Music Video Production created/produced by A Backpack Journalist & Nashville Film Institute.

Overview:

Today, the Defense Department estimates that nearly 213,000 military personnel have suffered traumatic brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2000.

An estimated 300,000 veterans of both conflicts suffered post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, according to a Rand Corp. report.

 A Backpack Journalist’ Goal:  to bring attention to the journey of the service member diagnosed with PTSD as they work through the causes and effects.  We wish to  inform the general public about what is called the “invisible wound”  and then to demonstrate the needed involvement of the family and community to provide caring and support for the service member.

HOW?  Lyrics are written and a music video is underway in Nashville, Tennessee.  Backpack has partnered with the Nashville Film Institute and  a 3-time EMMY Award Winner/producer of music videos.  Our Backpack Interns are participating!

Lyrics describe the “invisible wound called PTSD”.  There is a RAP section, and a chorus and chant.  The music is set to a RAP beat, and R&B for the chant.  The chorus will remind the listener of a “choral sing”.  The RAP is performed by a Backpack Intern as the soldier/s walk.   The chant and chorus each have Backpack Journalist military youth involved.   The video depicts combat related scenes, as well as welcome home festivities and other military related events.   The closing includes the service member walking with  family, friends, members of the community down a grassy hill in Tennessee.

JOIN US!  Are you close to Nashville!   Come walk with us and appear in the closing. Email us:  info@abackpackjournalist.com

Our walk is on Thursday afternoon, March 8, 2012.  Location:  downtown Nashville, Tennessee.  If you are coming be sure and email us for specific directions and time to start!  No special clothing required.

Organize your own community walk:  PTSD WON’T STOP ME!

Take photos or a short video of your walk and send them to us!  We will add them to our DVD package!

We encourage you to make posters – walk with balloons!  The spirit of this community walk is to surround the service member as they walk forward.

To become a part of our DVD that will be distributed free, take photos or video of your Community Walk!

Send an email to info@abackpackjournalist.com to confirm your Community Walk.  We will then confirm back to you the details on the type of files we need for the DVD.

All photos or video must be submitted to us no later than Monday, March 12, 2012.

For more information on PTSD:

The following website contains information on PTSD and links to other agencies who provide resources and support.

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

Music Video – R&B – RAP

PTSD Won’t Stop Me:  Music Video – R&B – RAP (PROJECT)

Creative & Music Video Lyrics: Linda Dennis, A Backpack Journalist, LLC, Atlanta, GA

Lyrics (Original) & Music: Timothy “August”  Bourriague, Franklin, TN

Performed by:  Daniel Jones, USAR Youth – Backpack Intern

Video Director:Matt Coale, www.mattcoale.com, Nashville, TN

Producer:Prema Thiagarajah, Nashville Film Institute, Nashville, TN,  www.thenfi.com

The Writing Lab!

A Backpack Journalist – 101 CAMP – 5-day (Monday to Friday)

Writing, (Reporting and Broadcast), Song Writing, Digital Photography(Portraits and Environmental), Digital Storytelling and Filmmaking wrap up each day’s rotation of modules. “101” is our beginner’s journalism and multimedia camp, encouraging creatively using cutting-edge digital technology.  Closing includes project per module.

A Backpack Journalist – Taste of Backpack – Weekend only (2 ¼ days)

Come rested.  These two days are intense with rotations of the 4 key modules:  Writing, Photography, Song writing and Filmmaking.  This is designed as an overview allowing each student to experience the creative elements that are at the foundation of  A Backpack Journalist.  Closing includes a portrait session, and one project. This weekend session is recommended for youth who love technology and would like to discover their own creative zone!

A Backpack Journalist – 101 FILMMAKING – 5-day (Monday to Friday)

Digital Storytelling to the basics of Filmmaking.  Bring your interests and passions and  spend the week with us as you learn the basics to creating  a final film.  Recommended you take the Taste of Backpack or the 101 Camp prior to this module of filmmaking.  The writing basics are most helpful in creating your first film!

To view examples of our workshops with youth, please visit the links here or you may log onto:  http://vimeo.com/28688686

  CAMP DATES/LOCATIONS  404-314 8007 – office line

 info@abackpackjournalist.com – http://www.abackpackjournalist.com

www.thenfi.com   The Nashville Film Institute, Franklin, Tennessee

A Backpack Journalist, Atlanta, Georgia

A Backpack Journalist – “Backpack” curriculum for writing, song writing, photography and poetry for military and at-risk youth in the teen demographic have been delivered in mobile workshops for 4 years.  Responding to the requests of youth participants and Interns, “Backpack” has now partnered with Nashville Film Institute (NFI)  to add “FILM MAKING 101” to A Backpack Journalist curriculum.

“In seeking to expand our curriculum to include film making, we learned that the NFI has the facility and teachers to allow us to co-locate our workshops and camps and to further support our mission.”  Linda Dennis, Program Manager.  “ NFI focuses on the older student, high school graduate and above, and has had experience in supporting issues facing the military community.  Plus, ‘Backpack’ is a natural first step for the future filmmaker! “

Plans are to include weekend retreats, week long camps and continuing education courses taught on campus at NFI.  “Backpack” will continue to support outreach at locations around the US and incorporating “FILM MAKING 101” into the present curriculum developed by NFI.

“NFI” provides 9-month intense hands on film making course, and was introduced to A Backpack Journalist by BlueStarFam.org  following the successful PSA campaign that NFI staff and students produced addressing suicide prevention.   Presently, NFI accepts students with high school diploma, and has veterans enrolled in their 9-month intense hands on film making course.

“NFI welcomes in ‘Backpack Journalist’ to our campus and to working with our excellent teaching staff and students here in Nashville.   We look forward to encouraging further ‘the discovery of creative expression’ for the teenager that ‘Backpack’ has so adeptly accomplished in a mobile environment.  Our teaching staff and industry professionals associated with us in Nashville, the music city and as far west as Hollywood, extend to all ‘backpack’ youth the opportunity for experiences that will enhance their academic and career choices”.  Prema Thiagarajah, CEO of Nashville Film Institute.

A Backpack Journalist (www.abackpackjournalist.com ) provides curriculum and workshops for youth on writing, songwriting, poetry and photography.  Exceptional instructors teach with a focus on finding one’s voice through creative expression.  Building resiliency through this process produces lasting results and is evidenced in “real life experiences” that are also offered through A Backpack Journalist.  Facebook.com/backpackjournalist.

Nashville Film Institute (www.thenfi.com) The Nashville Film Institute filmmaking courses are fast-paced, focused on the filmmaker, and teach the commercial and creative application of the moving image. NFI believes that communication is an Art form, and that in order for artists to best project their ideas onto the screen, they need to know the technology, business, and techniques involved in the entire filmmaking process. For more information visit www.thenfi.com, or contact Prema Thiagarajah at 877-627-3456

WE love the Pentagon Channel and this article contains all the links you need to

access Christmas programming!  Shown here is Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas

Album.  Here it live on the Pentagon Channel!

http://www.examiner.com/military-community-in-atlanta/pentagon-channel-24-7-streaming-live-christmas-programs-review

This book is for all Americans!  With less than 10% of our population either serving in the military or having a relative involved, this book is a must read and guaranteed to clear up any notion – that all the military does is go to war!   We have heard this and seen it often.  This has troubled our backpack reporters.  We have seen first hand, the service that the United States Military provides us as a nation.  It’s as simple as keeping us safe to then helping our communities when a bad storm hits.  The military family and especially their youth serve too, and we see that FIRST HAND!.

Thanks to Tara, Star, Kathie, and Holly for putting their talents to pen and paper!  They are often heard on Army Wife Network!  We thank them also for including Backpack Journalist – #588!

Check out this book on www.centerstreet.com !  It makes a perfect Christmas Gift!  Again, a must have for all Americans!

Reported by A Backpack Journalist

12 November 2011

Reported by A Backpack Journalist

The parade was to start at exactly 11:11 am.  Going back to 1918, the first Veterans Day was
held on the 11th month, on the 11th day and at the 11th hour.  Years passed and finally in the 1970’s,
President Ford signed into law:  Veterans Day, November 11^th.

The sun to warm us was covered by Atlanta’s downtown tall
buildings.  Close by to the viewing stand, coffee was provided to all,  courtesy of Community Coffee.

A helicopter kept circling overhead. Picture this:
the Viewing Stand for this Georgia Veterans Day Parade was erected facing
upward a street. Looking up the street, we could see two ladder trucks from the
Atlanta Fire Department backing into the side streets at the top of the hill.  Lots of red lights flashing kept our
attention.  Then, both ladders began to go up with a Fireman at the top rung and it appeared that they had a “rope”
between them.  No rope, it was our Nation’s Flag.  As the ladders with the firemen
were raised to the sky – so did the American Flag go with them.  In the distance we see our Nation’s Flag
proudly hanging over the street where parade route would come before the
viewing stand.  What a perfect backdrop and a great start to a Veterans Day parade.

This year’s parade honored World War II Veterans.  A bagpiper opened up the parade with “Amazing
Grace”.   Military customs, including posting of colors and bringing in the Flag, were followed including a special rendering of the
Star Spangled Banner sung by a group of women dressed in 1940’s garb.  The Viewing Stand, with Flags flying, stood
empty waiting on the arrival of special guests.
In the distance you could hear the sound of roaring engines.  Coming down the short hill, side by side they
came.  Motorcycles with flags flying off their back bumpers passed us by.  These patriotic
riders were clothed in leathers and applique patriotic patches.  The roar got louder as they turn the corner and
made their way past the Viewing Stand.  Not too far behind came the parade banner, and then the Air National  Guard “Band ofthe South!”

The Georgia Veterans Day Parade is the second largest in the
United States, and this day, the  Grand Marshalls are two actors who were in Band of Brothers (James Madio and Ross
McCall), an HBO film about World War II.  Today they each serve on the World War II Foundation Board
(www.wwiifoundation.org).   They ride in sitting on the back of a Corvette, with the top down!  As do, the other special guests representing
local Veteran associations, parade judges and the State of Georgia. Each special dignitary arrive riding on the back of the corvette, were recognized by
the Parade commentator, and then entered the Viewing Stand.    Overhead the helicopter keeps hovering up
high!

As the parade procession moves forward, we see marching in step, ROTC units from Atlanta area local high school.
We see many young faces, groomed and posed and in uniforms neatly
pressed.   According to the announcer, these
young people are potential members of the US Military, and our future.   Riverside Military Academy marched in their
full dress uniforms, with swords at their side and Helmet with plumes, and accompanied
by their marching band.  (Note:  they won the Prize for best marching ROTC
unit in the parade).  There were multiple
floats and even a group of fun antique tractors!  Closing the parade were riders on horseback,
and the Atlanta Police Motorcycle riders.

One of the most memorable moments came from the group of
t-shirt clad Coca Cola employees.  Not in
full dress uniform, they wore screen printed t-shirts that supported the
Parade, and also Coca Cola.  First as they
walked by, they handed out sample cans of COKE Zero!  And, as the Coca Cola supply truck made the
turn, all of sudden the employees ran to the side facing the Viewing Stand,
lined up and saluted the entire Viewing Stand.
This show of respect was perhaps the most unexpected of all!  To those not in the military it might have
been confusing.  However, a T-shirt clad veterans’
salute is as meaningful and respectful, as a soldier in full dress.  Once a soldier, always a soldier.

There were many tributes to World War II Veterans found on
banners and with special floats.  Vietnam
Veterans have never been presented so well.
Members of the Georgia Vietnam Veteran’s Alliance walked forward in unison.
Each was dressed in navy blazers and ball caps and walking with a determined step.  They
turned in front of us – stopped to salute the Viewing Stand.  Their message was clear in their professional
support of the Vietnam Veteran.  Check
out their website; www.gvva.com for their
support outreach programs.

Soon to deploy are members of the Georgia National Guard,
and they joined in, along with their CG Butterworth riding in a large terrain
vehicle.  One of the best marching bands, came right out of the Georgia National Guard – 116^th Band.  As important, was that every segment of the military was represented in this parade – Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force.

One small group of Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan walked
behind a banner with the Www.IAVA.org  logo.  “Got your Back” and the logo their shirts printed so all
could see.   This is “our” war today.  This group of Veterans was such a contrast in age to those from World War II to the Vietnam era.    This group assembled and their youthful look seemed out of place.  After all this was a parade paying tribute to  World War II Veterans?  Right?.   Was it
bringing to our attention in a celebratory parade that it is and has always been, our young men and women who fight our wars?

*********************************************************************************

The Freedom Ball

Not all Veteran Day celebrations complete the day with a
Freedom Ball.  Georgia did, and
well!  As with all events like this there
is always the front table, the guest speakers and the plated food.  Main difference with this Ball was that it
was held at the Georgia Aquarium.   And,
gracing the walls of the ballroom were open windows into the tanks of aquarium
where the beautiful underwater creatures seemed to just swim by.  It made for a soothing atmosphere.  Add to that music from the 1940’s from Les
Still and his orchestra!

Here we also found Patriotism and World War II history on
display.  The National Foundation of
Patriotism (foundationofpatriotism.org), and also the www.museumofpatriotism.org  are organized to support and educate our citizens
on all facets of patriotism.  Simple acts
such as the teaching our Pledge of Allegiance to our Nation’s Flag is offered
out to elementary schools.  Shortly on
line they are launching a new interactive Virtual Museum.   Currahee Military Museum, Home of the Real
“Band of Brothers”, is located in Toccoa, Georgia.  Here they have collections of rare photos,
airborne history, maps, medals, and the uniforms from World War II and is
considered the real home of the “Band of Brothers”.

Band of Brothers, an HBO series from a book by Stephen
Ambrose, tells the story of a group of highly skilled elite marksmen and
paratroopers who trained in Georgia during World War II.  They became known as the Easy Company and
were highly skilled and fearless, landing on D-Day and fighting at the Battle
of the Bulge.   (www. http://www.hbo.com/band-of-brothers/index.html#/band-of-brothers/index.html)  Two of the actors from this series were the
Grand Marshalls of the Parade and special guests at the Freedom Ball.

“We filmed right outside of London, and for the first month
or so, I did not know James’ name.  We
were in our rolls. He was Sgt. Frank Perconte to me.  This roll as CPL Joe Liebgott changed my
life.  We all became brothers!  Today, we continue as brothers.”    Ross McCall, originally from Scotland,
shared with all us what it was like to become a part of this series.

James Madio joined in, confirming that as an actor in this
important film, “It changed my life!”

The series was shot mainly outside of London, and it would
take a month to complete one segment.
They spoke of the real life fox holes and a town recreated exactly as
one would have walked into back in the 1940’s.
Band of Brothers has over 2 million friends on Facebook, and the series
is still available to watch via HBO GO.

The day began with fresh air, sunshine and “Old Glory”
providing a spectacular backdrop over a parade route.  It came to a close at the Freedom Ball with a
special thank you to corporate sponsors who helped make the day possible, and
keynotes by two young actors whose lives had been changed by simply “acting the
role of a soldier in the Easy Company”.

And the final thank you was sent out to all Veterans.   We honor you and thank you.

*********************************************************************************

Closing commentary:  Colt (Manufacturer of firearms) was the main
sponsor for this event.  Many think of
Colt as  “only” a firearms company.  However, within the ranks at Colt are people
who have served in the military and provide significant support in many other
ways.  A Backpack Journalist once had an
experience with Colt’s booth staff at a major event.  We had a young man in a wheel chair, with
limited use of his arms as well.
However, this young man had always dreamed of touching and holding a
gun, pulling the trigger on a gun.
Colt’s booth staff held the gun/rifle for him and helped this young man
touch and feel the firearm and then pulling the trigger.  The smile on this young man’s face will
always be remembered.  As we left the
Colt booth, the staff member leaned down and placed a COIN in this young man’s
hand and closed his fingers around the coin.
“Well done”.

A conversation with Dom Fredinaelli & Cole Smith

From the film:  Where Soldiers Come From

Reported by Alexus Packwood

“Experiencing the War Young: A Conversation With Two Soldiers – Dom & Cole”

A different world. Completely different from what they are use to. In Afghanistan there are different living conditions and a different way of life.

Dominic Fredinaelli

“It’s funny to listen to people complain when you see people living like that,” Cole Smith comments. “Traveling and seeing the different places there”, Dominic adds, “It’s actually pretty cool…except there’s war”.

Cole Smith

Being trained for IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) these young men are constantly on the road driving slowly.   Always on the look out to disable explosives and always watching for suspicious activities and bomb holdings. Always aware of a possible ambush.

The soldiers still manage to communicate with their loved ones back home. The Skype is often not clear.  The men have to share a phone on an unsecure line.  Which means that even when they do talk to their folks back home there are a lot of things they cannot say? But overall, Dominic and Cole express how the opportunity to communicate with love ones and other things like free Wi-Fi and meals make their living conditions “pretty good”.

Eventually, the soldiers learn that their nine to ten month deployment is coming to an end in a couple of weeks. All that is next is the reintegration process and the warm welcome home by their community.

Yes, there are reintegration programs out there.  Whether or not the soldiers believe that they have changed or been effected, there is always help available to them. They just have to know that these programs are there, and then go to the “appointments”.

Some of the family and the soldiers feel that there is a significant amount of change soldiers go through before deployment, during deployment, and the struggle coming home.

Coming home trying to be around family and friends again.

Coming home to the many questions.

Coming home to the faces that just don’t’ know what it is like there.

Coming home to restart the daily routines.

“When I came home, I found I was driving slow down the streets of Hancock and always looking from side to side.”    He also admitted quietly that he was having a hard time going to his appointments.

Dom is looking for a job. Dom also suffers from TBI from the time there in Afghanistan. But Dom also t
urned back to his love of painting and expression.  He tells us about his mural that the film with share with us.

From the film:  Where Soldiers Come From

Reported by Alexus Packwood

“The deployment and coming home”.

Imagine watching him walk out that door. Your child. But a child no more. No, your child has grown-up and joined the Army National Guard. And your child is being deployed along with seven of his friends to Afghanistan. Imagine. “Oh, if only it was my imagination” Mary said. If only Mary Smith didn’t have to watch her ‘fresh out of high school son’ Cole Smith leave home and become a deployed soldier. But she does. And by just knowing that much, Mary is worried about her son.  Adding to that weariness is knowing what he is doing.

When Cole joins the military, he is given the only position available at that time and receives training for it. Training for IED (Improvised Explosive Devices). So naturally Mary is a concerned mother.  So, to keep from thinking about it, which will probably get her to think of the inevitable, Mary keeps herself busy? She works jobs as a waitress and a hair-dresser.

Nothing compares to her support group, made up of the families of those young men who deployed with Cole. During the deployment, they meet to give support to each other and see whether or not they had heard something about what was going on with their child, friend, boyfriend, or whatever their relation was to the soldiers and their families.

Generally when you look at it, these soldiers have the support of the whole community. The support of a small town in the Michigan Upper Peninsula:  population estimated at 4634. And it is there in her home, where Mary communicates with her son through Skype at least once a week. But there are times that she and other family and friends are informed by their soldier that they are going to missions, and they won’t be able to talk for a couple of weeks. Imagine how worried you’d be if it is your son.

Walk a mile in Mary’s shoes. What would you do to ease the worrying? “I kept myself busy,” Mary says. And she does. She sent care packages overseas to Cole. That continued for the nine months Cole and his friends were deployed. Now, Mary Smith has her son back with her and all eight soldiers came back from Afghanistan in one physical piece. Hancock celebrated with a “Welcome Home parade!”

Mary says quietly, “My son is back, but he is different. Not the boy that left.”

About:  Where Soldiers Come From

It wasn’t long after Dominic Fredianelli, a sensitive, artistic high school graduate in a remote town in northern Michigan, signed up for the National Guard that his buddies started following his lead. In exchange for just one weekend of training a month, they would earn a $20,000 signing bonus and much-needed college tuition support. Before he knew it, 10 friends were in the group. They knew there was a chance that they’d be sent to war sometime during their six-year stint, but, as Cole Smith, Dominic’s best friend said, “I wasn’t really doing anything; my buddies had already joined. … I figured, ‘Twenty Gs, one weekend a month, let’s do it!’”
Thus begins director Heather Courtney’s new film, Where Soldiers Come From, which paints an intimate portrait of these friends’ four-year journey from teenagers stuck in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to soldiers in Afghanistan. Shooting in vérité style, Courtney focuses on three of the friends — Dominic, who takes art classes and paints large murals in the abandoned buildings that belonged to a once-thriving copper mining industry; Cole, the comedian in the group; and Matt Beaudoin (“Bodi”), who has a history of military service in his family and is proud to serve his country. They change from carefree teenagers who spend their days swimming in Lake Superior and drinking at bonfires to soldiers getting hit by homemade bombs in Afghanistan and combat veterans dealing with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Below you will find the interviews and work that these fine young people created this weekend.

To view the news brief handed out to attendees featuring the youth’s work , visit it at http://www.abackpackjournalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/NC-AG-Cover-the-Assignment-print-only.pdf

To view all of the interviews that were conducted and written up, visit them here at http://www.abackpackjournalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/All_Interviews-1.pdf