Afghanistan National Dance Attan Attan (Pashto: اتڼ), the national dance of Afghanistan, is a traditional dance originating from the tribal Pashtun regions.[1][2] The dance is performed during weddings or other celebrations (engagements, weddings and informal gatherings). The Attan was also conducted by Pashtuns in times of war such as the British occupation and the Pashtun resistance movement, when Pashtuns used the dance to instil confidence and energy among warriors readying to battle the colonisers.[3] It is now considered the national dance of Afghanistan,[4] popularly carried by other ethnic groups in Afghanistan[5] as well as by the Pashtun ethnic group in Pakistan.[6] Attan is usually performed with a Dohol, which is a double-headed barrel drum. The dance can be anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes long. There are many different regional and tribal variations and styles of Attan, the most famous being Wardaki, Logari, Paktia, Khosti, Kandahari, and Herati. Depending on the region and tribe, there are different methods and styles of the Pashtun attan, for example Paktia attan and styles. Attan is performed traditionally segregated although in modern times, Afghans have performed the dance with both men and women. Closely related circle dances can be found in the Khorasan and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran,[7][8] commonly known as Chapi or Torbati there ("رقص خراسانی"or "رقص سیستانی").[8][9] Origin edit Most scholars believe the Attan has Zoroastrian roots, identifying the dance as a religious ceremony of early Zoroastrianism.[10][11][12] The dance dates back nearly 3,000 years and was performed during Zoroastrian religious ceremonies.[13][14] According to Zoroastrian folklore, King Yama, a figure in Iranian mythology, celebrated Nawroz by performing an Attan with his warriors.[15] During King Yama's time, Attan was performed before going to war because it used to give the army the confidence that they could win the battle. As well as being the national dance of Afghanistan, attan is also a very popular part of festivals, weddings, and other forms of celebrations.[16] Some believe the dance is connected to Ancient Greece and the time of Alexander, connecting the Attan to the ancient Pyrrhic war dance.[17 Movement: To the accompaniment of drums and pipes the dancers form a circle, taking each other by the hand or preparing to revolve in circles of their own. The dance starts with slow steps that gradually get faster and faster until it seems the performers must drop from exhaustion. However, the dance continues, sometimes for two or three hours at a stretch, with no breaks except a lowering of tempo or changes in the tunes and songs.[18] What the Attan Dance consists of: The dancers gather in a circle, and then is followed by music which starts slow at first, and then gradually speeds up. There is a consistent beat and rhythm, and during that specific beat is when they clap inside the circle, so the movement of the hands is outside prior to the beat. It is then followed by the dancers bringing their hands out and then clapping inside the circle, and it is the same routine and pattern of movement, which then get faster. As the movements and routine get faster, the one clap turns into two claps, and the dancers who are more advanced, at times will add turns into the movements. All in all, they must keep the circular path with the clap on the beat, every other move added is up to the individuals who originate and add their own personal style to the dance. Common dance moves involve the extending of arms into air and the stretch and extension of legs. When extending arms into air, there are times when the hands are free or there is the waving of the regalia and extension of the attire to show the detail and color.

John and Chori Frosh Jogi and Chori Frosh are semi-nomadic communities belonging to the larger Jat ethnic minority who trace their origins to Tajikistan and Pakistan, respectively, and have historically engaged in seasonal migration around Afghanistan and into neighbouring states. In recent years, these communities have become increasingly sedentary, with more established populations scattered across Afghanistan and in greatest concentration on the outskirts of the main cities of the country’s north. Although there is little recent or reliable information available regarding the size of Jogi and Chori Frosh communities in Afghanistan, estimates suggest they make up an estimated 20,000-30,000 people, including approximately 1,500 Jogi families and 350 Chori Frosh families spread across northern Afghanistan. The accuracy of these figures is further complicated by the impact of decades of conflict: this has disrupted the migratory patterns of Jogi and Chori Frosh communities, leading some to flee to other countries temporarily or permanently, or move to other areas of Afghanistan, such as outside Kabul in Charahi Qambar, where they live amongst other internally displaced and nomadic communities. The lack of information surrounding Afghanistan’s Jogi and Chori Frosh communities points to the relative invisibility of the challenges they face, which stands in contrast to the visibility of their distinct cultural practices. Like the majority of Afghans, Jogi and Chori Frosh are Sunni Muslims, predominantly speaking Dari but also community-specific dialects. Despite these commonalities, Jogi and Chori Frosh communities are discriminated against on account of their ancestral origins and related social and economic practices, including high levels of female labour participation rates, for which they are considered ‘outsiders’. This has contributed to their severe economic, social and political marginalization, a situation exacerbated by the frequent denial of recognition of their citizenship. It is important to note that the labels used to refer to these communities have been externally assigned and carry with them negative connotations, having become synonymous with the social categories imposed on what are in practice, disparate groups. The term ‘Jogi’, for example, is often used in a derogatory manner as a synonym for ‘beggar’ and bears similarity with other exonyms such as ‘gypsy’. Nevertheless, Jogi and Chori Frosh communities have increasingly adopted these labels for self-identification: for this reason and due to the lack of appropriate alternatives to effectively refer to these communities, these labels will be used with due recognition of their shortcomings.

79 years ago today, April 11, 1945, Robert Clary was liberated from Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp. He was the youngest of 14 children. Twelve other members of his immediate family were sent to Auschwitz. Clary was the only survivor. When he returned to Paris after the war, he learned that three of his siblings had not been taken away and survived the Nazi occupation of France. He played LeBeau on the TV show "Hogan's Heroes."

I had the honor of being a guest in this podcast with a fellow former Nightstalker and his cousin Firefighter. We talk everything from Breakdancing and Hip Hop, to 160th days, PTSD/trauma, and healing journeys, with mine including Ibogaine and 5MEO/DMT treatment in Mexico. If you have a spare three hours, give it a listen. If you have any questions after, feel free to pass. NSDQ. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep7-interview-with-danny-bell/id1676780906?i=1000646369679

“The MEDAL OF HONOR” #488 in this Series. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. Peter Joseph DALESSANDRO, US Army, TechSergeant World War II – September 1, 1939 to September 2, 1945 Peter Joseph DALESSANDRO, US Army, TechSergeant Date of Birth: May 18, 1918 Watervliet, New York Date of Death: October 15, 1997 (aged 79) Burial Location: Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Schuylerville, NY DALESSANDRO was Platoon Sergeant of First Platoon and ordered to secure an important crossroad on the high grounds of Kalterherberg, Germany. His Citation reads: “He was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany, on 22 December 1944. In the early morning hours, the enemy after laying down an intense artillery and mortar barrage, followed through with an all-out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. T/Sgt. Dalessondro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among them with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack. Later in the day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, T/Sgt. Dalessondro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machine gun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost point blank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire 1 more burst, which used up his last round, but with these bullets he killed 4 German soldiers who were on the verge of murdering an aid man and 2 wounded soldiers in a nearby foxhole. When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing almost certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his outpost as he covered the withdrawal of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying, "OK, mortars, let me have it--right in this position!" The gallantry and intrepidity shown by T/Sgt. Dalessondro against an overwhelming enemy attack saved his company from complete rout. He was captured during the battle and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.” After coming back as a war hero to Watervliet, New York, where he lived before the war, DALESSANDRO was elected to the New York Senate as Democrat Deputee, where he served for 35 years. After he retired from the Senate, he became the Senate Minority Leader's Secretary. He retired from public life in October 1977, but stayed active in the politic of the Albany County until his death. DALESSANDRO was a member of the American Legion, Catholic War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks. He died in 1998. MEDALS and AWARDS: . Medal of Honor . Silver Star . Purple Heart IN HIS HONOR: A portion of County Route 151 alongside Albany International Airport was been named in his honor in Colonie, New York. NOTE: A spelling mistake made 42 years ago by the Federal government will greet travelers every time they drive to the Albany County Airport. The small error, however, does not bother Peter J. DALESSANDRO, the county's Medal of Honor winner. He was beaming Monday morning when he and Albany County Executive James J. Coyne pulled off the red, white and blue plastic wrap to unveil the new name for the Albany County Airport access road: "Peter J. Dalessondro Boulevard." "That's the way it's spelled on my Medal," DALESSANDRO of Loudonville said, flipping over his Medal of Honor to show where the "o" was written on the back.

The Giant Killer February 21, 2022 · The incredible story behind this picture of two Vietnam Vets that never knew each other meet on a chance encounter and create an iconic picture. Vietnam veteran, Eddie Robinson, in a wheelchair, watching the Chattanooga Armed Forces Day parade with his child. This photograph won a Pulitzer Prize in 1977. Chattanooga, Tennessee. May 15, 1976. Photo by Vietnam Vet Robin Hood. “By the spring of 1976, the Vietnam War is over. But its effects are deeply embedded in the lives of millions. Robin Hood learned a trade in Vietnam — he went over as an Army information officer and came back as a photographer. Eddie Robinson served in Vietnam, too. But the war took something away from him: his legs. The two Veterans crossed paths at the Armed Forces Day Parade in Chattanooga, Tenn., on May 15, 1976. Hood is walking along the sidelines, taking pictures for the Chattanooga News-Free Press. “I had just finished photographing a group of small Vietnamese children who had been relocated to Chattanooga as war refugees and were now watching the parade and waving small American flags.” Then Hood sees Robinson, in army fatigues, a rain poncho — and a wheelchair. “The thought occurred to me that here was a man who had made a supreme sacrifice for the Freedom of those (Vietnamese) children-” Hood releases the shutter. Robinson wistfully watches the parade and protects a child from the rain. And the truth is that all Veterans pay with their lives... Some pay all at once, while others pay over a lifetime. - JM Storm

https://youtu.be/XJkppXldbAo Task Force Shadow-North supported 3 ODAs and multiple OGAs.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Bray, a combat controller, was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his part in the Battle of Mogadishu, A.K.A. "Black Hawk Down." Bray coordinated helicopter gunship air strikes throughout the night of Oct. 3-4, developing tactics on the spot to protect his Ranger teammates, who were surrounded by Somali fighters. Unfortunately, Bray passed away this October (2016) at 49 years old. Read about his heroics here: ------ While attached to an elite Army Special Operations unit conducting combat operations in support of Task Force Ranger, Bray took part in an integrated ground assault undertaken to support United Nations Operations in Somalia II. While subjecting himself to a steady stream of enemy fire, Bray provided expert surgical fire direction of overhead helicopter gunships to eliminate an enemy militia force that was threatening the friendly assault force. In response to the downing of a U.S. UH-60 assault helicopter, Bray, while exposing himself repeatedly to enemy fire, developed an ingenious perimeter marking system and called in deadly surgical fire support against concealed enemy targets. He labored throughout the night to keep overwhelming enemy forces at bay until friendly forces could be reached by a United Nations armed relief convoy. On several occasions he expertly coordinated air support less than 15 meters from his position with no concern for his personal safety. Bray's efforts were paramount in the limitation of casualties and the safe evacuation of all U.S. soldiers in an intense 18-hour long fire fight.

Good friend of mine who recommended Ibogaine and 5MEO/DMT as a reset treatment for years of accumulated Combat Trauma. I’m thankful for my Veteran friend reaching out, recommending care to me. In so many ways it made all the difference in a world seemingly without choices anymore. #endveteransuicide #mentalhealthawareness #ibogaine #youdeservelove https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-rated-science-podcast/id1644552336?i=1000581515269

Hello brothers and sisters. There are many silent sufferers out there dealing with their own internal storms with regard to combat and/or any/all trauma. I was a pretty high functioning dude. At some point, I dropped a fill somewhere and the internal Comms stopped transmitting properly. I went to Mexico and received Ibogaine and 5MEO/DMT treatment. I won’t bore you, you can read the article below, published by Stanford University of 30 SOF veterans who went to the same place I did. Changed my life. If you are interested in treatment, check out the Non-profit : VETS (veterans exploring treatment solutions) They give grants to SOF to participate. Take care of each other this year, kind words and helpful moments. #mentalhealth #TBI #ptsd #psychedelictherapy #endveteransuicide #nsdq https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02705-w.pdf

The Foundation for Exceptional Warriors - The FEW - 4 Jan, 2022 He was the first. On this day in U.S. Army SF history, 04-January, 2002: US Army Special Forces Staff Sgt. Ross Chapman was killed by enemy fire near Khost, Afghanistan. He became the first US military service member to be Killed In Action by enemy fire after 9/11. Chapman's military career spanned 13 years and included combat service in Haiti, Panama and the Persian Gulf War. In 1989, he parachuted into Panama during the invasion of that country. He also served in Operation Desert Storm and later attended the U.S. Army Special Forces School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group following the 11 September attacks, Chapman was directing troop movements from the back of a flatbed truck when he was shot. He did not die instantly from the attack, which also saw a CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer from Special Activities Division wounded. Rest Easy, Brother - We Remember... DOL #exceptionalwarriors #TheFEW #purpleheart #SOF #Valor #Heroes #warfighter #America #armyranger #navySEAL #MARSOC #JSOC #SOCOM #greenberet #ranger #PJ #jtac #deltaforce #OGA

On this day in U.S. Army SF history, 31 Dec 1968 – (then) 1st Lt. James N. “Nick” Rowe escaped Viet Cong captivity. Prisoner of war: On October 29, 1963, after only three months in country, Rowe was captured by Viet Cong elements along with Captain Humberto "Rocky" R. Versace and Sergeant Daniel L. Pitzer while on an operation to drive a Viet Cong unit out of the village of Le Coeur. Rowe states that the VC were a main force unit due to his observations of their equipment. Rowe was separated from his fellow Green Berets and spent 62 months in captivity with only brief encounters with fellow American POWs. Rowe was held in the U Minh Forest, better known as the "Forest of Darkness," in extreme southern Vietnam. During most of his five years in captivity Rowe was held in a 3 by 4 by 6 feet (0.91 m × 1.22 m × 1.83 m) bamboo cage. As an intelligence officer, Rowe possessed vital information about the disposition of defenses around the CIDG camps, the locations of mine field, names of friendly Vietnamese, and unit locations and strength. Rowe had left his West Point ring at home in the United States, and he told his captors that he was a draftee engineer charged with building schools and other civil affairs projects. The Viet Cong interrogated him unsuccessfully. They gave him some engineering problems to solve and Rowe, relying on the basic instruction in engineering he'd received at West Point, successfully maintained his deception. However, Rowe's deceptive cover was blown when the Viet Cong managed to obtain a list of American high-value prisoners-of-war (POWs), and his name was in the list, identifying him as an intelligence officer. This enraged the VC, prompting them to order his execution. Rowe was then led deep into the jungle to be shot. When his would-be executioners were distracted by a flight of American helicopters, he overpowered his guard, escaped and flagged down a UH-1 helicopter. He was rescued on December 31, 1968. Rowe had been promoted to Major during captivity. In 1971, he authored the book, Five Years to Freedom, an account of his years as a prisoner of war. In 1974, he continued his military career the U.S. Army Reserve. -Special Forces Association Chapter LX

TOGA, TOGA, TOGA...

Happy birthday Johannes Kepler. Johannes Kepler was born #OnThisDay December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, Wurttemberg, in what is now Germany. His father, a mercenary soldier, left the family when Kepler was five. Historians believe his father died soon afterwards. His mother was the daughter of an innkeeper and Johannes was put to work at the inn at a young age. Despite his poverty, he was able to attend Latin School at Maulbronn and at the age of twelve, enrolled in a Protestant Seminary in Adelberg. He earned a scholarship to the Lutheran University of Tübingen in 1589. By the time he received an M.A. in theology there in 1591 he had read of the Copernican model of the universe that stated the Sun, not the Earth, was the center of the Universe. Intrigued by this view, he decided to change his major studies to mathematics and astronomy. In 1594, he left the University to become a mathematics tutor in Graz, Austria where he continued his interest in astronomy. In 1596, he wrote the first influential defense of the Copernican system, the Mysterium Cosmographicum (The Sacred Mystery of the Cosmos). In 1600, Kepler was forced out of his teaching post at Graz due to his Lutheran faith, and moved to Prague to work for the renowned Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe. In 1601 Tycho died, and Kepler inherited his post as Imperial Mathematician to the Hapsburg Emperor. Using the precise data that Tycho had collected, Kepler discovered that the orbit of Mars was an ellipse, the first step towards his formulation of the laws of planetary motion. In 1606, he published De Stella Nova (Concerning the New Star) on a supernova (new star) that had appeared two years before. In 1609, Kepler published his book Astronomia Nova (New Astronomy) , which contained his first two laws of planetary motion. Due to his detailed calculations and data, some credit Kepler with the creation of what is now known as the scientific method. In 1610, Kepler learned of Galileo’s use of the newly invented telescope in astronomy, which inspired him to build his own telescope. Later that year Kepler published a confirmation of Galileo’s observations of Jupiter’s moons, the Narratio de Observatis Quatuor Jovis Satellitibus (Narration about Four Satellites of Jupiter observed) , which lent further support to the Copernican model. In 1611, Kepler published Dioptrice, the first scientific discussion of the telescope. Kepler lost his post in 1612 as Imperial Mathematician when Lutherans were expelled from Prague. He moved to Linz, Austria but had to return often to Wurttemberg where he successfully defended his mother against charges of witchcraft. In 1619, he published Harmonices Mundi (Harmony of the Worlds) , which contained his third law of planetary motion. In spite of more personal tragedies and the religious strife of the Thirty Years War, (1618-1648) Kepler continued his research, publishing the seven-volume Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae (Epitome of Copernican Astronomy) in 1621. This important work played a major role in the eventual acceptance of Copernicus’ theories. In 1627, Kepler completed the Rudolphine Tables, begun by Tycho Brae the previous century. These included calculations using logarithms, which Kepler developed, and provided perpetual tables for calculating planetary positions for any past or future date, forming the most concrete proof yet for the Copernican model of the Universe. Kepler also used the tables to predict a pair of transits by Mercury and Venus of the Sun, although he did not live long enough to witness the events. Johannes Kepler died in Regensburg, Germany on November 15, 1630. His grave there was destroyed in 1632 by the Swedish army during the Thirty Years War. In poor health most of his life, and caught up in the religious turmoil of the Reformation, Kepler’s accomplishments as an astronomer, physicist, and mathematician seem even more remarkable. His greatest feat in astronomy was his explanation of planetary motion, which has earned him the title “founder of celestial mechanics” as he was the first person to identify “natural laws” in the modern sense. He was the first to prove that the ocean’s tides are due to the Moon’s gravity and pioneered the use of stellar parallax caused by the Earth’s orbit to measure the distance to the stars. Kepler was also the first to suggest that the Sun rotates about its axis, and coined the word “satellite.” Kepler’s book Astronomia Pars Optica (the Optical Part of Astronomy) has earned him the title “founder of modern optics,” while his work Stereometria Doliorum Vianiaorum (The Stereometry of Wine Barrels) forms the basis of integral calculus. A devout Lutheran, he derived the birth year of Christ that is now universally accepted, and was the first to derive logarithms purely based on mathematics. Johannes Kepler’s most influential accomplishments in astronomy were his three Laws of Planetary Motion, which were used by Isaac Newton to develop his theory of universal gravitation: -Kepler’s First Law: The planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at a focus. -Kepler’s Second Law: In their orbits around the sun, the planets sweep out equal areas in equal times. -Kepler’s Third Law: The squares of the times to complete one orbit are proportional to the cubes of the average distances from the sun. Source:new Mexico museum of space history

#BlackhawkDown #Mogadishu https://youtu.be/jLL_DyRV2DU