Ross Katz Talks With YourMilitaryLife.com About the HBO Film TAKING CHANCE

Ross Katz, the director and co-writer of the HBO film TAKING CHANCE, was the guest on a very special edition of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that Nancy Brown and I co-host. I don't usually share the recordings of our shows on this blog, but this show was so compelling that I want to share the interview.

Katz has been interviewed by many people about this film, and both Nancy and I have read several reviews as well as seen this amazing film. Yet there was one question that I didn't find the answer to anywhere: How did the producer of LOST IN TRANSLATION and IN THE BEDROOM come to have the opportunity to direct and co-write TAKING CHANCE?

I'm pleased to announce that Katz shared the answer with our listeners. And you'll want to hear his answer, which sheds light on just how committed he became to this true story.

Listen to the half-hour show now of Ross Katz talking about the HBO film TAKING CHANCE.

Warning: You may want to have some tissues nearby.

Mea Culpa: I Trust a Newspaper Article to Be Accurate

On Tuesday I got a Facebook message from Colonel Martin Newman DL, vice chairman - Jewish Committee for Her Majesty’s Forces, letting me know about the major inaccuracies in the Jewish Chronicle newspaper article on which I had based my February 18th post about the U.K. just now getting its first full-time Jewish chaplain for Her Majesty's Forces.

I've now set the record straight with a guest post from Colonel Newman. Read the true story of Jewish chaplains in Her Majesty's Forces.

P.S. The photo above is of U.K. Jewish military personnel attending a weekend conference this winter

Senior Airman Natalie Lopez: Growing Up a Daddy’s Girl

The previous guest post was by Emma Lopez, who is the mother of Natalie Lopez, a senior airman in the U.S. Air Force’s security forces. The photo above is of Natalie atop a Humvee in Afghanistan. Now here’s Natalie’s story:

Growing up a daddy’s girl, I was intrigued with my dad’s stories as a Marine in Vietnam. I wanted to be like him, but I respected his wishes and did not join the Marine Corps. Then in 2006 I joined the Air Force.

Graduating from high school with three years of Air Force ROTC under my belt, I knew a little about the military. I have always felt that God placed me here to help him change the world, and I felt that by joining the military I could do just that.

I, like many other women in the military, have faced challenges in my career, and one of these was that of others doubting my work. I’ve had a chain of command that trusted in me and as a result I was very successful.

On the other side, I’ve had a chain of command that seemed to doubt me, and it is very frustrating trying to stay consistently motivated. These are the times I have to stop and remind myself that I must focus and prove that I am capable of being the best at what I do.

Although the hardest part of my job is being away from my loved ones, having to make split-second decisions is crucial. The level of responsibility that the Air Force places on me as a young military member in this career field is important, whether it be in a deployed environment, where it’s life or death, or in stateside security forces where the wrong choice also results in consequences.

Other than just learning how to face challenges, I have learned to keep things in perspective and committed. I’ve always been taught that, once I commit myself, I must follow through. I don’t think I really got it until I joined the military.

As part of my job, I’m constantly thinking about the benefits of the Air Force for young females and Latinas, and I think the most important message to get across is the one that I have repeatedly told myself. I can get skills that I didn’t know I had, and then make use of those back in civilian work. I can go back to the community and be a teacher, go to law school, become a policeman or fireman. I don’t have to decide on the rest of my life; I have joined the United States Air Force.

One thing I am certain to have acquired from military life is leadership. There is a lot of focus on leadership development. I’m trained to be a leader through leadership study and getting “hands-on” training on a daily basis due to the nature of the military rank structure, which allows an opportunity to lead. As you move up in rank, you continue to refine and develop your leadership style.

Being a veteran of both Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, I believe that there is nothing that can hold individuals back except themselves. The harder you work, the more you will get. Don’t wait for praise. Work until you are satisfied with yourself.

Ultimately, I believe that God has given me the strength to overcome the challenges in not only my career but in my personal life. He has also placed great people in my path that have helped me along my journey.

For the females and Latinas who are entering the workforce, my advice is to “surround yourself with friends and mentors that will provide help and guidance along the way.”

Emma Lopez Shares About Being the Mother of a Soldier: A Mother’s Life Changes

Emma Lopez, who has her own blog A Mom of a Daughter Soldier, talks about being the mother of a soldier – Natalie Lopez, who is shown above at sniper school. Natalie’s guest post will appear here next.

I have never been to war, but I have sent a child. Twice.

My husband is a Marine, a Vietnam veteran. My son is in the Army. My daughter is in the Air Force Security.

I received many encouraging words from moms when I mention that watching a child go to war is the most heartbreaking event a parent can endure. I spent my child’s growing up years making sure she knew right from wrong and, hopefully, I have taught her life’s values.

I guess the feelings are the same for those left behind when it is a wife or a husband that leaves. Yet, I can assure you that the intensity is different. It’s a feeling that only mothers can identify with.

We, as parents, smile bravely as our own soldiers leave, and we tell ourselves, “Be strong, we’ll find the strength.” The truth is we find only distractions from our pain. We go through our daily routines, and we attempt to maintain some serenity, but life has changed for us.

I think about my daughter all day in everything I do. When I eat, I wonder what she is eating. Is she eating a hot meal or a cold meal? I shop to send items my daughter needs.

I put together a care package, and I stand in long lines at the post office to mail it. As I wait my turn, I talk about her to anyone who listens. The pictures are pulled out, and everyone wants a glimpse of one of our heroes. I pray for her safety, and all those soldiers overseas.

I learn to use computers, cell phones, webcams, and other available technology in order to stay in touch with her. I listen for my computer to make that distinct sound (a ring, ring) which announces that my daughter is online. I hear my phone make that special sound my daughter programmed into the cell phone so I would know it is she on the other end.

Standing in line, people around me smile when I explain, “It’s my daughter. She’s calling from Iraq.” Many times, people tell me, “Thank your daughter for me.”

Let the soldiers know you care. Don’t hesitate to shake the hand of soldiers when you see them walking down the street, taking a subway, or riding a bus. They will feel grateful for that one small gesture -- their sacrifices noticed, their efforts rewarded.

I thank you!! ALL U.S. MILITARY SOLDIERS!!!

“God Bless America.”

Nancy Brown Reports: Blog Talk Radio Featured 3 of Your Military Life Guests

Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com on her YourMilitaryBlog.com wrote the following post on Feb. 20th. As I am as excited about this news as Nancy is, I wanted to share Nancy's blog post with my blog readers:

My co-host Phyllis Zimbler Miller and I have experienced some great guests on our featured Blog Talk Radio talk show Your Military Life. In fact, Blog Talk Radio has featured 3 of our shows for the entire day on the Blog Talk Radio home page!

Our first featured show was Dec. 15th. Our guest was Jared Still, director of the Soldier Wish campaign and senior vice president of Special Projects with Wishy, Inc. Soldier Wish is a non-profit initiative that lets supporters make tax-deductible donations that go directly to grant "wishes" for our troops and their families. Soldiers are signing up right now and placing wishes for themselves and their families. To learn more on how you can help, please visit SoldierWish.com.

Our second featured show was on Jan. 13th, and our guest was Andrew Lubin. He is an author and journalist and has been embedded with the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan for 12 of the last 30 months. He is the author of "Charlie Battery: A Marine Artillery Unit in Iraq." His topic was: Afghanistan - Are We Winning or Losing? He also discussed his book and the experiences he had as he was embedded with the soldiers.

He will be going back overseas in April to be embedded once again and is funding the trip on his own. If you would like to assist him, he is using the proceeds of his book sale to help defray the costs of his trip. The book is fantastic and you will enjoy it. Andrew came back on our show on Feb. 5th and discussed the ramifications of closing Guantanamo Bay. To learn more about Andrew Lubin, please visit AndrewLubin.com.

(Note: Andrew Lubin has agreed to be a regular guest on the Your Military Life talk show beginning this May. Visit our host page for more details.)

The third Your Military Life show that Blog Talk Radio featured was this week, Feb. 17th. Our guest was Karen Driscoll, Marine wife and mother of three small children, one of whom has autism. Karen is working to educate and raise awareness with senior military leadership and Congress to effect the comprehensive health care coverage changes that military families with autism require.

If you would like to become a guest on our show, please email Nancy Brown at nancy.brown@yourmilitary.com. Our half hour shows are held live twice a week on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time. We do the radio interviews on the telephone and over the Internet so you can do the interview from the comfort of your home. We are booked solid through April and are now booking guests for May and June.

The topic can be ANYTHING military, and once the show is completed you can download the podcast to your blog or website and even send to friends or clients.

And if you have your own blog, you can go to the host page and get the cute widget you see in the right-hand column of this blog. Put this widget on your blog to keep up-to-date with our informative Blog Talk Radio shows.

PTSD Featured on Upcoming BlogTalkRadio Shows of YourMilitaryLife.com

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a subject that I take very seriously. While at a conference this weekend I met a professional who uses music therapy to help people with PTSD. I’m planning for Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com and I to interview the music therapist on our BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

On March 10th Nancy and I will be interviewing Heather Hummert from Familyofavet.com -- “dedicated to helping our heroes and their loved ones survive and thrive after combat.”

And on April 28th Nancy and I will be interviewing Bob Page, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy Reserve. His presentation “Iraq Never Leaves Us” is on the website of the National Center for PTSD with a viewer discretion warning. Here’s the into to the presentation:

In this presentation, Bob Page shares his story to provide the viewer with an “up-close and personal” view of “What’s it like over there?” in the combat theater of Iraq via his personal photos. NOTE: This special feature is not a course, but instead a story of one veteran's experiences.

Bob Page is a husband, father, veteran, and, in his civilian career in the television and broadcasting industry, an Emmy Award (4) and AP award winner. During his numerous Active Duty and Marine Reserve periods, Bob has served in several theaters including Beirut, Lebanon; Kuwait, Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield; and in the battles of An Nasiriya, Al Kut, and the liberation of Baghdad, Iraq.

Like many combatants, Bob must manage his PTSD and associated symptoms. Since 2004, Bob has been receiving counseling at a Vet Center and states, “I continue to work hard to heal so I can be the best husband, father and Sailor I can be.”

Tonight my daughter Yael showed me the parts from the newest episode of television show GREY’S ANATOMY that deal with former army major Dr. Owen Hunt and his PTSD from being an army doctor in Iraq. Dr. Hunt explains why he can’t tell his mother that he’s back from Iraq because of his PTSD – she would be upset that the son she saw off to war is no longer the same person.

If you missed Yael’s guest blog post ”PTSD: Achilles in Vietnam and the TV Show Grey’s Anatomy,” read it now.

England’s Ministry of Defense to Appoint First Full-Time Jewish Chaplain

(Jewish Chronicle photo of British Colonel Martin Newman)

This past weekend I spoke at a conference about my project Operation Support Jews in the Military. And I met two young men from London who shared with me a February 12th newspaper article from the U.K.’s The Jewish Chronicle – “Wanted: a chaplain for the armed forces” by Marcus Dysch.

The Ministry of Defence [MoD] is to appoint its first full-time Jewish chaplain to the armed forces.

He will be expected to advise on religious issues, organise services for Jewish personnel and arrange kosher rations.

Jewish servicemen and women are the last to receive a dedicated chaplain, with Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh padres already employed by the MoD.

Jonathan Woodhouse, MoD deputy chaplain-general, said the appointment was “essential”.

The number of Jewish personnel in the armed forces is thought to be in the low hundreds, but includes troops now serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Martin Newman, of the Jewish Committee for HM [Her Majesty's] Forces, believes the number of troops is “small but significant”, and growing.

Now as an American Jew, here’s the part of the article that I found most interesting, and this also perhaps explains why the U.K. already had Buddhist and Sikh chaplains and no Jewish chaplain.

“Because the [forces] community has become more active in recent years, people are coming out of the woodwork and changing their records to show they are Jewish,” he [Newman} said.

“If someone in the forces says they are Jewish then we need to be in a position to give them the best possible support we can.”

Lynette Nusbacher, senior lecturer in war studies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, said: “For a very long time service personnel hid the fact they were Jewish. They are a bit less likely to do that now the MoD’s commitment to diversity has been demonstrated.

“For many years members of the services would take leave for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur and go back to their family. So rather than be affiliated with a Jewish community in the armed forces, they were affiliated with their family synagogue.”

But with personnel now regularly serving in operational theatres of war around the world, Dr. Nusbacher said, demands had changed.

“It has become much more intense, so ordinary members of the forces need more assistance. We need chaplains who can go to those theatres, make sure kosher rations are available and do whatever is necessary. The idea that there has not been a full-time chaplain is pathetic.”

Here in the U.S., American Jews believe that there is more anti-Semitism in England than in the U.S. Thus I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that, until recently, Jewish military personnel in the U.K. hid their religious affiliation.

And in connection with this U.K. newspaper article, I’d like to share with you a February 6-12th article I just received from my parents in the mail – “Rabbi Abraham on the occasion of his 200th birthday, a look at Lincoln and the Jews” by Pauline Dubkin Yearwood in the Chicago Jewish News. Here’s the section circled by my parents:

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Congress passed legislation allowing the Union to raise a voluntary army. The same bill allowed for the provision of military chaplains, who by law could only be bona fide Christian ministers.

But with many Jews serving in the army, a delegation of Jewish soldiers' families soon appealed to Lincoln to allow rabbis to serve as chaplains to provide appropriate religious services for Jewish soldiers.

"The debate about the chaplains went on for months," [historian Gary] Zola says. "The issue distressed American Jewry greatly. They had people in service; they were appalled." Eventually, the law was changed and rabbis were allowed to serve as chaplains.

Two different English-speaking countries. Two different responses. And today there’s a shortage of Jewish chaplains in the U.S. military, which is the impetus for my new site www.OperationSupportJewsintheMilitary.com.

Check out this site now, and you can read the entire Jewish Chronicle article and the entire Chicago Jewish News article.