heroes sometimes
Will you be my hero tonight? (will you be my hero?)
Will you be my hero tonight?

Hundreds of Veterans Help Sandy Victims and Each Other

Hundreds of Veterans Help Sandy Victims and Each Other
By JAMES DAO
November 14, 2012

They have come from as far as Alaska to tear down water-damaged walls and clear debris from flood-ravaged yards. They have been assigned team leaders and given marching orders. They have been asked to work in the rain, sleep on a gym floor and eat military Meals Ready to Eat. If that all sounds like a military humanitarian mission, well, that’s sort of the idea.

For the past week, hundreds of military veterans from across the nation have flocked to Far Rockaway, summoned by a beacon from Team Rubicon, a nonprofit created by veterans to help other veterans through a therapy known as disaster relief.

Team Rubicon was formed in 2010 by two Marines, Jake Wood and William McNulty, to help veterans who were struggling to find their way back into civilian life. The idea was to employ skills the veterans had learned in the military, combine them with some high-adrenaline action and give them a healthy dose of public service.

The result, they hoped, would be experiences that might renew the sense of purpose many veterans say they lose after separating from military life.

“We became a veterans service organization that happens to be good at disaster response,” Mr. McNulty said.
read more here

Marines overcome hurdles, aid in storm cleanup

Marines overcome hurdles, aid in storm cleanup
Marine Corps Times
By Gina Harkins
Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Nov 13, 2012

NEW YORK — Jimmy Cioffi has lived in Staten Island, N.Y., for more than 25 years, but he can hardly recognize his own neighborhood.

The smell of rotting trash lingers in the air, wafting from garbage piled 10 feet high in the streets. Power lines hang down onto sidewalks; cars perch in unnatural places. Slippery thick brown mud cakes driveways and basements, brought in by the waves and storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy, which pummeled the region Oct. 29-30.

Cioffi’s basement filled with water all the way to the ceiling and then up two more feet onto the main floor. His brother’s family, a few blocks away, had to sit in their attic for 15 hours before a boat came and rescued them, the lower levels of their home inundated.

“There was no chance to get out once you saw it coming,” Cioffi said. “When I saw the water coming under the door, I put towels down and they just washed away — it was like a river.”

Within days of the superstorm, which left homes destroyed, cities flooded, millions without power and scores dead, Marines were counting up their capabilities, preparing for a deployment within their own country. But before they could roll in to help, there were bureaucratic hurdles to be cleared. There’s a precarious balance between the quick response of military personnel in the wake of a disaster and the constitutional restrictions they face in getting troops on the ground.

And the Marines were quick to arrive on scene.
read more here