"Slush fund" a factor in USNA supe’s exit

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p>Its not whether or not Fowler has been a poor leader; we all have an opinon about that. In fact, it is not whether or not he handled the football player incident very well. AGain, we all have an opinion about that. Most of us, however, move on … . Lou does not. It wouldl be the same as if some of us ended every post w/ a reference to the food debacle of three years ago. </p>

<p>The point is, Lou, is that you can’t seem to move on. could we find “bad” stuff about the other academies? Probably. But most of us seem to have a life that goes on despite the mismanagement, poor management, or lack of management that exists at the Academy. You have relegated yourself to sit in the the pile with others who could not or would not “let it go” , e.g. '69 and all of his iterations. </p>

<p>What is interesting is how you cruise [and post] to all of th threads. Coast Guard thread too boring for you?</p>

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<p>Let’s get back to the food thread. Cod Dogs and all!</p>

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<p>Call attention to the messenger and ignore the message. Typical. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Fine with me, I’m not gonna run away and change my screen my three or four times. I’ve got much thicker skin than USNA69/mombee/SONG72/Mongo or whatever he is calling himself these days.</p>

<p>Hey Bill, the story about the slush fund was just posted this week, how does that reconcile with your statement about “moving on, not letting go”? What I posted was current. Should it be ignored? </p>

<p>Some here seem to think that if anything that somehow casts a bad shadow on any academy is wrong to post. They’d rather ignore the news, keep it tucked away in some vault lest someone else find out about it.</p>

<p>Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it.</p>

<p>Those that ignore leadership failures, criminal behavior from mids/cadets, bad policy, and other “not so glamorous” news are living in fantasy land.</p>

<p>If you’ve got scandalous news about USCGA, post it. If you’ve got it about USMA, post it. USMMA and USAFA? Post it. </p>

<p>Otherwise, your statement has no basis in fact and is irrelevant to this discussion about Jeff Fowler and his stain on the USNA.</p>

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<p>Luigi59,</p>

<p>We get it. You posted the article. Everyone is now more informed, great. You don’t like USNA’s previously leadership. Great, we get it. Enough is enough . Just give up, you’ve made your point. Now move on. You don’t have to add “who tests positive for drug use, because of his value (7.1 yards per carry) to the D1 football team” to every single thing you post. </p>

<p>-Looking forward to your return to serviceacademyforums</p>

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<p>It is funny all of you are blasting Fowler without even reading the report. Luigi, did you know that some of the money was for enlisted recognition, SOQ/SOY, incentives on the accomplishment of Promotion of middle enlisted, upgrading enlisted moral (which prior to his arrival was dismal). There was money spent on other sports, diversity iniatives, all sorts of things that were well intentioned. I disagree with Fowler on 90% of what he has done here, but the Fund was used for good things. Things that made it better to be at USNA. The problem was in the method he utilized the funds and who gave him counsel on how to account for them. Parsons should have kept him properly counseled on how to achieve these things using those funds in the correct way. Parsons should be fired not get a 5 day suspension. Everyone should read the report before you shoot your mouth’s off. The Media spun this into aomething that was nothing. Fowler needed to go but not for this.</p>

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<p>Hey Luigi have you ever posted anything positive about USNA? You have only posted negative facts, opinions and conclusions. There is obviously a reason for such. Did someone you know want to attend USNA and was turned down? You certainly dump on USNA at every opportunity. You are the first to post any type of bad news on this forum.</p>

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<p>So that excuses it? :rolleyes: Wow. If only that excuse worked in real life, every person who robs a bank could give some of the money away to charity and get a free pass.</p>

<p>After all, some of the money went to good use, right? :rolleyes:</p>

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<p>Too much positive about USNA to choose from. 99% of all the news I read about, the news I hear about, the news I see, the things I see, and the things I hear about USNA are positive. </p>

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<p>THe “facts” that are posted are legitimate news. They are investigated and printed by Navy Times, Baltimore Sun, AP, etc. I’m not on the yard interviewing Professor Fleming or Marcus Curry. I’ll leave that to the news reporters. They and their editors found it newsworthy enough to print, why should you want to ignore it? This latest report is from teh Inspector General of teh US Navy, who publicly stated that the slush fund used by Fowler was a factor in his departure. You want to ignore that?</p>

<p>As for opinions, yes, we all are entitled to ours. If you disagree, fine. But to castigate someone for differing from yours, suggesting that their opinion should be repressed and/or censored? Not going to happen.</p>

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<p>No, no reason other than “google news search” delivers to my inbox everyday any story about any of the service academies, USNA, USMA, USCGA, USAFA, and USMMA. If the article seems worthy of discussion, I’ll post it. If not, I won’t. Not really much more to it than that.</p>

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<p>Hmm, no one that I can think of. In fact, I had two friends from high school go, my sister’s son just graduated in 2005, one of my closest friends graduated in 86 and spend 15 years active duty, and at least 3 or my son’s close friends received appointments and are there today. So that theory is gone.</p>

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<p>About any of the academies. Not just USNA. When something happens that is newsworthy, it deserves to be discussed, I believe. Regardless of which academy.</p>

<p>What is most surprising is the venom, the hatred, the outright rage that some of the postings bring from those who want to ignore each and every foul smell coming from Annapolis. They whistle past the graveyard, fiddle while Rome burns, etc. Their pollyanna attitude, ignoring the degradation of honor and character under Jeff Fowler, is astounding. </p>

<p>They’d rather attack me than do something about the problem that led to the post.</p>

<p>Fascinating.</p>

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<p>Well partner as I mentioned the problems at USNA will surface and will be taken care of in time. </p>

<p>Remember that you are slamming every Mid and graduate as you post. It’s similiar to having brothers fight but if someone outside the family starts in then look out.</p>

<p>I don’t see the 99% positive posted or mentioned here. In fact, if I only read these post and didn’t know that much about USNA, I would have a very negative attitude towards the place.</p>

<p>I would think that you could have good discussion about positive finding on Goggle searches.</p>

<p>Not buying any of the stuff you put above. Something has ****ed you off and you intend to mete off as much as you can on USNA…</p>

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<p>Lou, like many of his ilk, misdirects everybody’s attention in order to obfuscate his intentions. The criticism is not directed at whether or not negative news about the Academies should be posted; rather, the criticism is based on the relentless, repetitive, over and over, singleminded, nature of the posts, e.g. inclusion of the 7.1 yards per carry in every post about Fowler. </p>

<p>But, as with many before him, there will always be a retort, a misdirect, a denial, a finding of defect in anything, everything that is said about the nature of the posts. So it goes in CCworld.</p>

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<p>I hate piling on because Lou has made many informed and informative contributions here, imo. Conversely, I have to concur w/ Bill, cga, and others that this chronic ax-grinding in recent times, is unproductive, unfair, unreasonable and unbecoming. :mad:</p>

<p>That said, I’m hoping you’ll consider putting the tools of destruction back in the box, Lou and turning a newer, better leaf. Hey, if I’m working at it, maybe we can tag-team 'em! :wink: </p>

<p>Now, if could just figure out JustAMom’s gig and where she gets her notions and info …:eek:</p>

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<p>Luigi, if you rely on the press you will get the bias of the writer, I took the time to read the entire 110pages of the report. The IG has a valid point, but the writers in all the news reports you mentioned absolutely put a negative bias. Fowler received no personal benefit from this. It is just how he let Parsons do the accounting. I am no Fowler Fan, I think he was a lousy Supe. He just doesn’t deserve the way this was reported. If you want to throw stones read the report. Then you can hack away informed correctly. All the articles highlite the reports facts in a way that does not represent the completed findings of the TOTAL report.</p>

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<p>Luigi said…"So that excuses it? Wow. If only that excuse worked in real life, every person who robs a bank could give some of the money away to charity and get a free pass.</p>

<p>After all, some of the money went to good use, right? " </p>

<p>Again Fowler did not “Rob the Bank” He received no gain from the fund. He is a CEO of a major institution who was told by the person who should know (Parsons) how to receive, spend, and account for this money that has no actual counterpart in the Big Navy. The rules for financial management were set up for Big Navy, not for a University. He utilized the funds in a way that most major Universities do, however, that does not work in the Navy world. The donations are a relatively recent (last 10 years or so) happenstance and there is not a long history, or lots of regs (specific to the SA’s) to guide the user. The other SA’s will be watching closely and I am sure new rules will be written to guide the Next Supe’s to come.</p>

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<p>Mike, I like your spirit and I fully concur w/ your point that none of this was for personal gain. But he knew, and Parsons takes orders from him, ultimately. Not the other way around. </p>

<p>The ret. General Wilkenson at Naval Institute attempted to explain the situation similarly that Fowler got caught in the mine field that lies between being a USN admiral and a USNA “president”/Supe. And in fact, now we may be seeing why most universities do not hire sub jockeys w/ scrambled eggs on their mortar boards to run their institutions. Nor should the USN hire an academic to drive its boats and ships. But …unfortunately, the Navy laid on the Supe sub jock the responsibility for enhancing the diversity and consequently, the image of its educational base. </p>

<p>The 3.7 mill spent on video production and placements is simply implementing a plan essential (and effective) to getting the message out to minorities. Fowler was doing what he was told to do. He simply morphed into Machiavelli, thinking in the end outcomes would justify the means. </p>

<p>Where this gets into weirdness and abberant behaviors, imo, is the Supe’s alleged spending of funds designated for underwriting tailgate expenses for Mids at various contests including the bowls …on coaches and their wives. What is that all about? Bizarre. </p>

<p>Sadly, his head may not be the only one to roll in the aftermath of his egotistical shenanigans. Sorta like German soldiers being hung simply because the Fuhrer sp? told them to dance. And they did.</p>

<p>Maybe McChrystal and Fowler’ll start a PR and/or accounting firm. :eek:</p>

<p>Man, there are some intriguing case studies in all this for political scientists and MBA candidates.</p>

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<p>I read the report. It says that they spend $400,000 every year for 6 years on a tailgate party. Steak dinners for football players while the rest of the Mids ate hamburger buns & gravy at King Hall. </p>

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<p>I would disagree. Maybe not directly, like taking the money and buying a car or vacation home, but certainly he benefited indirectly by inviting and entertaining higher-ranking officers, influential business leaders and industry titans, and corporate executive types who can offer him a high-paying position after he retires. Who else attended these lavish affairs? I would love to see a guest list.</p>

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<p>Hard to ignore something right on the front page. </p>

<p>So when the Next Big Academy Scandal hits, I can depend on who to post it? USNA69/mombee/SONG72? :rolleyes: :D</p>

<p>I don’t think it’s proper to ignore front-page news about mismanagement, scandal, crimes, drugs, and other things that are happening at our academies. All of the academies, not just USNA. Yes, they are under a big spotlight, but they deserve to be. We send our best and brightest to these places, we expect their conduct, honor, and character to be spotless, and we expect their leaders to do the same. </p>

<p>When they mess up (in Annapolis, West Point CoS, New London, or KP) and it makes the news, I think it should be talked about, discussed, and debated. </p>

<p>Not hidden, censored, and ignored.</p>

<p>I hoped we all could agree on that, but it certainly appears to be the opposite. Many here would rather ignore and hide the bad news.</p>

<p>I often wonder what they are so afraid of?</p>

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Sure would be nice to find out, wouldn’t it?</p>

<p>Actually several fellow posters have PMed me with breaking stories. I tell them to post it. Then the discussion turns into a bet as to how long it will take Luigi to post it.</p>

<p>Again, Luigi, it is not the posting of the articles, it is the wild totally speculative assumptions that accompany them.</p>

<p>WP, I will grant you that Admiral Fowler knew about it. But did he know that it was not proper?</p>

<p>Renovating Bancroft? It just happened. Probably won’t happen again for another 20 years or so.</p>

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<p>^^^
With the predilection of shooting the messenger around here posters would rather PM USNA69/mombee/SONG72 than actually post a news story themselves. The news is what it is regardless of who posts it. You don’t like the types of negative news stories coming out about the USNA? Either don’t read them or do something to improve the problems.</p>

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<p>Geez, I guess we just need to lobby our “Congresspeople” to make USCGA and USMMA redundant and fold the the cadets into USNA, and make USNA the premier institution for providing Coasties and Merchant Mariners to their respective services so Lou will have a real reason to leave us alone - or get on the “7.1 yards-per-carry” bandwagon.</p>

<p>Seems silly to have three federally funded academies providing sea officers to the gubmint…</p>

<p>:cool:</p>

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<p>USNA84, we would just have to annex St. John’s College to fit in the extra Cadets :p</p>