Fired gay Air Force Academy commandant was ‘toxic’ leader IG finds; she claims d

Started by JohhnyD, November 27, 2019, 08:12:23 AM

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OldGuy

Quote from: swodog on November 27, 2019, 12:52:22 PM
And the card is played!
An interesting card at that. Diversity is the new standard, what behaviors are acceptable in the pursuit of same? I have seen similar command issues in recent times in Civil Air Patrol, and so far it appears that the goal of diversity trumps all other rules, regulations, and values. I hope we see a reset or HWSNBN will start looking like the norm rather than the aberration. At least, in my opinion, your mileage may vary.

dwb

Shall we enumerate all of the white men who have misused travel expenses and fostered unhealthy work environments?

This has nothing to do with diversity. If the article's allegations are true, then she was relieved from her position without regard to her gender or sexuality. Which is how you want the system to operate.

In other words, an intentionally inflammatory headline for an utterly mundane removal from command.

OldGuy

Quote from: dwb on November 27, 2019, 03:57:47 PM
This has nothing to do with diversity. If the article's allegations are true, then she was relieved from her position without regard to her gender or sexuality. Which is how you want the system to operate.
Wrong. When diversity becomes more important than the core values, you get the "affirmative action" syndrome of not qualified folks being raised into positions of authority for diversities sake instead of the mission. The question is not why she was relived but why she was put in command in the first place.

Eclipse

Quote from: OldGuy on November 27, 2019, 06:25:20 PMThe question is not why she was relived but why she was put in command in the first place.

Got it - all is clear now.

Apparently her extensive experience as a pilot, commander, and high-level staff officer would not justify this posting?

The whole thing is ridiculous both from the way she was treated and the way it was handled publicly. She clearly stepped on someone's toes,
likely another star, who then decided to "make a point", by putting a little "going away smudge" on her time as commandant, which
was already essentially over.

Considering she was probably already packing to leave for her next job, anyone with more common sense then agenda would have
simply delayed her arrival at the JFSCC instead of trying to make hay out of nonsense.

"Travel Policy Violations" is code for "don't get too big for your britches.

"That Others May Zoom"

NIN

Quote from: OldGuy on November 27, 2019, 06:25:20 PM
Quote from: dwb on November 27, 2019, 03:57:47 PM
This has nothing to do with diversity. If the article's allegations are true, then she was relieved from her position without regard to her gender or sexuality. Which is how you want the system to operate.
Wrong. When diversity becomes more important than the core values, you get the "affirmative action" syndrome of not qualified folks being raised into positions of authority for diversities sake instead of the mission. The question is not why she was relived but why she was put in command in the first place.

Thats not wrong. Thats a larger issue within the force and how leaders in the Air Force are selected and "bubble to the top" in spite of toxic leadership traits.  This is a problem regardless of the sexual orientation, gender or race of the individual.

It has become a serious problem in the USAF. Serious enough that an active duty colonel took a potentially career-ending risk to write about it (https://warontherocks.com/2018/05/a-call-for-senior-officer-reform-in-the-air-force-an-insiders-perspective/). And then he was subsequently lauded by the USAF Cheif of Staff and engaged to help start to change it (https://warontherocks.com/2018/09/promoting-what-we-value-in-the-air-force-wouldnt-that-be-nice/).

But change isn't one rando colonel or even a Chief of Staff, because the level and scope of change we're talking above here is on a global scale and something that moves at a glacial pace (due to the fact that it can take upwards of 20 years for people who benefitted under the "old" system to finally be out of that system)

Toxic leadership existed before women and people of different sexual orientations ascended to positions of leadership & power.  Its not a diversity thing, its an organizational thing.
Darin Ninness, Col, CAP
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Shuman 14

QuoteToxic leadership existed before women and people of different sexual orientations ascended to positions of leadership & power.  Its not a diversity thing, its an organizational thing.

:clap:
Joseph J. Clune
Lieutenant Colonel, Military Police

USMCR: 1990 - 1992                           USAR: 1993 - 1998, 2000 - 2003, 2005 - Present     CAP: 2013 - 2014, 2021 - Present
INARNG: 1992 - 1993, 1998 - 2000      Active Army: 2003 - 2005                                       USCGAux: 2004 - Present


JohhnyD

Quote from: Майор Хаткевич on November 27, 2019, 09:40:13 PM
A better story with more details, and less incendiary title.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/11/22/ig-found-former-academy-commandant-misused-travel-had-poor-command-climate-she-will-seek-redress-for-firing/

Quote
The inspector general report substantiated allegations of improper travel practices, including conducting personal business while on official government travel, and having a cadet charge some of her travel expenses to his card while traveling to the red carpet premiere of "Captain Marvel" in Hollywood.

It also found she failed to maintain a healthy command climate by making false or untruthful statements, unnecessarily blaming her staff for her own shortfalls, and that she made decisions and conducted herself in a way that led others to view her as a "self-serving" leader.

These traits had to have developed over her career. What caused leadership to place her in charge of the USAFA? WSas it her stellar record, or a desire to get a diversity goal met?

JohhnyD

Also see https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/03/21/bomber-pilot-picked-to-be-the-air-force-academy-s-commandant-of-cadets/

She previously led the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, becoming the wing's first female commander. Before that, she served as the vice commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Again, was diversity the reason for the selection?

PHall

Quote from: JohhnyD on November 28, 2019, 02:14:09 AM
Also see https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/03/21/bomber-pilot-picked-to-be-the-air-force-academy-s-commandant-of-cadets/

She previously led the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, becoming the wing's first female commander. Before that, she served as the vice commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Again, was diversity the reason for the selection?

No, it seems that a successful Wing Command tour earned her a chance for the Commandant job.
It was government travel card fraud that ended it.

Eclipse

No fraud has been alleged, only violation of policy, and she is still seeking redress, so the matter
is not closed.

"That Others May Zoom"

Gunsotsu

Oh goody. Another post for the troglodytes to showcase their ignorance and intolerance.

Shut this down.

JohhnyD

Quote from: PHall on November 28, 2019, 02:44:28 AM
Quote from: JohhnyD on November 28, 2019, 02:14:09 AM
Also see https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/03/21/bomber-pilot-picked-to-be-the-air-force-academy-s-commandant-of-cadets/

She previously led the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, becoming the wing's first female commander. Before that, she served as the vice commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Again, was diversity the reason for the selection?

No, it seems that a successful Wing Command tour earned her a chance for the Commandant job.
It was government travel card fraud that ended it.
That is her most recent job, the question was about her prior job, was that another diversity pick? And BTW her recent command was lost for multiple reasons including command climate.

JohhnyD

Quote from: Gunsotsu on November 28, 2019, 03:26:07 AM
Oh goody. Another post for the troglodytes to showcase their ignorance and intolerance.

Shut this down.
"troglodytes"?

That shows an amazing contempt for others. Respect dude, including respecting differences of opinion, right?

JohhnyD

QuoteIt also found she failed to maintain a healthy command climate by making false or untruthful statements, unnecessarily blaming her staff for her own shortfalls, and that she made decisions and conducted herself in a way that led others to view her as a "self-serving" leader.

CAP9907

Settle down please, name calling is not helpful. Thread cleaned, last warning pls. 

~9907
21 yrs of service

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CAPLTC

Did you have any direct experience with the Commandant in-question?
Of course not.
You have so much to say, about every topic, but are always short on facts.
Sometimes I think you're a chat bot, just to keep the place interesting.

Quote from: Eclipse on November 27, 2019, 06:41:04 PM

The whole thing is ridiculous both from the way she was treated and the way it was handled publicly. She clearly stepped on someone's toes,
likely another star, who then decided to "make a point", by putting a little "going away smudge" on her time as commandant, which
was already essentially over.

"Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (in American democracy) and kill every one of them until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact." -- SECDEF Mattis

MSG Mac

Quote from: Eclipse on November 28, 2019, 02:46:07 AM
No fraud has been alleged, only violation of policy, and she is still seeking redress, so the matter
is not closed.

AF Times states that she had a cadet use their government credit card to pay for some travel expenses
Michael P. McEleney
Lt Col CAP
MSG USA (Retired)
50 Year Member