Wrought With Words

HomeAway PM Newsletter

2009-05-21T15:12:00.001-07:00

Second HAPM Newsletter released today:

HomeAway PM Account Rep Intro

2009-04-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

As another attempt to buddy up and provide better service to our clientele, we released the letter below.

I realize it has someone else's name at the bottom; trust me, the words are mine.

HomeAway PM Newsletter

2009-04-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

My division at HomeAway was rebranded in mid-September and has become a more significant part of our online community in many ways. We decided that consistent communication with our customer base would be good to sister with this movement in business structure. A bi-quarterly newsletter campaign spearheaded by yours truly is our first big endeavor in this direction.

My first newsletter was published and sent to our entire customer base today. I laid out the basic design and was responsible for all content; access the full publication by clicking below:

Excellence in Training

2005-11-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

For soldiers in the United States Army, training is not just practice - it is preparation for survival.

The town consists of crumbling buildings. To the soldiers of Task Force Houston the walls may serve as a protective shield or a blinding obstruction. Civilians wander about speaking in languages unintelligible to the soldiers, who are ordered to be on guard at all times.

This town, overrun with drugs, black market operations, and corrupt power, lies shrouded by trees in the heart of Fort Hood, Texas. This real-life setting is part of MOUT – Mobile Operations in Urban Terrain, which is one of the many measures taken to ensure that soldiers who are deployed are well prepared for the challenges they will face. The training arenas are built to resemble the small, war-wrecked towns that U.S. troops live and work in, and the foreign citizens are paid civilians who walk about the “town” speaking in jumble and fulfilling foreign characters around the township, from innocent children up to corrupt government officials (and vice versa, of course.)

The artificial foreign city could easily be straight from a movie or video game, placing the soldiers in the middle of a scene from Call of Duty or Saving Private Ryan. Unlike other training drills, MOUT challenges and exercises all skills: physical, mental and otherwise. “We fight on a four dimensional battlefield in MOUT,” explains Sgt. 1st Class Miguel Ganceres. “Not only can the enemy be in front or behind, but to our left and our right, above and below us, not there one day and there the next.”

A large-scale riot breaks out in the town. Civilians are throwing debris from the collapsing buildings and AH-64 Apache helicopters are flying overhead at a deafening 100 feet. Lt. Mike Koehler steps up to do what he sees fit in the situation as a commanding authority, with disastrous results. The crowed erupts and he is pelted with bricks.

“For a civil disturbance, it was about as real as it gets.” Says Lt. Koehler, who is doing just fine after being “stoned” with sponges painted to resemble the rubble. In an afterthought he states, “I would be a mushy pulp, had that been real. We learn valuable lessons through training like this.”

For just such reasons, MOUT is a regular part of training for the TF Houston, the company to which Lt. Koehler belongs. TF Houston is training for Mission KFOR7, a peace-keeping mission in Kosovo that is in its seventh year. Their pre-deployment training has been rigorous and extensive, covering as many different aspects of the state of affairs in Kosovo as possible.

Think: early-morning physical training and arduous sit-down classes over mental readiness, strategic planning, and safety. Obstacle courses with pepper spray, challenges in a gas chamber; all of this is a regular part of groundwork for TF Houston. These soldiers will be ready and fully equipped to fulfill their duty overseas. Sgt. Juan Soto believes that the training has been great for the leaders of the company. “As an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer),” says Sgt. Soto, “I feel that we are well prepared to lead our soldiers on the mission.”

The soldiers are preparing to search a home, and have taken the head of the household into custody. Many homes they have searched were booby-trapped, so in an attempt to protect his platoon, Lt. Luke Talbot orders a soldier to have the handcuffed man open the door of his own home. The soldier nudges the man toward the door and orders him to open it. As long as the man is considered in custody, the soldiers have the obligation to keep him from danger, so this action has put Lt. Talbot and the rest of his platoon under investigation.

Events such as residence searches are everyday occurrences where TF Houston is going, and even routine things require practice, and “require our best, in all functions,” according to Lt. Talbot. “Being a leader here is like being a director in a play and to be successful, a play requires a lot of rehearsal. My job as a Lieutenant is to make sure my actors know their parts and their roles, so that we can get a standing ovation when we come home and our families will be glad that we are safe.”

The soldiers continue their walk-through and search a few more homes. Civilians are easy going for the most part; they sit outside their houses drinking coffee and casually chatting with interpreters and soldiers as the soldiers methodically perform their search duties. The platoon comes upon a house with a blockaded door and barred windows, through which the resident shouts threatening foreign words.

“The rule is,” explains Lt. Talbot, “knock once, knock twice, then kick the door in.” Hostile families can prove to be real threats to soldiers who are required to carry out such searches, so both courtesy for families and safety of soldiers, are strict orders in equal parts.

Upon addressing the city’s mayor, the platoon encounters yet another barrier. This time, the obstacle is a social one: language. “Interpreters play a big role in MOUT, just like in a real situation.” says Spc. Samuel Romanos. Lt. Talbot agrees: “There is a definite etiquette to use when speaking through an interpreter.” They must speak directly to the person out of courtesy, despite the fact that he or she may not understand a word being said until the interpreter plays his part.

“It is so important to rehearse even this aspect because everyone needs to know their part of the plan to get the job done,” explains Lt. Talbot, “and most of our plans require a lot of coordination of timing and communications between different people. In this case, with someone as important and influential as a mayor, being practiced [in such etiquette] is essential.”

After an introduction and short visit with the mayor through the help of the platoon’s interpreter, the soldiers take another run through the city. They pause to check anything suspicious or that has the potential of being booby-trapped, in this cas:, an alleyway. Sounds of artillery fire commence. Lt. Talbot immediately brings his men to order, and they go through procedure to counter the low-scale surprise attack.

“To have our Lieutenant react to artillery fire that wasn't really there during our Counter-mine and Unexploded Ordinance Training just goes to show how good MOUT training really is,” says Sgt. 1st Class Ganceres, who felt that the experience is invaluable, and that this exercise was definitely the highlight of the day’s training.

After days of searches, investigations and crime busts, the officers believe they have a lead on the city’s main problem: a massive and very involved underground drug ring. Their last search of the day brings them to a building, a crumbling warehouse of sorts. This may be it, if they are right in their findings. They enter, and after some serious prodding, they find the stashes of drugs, money and weapons.

“It ended up looking like the Branch Dividian raid,” describes Lt Talbot, as Lt. Koehler adds, “Even the mayor played a big part in it! It feels good to know we took care of it all.” With their job done for the day, the soldier trekk off to their barracks. Ahead of them is another day in a new town, with new characters and new surprises.

The soldiers all seem to agree that training through MOUT is key to preparation when their time comes overseas. “It gives us a picture of what it will really be like, from the basics of everyday living to the major operations that we will carry out,” says Spc. Romanos. “Especially for those soldiers who are going for the first time,” adds Sgt. Soto. “Our training has to be as realistic as possible to get us ready for the real mission we will encounter in the near future.”

The soldiers of Task Force Houston deployed on November 26, 2005. They are currently enduring last-minute training in Hohenfels, Germany to polish their skills before setting foot at Camp Monteith in Kosovo on Christmas Day.

Family Ties

2005-11-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

The Talbot household is a treasure trove of souvenirs and knick-knacks from other countries. These tiny keepsakes serve as reminders of time spent far from their current Killeen, Texas home. Stacking dolls from Germany, lacquer boxes from Russia, a rocking chair from Costa Rica; it is an incredible assortment of memories from years of traveling all over the world with the United States Military.

Frances Talbot, the mother and “heartbeat of the family” as her children have fondly dubbed her, is used to the moving, as well she should be. She is the daughter of an Air Force Medic, she was an Army wife for twenty years, and now has two sons serving in the United States Army National Guard.

We all have an idea of what a U.S. soldier’s life is like; we see their training, their service overseas and their hard work portrayed in blockbuster movies, reported in news, and described in best seller books. You have to wonder: what is it like to be the mother, wife, or child of those brave soldiers?

“I pray for them, all the time,” says Frances of her two sons, Kurt and Luke. Both are serving in the Army National Guard, which is composed of civilians who are to serve on a part-time basis, and was originally designed to handle domestic crises and emergencies. However, with Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, many Guardsman have been called to active duty all over the world. Both of Frances’ sons have been activated for overseas missions.

Kurt, a 29-year-old Captain in the Louisiana Army National Guard, recently returned from 13 months in Iraq. He spent his 2-week-long release in March at his home in Lafayette, La. with his wife Jessica and 3-year-old daughter, Mary Alice. His homecoming this fall was just in time to witness the birth of his second daughter, Eve Marie.

“It’s hard, not just on us, but on our loved ones,” said Kurt. “Jessica has done wonders with the girls by herself while I was gone. You work hard and do what you can, but it’s tough being so far away. You really have to make time for family while you’re there, and have patience and understanding.”

Frances gladly welcomed her eldest son home in October, and made a trip to Lafayette with her husband Ronald, a retired Army Master Sgt., and her youngest daughter Rachel. She now counts the days until her youngest son will be deployed.

Luke, a 24-year-old University of Texas graduate, is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Texas Army National Guard. After spending 5 months at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma for Officer Basic Courses, he was home for 5 weeks and was then activated in August for Operation Kfor7, a peace-keeping mission that is now in its 7th year. He was accepted to the Baylor School of Law before being activated and has had to postpone his plans; he hopes to attend in the Spring or Fall of 2007 after he returns from Kosovo.

“We train hard so we can fight hard, but mostly so that we will return home safely,” Luke explained. “You have to plan on success. It’s hard to leave people you love for so long, you have to find ways to keep in touch, and always find ways to remind them that you love them.”

Task Force Houston, the Company at Ft. Hood to which Luke belongs, recently held a family day, a good-bye party of sorts. The company’s captain spoke to an audience of soldiers, parents, wives, girlfriends and children, and explained that while they would be working hard in Kosovo, the families would have the hardest job.

Frances couldn’t agree more as she prepares to see another son off, yet she is proud of the service they have provided and of course, looks forward to what keepsakes this deployment will add to her display case. “Myself and my family, we all have a strong duty to serve. I just keep praying for their safety, and for our families to make it through each year.”

University flexes its muscles against sexual violence

2005-10-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

Class ends at 8:30 p.m., well after the sun has set on the University of Texas campus in Austin. Students walk back to their apartments or to their cars parked blocks away from campus. While most stick together in pairs or groups many walk alone, hurriedly, so as to get to their destination before anything or anyone has the chance to show itself from shadowy corners of the West Campus neighborhood.

While this apprehension may seem a tad childish it is unfortunately well-established in University women, and rightly so. According to the United States Department of Justice, 20 to 25% of college women face sexual assault during their years of secondary education. With an enrollment of over 24,000 women per semester at UT, that statistic that is frighteningly high. “Let’s face it,” says Voices Against Violence Coordinator Pamela Cook, “it can be a scary world out there for women.”

However, the University of Texas is taking action to ease that fear, to prevent future occurrences, and to aid those who have fallen victim to sexual assault. Programs like Voices Against Violence which was established through the University Counseling and Mental Health Center, and the Rape Aggression Defense program which was instituted by the CMHC and the UT Police Department, are offered to educate and aid University women, including students, faculty, staff, family and friends.

Many national steps have been taken to better ensure the safety of women on college campuses beginning with the Jeanne Clery Act (1990), which requires colleges and universities to inform all students and staff of crime on and around campus. The act was named for Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old freshman at Lehigh University, who was raped and murdered in her residence hall in 1986. In 1996, Megan’s Law was enacted in response to the rape and murder of 7-year-old Megan Kanka. The law authorized the publication of sex offender’s personal information and location. The Violence Against Women Act of 1991 was a huge stepping stone, and it led to the Grant to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus in 2000.

This grant helped to launch the programs such as VAV and The Rape Aggression Defense, RAD, program that work to make the UT Austin Campus a safer place today. RAD is a 4-night, 16-hour class designed to teach women awareness, prevention, self-defense and risk avoidance techniques. The class would normally cost $25 but was originally funded by the grant, so it is free to University students, faculty and staff, according to UTPD officer William Pieper. Since it’s commencement in 2000, the grant has run out of funding for the program, but the UTPD believed the program to be so influential, they have since found other sources to finance the program in order to continue to offer it free-of-charge. Cook of the VAV highly recommends the program for everyone. “As a mother, I encouraged my daughter to take it. We went through the class together.”

While the University recognizes that women are not the only ones victimized, the RAD program is geared toward women, due to the fact that over 90% of sexual assaults are against females. Voices Against Violence, on the other hand, offers programs for people of both genders and of all sexualities.VAV strives to encompass all aspects of assault: avoidance to aftermath for victims, their friends and their families. Programs range from preventative action to individual and group counseling for victims, as well as for those dealing with the assault of a loved one.

VAV helped bring RAD to the UT campus. It offers counseling, advice, and treatment through University Health Services and St. David’s Hospital for victims, and also runs an extensive peer mentoring and training program. Cook reiterates how important it is for victims to have effective support through the healing process, and has been very pleased with the response to the programs offered.

According to Cook, VAV student volunteers make a year-long commitment during which they go through extensive training. They in turn train other peers including the Health Promotional Peer Program students, Orientation Advisors, and Resident Advisors. The program uses a unique image theater approach explained Chait Konda, a VAV student in his first semester of training. “We learn to emulate real-life situations, and it helps students recognize them in real-life.”

“You learn so much about relationships and empowerment.” added Rachel Horner, another first-semester VAV student. These two recently attended a workshop retreat with last year’s peer mentors who shared their experiences. Horner and Konda agree it is worth the time and commitment, and are looking forward to the end of their training and commencement of their mentoring semester.

The peer programs put emphasis on support for victims, awareness of perpetrators, and especially support for bystanders, according to Geeta Cowlagi, a VAV education coordinator. “Support for bystanders is important,” she added, “because it is our instinct to mind our own business and not come forward, but in many cases if we don’t, no one will.” While a VAV project cited that 115 sexual assault cases were reported between January 2002 and December 2004, almost as many are speculated to remain unreported. Too many cases share that fate for multiple reasons, and many could be prevented by interference of a bystander.

“It is very important to stress that in most college sexual assault cases, the victim knows the offender,” said Officer Pieper. Over 80% of assault cases occur between people who know each other. This contradicts the fear of the stranger in the dark, the image often brought to mind by the terms ‘sexual assault.’

“The campus is continually being modified, with addition of UTPD call boxes and lighting to areas of concern,” said Officer Pieper, “in order to incorporate crime-prevention philosophy into the design of the campus.” These alterations along with offering such programs as VAV and RAD are only some of the ways that the University of Texas is making a great effort to make campus a safer place to be.