valhalla nov2011
DESCRIPTION
November 2011 Valhalla Project summary and progress to date.TRANSCRIPT
Valhalla
A special retreat for Post-9/11 combat
Soldiers& combat zone civilian
workers
The ancient Norse legend told how half the Soldiers
who died in battle wentto Valhalla, where they
became comradesagain… forever
The Soldiers of Valhallaworked during the day
and tended their woundsat night. They tookcare of each other.
They also feasted each night
in the Great Hall of Odin
Many of today’s Soldiersare feeling the stress from
multiple deployments and hardships.
They’re tired,often worn out.
So are some of thecivilian workers who also
live and work in thewar zones alongside
Soldiers.
Their work and the overall working
conditions are difficulteven on the best days.
Typical accommodationsare pretty depressing
at best.
And don’t even mention the food, which is
still better than MREs.
They should have aplace like Valhalla to
decompress, readjust afterreturning from combat,
learn new skills, andjust have fun!
We found what will be Valhalla
on 200 acres in the Ozark mountains
Hunting, fishing, andthe chance to set up
and work on a farm, andlearn to build cabinsand cottages from
scratch.
So who are weand why do we wantto create Valhalla?
The Valhalla Projectis a nonprofit organization
dedicated to assistingpost-9/11 combat Soldiers
and warzone civilianworkers
The founding Valhalla Project Inc.
Board of Directors
Lt. Colonel (ret.) Gordon CuculluPresident & Valhalla Co-founder
Chris Fontana Cucullu (civilian),Valhalla Project Founder &
Treasurer
Major Theo Polet (Army Nat’l Guard),
Secretary
Lt. Colonel Tom Lombardo (US Army)
Director
MSG Mike Stillwell (US Army)Director
The Board serveswithout drawing salaries,
benefits, or othercompensation.
Why are we doing this?
Because we’ve all beendown range and know
the realities andchallenges personally.
Valhalla has a large house for ten people.
Someday Valhalla will host up to 50 at a time.
Soldiers and selectedcivilians will be able to visit for a weekend or
stay for up to 3 monthsat a time. What willthey do at Valhalla?
We saw what some Soldiersbuilt from scratch usingscavenged materials for
their FOB (ForwardOperating Base) in
Afghanistan
Those at Valhalla will bebuilding energy efficient
off-the-grid cabins…
for themselves, and alsofor future generations of
Soldiers and combat zonecivilian workers
Straw bale building example
Straw bale plastering example
Completed straw bale cabin example
Straw bale building interior example
Cob (clay & straw) example
Completed cob cabin example
Earthbag building example
Completed earthbag cabin example
Why will building cabinsbe so important?
BecauseSoldiers can’t go back toFOBs that meant a lot to
them, but they will be able
to come back to Valhalla each year if they want to.
The soil at Valhalla is very rich in clay
Clay like this is perfect for cob building
Clay is also great for straw bale plasters
Building cabins will give
a sense of accomplishment
and confidence in thecivilian world, and
teachskills so individuals
canbuild their own
affordable homes if they want to.
So what else willthe Soldiers and war zone civilian workers
do at Valhalla?
Soldiers and US civilians in Afghanistan have been teaching villagers how to
farm. Some units also keeptheir own chickens and
goats for food.
Good food starts withhealthy, happy animals
so Valhalla will havechickens, sheep, goats, rabbits, a few cattle and other livestock to care for.
Chickens for eggs and pest control
Goats for milk, meat, and weed
control
Donkeys for guarding thesmaller farm animals
Cattle for milk and meat
Hay is already being grown in Valhalla’s pastures
Friendly neighbors willing to assist
Raised bed vegetableand herb gardens as well
as orchards and berrypatches will grow theadditional fruits and other foods needed
Raised bed gardening example
Another example
Another raised bed garden approach
The 200-acre Valhalla property has an incrediblearray of forests, pastures,
and features that offerendless possibilities.
Tall trees and forests
Pasture lands
Creeks and streams
Building sites for cabins & cottages
Countless places to camp
Deer are everywhere
The friendliest dirt delivery man ever
That’s really great dirt for the garden
Deer scouting the planned garden
Get out of there, now!
We’ve found wild turkey eggs
The old abandoned farmhouse
200 acres is a lot of area!
So what are wedoing today to makeValhalla a reality by
Spring of 2012?
We’ve acquired the property and are now preparing the existing
house for the first “Valhallans.”
The sunken living room floor
was a safety hazard so it has
been raised.
Narrowdoorways
havebeen widened
to allow forwheelchairaccess...
A cramped bathroom has beenconverted into an open wet
room forthose with mobility challenges
Valhalla needed an office, so space
from the oversized master bedroom
has been converted into an office
Many beds have been acquired so up to ten people at a time will have places to sleep by
next spring
Other basic furniture is also being
acquired within a very limited budget
Other essential furniture is stillbeing acquired with frugality
in mind at all times.
EnergyStar super-
efficient appliances
must be purchased
new, but theywill help Valhallasave energy andresources in the
long term.
The first initialenvironmental initiativeshave also been launched
on the Valhalla property toprepare for not only people,
but also the animals we will all depend on.
Tons of lime have been applied to
the neglected pastures to help build
productivity without chemicals.
Abandoned vehicles that have been leaching toxins into the
soil have been systematically removed.
Health and safety hazards of all kinds that posed a threat to
animals and people are being hauled away.
One small pond was choking onlivestock manure, cattails and
leaves
It’s been enlarged and completely rebuilt to ensure
that both livestockand wildlife will have pure
water
A deer feeder had been set up; wildlife food plots will be
planted in the spring
And we are working on
building positive working
relationships – and awareness – of the
Valhalla Project within
local neighborhoods.
Response has beenwonderful so far.
Civilians wanting to honor Soldiers are
investing their spare time and equipment
tohelp Valhalla
happen.
It is our intent to serve as a prototype
thatcan be copied all
over the USA to help ordinary people assist those who
have given everything inthe defense of
freedom.
V is for Valhalla (satellite view)
Military support.Mental health.Environmentalsustainability.
These are our objectives.
But about $400,000into it by ourselves,
nowwe need help too.
How can you help?
By getting the word out.
Tell your friends about
the Valhalla Project.
You can also buy a book called “Warrior Police” that first inspired
the Valhalla project
“Warrior Police” authors Gordon and Chris Fontana Cucullu are the
foundersof the Valhalla Project, and they
liveat Valhalla as managers to make
sure the vision is carried out as
intended.
Any and all profits from the
new bookWarrior Police
will help financeValhalla, yetmore will be
needed.
For more information,please visit the Valhalla
blog on the internet:
www.valhalla-project.com
Thank you in advancefor your support.
It’s all about the Soldiers,war zone civilian workers,and what must be done
to help them thrive.