By Julie Sentinel
According to multiple teams working probes in Nashville, CAP Chief Operating Officer Don Rowland has been “released” by the Board of Governors with time still left on his contract. The CAP Membership Remnant will recall that Rowland was brought in during the tenure of exiled CAP National Commander Antonio J. Pineda.
Among other “borderline” issues, Rowland endorsed an illegitimate Operations Chain of Command being run in the Southeast Region. When the former Georgia Wing Commander, multiple Flight Instructors and Johnny Dean attempted to correct this racketeering operation, they were disparaged and removed from their positions.
Injured parties were asked to follow a lengthy process of progressive escalation through the chain of command as a way of devaluing the issue’s timeliness. The public is now familiar with this tactic, and it is no longer effective in concealing abuses. Over the past year the network behind AuxBeacon and AuxVoice has selectively dribbled evidence from a large repository of scuttled complaints submitted by an abused and weary CAP membership across the nation.
As a matter of ethics and restrained incremental use of advisories, much of this evidence remains concealed (for now) but shows that present CAP Wing Commanders, former CAP National and CAP-USAF commanders are implicated in aiding and abetting Mr Rowland’s agenda. Some eager beaver replacement candidates have compromised their ethics in order to stack pressure on the BoG. The repository files detail slander, libel and fraudulent documents used to discredit and terminate more junior CAP members who complied with regulations in reporting fraud, waste and abuse of authority.
AuxBeacon Updates
On the 12th of August, Col Frederick Weiss will report on CAPTalk that the CAP Chief Financial Officer Susan K. Easter resigned, but other informants observed that she was still at CAP NHQ in Montgomery, AL. Weiss then provided additional information on the 15th through the CAPTalk forum, that:
“Yes, she is still there, however she put in her notice 3 weeks ago. I have not asked her when her last day will be.”
On the 16th of August on CAPTalk, Weiss stated:
“Just heard from our CFO, Susan Easter. She is not leaving her position “now”. I’m sure this is a relief for the BoG and our interim COO, John Salvador…”
On the 10th of August, Mr William A. Davidson departed his position as Vice Chair of the Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors.
So the fix is in with the Tar Heel Mafia again! It is noticeable that BOG Chairman Jason Altieri and CAP Chief of Staff Larry Ragland did not send out a nation wide notice about the vacancy created by the supposed “retirement” of Donnie Roland, but the National Staff knew before anyone else was told about the job opening. Who do they have waiting in the wings to keep the CAP leadership all in the family? Vazquez, Gloyd, Altieri himself, or some other Corporate insider? Our CAP leadership is as bad as our late Rhode Island Providence mayor Vincent Albert “Buddy” Cianci, Jr.; the corruption is strong with this group.
THE “COVER UP” AIR PATROL – The members requested and insisted on honesty, but we did NOT get it. Instead, we got more lies and cover up, “On Wednesday, Aug. 10, Don Rowland, CAP National Headquarters chief operating officer, announced his retirement after 31 years of service in CAP, 11 in the corporation’s top paid position at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.”
Worst part (This man did horrible things to us. He deserves nothing from the CAP) – “Don Rowland, after providing more than three decades of dedicated service at Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters, will be honored and recognized with a Lifetime Membership in CAP. The announcement was made by CAP’s national commander, Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez, during the organization’s annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee.”.
It now appears that the Florida Wing Saga Facebook page did have some inside scoop on COO Rowland and commanders of Southeast Region. These abuses make me very sad.
I would like to think that a Chief Operating Officer would be held to the same standards (or higher) than a line member in CAP, but I rather doubt it. In “Animal Farm,” George Orwell wrote, “All animals are created equal, though some more equal than others.” From my experience, line members would face a CAPF-2b for actions that people with eagles and stars on their epaulets face much less stringent punishment. Mind you, dismissal from the National Command (or Wing or Region, etc) would be humiliating and a strong punishment in and of itself, but a “mere mortal” member would face outright dismissal.
If members can’t conduct themselves decently and professionally they need to be dismissed REGARDLESS of what sort of Orwellian “animal” (general officer, colonel, NHQ paid-staffer, or brand new SM) they are.
Anything less than that is outrageous and spells disaster for the organization and shame and disgrace on the vast majority of members who are decent, morally upright, devoted, selfless in service and hardworking.
The membership dues are supporting the payment of Rowland’s salary until the end of the year because he agreed to “retire” on 10 August 2016.
Many people are silent on why he was terminated, but a few have spoken out regarding what he did to Johnny Dean.
Good riddance, Don Rowland. Henry Irizarry, you’re next