An emergency new revision of CAPR 52-10, CAP Cadet Protection Policy, released today (11 January 2006), adds the following new paragraph:
1d. Reporting to State Agency. There may be a mandatory requirement to report certain types of physical, sexual or emotional abuse to a designated state agency. Requirements vary from state to state. Members having knowledge of abuse must follow reporting requirements under their state's laws. Your wing legal officer can help you to know what laws apply. It is reassuring that reasoned decisions resulted after I spent a full day of pleading with Major General Pineda, National Commander, CAP, for him to instruct the information above be included in CPPT training, and having him repeatedly say "NO!" ending our conversations with the statement: "That is the end, there is no more." (Transcript of emails will soon be available at http://STARRSwon.com )
After a detailed conversation with CAP General Counsel Stanley Liebowitz, after my failed pleas to General Pineda and Col. Liebowitz's follow-up conversations with Major General Pineda, CAP General Counsel Liebowitz assured me that General Pineda, after substantial conversation with him, had agreed with my assertion that simply reporting suspected child abuse up the Civil Air Patrol chain of command may not, and in states REQUIRING civil reporting will not, relieve the reporting person of other obligations to report to the appropriate State Authorities concurrently (for those who did not know what imprimatur means when TN Vols. Coach Fulmer used it, concurrently means "at the same time" .)
At no point can CAP's CAPR 52-10 grant, nor does it imply that it does or ever did grant, any "grand-fathering in" for those who have refused to follow established and settled public city, county, state, or national laws regarding obligations to report SUSPECTED, REPORTED or KNOWN CHILD ABUSE. CAP simply has no authority to say that since this emergency revision just was published yesterday, Wing Commanders, Wing Chiefs of Staff, and other commanders are given a pass on their statutory obligation to report suspected, reported or known child abuse that they, for whatever reason failed to report. Indeed, the revision is clear that if you live in a state where such reporting is required of ALL citizens (as in Tennessee and 17 other states), and now have been notified by the revision to CAPR 50-10 that: Members having knowledge of abuse must follow reporting requirements under their state's laws, You may now be exposed to civil and criminal consequences if you do not report within the child's protection by statutes of limitations, and the statute of limitations may well be, involving a minor child, to 2 years beyond the child reaching the age of majority, or when the child reaches the age of 20.
In an earlier email, I referred to this emergency revision to CAPR 50-10 as being the "Phillip Blansett Memorial Revision", because of my undaunting work in causing the revision to be written. I am proud of bringing this needed revision to Civil Air Patrol.
It is the disinterest by leadership at every CAP level, until when in engaged in conversation with CAP General Counsel, that caused me to invoke the wisdom of an ancient who cautioned: "Do not keep the company of fools." and to resign my membership. But I never resigned my obligations as a citizen, and while not keeping the company of fools, I continue to crusade against the bullying of the powerful and the dismissal of the just.
One of my issues has been answered by the mature and reasoned leadership of CAP General Counsel who was able to convince the various commanders to adopt a more reasoned and legal approach.
But, there are others:
A. The 2-PIC policy will be demonstrated on 11 February 2006 at 12 Noon at Lebanon Airport, M-54, Lebanon, Tennessee and you are invited: http://starrswon.com/InvitationTO2PIC.htm Don't miss this. Most Aircraft and Aircrew Insurance Underwriters have been invited. You'll witness a true aberration (for those who did not know what imprimatur means when TN Vols. Coach Fulmer used it, aberration means "a deviation from the normal. A distortion." ) in the Flying community. Virtually no one believes that the very idea of having two pilots in charge is possible... except in a shared responsibility community such as witnessed in the communes of the 1960s. In flight, virtually everyone believes there can only be one pilot in charge, and that pilot in charge must sit in a location where he or she can have immediate access to flight controls, an in the case of a check ride, be able to give minimal instruction, be a CFI and have a valid medical. Unfortunately, those within CAP, from TN Wing through Southeast Region and National Headquarters are unable to say that the 2-PIC policy frequently in use (as revealed by one CFI who admits using it on multiple occasions) is wrong. Therefore, we will witness the implimentation of that policy in a demonstration on 11 February 2006 at 12 Noon at Lebanon Airport, M-54, Lebanon, Tennessee and you are invited: http://starrswon.com/InvitationTO2PIC.htm
2. A non governmental panel is gathering on 18 February 2006 at 12 Noon at Lebanon Airport, M-54, Lebanon, Tennessee and you are invited. This panel will not conflict with any governmental TITLE VI inquiry that may be on going regarding access in CAP. This will simply a gathering of interested folk from the community at large, some coming from across the country, perhaps with memberships in organizations such as NAACP (invited) and RainbowPush (invited) and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (invited) as well as other groups an individuals. This gathering of interested folk from the community at large resulted from an inability or unwillingness of Wing, Region and/or National leaders to gather their own panels of anywhere from 10 to 15 or so Lieutenant Colonels and/or Colonels who consider themselves to have descended from African American heritage, but who are not serving as Chaplains. Notwithstanding their unwillingness or inability to form such panels, we will witness the implementation of one such panel on 18 February 2006 at 12 Noon at Lebanon Airport, M-54, Lebanon, Tennessee and you are invited: http://starrswon.com/InvitationTOracismPANEL.htm this panel being dedicated to the honor of one Eunice Jacque Bullard, the only American Pilot gallantly serving in active combat for French and British Air Forces during World War I prior to America's entrance who was not invited to join the American Army Air Corps, and whose request to join was denied.
Finally, I've received email from people whom I consider well intentioned asking me why I have been "attacking Civil Air Patrol and trying to destroy such a great organization." I've always, and I do now, responded, Which would you wish me to drop?
You want the now agreed determination that CAP Members also report to civil authorities instances of physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse? Or would you want to commend me on causing that revision but rebuke me for wanting only 1-PIC in any aircraft, medically qualified CFI's who have immediate access to flight controls and who can offer minimal instruction during a check flight? Is that the one you want me to abandon? Or you really like the absence of enough of people who consider themselves of African American Descent so that you can't come close to forming a panel to discuss how to reflect more of the demographics of our nation.
Perhaps it is that one. You tell me an I'll consider dropping it. I've made this offer to several "trusted members of Tennessee Wing Staff" but they've never made a choice or responded.
Pity.
I look forward to my return to a stronger, better, more responsible and capable Civil Air Patrol, and I hope that will develop within the two years allowed to those whose records have not been "black flagged" against rejoining.
Phillip L. Blansett, Ph.D.
Major, CAP (resigned)
Counseling and Consultation Associates