Thursday, February 5, 2009

A Noose Is Waiting For A Neck, or Necks...

There are times in our lives when we want to believe that the best quality of people in leadership positions are geared toward doing what is best for the people even if it means sacrificing individual gains. That's what the military is all about. Sacrifice. It's too bad that some people in these positions have no idea what military tradition, honor, dignity, and honesty is all about, much less leadership. We have such a man in the position of COO (who has never served in the military); indeed, we have people in positions higher than he along the same chain of command who just have no clue that they have an obligation to their charges. I refer to Charles Abell, once Tim Cox's boss, and his present boss, Leslye Arsht, and higher still to Mr. David Chu, and even higher, to then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Regarding DOD IG H05L95546042 dated 26Sep05 and what happened to LtCol Wendy VanDyke at their hands is shameful enough; that Ms. Arsht would write in answer to my inquiry (through Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA) as to why Cox was not punished and LtCol VanDyke endured virtual isolation from her charges for over two months, 'she got what she wanted.' No, Ms. Arsht, she did not. She wanted justice. She certainly didn't get it, thanks to your predecessor, Mr. Abell, who was tasked with tking 'appropriate action' against Mr. Cox. A slap on the wrist is not appropriate, I'm sorry. Mr. Cox and Mr. Abell deserve more than that, now. Maybe there is a statute of limitations, but in this case it should be extended; the lasting effects upon the innocent don't have limitations. Mrs. VanDyke will have the memory of torture for the rest of her life, while the perpetrators of the crime have already written it off. Maybe, MS. Arsht, we'll get what we want now: a Congressional Investigation for Mr. Cox and Charles Abell, David S. Chu and Donald Rumsfeld. I'm sure that there is enough evidence to put together a conspiracy charge within the words we can make out in the aforementioned document. If all the wording and pictures are made available through the FOIA (but so far I think it is a joke), it is bound to put names to faces and reveal other participation via phone and emails. So I am asking Mr. Gates to respond to Congressman Gene Taylor's letter (D-MS) and also to take a very close look at H05L95546042 in unredacted form for a good profile of the protagonists and their underhanded tactics in this story. The sordid story of 'bad leadership and failure' at the helm of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. More coming. Jim

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had hoped for at least one comment...just goes to show ya that my voice may be like the felled tree in the forest...

Friday, 06 February, 2009  
Blogger Jim Pankey said...

In November 2011, I re-visited the AFRH and found that the token presence of a few military flags, offerings, and postings chilled the atmosphere in this 'Five Star Luxury Hotel'...even with new construction that replaced the older Home, it cannot touch the warmth of that older structure which was lavishly and appropriately decorated with military memorabilia and historical treasures. The paucity of military presence in administrative direction and within the rentor residents tells me that it is no place for me. I spent almost three years there as a resident and am ashamed that it has no military leaders within the administrative population, no 'military tradition' in its new Mission Statement. The death knell of our national military Home was sounded in the hiring of Mr. Tim Cox in September 2002 and the subsequent passing of the Commander hat to his former Chief Financial Officer, Mr. McManus.

Thursday, 17 November, 2011  

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