| Nadia McCaffrey Gold Star Mother, CA |
| Eli PaintedCrow Iraq Veteran, CA |
| Stephen Edwards Iraq Vet (Patrick's Friend) CA |
| Mote Sanchez Iraq Vet, CA |
| Matt McCue Iraq Vet, CA |
| Michael O'Gorman Coalition, Baja & Ca |
| Sharon Kufeltd USAF Vet, CA |
| William McDonald Vietnam Vet, CA |
| Karen Meredith Gold Star Mother, CA |
My brief quote on my work and philosophy: My work is about feeding our spirit by expressing my truth in language that is from my heart, life experience and my personal truth. It is my hope that people understand that what we speak we create, and what we fear most is what we call into our lives. By fighting for peace, we will inevitably fail because fighting for something is not a peaceful act. To have peace, we must become that which we desire. In order to learn how to stop this nation’s cycle of violence, we must heal our nation’s past acts of violence against others, in order to see how our present actions affect the future. Eli PaintedCrow |
| Nadia McCaffrey was born in Paris and grew-up in the province of Auvergne, France, she studied the Arts, and nursing. She married an American, Bob McCaffrey; she immigrated to California, United States in the 60‘s. She is the founder of Angel-staff, a group of trained volunteers who bring a caring presence to terminally ill and their families. Her son, Sergeant Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr., was killed by Iraqi soldiers in an ambush near Balad, Iraq on June 22, 2004; since, Nadia has travel internationally, speaking of her son’s life and death, his legacy, his 2 children, Janessa and Patrick Jr, she gives a face to the war by telling people Patrick’s story. She speak about his compassion that he had for everyone to his last moment trying to help and protect his fellow soldiers and the Iraqi children. Nadia McCaffrey has become an international voice for peace, Justice and responsibility in government. She has been featured world wide in over 30 documentaries, she has appeared in Paula Zhan show, Aaron Brown, Good Morning America, Today Show, Morning on CNN, Dan Rather Reports, Le Point TV(Radio-Canada) etc, many radio shows (BBC, NPR) magazines (including Vanity Fair), newspapers, etc… In memory of Patrick, she now has dedicated the rest of her life to helping the war veterans coming home; she wants to give them a second home where they can unwind and reclaim their lives, giving them the opportunity to be able to create a better future for themselves and their families with proper training and care. The Center will allow them to face tomorrow with PTSD and other unseen scares and keep it under control. |
| Sgt. Stephen L. Edwards, Jr. Iraq Veteran, Former California National Guardsman San Jose, CA Stephen served for 15 years in the California National Guard. He joined the California National Guard in 1991, participating in construction projects in North and Central America. He was deployed domestically to guard a chemical weapons facility in 2003. Within 6 months he received his orders to report to active duty in Iraq. While deployed overseas, Stephen spent 12 months serving in Iraq. He performed various duties, including escorting convoys, patrolling military bases and conducting raids. As a result of enduring the loss of his best friend and other brothers-in-arms, sustaining injuries in a roadside bomb, and witnessing the death and destruction of war, Stephen sustained psychological as well as physical injuries. Shortly after returning home in February, 2005, he was diagnosed with acute PTSD. Stephen has spent the last two years undergoing treatment and recovering from chronic PTSD and physical injuries. His life’s work is now devoted to helping other veterans by encouraging them to reach out for the treatment any physical and/or psychological injuries received as a result of serving our country. He is an advocate for all veterans and is dedicated to raising public awareness of the lack of resources and support for veterans returning from overseas deployment. Stephen holds an Associate of Arts degree in Computer Technology from Heald College, School of Technology in Milpitas, CA. |
Matt McCue had a moment of enlightenment in Iraq while guarding the back door of a house where his fellow soldiers were hunting Saddam Hussein – he bit into a sweet lime and discovered an interest in horticulture. Now he's part of a movement seeking to help returning U.S. veterans find peace in civilian life by tilling the land. You take someone who has been walking around the street looking for insurgents, who's basically trained to capture people, to kill them ... you can't put them in some ordinary job and expect them to grasp on to it," McCue said. "To go from that to watching things grow, to taking care of life, has been a very important step for me," he said by telephone from Niger in West Africa, where he is a Peace Corps volunteer teaching agriculture. Matt is now training other vets and working with our program at our Organic farm in Sebastopol |
Bill McDonald, served with the US Army in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. He was a crew chief/door-gunner on Huey helicopters (UH-1D). He was with the 128th Assault Helicopter Company stationed in Phu Loi, South Vietnam. He was awarded numerous medals, including: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, 14 Air Medals and the Purple Heart. McDonald graduated with his BA degree from the University of San Francisco. He also has an AA degree from San Jose City College. He is now retired from the USPS where he was a Safety Manager. He currently resides in Elk Grove, California. He went back to Vietnam in 2002, with a small group known as "The Peace Patrol" - to help build a bridge of peace with his former enemies. That journey was reported on the Sacramento’s local NBC TV station KCRA and helped generated renewed attention for veteran issues. That film premiered at The LBJ Presidential Library on November 8, 2003 in Austin, Texas to a capacity crowd of 1,500 people. The film went on to win “The Houston International Film Festival Best Film” in 2004. It has been shown dozens of times on Cable TV including The Military Channel. It has also been shown at numerous film festivals across country including “The Monterey Film Festival” with box office proceeds going to support various veteran organizations and causes. In 2005 he worked on a short PBS TV documentary in partnership with the VA and The Pentagon Television Network called “The Art of Healing”. The film focused on the use of the art, music and writing as a means to cope with and heal from the effects of PTSD. He developed a PTSD program for the VA to go along with the film. His autobiography called “A Spiritual Warrior’s Journey” has been a good seller to veterans and their families since it came out in late 2003. This book reflects on his life experiences, not only in Vietnam, but both before and afterwards. His poetry book Purple Hearts deals with poems from the Vietnam War and has been available to organizations to sell for fund raising. His other major book of poetry "Sacred Eye - Poetry in Search of the Divine" won a $25,000 marketing and promotional award from Booksurge Publishers (March 2004). He is currently working on two more books (The OM Café publication for 2008 and a follow-up non-fiction book about his adventures in India called “My Hearts Journey” in 2009.) His feature writing plans are focused on a book about PTSD that takes in the spiritual issues involved with the healing process. That book is still evolving. Hopefully it will be ready for publication in 2009.Bill works with several non-profit foundations doing projects for the people of Vietnam and world peace. He has been assisting PTSD veterans and their families for over 3 decades through his own personal support network. He is a United Faith Ministries chaplain and gives his services free to veteran and non-profit organizations. He has appeared on over 300 radio and TV broadcasts in the last 5 years where he has spoken out about veteran related issues. He also was a co-host on KDADE web radio (Over 600,000 listeners world wide) for several years talking about military authors and books. He is still married to his high school sweetheart and has two grown children and 3 grandchildren. |
| Licensed Architect, NCARB Certified, San Francisco, CA STRATEGIC PLANNING Currently Head of Design & Planning at Raker Architects located in Mill Valley, CA. Designed and currently in Planning approval are a variety of projects including a Baptist Church, a Gas Station, and several Custom Homes in Marin County, California. Prior to that, Michael was a Project Architect in the firm of Loving & Campos Architects, Inc, in Walnut Creek, CA. His primary responsibilities there included managing the production team from Schematics through Construction Administration on Projects ranging from Condominiums, a Ford Dealership, to multi-million dollar Custom Homes, detailing of the building systems, coordination & integration of Consultant work, project scheduling, and selection of product options to maintain and/or realign the project aesthetic to the established budget. This involved Michael’s involvement with the programming and design of the Master Plan, as well as layouts, design and producing the book describing and illustrating the project for potential investors. In addition, the partners met with various government officials in their country of origin. His experience also incorporated Contract writing and Administration, Client negotiations, along with Architect-of-Record Construction Supervision. After dissolving the Partnership, Michael took a year off from management to learn CAD skills in one of only three firms in the United States specializing in authentic Classical Architecture. Thanks to his formal education, a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California, he has a solid understanding of design fundamentals and appreciation for the value of aesthetic integrity. He is also NCARB certified. Michael’s personal strengths include organizational expertise regarding project management, strong communication skills, loyalty from people who work with him, as well as a high reliability and pride in his |
Srikanth Rajagopalan and his twin sister Kavitha were born in North Carolina to parents from India. His mother introduced him to the concept of yogic breathing (as a child in NC) by simply counseling him to “breath slowly, focused toward your tummy.” During Sri’s teenage years, in New Jersey, this seed manifested as an interest in Eastern philosophy and yoga (and their confluence with modern science). Coming from a large extended family that was filled with scholarly, philosophical (and garrulous) individuals was an influence and blessing. This spiritual orientation further developed during a yearlong trip to India at age 18. At 22, Sri began learning Hatha Yoga (the practice of posture, breathing and meditation) from P. Ramanathan, a family friend and mentor who had taught yoga in America for over 30 years. Around the same time, Sri joined the Marine Corps Reserve, graduating from Parris Island in August, 1999 and joining G Co, (2nd Bn 25th Regiment), an infantry company in Dover, NJ. Sri’s parents strongly objected to his joining the military, but ultimately supported him when he proceeded. While in the reserves, Sri continued to learn yoga and began teaching as well. In September of 2001, Sri attended a month-long yoga teacher’s training course at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch in the Catskills Mountains. This course consisted of spartan living conditions, daily meditation, study, and work on the ranch. What a precious gift, to experience the external events of those days through such clear eyes! The transformative power of meditation became clear as truth. This experience was all the more precious since it was accompanied by an understanding that the life of a yoga teacher might have to be deferred for a while, or more precisely, take a different path. 2/25 was mobilized in 2001 and spent the year of 2002 on active duty in a supporting role at Camp Lejeune, NC. They deployed to Kosovo as part of a multi- national peacekeeping force in 2002 and to Iraq in 2003. Although part of the initial invasion, Sri’s unit progressed no further than An Nasiriyah, a predominantly Shia enclave in the south of Iraq. During his tour, Sri patrolled urban neighborhoods daily, mostly on foot. After leaving active duty at the end of the year, Sri returned to India to further study yoga, first at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, and later in Mysore. Since returning to the U.S., Sri has again taught yoga professionally and as a service in the Charlotte, NC area. |
| Welcome to Our Speaker's Bureau |
| Christopher Murphy Iraq Veteran (Patrick's Friend) |
| Social work within a culturally progressive team atmosphere 2005 – Present North Coast Veterans Resource Center . Eureka, CA. Transitional Housing Manager • Coordinate day-to-day operations regarding the Transitional Housing program. • Responsible for health and safety and compliance with V.A. Grants and Per Diem criteria. • Conduct weekly house meetings. 2005 - 2005 Redwood Community Action Agency Eureka, CA Residential Counselor – Family Services Division • Provide peer-style counseling and support, for participants in transitional housing at the Multiple Assistance Center. • Conduct teen boy and male resident discussion groups. • Function as instructor of multiple subject life skill classes. 2001 - 2003 North Coast Veterans Resource Center Eureka, CA Veterans Outreach Specialist-AB2034 S.O.S. (Street Outreach Services) Contracted through Health and Human Services-Mental Health Branch • Provided wrap around case management services for homeless/mentally ill• Developed treatment plan with treatment team • Street outreach support and referrals |
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| Srikanth Rajagopalan Iraq Vet, NC |
| Michael Murray RA Architect, CA |
| Marc Knipper MA, MSW, Veteran |
| Associate Clinical Social Worker • Functioned as a Family Liaison Counselor • Case managed (ten) teenage boys in a group home atmosphere • Coordinated weekly Substance Abuse Groups. 1998 California State University Long Beach, CA • Masters in Social Work 1989 San Jose State University San Jose, CA • Bachelors in Fine Art (ceramics) • Minors in African American History |
| I'm running for Delta Trustee because education is something I am passionate about as a veteran. I believe Delta College is an anchor of our community and must be saved from its current condition. Conditions which I am on record as addressing for over three years now. It is because of people like me who have the courage to speak up that a Grand Jury investigation was conducted. I believe the current Board members have become comfortable in their positions and lost touch with the communities they serve. I believe I can refocus that lost connection to the community and bring integrity and accountability to the Board. I am a proud graduate of Delta and thankful for my education received as it has broadened my horizons exponentially. I want to see that proud tradition continue for the community including my own children and our veterans. Mote is a VeteransVillage.org board member and an veterans' advocate. |
We realize that agribusiness opposes the vision of holding onto family farms, and opposes
strengthening our rural communities and family farms that are growing local produce. 90 percent of
the fuel spent in our food production system is the distribution, only ten percent in actual production.
So let’s grow the produce closer to home. Let’s grow our own fuels. Let’s support the Midwest and get
out of the wars in the Middle East. Let’s bring veterans back to work on our farms as a place to heal
and to gain vocational training. As the people who are taking care of the land and feeding the country,
we can help bring our country back to earth and get it a little more grounded, and offer not just a
protest against the war but a positive alternative of a better way of living and a more democratic society
based on the Jeffersonian concepts of distribution of land, production, wealth and power.
We talk to vets and they are very excited about the project. All of us who went into farming as young
men and women were attracted to farming. The military has an attraction for young people. It has to do
with having a sense of purpose. It has to do with having a sense of camaraderie, and a sense of
working for a common good. Also it’s a way of feeling your oats and strength and physicality. We think
the farm is an alternative lifestyle. It’s a peaceful alternative for young people who are drawn to the
military. You know, “Be all you can be.” Yes, be all you can be, but leave the guns out of it.
| Sharon Lee Kufeldt. Commander American Legion Post # 315. United States Air Force Veteran Offices and Clinics of Health Practitioners, N.E.C. 825 SAN ANTONIO RD PALO ALTO, CA 94303 |
| MARCY OROSCO MSW |
| Meeting the Needs of Iraq War Veterans “When the Troops Come Home: Meeting the Needs of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars” Joint ventures with various corporate, interfaith, community, private and government agencies/staff. Knowledge of business/corporate/community /government aid resources. · In-service presentations to corporations, community agencies, and the media. Marketing /resources/surveys/research/business plans/grants. · Responsible for all reporting and analyzing in the fourth largest county in California. · Supervisory experience. Responsible for hiring staff of twenty. · Excellent communication skills. Fiscal administration for two facilities/programs. · Public relations/event coordination. · Database of over two hundred corporations that donate to seniors and the underserved. |