Florida Wing CC Dismissed

[RAZOR]

FLWG CC, Pat O'Key, gets canned by SER Commander James Rushing!

Pat O'Key has been FIRED from his position as the Florida Wing Commander!


ACTUAL EMAIL SENT OUT BY O'Key:

Sent: Sat, 29 Sep 2007 6:05 pm
Subject: Future of the Florida Wing

All,

I have enjoyed working with all of you. We have done some great things with the wing. My 1 year probation period was due to end on Monday, 01 October. Unfortunately, I received a phone call from Jim Rushing about 5:30 pm today informing me that he was not going to make my command permanent on my 1 year date. He would not give me any reason why except that he was being pressured from high ranking CAP members that they did not want me to stay. So, effective immediately, I am no longer the commander of the Florida Wing. I have been told that Col Rushing will be announcing Al Bedgood as an interim commander and will most likely be accepting applications for a permanent replacement.

I wish you all the best and hope that you continue to do the great things that you do.

Pat O'Key

[afgeo4]

I find it odd that no reason was given. Doesn't the reason have to be documented somewhere? I know in the military, someone not liking someone else just isn't a good enough reason to relieve them of command. There must be documented instances of that person doing something wrong or of sub-par performance. What is "sub-par" is of course subjective.

Allowing CAP officers to relieve each other without proper reasons may lead to legal issues, not to mention to favoritism and corruption (I'm not saying we don't have it already).

[SDF_Specialist]

You think this is related to TP?

[arajca]

During the probationary period, no reason needs to be given.

[afgeo4]

During the probationary period, no reason needs to be given.

Is that what the regs say? Do they say one must be given outside of probationary terms? What constitutes a "probationary term" in the regs? I don't remember reading anything about that.

[IceNine]

All though it is not necessarily the "right thing" to keep a reason from the officer involved.  There is no requirement that a reason be documented as 35-5 only says that

The permanent grade of colonel is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of assignment and must be recommended by the commander of the individual concerned.

What constitutes a "probationary term" in the regs?

1 year from date of appointment


Edit: Quote tags - TA

[afgeo4]

All though it is not necessarily the "right thing" to keep a reason from the officer involved.  There is no requirement that a reason be documented as 35-5 only says that

The permanent grade of colonel is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of assignment and must be recommended by the commander of the individual concerned.

During the probationary period, no reason needs to be given.

Is that what the regs say? Do they say one must be given outside of probationary terms? What constitutes a "probationary term" in the regs? I don't remember reading anything about that.

1 year from date of appointment as per regs

That's a reg regarding a promotion to Colonel, not to position of Wing CC. They are different things, even though one depends on the other.


Edit: Quote tags - TA

[a2capt]

* a2capt cranks up a little Queen ..

... o/~ another one bites the dust .. o/~

The Black Vans are turning around now.

[Skyray]

When you play with the big dogs, every once in a while you get bit.  I hold no brief for or against O'Key.  From what I heard in the rumor mill (and you all know how reliable that is) he mishandled the Hayden affair which could have been defused at its inception.  I have heard really good things about Rushing from his staff.  So this could play out either way.  Pineda has held a strangle hold on Florida even while he was climbing the national ladder; several Wing Commanders have been summarily relieved without explanation for offending Pineda in one way or the other.  So this event could play either way as I said before.  Maybe he was canned for being a Pineda man, maybe not.  There are some good members in Florida who have managed to keep their heads down, hopefully one of them will be chosen.  Hey, I was a Lieutenant Colonel and completed Level V; and I have four years on wing staff as the wing safety officer, maybe they'll choose me.

[Stonewall]

Maybe I'll apply for the job...

[mikeylikey]

Maybe I'll apply for the job...

I will back you.

Strangely though......being fried so close to when you command becomes permanent.  The guy should have been fired after the 1 OCT mark so he could gracefully keep his eagles.

[BillB]

It is possible to retain the eagles provided the Region Commander (or National Commander recommends it. It's happened several times where a Wing Commander resigned or was replaced and allowed to retain the eagles. Any member of the NEC can approve retaining the promotion to Colonel with less than one full year in the position.

[JAFO78]

Maybe I'll apply for the job...

I will second this......All in favor.......

[Pylon]

Maybe I'll apply for the job...

Ultimate Kirt for FLWG/CC! 

[Stonewall]

Obviously joking, guys.

No way do I have the time, experience, flexible job and flexible family for me to be a CC of a wing like FL.

Maybe one day, but not before I'm retired.

[SDF_Specialist]

Obviously joking, guys.

No way do I have the time, experience, flexible job and flexible family for me to be a CC of a wing like FL.

Maybe one day, but not before I'm retired.

Well I'm not a member of Florida Wing, but they need some good leadership from what I've read on here. You got my vote Colonel.

[RiverAux]

If we assume that what O'Key said was true, I think that email makes both of them look like people who just don't get it.  Even if Rushing was getting pressured to relieve O'Key, it was still Rushing's decision.  He shouldn't have more or less said, "hey I like you, but my boss is telling me to let you go".  Rushing should have either refused to relieve him and took whatever "punishment" he might get, or should have relieved him and not tried to make excuses about it. 

And, for O'Key, he shouldn't have been passing along this sort of information in a vain attempt to make it look like he was just some sort of fall guy. 

[Skyray]

Obviously joking, guys.

No way do I have the time, experience, flexible job and flexible family for me to be a CC of a wing like FL.

Maybe one day, but not before I'm retired.

This seems to be a place for opinions, and in my opinion, No One has the time, experience, flexible job and flexible family to be CC of a Wing like Florida in its present state.  The wing is in massive disarray from literally years of commanders, even down at the squadron level, walking on egg shells to avoid offending the Ayatollah.  If the BoG does the right thing today, there is a massive rebuild coming in Florida.  The first thing the new commander is going to have to do is convince his staff and commanders that they do indeed have the authority to act without being summarily relieved.  Levitch truly is up to his eyeballs in the ATT merger IRL; if my recollection is correct, it was he who appointed O'Key although it is not clear that he wasn't being manipulated by TP.  There is so much more, but it will ultimately come out.  Remember, TP pretty methodically eliminated everyone with enough cojones to challenge him for office.  That included some pretty viable candidates for Wing Commander.

[Cecil DP]

If we assume that what O'Key said was true, I think that email makes both of them look like people who just don't get it.  Even if Rushing was getting pressured to relieve O'Key, it was still Rushing's decision.  He shouldn't have more or less said, "hey I like you, but my boss is telling me to let you go".  Rushing should have either refused to relieve him and took whatever "punishment" he might get, or should have relieved him and not tried to make excuses about it. 

And, for O'Key, he shouldn't have been passing along this sort of information in a vain attempt to make it look like he was just some sort of fall guy. 

I feel that Col O'Key was justified in alerting the Florida membership that he was relieved and the reasons that were given to him by Col Rushing


Quote tags - TA

[CapnSuper]

OK I admit this is a sidebar -- but can't figure out what the term "CC" stands for.  I can't find an acronym in CAP that coincides with the letters "CC", however I'm new and have no military experience

So is it some generally accepted reference to a military term like "Company Commander" or ... like me, "Completely Clueless"

 

Thanks in advance