Big Fight at Annual Convention!

[RockOut]

Okay, not really, at least I don't think so, but there is trouble a'brewin.

Like some of you, I've been following the action over at P.net regarding the attempted ouster of Mark (Rigger82) from the Board of Directors of the 82d Association. Mark is the founder and webmaster of P.net, and is a National Director of the Association. I've met Mark, and while I don't know him that well, he seems like a stand up guy, and he is spoken of highly by several members on AP.org.

From where I sit, it appears that the "old guard" in the upper echelon of the Association are fighting tooth and nail to prevent any change in how the Assoc operates. Mark has been bucking the system trying to get them to move into the electronic age and to operate more efficiently, and has outlined his suggestions on P.net.

Hopefully it's appropriate to post a link to the thread over there, if not, MOD's please do what you must:
http://www.paratrooper.net/commo/Topic260282-45-1.aspx

Items of interest are (IMO):

• The letter from the President of the Association, calling for Mark's resignation and suggesting an investigation if he doesn't resign (page 3)

• Mark's reply, saying basically, "Nuts!" (forgive my Bastogne reference, but it seems appropriate) (page 5)

• Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and a former soldier (among other things) offers his services to Mark to fight this: "Shout out. I'm happy to take this pro bono case and, if necessary, go to war. Mark is a patriot, paratrooper and friend whose support when the night is dark is well known" (page 7)

Ugh, methinks I've typed too much. Just go read it for yourselves. Then do something to change OUR association for the better.

[Falschirmjaeger]

Mark's getting the shaft. This is fucked up.

[Mortarman11c]

Well looks like National blinked. Mark has a letter from Pres Frazier online saying they are backing down.

This fight has been going on for sometime and I wanna give a shout out to CAL for opening this thread.

It was also covered by Jeff over at USP.

Looks like this may be over.

But now that this section is here, If you have served in Division and have let your membership laspe, now is a good time to reup.

I waited almost 15 years before I hooked back up and finally went to a convention. My first was in Charleston SC in 2001.

My seventh will be in Saint Louis next week.

I served for five years as a chapter secretary, and was elected for a two year term as a National Director.

If I can help ya out in anyway, feel free to pm me.

[Rigger82]

Well, I think this has been brewing for some time and I THINK that the attempt to oust me is over BUT they still have not addressed ONE of the issues raised, so while they are dropping the attack, there is still the underlying issue of why it all came about.

Hopefully some good will come from this and it might make the board remember that the actions they take ARE subject to the scrutiny of the membership that they serve and that the board has no right to assume they can hide FROM that membership. I include myself on that... I am on the board, and anything I do or say should be held up to the light and considered if/when I am up for election in the future.

[Rigger82]

Hey gang.. I wrote this elsewhere but with all the OLD vs NEW and CHANGE talk I think its very important that i make this perfectly clear.



there is some misconception on the part of some of the opposing group that younger troopers are here to infiltrate, take over and kick out the old guys to do it 'our' way.

The bottom line is thats just stupid. I have too much respect for too many who have built this organization from scratch over 60 years and had it endure, do I think it needs a facelift and a tuneup... sure, but the structure and the lessons learned are important, as is our history.

NOW is the time for these senior troopers to pass on the knowledge and work WITH us so we can LEARN what was done, what was tried and tested and what failed. Then we sit down and explain how what WE know and bring to the table along with an understanding of THIS generation can offer. Together we blend old and new to IMPROVE not REBUILD.

If we sit around, eventually the old guard will pass on and we'll be here, we'll pick it up, we'll then start trying things and may make some of the same mistakes that we could have avoided. We also create a gap in the history and lose the chance to keep continuity.

We can either expand and improve or we can rebuild from scratch later... personally I'd rather expand and improve, our senior troopers landed and secured the airfield and are holding fast. WE are the follow on troopers and we bring the means to set a new objective.