This post has nothing to do with cocktails, beyond raising a toast to (and some funds for) wounded American servicemen and women.

Since 2005, Project Valor-IT has worked an annual fund-raising drive to provide computer and other tech aids to wounded US military personnel to aid in recovery or in leading a fuller life. Among the items Valor-IT provides are voice-controlled laptop computers for those who cannot use traditional user interfaces, GPS systems for those who have challenges with short-term memory loss or other navigational challenges, and even Nintendo Wiis for rehabilitation facilities that aid in motivation and speed recovery. These items are greatly needed, and can make a huge difference in the lives of heroes.
The men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines show us every day that they are willing to write checks that only their bodies can cash. Checks they believe will help to preserve our way of life. Can’t you write one of your own?
As a fund-raising aid that injects a lighter touch to this serious issue, Project Valor-IT has in recent years begun to make its annual fund-drive into a “contest” between the four services. Bloggers who sign up to promote the project choose a team to join, and if you click on the new widget over on the right sidebar, your donation will be credited to my chosen team, the Army.
I chose the Army because my father served in the Army (unwillingly— a condition affecting no current soldier), my brother-in-law recently retired from the Army (thanks, John!), a great uncle of mine was once Judge Advocate General of the Army, and several other ancestors so served. I have a bunch of Navy ancestors as well, but I had to choose.
The contest is just for fun. All funds raised are pooled together and spent where they are needed most. If you’d like to learn more, this is the Project Valor-IT website. The team leader of Army is Blackfive, a military blogger with a fun-loving distaste for other services, especially the Air Force. (If your sympathies lie with the wing-wipers, don’t click that link. Or better yet, do click it, get mad, and go to the Air Force team page and donate there!)
There is only about a week left (I’m lazily slow off the mark) in this year’s drive, but if you read this after November the 11th, please give anyway. Soldier’s Angels is a year-round organization.
In closing, let me raise this toast to our uniformed personnel:

I drink to your health when I’m wit’ ye.
I drink to your health when alone.
I drink to your health so much in fact…
I’m beginnin’ to worry about me own!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled frivolity.

P.S. In an effort to ensure that all four services get a little love here, there’s two more fun items below the fold:
First, from FrankJ at IMAO.us, winner of the coveted Pegu Blog Blogs Best Read When Drinking award, and professional pretend neanderthal (it is an act, right Frank?), comes his Marine Post, which features this rather blood-thirsty marching song:

Finally, the United States Naval Institute has a blog, and a bit of humor of its own…