Take Back the CAF

[RyanShort1]

Hmmm. From the looks of the stuff on that website, things aren't good.

Ryan

[Young Shep]

Just interested, what lawsuit against CAF members are you talking about? Did the CAF sue any members?

but the members that were removed and SUED by the organization they served are bound by a gag order that prevents the opposing view from being presented.

[Taylor Stevenson]

Young Shep,
As we both know, you know the answer to your question. You being the son of former Chief of Staff Bill Coombes and me being the son of former Chief of Staff Gordon Stevenson, we have been a fly on the wall for CAF business for years. This entire issue deeply saddens me and I have chosen to stay on the sidelines and not take cheap shots or ask baiting questions. If one gets a copy of ‘Cause No. CV 47,250; Commemorative Air Force, Mark Novak, Tom Rush, Keith Wood, and Charles Wood v. The American Air Power Heritage Museum, Inc.; In the 385th Judicial District Court of Midland County, Texas.’ one sees that the lawsuit was not brought against individuals, but against the American Airpower Heritage Museum. What I think Chunks point is, is that this and many issues concerning our wonderful organization, the Commemorative Air Force, are not being debated by the membership but behind closed doors and only one side has the ability to communicate with the membership. There is an entire side to the museum issue and other issues to which the members have no access. Distrust is really brought about by a lack of transparency.
Your friend,
Taylor

[Second Air Force]

Me wonders what Gary would think

PM sent, Jack.

Scott

[Enemy Ace]

Well, quite frankly that website really doesn't explain anything to an outsider to the organization like myself.
Stephan Brown's letter is mentioned several times but where is it?
what was the story behind the removal of the 5 members?
this website could be very interesting and informative if it just took the facts and laid them out where everyone could see and understand what's going on but it doesn't.
How about some backstory on the structure of the CAF then vs. now and what exactly are the assets of the different sections?
And FWIW I have gotten to the point where when anybody starts in with the political rants they go to 0% credibility with me.

[ww2John]

What Enemy Ace said...

[RyanShort1]

What Enemy Ace said...

Is in my opinion over-trivializing a matter I just took a little bit of time to find out about. It's serious and deserves a serious look by those who are or should be interested in the future of the CAF.
Looking at what has already been said in the thread, it appears that two board members were removed - guys who we've respected here on WIX - and from making a few phone calls to get the backstory, it's pretty obvious it's serious.
It's good to see that those involved aren't trying to drag the CAF through the mud for it, so it seems their concern for the organization is genuine, and their approach measured.

Ryan

[bluehawk15]

Enemy Ace:

In a nutshell, the Confederate Air Force was once the only corporation, and held all the assets...aircraft, endowment money, museum artifacts, membership.

Due to a change in Texas law (as I understand it) and some lawsuits brought against the CAF from accidents, it was decided to form three other companies to shelter the assets from lawsuits. The Museum got the non-flying artifacts, the Foundation got the endowment money (including life member money), the Flying Museum got the aircraft. The CAF took care of the membership and operated the aircraft.

The Confederate Air Force, by this time, had become a very well known name, and was a target for lawsuits. I recall one, back in 1986, from the big Texas 150th birthday airshow in Waco. A lady crossed into a roped off area and tripped over a rope that was tying down the tail of a TSTI airplane. She broke her leg and sued the CAF for $6000. It wasn't our show, but we were featured on the poster because we were hired to be there. It would have cost us $10,000 to defend ourselves, so we just paid her. This was told to me by (then) CAF Executive Director Ralph Royce at a Wing Staff Conference. Small thing, but were it to be something bigger, it could have cost the CAF everything (the way that Texas law was then). That's why the new companies didn't have CAF in their names, so they could quietly protect the assets.

I hope that explains things somewhat. I've tried to only state facts and leave my opinions out.

[Chunks]

And FWIW I have gotten to the point where when anybody starts in with the political rants they go to 0% credibility with me.

I hope nothing I've written sounds like a political rant. I agree with your point, that's why I said that I hoped something positive would come out of this. If the site becomes a dumping ground for dirty laundry it will die. I want the CAF to succeed, and that will happen by having an informed and active membership. A step towards that is voting for leadership that you trust will make the decisions with the welfare of the organization in mind, and nothing else, especially not personal gain.

Chunks

[k5083]

And FWIW I have gotten to the point where when anybody starts in with the political rants they go to 0% credibility with me.

I hope nothing I've written sounds like a political rant. I agree with your point, that's why I said that I hoped something positive would come out of this. If the site becomes a dumping ground for dirty laundry it will die. I want the CAF to succeed, and that will happen by having an informed and active membership. A step towards that is voting for leadership that you trust will make the decisions with the welfare of the organization in mind, and nothing else, especially not personal gain.

Chunks

I interpreted the comment as referring to the political rants about the country in general, such as the one accompanying Chuck Beasley's first post in the Operation Omega thread. And I absolutely agree with Enemy Ace.

August

[B29B24crewchief]

I have been here since Airsho 2008. The changes and improvements are not monumential but I can assure you they are positive. As I see it, Steve Brown is here and was hired by the General Staff, to improve the quality, appearance and perception of the CAF, which has been in the gutter for many years. In the time he has been here, I have seen continued improvements in all these areas. Leaders are not always popular and don't always do whats favorable to the masses. He has shown me that he is doing what he and the general staff feel is necessary to preserve what the founding members had intended. He is not what some have portrayed as getting rid of those that oppose his views. The general staff did that by a unaimious vote! These are your elected members.
Bottom line; it will get better and "FIFI" will fly this summer!! what else can I say!!!!

My 2 cents

Dave

[bluehawk15]

Perhaps of interest, this posted on Steve Brown's blog on the CAF website:

"I thought I would let everyone know and encourage anyone who would like to come to a meeting in Midland on Friday morning at 0800 on Fri. June 4. This will be an open meeting with myself and many members of the General Staff; including former and current Chiefs of Staff Bill Coombes and Mark Novak.
This meeting is one that I have arranged after some criticism from a few Members regarding the measures the General Staff took in securing the CAF Airpower Museum from an illegal change in Bylaws.
Criticism has been leveled at me and the GS that information has been hidden or stifled. This is untrue and in a continuing attempt to answer any questions and provide any documentation, I repeated an offer that I have made many times to anyone with concerns or questions; that is, the offer to meet personally.
After the last set of critical letters were circulated, over the Internet, I set a date and made a wholesale offer for myself and many of the GS to meet with anyone who wished to discuss the actions taken.
Apparently some members are planning to take me up on the offer, but I haven't heard for sure who or how many.
So, I thought I would broadcast the notice of this meeting to anyone who would like to attend. Whether any of the former members of the Museum Board plan to show up is unknown, but I made it known publicly that all were welcome to attend. The Odessa American quoted Gordon Stevenson as planning to attend to "observe". Along with those CAF members who plan to attend to question the GS's actions, others may have the opportunity to ask those Museum Board members about their motivation in attempting the change of Bylaws; after 20 years of successful operations.
All in all, I look forward to this meeting, where, like the Wing Staff Conference, these matters will be discussed openly.
I hope to see you there-the meeting will be held in the O'Brien Hall, upstairs at the Bush Commemorative Center, behind CAF Headquarters. Friday, June 4, 0800 hrs."

[richkolasa]

I don't know what's changed, and maybe it's despite what HQ is doing, but I'm really happy with what I'm currently seeing, so maybe rocking the boat right now might have unintended consequences.
My two cents.

Ryan

In my best Colonel Flagg; "HQ? Who told you about HQ?"

Suicide is painless...it brings on many changes....and I can take or leave it if I please.

Rich

[mustangdriver]

Col. Flagg: "Without war, you wouldn't know what peace was."

B.J.: "He's got a point."

Hawkeye: "Yeah, it's under his hat."

[B29B24crewchief]

Perhaps of interest, this posted on Steve Brown's blog on the CAF website:

"I thought I would let everyone know and encourage anyone who would like to come to a meeting in Midland on Friday morning at 0800 on Fri. June 4. This will be an open meeting with myself and many members of the General Staff; including former and current Chiefs of Staff Bill Coombes and Mark Novak.
This meeting is one that I have arranged after some criticism from a few Members regarding the measures the General Staff took in securing the CAF Airpower Museum from an illegal change in Bylaws.
Criticism has been leveled at me and the GS that information has been hidden or stifled. This is untrue and in a continuing attempt to answer any questions and provide any documentation, I repeated an offer that I have made many times to anyone with concerns or questions; that is, the offer to meet personally.
After the last set of critical letters were circulated, over the Internet, I set a date and made a wholesale offer for myself and many of the GS to meet with anyone who wished to discuss the actions taken.
Apparently some members are planning to take me up on the offer, but I haven't heard for sure who or how many.
So, I thought I would broadcast the notice of this meeting to anyone who would like to attend. Whether any of the former members of the Museum Board plan to show up is unknown, but I made it known publicly that all were welcome to attend. The Odessa American quoted Gordon Stevenson as planning to attend to "observe". Along with those CAF members who plan to attend to question the GS's actions, others may have the opportunity to ask those Museum Board members about their motivation in attempting the change of Bylaws; after 20 years of successful operations.
All in all, I look forward to this meeting, where, like the Wing Staff Conference, these matters will be discussed openly.
I hope to see you there-the meeting will be held in the O'Brien Hall, upstairs at the Bush Commemorative Center, behind CAF Headquarters. Friday, June 4, 0800 hrs."

I hope this will give anyone and everyone who wants to know the why and whatever, as to the nature of this action. The hope is that some of those museum board members actually show up so they can answer the questions that keep getting overlooked as to why they thought it necessary to take the action they sought? I hope this will put the issue to rest, once and for all and lets get back to what the CAF was founded for. Preserve, protect, educate and fly these magnificant machines.

Dave