WI Wing Gets Some Bad Publicity, What Does a PAO Do?

[DakRadz]

It does not help our image by reposting it...

RM is right, it is serious. Otherwise we wouldn't have training programs in place to try and screen the SOB's out. I would be more worried about our cadets than our image.

It is indeed a good eye-opener and reminder. I think it's more presumed intent than anything that has everyone ruffled.

Obviously the advice in this thread isn't being shown to the PAOs in question.. Which might have had some sort of positive effect.

[Larry Mangum]

Have any of you recently read the rules on Cadet protection?  I am guessing not or you would realize  that the local commander's hands are tied as to what he can say and do, which means the local PAO cannot do anything either.

[EMT-83]

How about a positive spin on the latest story? This sick individual put himself into situations where he had ready access to victims. There are no allegations that anything improper occurred on CAP time, probably due to the importance placed on cadet protection.

There is also a lesson to be learned by CAP members – please take cadet protection seriously. We're occasionally told on this forum that some of us go overboard with supervising cadets. Are the folks in this guy's squadron thinking along those lines today?

[Persona non grata]

This years PAO award goes to ,wait ,,,,,,,wait for it................

Radioman :clap:

On a serious note, we need to be on alert for these type people who infiltrate our ranks. 

[Rotorhead]

Looks like another wing GA?  has an issue with perhaps a pilot charged

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/10675964/article-Bond-denied-for-Lindale-man-arrested-on-molestation-charges?instance=home_news_lead

RM

I figured a PAO would be smarter than to repost this stuff to a public forum such as CT.

Oh, come on. It becomes tiresome to continually read that everything on this board shouldn't be posted, or that it is a violation of OPSEC or whatever.

[JC004]

I don't know why the news decided to post the web site URLs.  I didn't previously know of any child porn sites and I didn't want to either.  If I were the editor, I wouldn't want to give them any exposure or a single extra visitor, subscriber, or whatever.  Of course, they could be shut down, but I'm not putting those URLs anywhere near my browser to find out. 

[davidsinn]

Looks like another wing GA?  has an issue with perhaps a pilot charged

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/10675964/article-Bond-denied-for-Lindale-man-arrested-on-molestation-charges?instance=home_news_lead

RM

I figured a PAO would be smarter than to repost this stuff to a public forum such as CT.

Oh, come on. It becomes tiresome to continually read that everything on this board shouldn't be posted, or that it is a violation of OPSEC or whatever.

It's kind of common sense that if you have a bad egg in your group do Bad Things^tm you don't go blabbing it to the whole world. That tends to make the organization as a whole look very bad.

[Rotorhead]

Looks like another wing GA?  has an issue with perhaps a pilot charged

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/10675964/article-Bond-denied-for-Lindale-man-arrested-on-molestation-charges?instance=home_news_lead

RM

I figured a PAO would be smarter than to repost this stuff to a public forum such as CT.

Oh, come on. It becomes tiresome to continually read that everything on this board shouldn't be posted, or that it is a violation of OPSEC or whatever.

It's kind of common sense that if you have a bad egg in your group do Bad Things^tm you don't go blabbing it to the whole world. That tends to make the organization as a whole look very bad.

This board is NOT "the whole world." Despite the fact that it is accessible to everyone, a very small--miniscule--percentage of internet users actually read it.

And, besides, if you think this is the only place, or even a primary place, people would go to find out CAP is not perfect, you might want to think again.

If we followed the well-meaning but unrealistic advice not to discuss anything on this board, every single thread would be about uniforms and uniform regs... and then someone would tell us not to discuss that because it "makes CAP look bad."

[FlyTiger77]

...If we followed the well-meaning but unrealistic advice not to discuss anything on this board, every single thread would be about uniforms and uniform regs...

To the casual observer, every thread is about uniforms eventually!

[davidsinn]

Looks like another wing GA?  has an issue with perhaps a pilot charged

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/10675964/article-Bond-denied-for-Lindale-man-arrested-on-molestation-charges?instance=home_news_lead

RM

I figured a PAO would be smarter than to repost this stuff to a public forum such as CT.

Oh, come on. It becomes tiresome to continually read that everything on this board shouldn't be posted, or that it is a violation of OPSEC or whatever.

It's kind of common sense that if you have a bad egg in your group do Bad Things^tm you don't go blabbing it to the whole world. That tends to make the organization as a whole look very bad.

This board is NOT "the whole world." Despite the fact that it is accessible to everyone, a very small--miniscule--percentage of internet users actually read it.

And, besides, if you think this is the only place, or even a primary place, people would go to find out CAP is not perfect, you might want to think again.

If we followed the well-meaning but unrealistic advice not to discuss anything on this board, every single thread would be about uniforms and uniform regs... and then someone would tell us not to discuss that because it "makes CAP look bad."

With search engines like google out there, this is the whole world. Anything posted here is now archived forever in their servers. Every time that story is re-posted it just adds weight to the search results and moves them closer to the number one slot. Is this the kind of stuff you want to show up on the first page of a search for Civil Air Patrol?

[GMat]

This is why we have Wing Legal Officers.  WI PAO use yours!

[JohnKachenmeister]

?

What is the Legal Officer supposed to do?

[Eclipse]

?

What is the Legal Officer supposed to do?

Well...there's the "stamping of feet"...and "wailing and gnashing teeth" seems to be popular these days...

[JohnKachenmeister]

^ That's the Commander's job!

[GMat]

CPPT requires legal involvement.

Let the PAO shoot from the hip on making an "official" statement without counsel and they may have more legal issues to deal with.

[JohnKachenmeister]

^ Depending on the nature of the CP incident, the Wing LO may also be out of the picture.

The PAO has to do only one thing:  Represent the CAP to the Court of Public Opinion. 

In this case, before the investigation is complete, the PAO should only make a general statement to the effect that:

1.  Protection of cadets is a serious matter and is taken seriously by CAP.

2.  Procedures exist to investigate any allegation of mistreatment of cadets.

3.  Appropriate action will be taken based on the results of that investigation.

A PAO does not need the LO for that.  The LO can't say anything for public consumption anyway. 

[RogueLeader]

I happen to have read the headline again, and I noticed that it said "EX" CAP Leader.  As in: No longer associated.  Just confirm the former status of said individual and move on.

[mclarke]

My only concern (not to sound uncaring, but as far as CAP goes being NHQ should be handling the rest) is that it is stated he resigned. My understanding is members with 20 years plus as a SM are eligible for a retirement ID thru CAP... yeah, just saying...

[mclarke]

This is why we have Wing Legal Officers.  WI PAO use yours!

I just saw this so forgive my double post. I am in WI wing, and I have to say, from a legal point of view, the LO and commanders have no standing except to submit an opinion to NHQ. Fact is, since there is no evidence cadets are part of the porn (according to the article anyways), then CAP itself can not involve much, except to terminate or address the media/LEOs.

However, it is in the best interest of CAP to direct all persons interested in this (wether your a cadet or SM, you should be doing this) matter to the Public Affairs Officer, who will most likely in turn direct them to the LO anyways.