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Force of Two: In Depth stories from 2 Puerto Rico volunteers on HamRadioNow

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K4AAQ, Oct 28, 2017.

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  1. N0DZQ

    N0DZQ Ham Member QRZ Page



    With all due respect we are going to have to agree to disagree. Just because someone wishes to help at an organized level does not mean they automatically possess the required disciplines needed or required. I am not saying they cannot participate at a different level but having come from a public safety background, I have seen those with good intentions hinder and at times become a detriment/hazard to the public and those charged with a specific task during an event. I know you "feel" strongly on this issue but remember feelings have been known to lead people astray. Making reference to a movie as the basis of an argument does not put forth fact.

    So you know... my posted comments are meant to stimulate thought and conversation as to how we can improve ourselves as a saleable commodity. If we do not, we shall become that story line in a movie.

    Regards,
    John
     
  2. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    " my posted comments are meant to stimulate thought and conversation as to how we can improve ourselves as a saleable commodity."

    Totally agree.

    Still not getting my view on which the book and movie was based on.
    None of the fictional participants in the book were emcom trained / certified and to my recollection no colored attire / vests were used. ( I think the movie was B/W ).

    Also agree that in some past "emcom cases" the radio amateurs became liability / nuisance instead of an asset.
    During Ike such liability probably prompted ONE FEMA distribution point site manager to send the radio amateur home.
    That is called "management" and should have been SAME in case of "force X" if warranted.

    From this discussion and particularly from lack of participations in such discussions elsewhere , from both ARRL and ARC , I am beginning to reinforce my initial believe that as organizations both ARRL and ARC should refrain from involving amateur radio in similar publicity stunts in future.

    73 Shirley
     
  3. WU8Y

    WU8Y Ham Member QRZ Page

    Any ARRL after-action report and lessons learned document will be bashed as "fake" and a "whitewash."
     
  4. WU8Y

    WU8Y Ham Member QRZ Page

    Why? It's part of the mission to promote amateur radio.
     
  5. WU8Y

    WU8Y Ham Member QRZ Page

    *snort* You're getting bashed, and you're going to say, "Yes, they're right, I'm terrible and evil and useless, shut us down now, we're going to kill ourselves!!"???
     
  6. WU8Y

    WU8Y Ham Member QRZ Page

    And if the ARRL had said anything about Jeremy's self-serving "account," they'd be tied up in lawsuits over it for years.
     
  7. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    That always works for me, personally.

    ;-)
     
    W0PV likes this.
  8. W0PV

    W0PV Ham Member QRZ Page

    Nothing wrong with SHARES ops being called upon. Many / most of them are hams too. And if they are current Fed employee's they probably even get PAID when deployed!

    Which brings up that point again, why was ARC-ARRL "Force" retracted? Those in the field have said they were "replaced" by SHARES ops. The ARRL press reports and the recent interview with Val NV9L stated they were replaced by SHARES too.

    But then several SHARES ops have stated in Zed threads that in effect "No, we don't replace hams, we have our own mission(s)" and then the ARRL printed a correctional news release that went no further in explanation, only "clarified" what SHARES says it does.

    Obviously, the ARC/ARRL hams were probably there first, and stationed in hospitals. Then asked to stay later, but shortly after were pulled out, allegedly because SHARES stations were established in nearby government offices.

    If that is replacement, it certainly was not "interchangeable" and seems to have caused serious inconvenience to those medical and public service facilities that had come to depend on direct access to the services of the NGO people.

    So the question to those who know still stands, who decided and why was the help of the Force really withdrawn at that time?
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2017
  9. W0PV

    W0PV Ham Member QRZ Page

    The ARRL could just start by posting all the daily ARC/ARRL Force SITREPS and EF-2 reports that Val says she spent so much time and effort filling out and submitting, and of which she still receives in her email. Lets have some transparency about the actual "action" and we can form our own "after" opinion reports.
     
    AI7PM likes this.
  10. K0IDT

    K0IDT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ain't going to happen. I bugged my director no end to publish all the comments to their "member surveys" and got the usual run around. You can say the
    results of the survey are anything you like as long as the comments stay in house.

    p.s. 8Y give it a rest already, you're still on my list and you're not getting any better.
     
  11. KG7LEA

    KG7LEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    I think the deal was ARRL hams for 21 days working for the Red Cross. The Red Cross decides what help it needs and—for whatever reason(s)—decided not to seek and extension with replacement hams. This was reportedly (not in the podcast) done after a meeting between ARRL and Red Cross in San Juan. Initial information was that SHARES operators would replace the hams, but this was walked back. That was of no consequence since the Red Cross decided it did not need the ARRL hams any longer. The hams on the ground believed they were doing a good job and they did a fantastic job. The Red Cross apparently decided they had done their duty and were relieved after their term of service was complete.

    If the hams and ARRL can do a better job in the future we will have to wait for the Red Cross to let us know.
     
    WU8Y likes this.
  12. KG7LEA

    KG7LEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    After major public service events, particularly multi-day operations, volunteers let the organizers and each other know what worked and what didn't. We pat ourselves and each other on the back, compose epic poetry, and engage in self criticism. It's all valuable (except perhaps the poetry) and contributes to the next event.

    We just want to do a good job.
     
    WU8Y likes this.
  13. W0PV

    W0PV Ham Member QRZ Page

    Sorry, at this point I am not willing to swallow kool-aid, sing Kumbaya, and accept a white-wash.

    This account still leaves too much in the OP video unexplained. Watch and listen to the testimony of Jeremy and Mike starting at 1:37 and at least through 1:42:00.

    Yes, something happened in a meeting which changed the mind of the ARC from a longer deployment to abruptly cutting if off. From what N5TGL said FEMA was probably a part of those meetings too, allegedly at one point asking for the hospital deployments.

    The minutes, conduct and tone of especially that mission end decision meeting, along with an accurate list of participants, is a valuable nugget that is important to understand, and someone in the ARRL fully knows what that is. Instead of being transparent the ARRL has tried to brush it aside with a veiled attempt at a mistaken cover up that SHARES took over.

    Then watch from 1:50:35 - 2:04:15. Especially at 2:01. WTF is that all about? Until I see evidence to the contrary, that can only be interpreted as ARRL leadership subverting its own successful volunteers for their own agendas. What were those and why? I wouldn't be surprised if the ARC caught wind of that BS and hastily pulled the plug to keep ham-slop off its shoes.

    The ARRL official statement only continued to conceal details they know and used the RC for cover. Disgraceful, and unhelpful for the future.

    John, WØPV
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2017
    AI7PM likes this.
  14. NS0S

    NS0S Ham Member QRZ Page

    I read through some of this thread tonight. I like the lively discussion. I want to answer some thoughts that were posted about me here and on another thread. One, I never left my post. Two, I was in direct contact with ARC HQ when I could not contact net control. I had an Inreach Satellite device that could text message. I do not know if those messages on the other thread were directed at me. But, if you want to see Ranger Rick pictures I have them.

    As for anything I said being possibly inaccurate. I saved most of my emails. Winlink did some update last week and I lost some of those messages when they changed something. I do have emails confirming I was lied to. If the ARRL did investigate anything they could ask to see the text messages on my Inreach device. It was on a corporate device that tracked each message I sent. The device is own by the Red Cross. I know for a fact those messages are saved on a server because of a humorous encounter when I discovered they were being read. I even have messages from 3rd parties who were not in our group that witnessed some of the situations.

    And, I doubt I would ever tie anything up in lawsuits. If there were any information that was factually untrue there is a distinct possibility of a libel lawsuit. I doubt anyone would go this far. The comment about a operator not following directives is borderline libel. By saying this was "reported" and making it a third party statement is troubling. It is equivalent to a tabloid article reporting some story they heard. They are just publishing what they heard and not the truth. It seems like they would like to give some illusion as if I was not following directions. This is false. There are text messages that the Red Cross has that shows that I am telling the truth.

    If I wanted to start really throwing people under the bus I have a long stack of emails I can publish. I can post pictures of situations I encountered. I can post emails I was sent my members of the ARRL leadership when I got back. I can post chat messages of issues I discussed. I can write a long story and really name names. I can be specific to a level that would be very troubling. Ask my wife how good my memory is and see what she says. Although, I am certain after 15 years of marriage her memory is greater than my own at times.

    I would personally like an apology from the ARRL but they won't. That would be equivalent to admitting fault which I am sure they are incapable of.

    I can admit fault. I wrote the CEO an email just today apologizing for what I said about the ARRL. The ARRL does do good work. But, they also need to fix some issues. I didn't intend my comments to be directed at the ARRL as a whole. I also didn't intend for my comments to be directed at the entire amateur radio community. When you have an issue with multiple members of a company you stop using their business. The ARRL should create an opportunity for its members to have their voices heard. The board should be made up of volunteers who are elected to their positions without any nonsense. Members should not be pulled from the ballot so only their friend can run for a position unopposed. And, when there is multiple examples of evidence that what I am saying is true they should correct the situation. I can understand there is some confusion in communications. When you are in a disaster zone communicating reliable information is difficult. Messages can be misinterpreted or confused. My issue is not with a confusion in communication.

    There were some good members of the group. I thought Joe, Raphael, Mike, Craig, Bobby, and Bill did some awesome work. There were other great people down there in our group. I really enjoyed the limited time I had with Bill. He is an entertaining and talented person.

    If someone has a specific question for me ask away. I do not read this forum often but my email is on my qrz page. I consider any information I share with a stranger here basically public information. I have nothing to hide. And, quite honestly I do not really care with the ARRL has to say about my situation. I have bigger fish to fry as the saying goes. I do not work with these people in my normal life. They aren't members of my family. They aren't my neighbors. I have nothing to gain or lose. So, if they want to fix the issues I brought up good for them. If they don't, not my circus, not my monkey.

    If another Maria happens I would love to go an help again. I am pretty sure the people I went with know my capabilities and expertise. I am nothing special either. There are a lot more gifted people than me out there. There were members of our team I envied for their knowledge and experience. In the mean time I will just listen for that bell to ring here. I get enough enjoyment serving my local community every day.

    Jeremy
     
    KX4O, AI7PM, WJ0B and 1 other person like this.
  15. AA7EJ

    AA7EJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Jeremy,
    after the lost battle, dead foot solider is seldom blame for the outcome.
    It's the generals who get sacked.
    Under the circumstances you guys and girls did what you could.

    Unfortunately the generals - ARRL membership collecting publishing house "leadership" have no upper generals to stop them from repeating the fiasco.
    To prevent such repeat the "action" must come from within, from the ordinary members.

    PS
    Since you indicated willingness to discuss, here is a question for you.

    Could you indicate how prepared was the "force" to operate in Spanish speaking area?

    Would my Spanish knowledge suffice ?

    ¿Donde están los baños?

    73 Shirley
     

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