Member bashing and name calling has been the order of the day for national leaders serving in the Dechert Administration of the Korean War Veterans Association, Inc. Samples of this are posted on this page of KWVAFirstAmendment.Org. More will be posted as they are sent to this website.
Dechert-Appointeers Refers to Member as "Space Cadet"
"I resent the implication that the present administration is trying to discourage members from joining or renewing their membership. Neither President Dechert nor Director Brodeur cannot take the KWVA money anywhere. What an erroneous statement to make. Where did this Space Cadet come from anyway?
I would like to remind the writer of the previous email that the present Administration is a VERY HONORABLE one and has improved the status of the KWVA in the eyes of Veterans Organizations. Unfortunately, there are those who would rather promote their own agendas rather than work to make the KWVA a larger and better organization as the present Administration is trying to do.
I am not certain what Don Davis does or where he comes from, or where he received his information. He would do well to think for himself, rather than listen to the neysayers and 'get with the program'."
Respectfully,
Stephen Szekely LR10744
Commander
Lake Erie Chapter 112
Euclid, Ohio (On the North Coast)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The following posting on the KWVA Ad Hoc (Yahoo Groups) is indicative of the problem facing the members of the Korean War Veterans Association. Those members who voice their concern over the current administration constantly come under ridicule and/or are threatened with expulsion by Dechert's appointees and his yes men on the council. Winning candidates for national office who opposed Dechert have been expelled, forced out of office, and/or placed "on probation". Once the winners were ousted, losing candidates who are Dechert supporters were appointed by Dechert to fill the "vacancy." Council members have been told to spy on other council members. KWVA members who voice their opinions against Dechert's methods of leadership have been likened to terrorist suicide bombers. They have been called "maggots" and other derogatory names. Members (and even spouses and non-KWVA members) have either actually been expelled or have been given notice that they are under investigation for possible expulsion from the organization "for cause." Essentially, "for cause" means "cause we don't like you." As a result of this circus of events and because they are sick and tired of the abuse of power found within the KWVA national council, a number of KWVA members have written to their Congressmen and Congresswomen requesting that they not support the KWVA's efforts to get a national charter until the KWVA cleans up its act.
On August 5, 2007, Ken Buckley of Bangor, Maine, posted a message on the Yahoo Groups KWVA Ad Hoc page. In it, Buckley warned KWVA members that time is fleeing for the members of the KWVA. Buckley said that, of the 3,295,000 living Korean War era veterans, only 16,000 have chosen to join the KWVA. Buckley went on to voice his opinion as to why this is so:
"No one joins a club to be lambasted for asking a question, or, disagreeing with set policies. No one pays a life membership, only to be kicked out because you got behind a candidate of your own choice to oppose the current one. No one expects, or wants to belong to any organization where e-mails and other forms of communication, including the world wide web, are used to heap sarcasm and downright libelous accusations at members who don't see eye to eye with the administration."
Soon after Buckley's post, the following message was posted by Dechert-supporter and KWVA director Lee Dauster. Dauster's remarks questioning why members don't run for office fall short of reality. In truth, members have opted to throw their hats into the ring for national office--and they won. Unfortunately, their removal from office was immediately orchestrated by the Dechert Administration and the will of the voting members was ignored and negated. (The winners essentially ran and won on an anti-Dechert platform.) Even the dues of some members were deliberately not processed prior to the deadline to declare candidacy. (Members not in good standing cannot run for office.) Meanwhile, more and more members have been brought up on innovative "charges" that will likely result in their removal from the organization due to the Dechert-controlled majority on the council. Those not yet brought up on charges are constantly being ridiculed for voicing anti-Dechert concerns.
The Dechert administration's member-bashing/witch hunt is sending a very loud and clear message to the members of the Korean War Veterans Association: Keep your mouth shut about the way we do business, otherwise we will ridicule you publicly or we will boot you out the KWVA door. (So much for the liberty that Korean War veterans fought and died for in Korea.) Ken Buckley's excellent commentary on the sad state of the KWVA tells it exactly like it is. - Lynnita Brown [August 2007]
"To KWVA ad hoc membership and Buckley et al: The constant gripers. - If the KWVA fails in its mission, and in fact does close in the near future, we can attribute the failure to these people who live in such a small world that criticism of KWVA leadership is of preeminent importance. It is difficult to imagine this group of the membership who contribute NOTHING to the well being of the KWVA. They don't run for office where their "GOOD Ideas" could contribute. No they sit back and do nothing but criticize. In other arenas of military accomplishment these people would be named TRAITORS. They do everything they can to harm the organization. They never offer constructive ideas. They do not run for office or a seat as a Director, where their imaginative minds could demonstrate the leadership they profess. But alas, how much simpler it is to write letters, in an attempt to sway the membership to the Jane Fonda type of KWVA membership. To write to congressional members and denounce the KWVA is indicative of a total lack of loyalty to the VETERAN COMMUNITY. These people have the option of resigning. Why don't they exercise that option?" - Lee Dauster, KWVA Director
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
National Director Calls Members "Brainless Buffoons"
Source: KWVA Yahoo Ad Hoc Group, March 5, 2007
