Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[rwanttaja]

I will just speak for myself: The nuts and bolts of the policy and its implementation are not the problem. What crawls up my nose is the very premise itself - the premise that such a program is needed.

Well...oddly enough, I'm not arguing that some sort of policy is not needed. Just about all youth-oriented programs require some sort of checks like this. EAA has to protect itself if anything actually *does* happen; they have to show that they were aware of the possibility and took steps that were in line with what other organizations do. I am reminded of the FBI a few years ago. Most people in intelligence-related jobs have to undergo periodic lie detector tests. But not FBI special agents...oh, no, these are trusted people who the FBI brass would never insult by making them take a lie detector test.

Then FBI Special Agent Robert Hanssen decided to sell secrets to the Russians.

All it takes is one case, and EAA is in a world 'o hurt. So I see the need to implement a policy. EAA needs to protect itself, and I understand that.

It just seems that the membership was blindsided by this. Maybe this was discussed with the chapter YE coordinators...but they didn't mention it at any of my chapters. There are a lot of outraged people here, many of them apparently joining the forums just to air their disgust. Note that no one has been posting, "Sure you were warned, remember the XXXXXX". EAA is telling us, after the fact, that we had been adequately warned of this policy change...but I'm not really seeing any sign of adequate promulgation, here. If there had been, the registration process wouldn't have required the SSAN at first and then be modified to eliminate it after the outcry.

Ron Wanttaja

[Bret Steffen]

I think all of the staff involved in the development and communication of the policy will agree that we could have done things differently folks. I don't want to high jack your conversations here, but I do want you to know that there is no easy way to bring something like this forward, and nobody was looking forward to the reactions we knew we would have to weather. There was much agonizing over when to share with the general membership and frankly we got it wrong. I sincerely hope that our kids continue to have amazing role models to introduce them to flight.

[rwanttaja]

I think all of the staff involved in the development and communication of the policy will agree that we could have done things differently folks. I don't want to high jack your conversations here, but I do want you to know that there is no easy way to bring something like this forward, and nobody was looking forward to the reactions we knew we would have to weather. There was much agonizing over when to share with the general membership and frankly we got it wrong. I sincerely hope that our kids continue to have amazing role models to introduce them to flight.

Thanks, Bret. It's not easy being the corporate interface at a time like this, and I appreciate your candor and willingness to respond.

Just don't have the tar and feathers waiting for me when I come to Oshkosh in April, 'k? :-)

Ron "I bruise easy" Wanttaja

[combahee]

Bret, thanks, now lets get this thing right and back on track. Read the 400 posts and look at the suggestions and the problem areas. Involve the YE coordinators. Listen to the chapters as to how they operate and how we can work with EAA to allow us to do what we do, and give protection to the kids. For now suspend this program and lets work together to build a workable program.

[Antique Tower]

I'm still waiting to hear how this "EAA-wide" policy will be implemented at Airventure.

Specifically, the use of minors as volunteers.

[Jeff Point]

There was much agonizing over when to share with the general membership and frankly we got it wrong.

Brett,

I don't think we've ever met, and I certainly don't envy you your job these past couple of weeks. I don't blame you personally for any of this, as I don't think it was your doing. Having said that, allow me a couple of points.

1. It's not just that you (and I'm referring to the collective you at HQ) got it wrong, it's that you continue to compound the mistake. The silence has been deafening for two weeks, and the tepid responses (including Jack's) have been devoid of any real substance. What changes have been made (removing the SSN) have been done in darkness, blunting the positive effect they might have.

2. This message that "we told you about this in advance" is a myth, and you loose credibility every time you say it. The vague references that you cite did not hint of anything on this scale, and furthermore essentially said, "more info to follow shortly..." followed by nine months of nothing, then the program dropped with no warning.

3. Who are these mythical volunteers who helped develop this program? Curious that we've not heard from any of them in 42 pages of responses.

4. I believe that there was a deliberate effort to keep this tightly under wraps for fear of repercussion. I submit as an example- it was told to me by our chapter YE coordinator that she happened to be at HQ (on unrelated EAA business) the day that the letters came out. Our chapter is fairly local to EAA, and we flew 349 kids last year. While there, she had conversation with your staff about YE. Oddly, there was no mention of this program at all, not even a "just a heads up, you'll be getting a letter in the mail today." Nothing. She was shocked to come home and see the letter, having just spoken mere hours ago to one of it's signers.

5. Understand this- while things have improved over the last few years, this organization still suffers from a lingering "Hightower hangover." There is a significant amount of distrust that simply did not exist five years ago. You need to understand the environment that you operate in and realize that you may not get the benefit of doubt that you once enjoyed. Trust takes time to rebuild, and requires openness and honesty. Im afraid this issue, if not fixed, will set the organization back even further.

[vaflier]

Brett, While I doubt this will happen there is a quick and easy way to restore faith in leadership and actually turn this into a positve for the organisation. It simply would take Mr Pelton to annouce that this new policy is being placed on hold pending review and alteration due to the many problems with it that have been pointed out by the membership. This will immediately restore the faith of the membership and give the cooling off time needed to revamp the program into something which meets the need to provide proper protections for the kids and is actually workable. We all want to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for the young people we fly and it is true that we live in a time when there are many who would harm them. Educate us to know how best to care for those in our charge and let us help design a program that will do so. We are here to help even more so than to complain. Try it ,the applause from the members will be loud and long. We really do care about the young ones and our organisation. I suspect that most will understand what is like to get something wrong while trying to do the right thing. Much respect can be gained by standing up and owning the mistake and then setting out to make it right.

[VA Maule]

The road to HELL is paved with good intentions, and EAA Hq has built an interstate highway.

I'm chapter president EAA 1202 and I'm recommending to our group that we have our last Young Eagles rally in April before the deadline so we have enough help to get it done, as it appears we won't have any volunteers ( including myself) after May , however I'm sure we'll still fly the kids just under a different " Brand "


Youth Protection Plan mission statement: WE ARE NOT HAPPY UNTIL YOUR NOT HAPPY !!!!!!

E M Dunnavant 1099291 life member ( wondering if I could get a refund about half of it is not used up yet ? )

[rwanttaja]

It just seems that the membership was blindsided by this. Maybe this was discussed with the chapter YE coordinators...but they didn't mention it at any of my chapters.

News flash! The policy WAS available for us to review. It was in the third sub-basement of headquarters, in a disused storeroom behind a pile of rusty ol' Szekely engines, in a file cabinet marked, "Beware of the Leopard."

But they WERE available for review....

Ron "Mostly Harmless" Wanttaja

...who is guessing only 10% or so will get this.....

[Copapilot]

...who is guessing only 10% or so will get this.....

Are you implying that the policy was actually written by Prostetnic Vogon Pelton?

...I guess I'm a "10%er"...