Orange Brigade, meet Second Lieutenant J. LaRose! While many of you are no doubt aware of his rather messy demise in Saw III (disembowelment does have its drawbacks), rest assured that the LT is in fine shape and more than ready to take on the ever-growing threat to the human race. You don’t even have to take my word for it, just a glimpse into J’s varied talents and wide range of experience is enough to convince anyone. He can glare a hole in a brick wall in one moment and charm even the hardest of hearts with a winning smile in the next. Coming from a solid background of horror movies, television and short films, J is more than adequately equipped to face the horror in the days that lay ahead. It doesn’t even have to be mentioned that J LaRose is related to a certain Special Forces Commander, but we mentioned it anyway.
J LaRose is currently operating from an undisclosed location, and we are eagerly waiting and hoping to hear more from him soon. We’re very sure he won’t end up like poor Troy again, at least not any time soon.
Blue Brigade’s Second Lieutenant Jim Burleson brings a unique expertise to the Zombie Survival Crew. Not only has he been referred to as “the man behind the plan of Albuquerque’s first MAJOR Comic Convention,” Jim is smart, organized, and quick to act when action is needed. Actor, producer, stuntman… he’s seen it all from many different angles and knows how to get in and out before anyone even knows he was there. Currently stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jim has become a well-known fixture in his state of residence and we at the Zombie Survival Crew are confident that the Southwestern zones will be under his watchful eye when the dead begin to rise.
Starting off as a stunt performer in the crime thriller The Keeper in 2009, it wasn’t long before Jim introduced himself to the world as producer and host of the television series Cage Fighta.Continuing on to work both behind and in front of the camera, Jim has been spotted on the television series In Plain Sight, and also in the recently-released motion picture The Avengers. And it certainly can’t be mere coincidence that he appeared onscreen with fellow Commander Sean Patrick Flanery in the action thriller Deadly Impact.
Coming soon:
Currently in post-production is the film Stars, and be sure to keep one watchful eye on the New Mexico horizon for the indie filmThe Cowgirls.
For more information about our fearless leaders, please check out our previous field reports!
Red Brigade, salute your Second Lieutenant, the lovely Viviana Chavez! She’s always there, always watching and always ready to lend a helping hand… even when you can’t see her. Undercover operatives are vital to the survival of any organization, and Viviana’s extensive behind-the-curtain experience makes her the perfect candidate for the most top secret of missions. From wardrobe to art department, casting coordinator to producer, Viviana has tried her hand at almost all aspects of the industry before stepping into acting.
Viviana hails from Atlanta, Georgia and earned her stripes at zombie preparedness as Miranda Morales on The Walking Dead, To the eye that knows no better, she is a hard-working television actress with a brilliant smile and a loving, gentle personality. After the Morales family separated from the Atlanta survivors in The Walking Dead, Viviana moved on to appear in the television series Necessary Roughness and Showtime’s Emmy-winning series Homeland. She has also been spotted in the made-for-television film A Cross to Bear and Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Firelight. In 2012 she worked on several episodes of the TV comedy Bethany, and also appeared in fellow ZSC Commander Anthony Guajardo‘s short film Arose the Coward.
Viviana with fellow commanders Anthony Guajardo and Addy Miller.
Viviana has also been known to venture into the convention circuit, appearing at Wizard World and other public events. Whether these appearances are simply opportunities to meet fans and her fellow actors, or part of undercover missions or recruitment work with the Zombie Survival Crew is anyone’s guess.
Heads up, members and loyalists! ZSC Purple Brigade member Tracey Gurney is holding a charity auction for Coweta County Sheriff’s Project Safe.
On the auction block are several of her signature items, autographed by Blue Brigade Commander Norman Reedus! Norman very generously signed all auction items at Wizard World Comic Con in Columbus, Ohio this year and selected Coweta County Sheriff’s Department in thanks for their tireless assistance during the filming of The Walking Dead in Senoia, Georgia.
Blue Brigade 1st Lieutenant James Gonzaba first became known to us as the handsome yet menacing Jorge on AMC’s The Walking Dead who helped beat Daryl Dixon in an Atlanta alleyway. Perhaps first impressions are not all they seem to be, but it was clear that this young man with strong presence and stature was already destined for leadership in the Zombie Survival Crew. His smile is disarming, and his tendency to laugh makes it easy to underestimate just how dangerous it would be to corner our beloved First Lieutenant, but make no mistake… James is not a man to be trifled with. Standing strong alongside Blue Brigade’s Commander, James ensures the safety of us all with his calm yet commanding presence.
In addition to The Walking Dead, James has been spotted in CSI Miami and The Return of Johnny V.
James Gonazba with fellow ZSC commanders Neil Brown Jr. and Anthony Guajardo
It is with regret that I must divulge that as of the time of this report I have lost contact with Lieutenant Gonzaba, and his whereabouts cannot be confirmed. We have suspected UGA involvement for some time, and fear he may have been captured, or perhaps is on the run. A deep cover operation may be required to determine Lieutenant Gonzaba’s whereabouts, but at this time please be assured that security has not been breached, and we have full faith in the loyalty of our chosen commanders. Lieutenant Gonzaba will neither be forgotten nor left behind. His last known communication came to us via scrambled video, which we have decoded for this report.
Any further sightings or intel regarding the Lieutenant’s current whereabouts may be sent by scrambled signal only using the comment form on this page.
If you’re just joining us for this series, please be sure to check out our previous Commander Monday reports!
In the last year we’ve learned of several ZSC members, including our own young Moira, who have been battling cancer with true warriors’ determination. Each and every one of them has shown tremendous bravery, and through them we have been able to express our continued love and support to everyone else out there battling the disease. For the month of November, the Zombie Survival Crew is asking all members, followers and readers to stand behind Canadian ZSC member Noelle, in support of her efforts to raise funds for cancer research. Noelle has recently run into some difficulties during her fundraising efforts for the Canadian Cancer Society, and we want to show her our support.
From now until November 30, 2012, please consider donating to the Canadian Cancer Society. You can donate directly through the website, or you can send your donations through the Zombie Survival Crew via Paypal. The ZSC Paypal email account is zombiesurvivalcrew@gmail.com. Donations sent through the ZSC will be tallied after November 30, and the total results announced soon afterwards. If you donate directly to the CCS, please let us know in the comments below, we would love to hear from you!
For more information about the Canadian Cancer Society, be sure to check out their Facebook page, and you can also follow them on Twitter. Whether it be through donations or just helping us to spread the word, every little bit can help. Please step forward and stand with us, to help Noelle, Moira and so many others kick Cancer’s butt!
We at Zombie Survival Crew Command hope that everyone in the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy is hunkered down with supplies in a safe place to ride out the storm. Four of our Commanders, including Red Brigade Sergeant At Arms Amy Sundberg, are in Sandy’s sights. Amy prepared this short recap of her experiences in the early hours of the storm.
From the National Hurricane Center: Two keys to weather safety are to prepare for the risks and to act on those preparations when alerted by emergency officials. These are essential pieces to the Weather-Ready Nation.
Stationed up here in the Northeast, weather preparedness is not an alien concept. We get snow. Buckets and buckets of the stuff. They don’t call them Nor’easters for nothing! We also get ice, torrential rain, thunderstorms, the occasional earthquake and a zombie or two. At least once a year we are threatened by a hurricane. This year is one of those years when the hurricane threat has become reality and the words “emergency preparedness” are the buzz of the week.
Hurricane Sandy is currently making a mess of the East Coast as I sit safely at home, surrounded by flickering lights and rattling windows. My biggest concern at the moment is the line of tall pine trees towering over the driveway outside. They’ve weathered many a big blow, but rarely without knocking on the shingles or putting a dent in the roof of my car. The reason I’m only concerned about the trees is simple – I’m prepared. Our storm kit is kept in a medium-sized bin in an easily-accessible place where nobody will trip over it. In the event of possible evacuation, the bin can be easily picked up and transported into the back seat of the car.
Note: Your Go-Bag is a completely different matter. That is what you grab when you have to run. Home storm kits aren’t meant to be that portable.
Storm kit items should include:
Drinking water – one gallon per person, per day
Non-perishable food – canned fruit, trail mix, power bars, crackers, pop tarts, anything that is wrapped and doesn’t require cooking or refrigeration. Don’t forget chocolate for emergency stress relief.
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit – outdoor kit with a wide variety of supplies is best
Medium to large garbage bags
Toilet paper – trust me on this one
Hand sanitizer and/or handi-wipes
Battery-powered radio, with extra batteries
Any prescriptions or personal items that you must have should be in a purse, In your go-bag or on your person somewhere. Don’t leave them in anything that can be dropped, lost or left behind. Other things to have ready in case of evacuation: leashes and/or pet carriers for your furry friends, many emergency shelters are pet-friendly now. Also have ready at least one large sleeping bag per adult, one change of clothes, small toys or a couple books for kids, chew toys for the dog, and one for the hubby if he or she seems overly nervous. Get cash. If the power goes out, the ATMs will be down. Don’t stock up on alcohol, I mean the drinking kind. While a hurricane party sounds like fun, you don’t want to be too inebriated to function in an emergency. Save that for after the danger has passed.
On Saturday morning, two full days before Sandy was expected to slap us hard, I took stock of the situation and determined the risk was high enough to warrant a supply run. We were only missing batteries, food items and a can opener, so our mission was clear and simple. Full inventory completed, I departed for WalMart with high hopes. Upon arrival, we could immediately sense the underlying chaos, thanks in part to the storm supplies parked right in front of the door. Camping equipment, first aid supplies, flashlights and batteries, and a big empty space where the generators used to be stacked up.
My advice: avoid these “special sale” areas as the storm gets closer. Have you seen The Hunger Games? Remember the violence that ensued during that initial dash for the supplies? Exactly. Make your way around the store quickly, avoiding high-traffic areas and staying away from anything labeled “storm supplies.” That’s where the fights break out. D-batteries are always the first to go. Stock up when you don’t need them, and you won’t be sorry later. If you have the means, invest in a gas-powered generator or a camping stove (outdoor use only) for extended power outage times. Install a water filter on your faucet and fill up empty milk gallon containers to store in a closet. You don’t want to find yourself looking at an empty shelf situation when you realize it’s time to prepare.
Once home, storm kit stocked and ready… clean the house. Get the dishes out of the sink, tie up the garbage, put away any food, do a little laundry if you have time. It may seen obsessive or nit-picky, but if you end up having to leave for a few days or more, not having to come home to smelly garbage and airborne bacteria is a wonderful thing. If you don’t have to leave, all the better. Take preventative action ahead of time. You can then sit and indulge in guilty pleasures with zombie movies, video games and romance novels while the storm rages outside. When the power goes out – and it will – drink all the milk before it gets warm and have flashlightsaber battles to pass the time. Stay alert – if there’s damage outside or you think a tree fell on your roof, don’t go out in the storm to take pictures. Stay put, but be ready to leave if you have to- shoes on or within easy reach, wet weather gear by the door.
Most importantly – In the event that the worst happens and a mandatory evacuation is ordered for your area, DO IT. Staying behind during an evacuation order is not only endangers you, it means somebody else may have to put their lives at risk to rescue you if things do get bad. It also means our Commander in Chief will worry herself into a terrible state, and that’s just hard on everyone. Know where the emergency shelters are in your area, know your evacuation route, and have a destination in mind if you have to get out fast. Check out the ZSC’s Disaster Preparedness section for more information about what you should know before, during and after disaster strikes.
Able to leap a convenience store counter in a single bound, more powerful than a Zombie Energizer Bunny on a double-shot espresso, our Commander-in-Chief and Red Brigade Commander Juliette Terzieff weaves the perfect balance of sass and class, compassion and humor, gentleness and strength. Most importantly, she never leaves home without a crossbow somewhere in the back seat, and usually knows where to find a roll of duct tape. A former foreign war correspondent with combat training, journalist, fiction and non-fiction writer, public speaker, and self-described “avid monster freak from birth,” Juliette is a force to be reckoned with, and there is not a single person on the planet better suited to lead us forward in the coming days.
Juliette with Sgt at Arms Lora Lapoint
Before the formation of the Zombie Survival Crew, Juliette could be found in various locations all over the world, including war zones in the Balkan, South Asian, and Middle East regions, flexing her journalist muscle to cover complex political, globalization and human rights issues. Her website will tell you that she is a public speaker who has covered a wide range of topics from human trafficking and child labor to American politics and international relations. We’ve read her in Newsweek and the San Francisco Chronicle, heard her live on CNN International and All American Talk Radio. Recently she was interviewed by Alternative Revolt (page 60-62), Dark Media City and The Throw Down with JB Maddawg. Juliette writes and edits newsletters for Smartbrief on development, humanitarian aid, public health concerns and international policy; and heads up the communications team for the Future 500, headquartered out of San Fransisco and Tokyo. Most importantly, she works tirelessly to organize and lead fellow ZSC Commanders Michael Rooker, IronE Singleton, Neil Brown, Jr and dozens of other actors, writers and musicians in preparation for the dark days to come.
With Green Brigade Commander IronE Singleton
Our fearless leader has been busy lately. Over the last year her travels have carried her North, South, East and West on missions too numerous to count. From Canada to Texas, Kentucky, Florida, Virginia and Philadelphia, Juliette has scouted new recruits far and wide. She participated in the Run for Your Lives 5K race with Green Brigade Commander Irone Singleton in March of 2012, and more recently completed a mission in Cherry Hill, New Jersey despite numerous failed attempts by the UGA to place tracking devices on her vehicle. Fortunately, Juliette was not alone in this particular mission, and her loyal recruits foiled the UGA’s plot by relocating the vehicle at twice a day.
Juliette is currently on a very special mission in the South. While we are not able to divulge the exact nature of this mission (she forgot to tell us), we have learned that she has successfully tracked and located a rarely-seen wild rooker in the Atlanta area, and was able to secure a steady southern-style food supply while away from ZSC Command. Whatever her goal on this mission, we are confident that she will succeed and remain watchful for her next update.
If you are just now joining us for this series, please check out our other Commander Monday reports!
No spotlight is needed for this week’s Commander Monday focus. First Lieutenant Kristin Bauer van Straten is a beam of shining light herself, and also the only female First Lieutenant in the Zombie Survival Crew. She recently rose to rank in the ZSC alongside fellow First Lieutenants and True Blood co-stars Sam Trammell and Jim Parrack. Collectively, the True Blood trio are a force to be reckoned with during those times when vampires make noise. But being the girl in what so far seems very much an all-boys’ club, Kristin faces no disadvantages. She is fierce, powerful, compassionate, and has a sense of determination matched only by her tenacious work aimed at improving the treatment of our beloved four-legged friends.
Kristin hails from Racine, Wisconsin. She learned to ride horseback and became adept at handling firearms before moving on to study fine arts in Saint Louis, Boston and New York City. Soon after she shifted gears again and decided to focus on acting. In 1995 she landed her first recurring role in the television series The Crew. From there, the number of television appearances grew so numerous they cannot all be listed here. LA Law, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Dark Angel, Two and a Half Men, Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, Crossing Jordan,Justified, and Once Upon a Time have all featured Kristin in guest roles. In 2009, she became a series regular on HBO’s True Blood, playing the sultry and deadly vampire Pamela Swynford De Beaufort. Watch for Kristin in the upcoming filmThe Story of Luke, scheduled for release later in 2012, and of course her ongoing role as Pam in the continuing saga of True Blood.
I have a theory that’s the game here on Earth: “CHECK IT OUT AND PICK A TEAM.” Then at the end of our lives, we know we lived our own life and not a life by default because we didn’t stop and look.
In direct contrast to her True Blood character, the beautiful Ms. Bauer van Straten is a vegetarian and dedicated animal lover. She dislikes “meanness, the circus, littering, testing on animals, starving, pesticides, fur, most zoos, slavery, intolerance, and genetically modified food.” She strives to live as nature intended and takes inspiration from life on all forms. In 2011, devoted fans and fellow animal lovers launched a Birthday Charity Project in her name. She is an avid supporter of The Amanda Foundation and stands before us as inspiring reminder to all that our world does not belong to humans alone.
Kristin has also recently joined ranks with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), adding her considerable passions to help free Tony, the Siberian-Bengal tiger at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana.
______________________________________________________________ Be sure to check out the other ZSC commanders!
Thank you for your patience during this brief delay. The developing story out of Miami over the weekend resulted in a scramble for possible action and all Commanders have been duly notified. While the situation appears to be under control at the moment, we remain watchful and remind you all to keep your go-bags handy. Our members’ constant vigilance and reporting of any possible undead sightings shows their quality time and time again, and for this we thank you. We now return to our regularly scheduled Commander Monday feature.
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This week’s Commander Monday feature brings us to another True Blood alumni, joining us fresh from the front lines of the battle against a small but not inconsiderable vampire presence among us. First Lieutenant Sam Trammell brings to the Zombie Survival Crew considerable experience with the undead as well a very unique and extremely rare talent – shapeshifting! Okay, so he doesn’t really transform into an adorable floppy-eared mutt at will, but his scruffy good looks, sweet disposition, intelligence, loyalty and undeniably sharp senses as well as considerable creative talents can only be a benefit to all in the dark days to come.
Sam Trammell is a native of West Virginia who attended Brown University before making his move onto the stage with his off-Broadway debut in Dealer’s Choice. Continuing onstage, he went on to appear in My Night With Reg and earned a Tony nomination for his part in the Broadway revival of Eugene O’Neill’s comedy Ah, Wilderness! Before landing the well-known role of beloved shape-shifter Sam Merlotte on HBO’s True Blood, Sam appeared in numerous television series, including Trinity, Going to California,Judging Amy, Dexter, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and A Drop of True Blood. Sam has also appeared in the critically acclaimed film Beat alongside fellow ZSC Commander Norman Reedus. Sam has also been seen in AVPR: Aliens vs Predator – Requiem, The Details, Fear of Fiction and Guns, Girls & Gambling.
Coming soon:
Later this year, watch for Sam in the upcoming film Long Time Gone, and of course the anticipated return of True Blood on HBO.
_______________________________________________________________ Need information about the other ZSC commanders ?
Orange Brigade, meet Second Lieutenant J. LaRose! While many of you are no doubt aware of his rather messy demise in Saw III (disembowelment does have its drawbacks), rest assured that the LT is in fine shape and more than ready to take on the ever-growing threat to the human race. You don’t even have to take my word for it, just a glimpse into J’s varied talents and wide range of experience is enough to convince anyone. He can glare a hole in a brick wall in one moment and charm even the hardest of hearts with a winning smile in the next. Coming from a solid background of horror movies, television and short films, J is more than adequately equipped to face the horror in the days that lay ahead. It doesn’t even have to be mentioned that J LaRose is related to a certain Special Forces Commander, but we mentioned it anyway.
J. LaRose hails from Chicago, making his first appearances on various television series, including Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Sheena, In Search of, and short films Butterfly Dreams and The Crown of Rust. In 2006 he made his big screen debut as the unfortunately disemboweled Troy in Saw III (spoiler alert), and from there moved on to Repo! The Genetic Opera and the horror films The Tenant, Insidious and The Tortured. J has also been involved in many projects coming up in the near future. J recently completed the hilariously viral Rockabilly Zombie Weekend as well as the films Wind Walkers and the short film Amazing Grace. Currently in pre-production, we’re also keeping a sharp eye on The Legacy of Avril Kyte.
