New NCR CC

[Sarge]

See below...Here is the latest dispatch from our Natl Commander. Why does CAP need to be such a divisive and rancorous organization? I serve on Active Duty and it isn't this bad!!! Having been a member since 1977, I don't recall it being this contentious in the past. I am told the latest firing was in retaliation for Col Kuddes having BrigGen (Col) Glasgow at the NCR Conference this past weekend in DSM...What do you think? What's the total amount of personnel "fired" so far between Wing CCs and Region CCs? Who would want to serve as a Region CC if this is how the game is played... I am really questioning this and whether I want to be a part of this petty BS!
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From: Pineda@-edited-.com
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 8:35 PM
Subject: New Region cc

Effective 10-29-06 North Central Region Commander Col Steven Kuddes has
being removed as commander.

Effective on 10-29-06 Col Sean Fagan is appointed Commander of the North
Central Region.

Maj Gen Tony Pineda, CAP
National Commander

[edit: removed email addy ~JH]

[Johnny Yuma]

I attended the NCR conference in Des Moines. The only reason Pineda would have for firing Steve Kuddes was Glasgow's attendance of the banquet in order to present awards to those who served as NCR staff under his command. This was not a surprise as this was well-known to many in NCR that Rex was attending. Rex supposedly attended a luncheon meeting of former NCR commanders however I didn't see him myself until that evening's banquet, of which BG Anderson would have been present and as Senior Officer the responsible party.

BG Courtier was present at the banquet along with several NHQ staffers and BG Richard Anderson, who is also a former NCR CC. It'll be interesting to see if they take any heat for this as well.

The word out of several NCR staff I know is something was up when Kuddes did not return calls from Pineda on his cell phone the next morning. Apparently they were all in a Staff meeting at the Motel Sunday.

Johnny Yuma

[CadetProgramGuy]

bad thing is that unless you have a star or a bird on your collar, this conversation and speculation are above our paygrades.....

[DNall]

bad thing is that unless you have a star or a bird on your collar, this conversation and speculation are above our paygrades.....

True enough, but in the military it goes up the chain, thru competently appointed officers, eventually to congress where they get called to the carpet on the public record to answer for their actions & would be drawn & quartered for the appearance of personal vendettas.

Everyone like to point out the differences between the military & CAP, for better or worse. Well in this case the leadership isn't accountable to congress for their behavior/actions, but to us as members, cause we're ultimately free to vote with our feet. As such, members do have an interest in these kinds of things. Don't get me wrong though, I don't like it like this. I'd much prefer they be accountable to the AF & Congress so these things can be handled like gentlemen rather than in such public view.

[Johnny Yuma]

bad thing is that unless you have a star or a bird on your collar, this conversation and speculation are above our paygrades.....

Yet the political repercussions, not to mention the perceptions this creates, rocks the entire Region.

It's obvious that what's in the best interest of the organization no longer matters with the NHQ/CC.

[Major_Chuck]

Tony Pineda needs to go. He's on some power hungry trip that is only Designed to Keep him in power  where he can be a pretend major general.  His actions are counter productive and destructive to The organization.

[Steve Kuddes]

I was also at the NCR Conference and at the staff meeting Sunday morning.  Col Kuddes never received any phone calls at the conference from Pineda.  He had an e-mail from Pineda when he got home.  Pineda wanted him to call him so he did.  Col Kuddes was fired because he wouldn't resign.  He told Pineda he didn't do anything wrong and all Pineda would say was he made Pineda look bad because Rex Glasgow was there and helped present an award.  So did several other people including the mother of a cadet Col Kuddes trained.  That former cadet died in Afghanistan.  Col Kuddes knew this was going to happen back in January because Fagan would have a year as MOWG CC in November and he would take over at this time of year.  He also knows who made the calls to report all of this to Pineda and it was not BG Courter.
This is completely wrong and it is about time the membership stood up and very vocally let their Wing CCs and Region CCs know it has to end.  If that won't do it, it is time to head to Congress and ask for a Congressional investigation of Pineda.  I don't see a CAP in the future at this rate.

[ELTHunter]

Careful Spy, there are some on this forum that might stone you for such talk.

[Pylon]

You know, I will just throw this out there, but a lot of us like to deal in "actualities" when having such discussions on sensitive topics.  These types of topics are very vulnerable to people tossing out as fact what they've heard via rumors.

Unless people are willing to make backed-up statements of fact, it might be wise to stick to statements beginning with "I think...," "I've heard that...," or "Perhaps one possible scenario might be that..."

In general, we all ought to be extremely careful about how we talk about other people in public.  Our CAPTalk Code of Conduct specifically disallows outright ad hominem attacks against other individuals -- this means everyone, including our National leadership. 

Discussions on changes to/with/involving National leadership are obviously welcome, as are discussions on anything else CAP related, just remember to keep our opinions respectful and to not make unsubstantiated claims.  That's all. 

[lordmonar]

This is completely wrong and it is about time the membership stood up and very vocally let their Wing CCs and Region CCs know it has to end.  If that won't do it, it is time to head to Congress and ask for a Congressional investigation of Pineda.  I don't see a CAP in the future at this rate.

Not to defend or defame General Pineda...but what should congress be investigating him for?

We all serve in leadership positions at the pleasure of our respective commanders.

To be appointed a squadron commander you must have the wing commander blessing and if you fall from his graces, for whatever reason, he has to power to ask for your resignation or fire you.

Now...playing devils advocate....General Pineda asked for and got Gen Glasgow's resignation for what General Pineda thought was wrong doing  (right or wrong, this is not the debate).   Now jump up forward a few months and General Glasgow issues a letter denouncing General Pineda, accusing him of misconduct and political machinations.  Then we jump to the NCR Conference...and there he is being invited to present awards.

Now....don't flame me....but just distance yourself from any views you have on the issue.

If you just fired your deputy commander and he was active in trying to formant political discord in your squadron....and then one of your flight commanders invites him to for a presentation....how would you feel?

Would you still have confidence in that flight commander's ability to do his job and follow your direction?

No matter what you may feel about General Pineda's leadership ability, his personality or the direction he is taking CAP...you have to grant him the right to put people he can count on do follow his vision and guidance.

All those lamenting that we need to be more Air Force like and less political....this is exactly what goes on at the Active Duty Level all the time.  Commanders can be fired because they are too vocal in their opposition to what their commander are trying to do.  If this were to  happen on active duty, no one would blink twice.

Just my 2 cents worth.

By all means....if you don't like General Pindeda's leadership style and/or vision, take it up with your wing commander and hope for the best.

But if you consort with a know political agitator, don't be supprised when you get your pink slip.  Politics is a nasty business, but if are going to play, make sure you know the rules and are willing to pay the consequences.

Here ends my rant.

[DNall]

My only problem w/ Gen Pineda is I don't know his vision & haven't seen any leadership from him of any style. The only thing I have see are a series of decisions that don't look very ethical. I'll say right up front that I don't know the inside details on any of these individual situations & it very well could be that the Nat CC is correct in each & ever one. I know I've been in the position of making very unpopular decisions that lost me friends & sent people away disgruntled. It's the volume of these things & lack of explination that's problematic. Also that some good things were killed along the way. I appreciate setting high standards & challenging your people to surpass them.

Far as investigating, there's no authority for that. The Air Force has done "fact finding" studies & found CAP in violation of its own & AF regs, but they can't do anything about it. They have authority ONLY over 1) accounting fro the money from congress, 2) format of teh AF-style uniform, & 3) operational control on AFAMs. That's it. The Nat CC can violate the constitution & bylaws to do anything he wants & no one outside CAP has any authority to do anything about it. Actually, Congress can't make laws ordering CAP to do anything either. All they can do is say they won't give us any money unless we do what we're told, which of course is pretty effective.

[CadetProgramGuy]

If you really want insight into CAP, try looking at the Enemy of CAP.  News of the Force....


They put out so much trash, it actially makes sense half of the time, and it names names of those that advise the Nat/CC. (well one name anyway)

Like it was said about tabloids.  99% bull crap, 1% truth.  Its the 1% thats making alot of sense to me.  Alot of us rag on NOTF, including myself, but I have a greater insight into CAP because of them.

Pennys for thoughts...I have change.

[Johnny Yuma]

If you read through all the AP and other newswire stuff on there and really look for the CAP news in there, most of it is really positive. He seems to catch most every CAP news story that goes out over the wires.

As for the negative stuff, I can't speak for all the stories but for those I've been aware of he's dead on. You do have to read past the editorializing (not necessarily Skip's) but the meat of the story is there.

[ELTHunter]

I have a google alert running that returns anything on the internet with the words "Civil Air Patrol" in it.  You're right, most of it is positive, or about missions in progress.  I've seen many of the same stories that he puts in NOTF.