Author Fred J. Schoeffler and other contributing authors
Views expressed to "the public at large” and "of public concern"
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Abbreviations used: Wildland Firefighters (WFs) - Firefighters (FFs).
All emphasis is added unless otherwise noted.
For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance.
Psalm 55:12-14
A false witness shall not be unpunished,
he that speaketh lies will not escape.
Proverbs 19:5 (NKJV)
"It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong."
François-Marie Arouet - a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his nom de plume Voltaire, famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—especially the Roman Catholic Church—and of slavery. An advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer.
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln
Consider now the near-perfect image to set the stage for this post ...
Figure 1. Janus-Faced image Source: American Inquiry, Susan Barsy, 2019
Referring to Figure 1. above, author Susan Barsy states: "Janus is the Roman god of beginnings and endings; of gates, doors, and seasons; and all sorts of metaphorical passages. Associated with time and change, the two-faced god, whose gaze takes in both past and future, presides over all transitions, 'whether abstract or concrete, sacred or profane.' He opens and shuts doors with his key, his staff (depicted as a living branch heavy with fruit) symbolizing his power to determine what prospers. From this architect of the new, the month of January takes its name."
Considering the even stranger-looking Sultones' image below in Figure 3., it is from a Facebook post by a guy named Paul Brizo. The image details aptly support the points this author is making in this post which is two-fold. This post will deal with the questionable course(s) of action of two former US Forest Service (USFS); Hot Shots that allegedly both turned Quisling, allowing their newly acquired power to go to their heads. Especially Mayhew's alleged attitude and actions excluding contrary opinions in several public forums and Nuttal's alleged dictatorial actions.
The alleged somewhat convoluted and tangled web begins with a former Los Padres HS (Brad Mayhew) that went into the wildland fire Human Factors business, encouraged by this author. And the other, a former Heber Hot Shot (Jake Nuttal) - both of them former Hot Shot "Brothers" by all rights - one that initially, incrementally positively and successfully soared to the level of a Forest Training Specialist. And then worked his way up to a USFS Geographical Area Training Representative and Regional Workforce & Development Specialist within the Southwest Area Training Committee Membership listed in Appendix A on page 6 within the SWA Training Committee Charter. However, he would eventually advance much further in his career, on up to the could-be-dangerous level amongst those so-called "well established men" in the upper ranks as key decision-makers or decision-breakers.
Ponder this Snippet image of alleged "Pastor" Brad Mayhew's histrionic antics.
Figure 2. alleged "Pastor" Brad Mayhew animation and histrionics Snippet image Source: Todd Conklin Pre-Accident Investigations podcast
Many of us, including this author, worked on some of the very same wildfires as these two former Hot Shots. The alleged Pastor Brad Mayhew, who would become the eventual YH Fire "Lead Investigator" (LI). And the alleged "Judas" Jake Nuttal who became the eventual SWA Regional Fire Operations Director after a formal temporary assignment to the USFS Washington Office! What happened to both of them? Either by choice, or by Agency edict and grooming, or by personal malice, or whatever, they attained their allegedly respective steady rises to infamy, betraying those well established Agency ethics and conduct principles of good leadership, and good mentorship, attained while USFS Hot Shots; then drifting from their solid grounding. However, something untoward apparently occurred along the way, ultimately rocketing them both to become those alleged "chosen" USFS Quislings that are comfortable betraying others, doing what "they" wanted them to do. They allegedly spent several years grooming Nuttal for this power position. Or was this merely an ingrained deviancy within these two to begin with? Eventually, "they" allegedly wanted Mayhew and Nuttal to continue to be at the forefront of blocking this author's ability to share the truth about the June 30, 2013, YH Fire and GMHS debacle - the biggest cover-up, lie, and whitewash in wildland fire history!
Here's an informative and thought provoking InvestigativeMEDIA post by WTKTT questioning whether or not the GMHS were ever officially certified as a Type I HS Crew (https://www.investigativemedia.com/please-begin-yarnell-hill-fire-chapter-xxvii-here/#comment-479183)
“Men, it has been said, think in herds; it can be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.” Charles Mackay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds. Project Gutenberg (2008)
Let's explore their alleged ongoing schemings and why it might be advantageous to know more about these alleged "Public Servants." This author alleges that both Mayhew and Nuttal are the epitome of what's become known as the Party Liners, with their tentacles allegedly reaching into everything regarding the June 2013 YH Fire and GMHS debacle. This author also alleges that by pursuing this tactic they are / were likely attempting to create an impervious, impenetrable supremacy in the darkened foxholes of the USFS under the guise of legitimacy. This author further alleges that under the protective canopy of the US Forest Service - in tandem - they have likely conspired, hunted, and identified us as some sort enemy attempting to de-legitimize those that they deemed unfit to engage in and express our solemn Constitutional rights of Free Association, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of the Press regarding the historical June 2013 YH Fire and GMHS tragedy. This thwarted the required "complete lessons learned" needed to successfully reduce the number of inevitable wildland fire fatalities. Among other things, it likely was to avoid the phrase fostered by Diane Vaughan in System Effects: on Slippery Slopes, Repeating Negative Patterns, and Learning From Mistakes? She is the one who coined the phrases " from the Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003) space shuttle disasters as the "Normalization of Deviance." Using this as a proxy to the YH Fire, one would think these so-called "experts" (LI & SWA FD) should and would be the ones revealing the truth about the June 2013 YH Fire and GMHS debacle. At a minimum, we should be allowed to speak up and speak out in public forums and advocate for positive changes putting WF and FF safety first instead of allegedly burying facts and the truth as these Quislings likely did.
So then, this author alleges - strongly suggesting - that both Nuttal
and his fellow Quisling and Hot Shot "Brother" - the one-and-only YH Fire alleged Pastor Brad Mayhew - would likely have had plenty of time to commiserate and to communicate on-and-off enough with each other over the years. Then the YH Fire began. It is an accepted fact throughout the WF and FF realm and our world-renowned YH Fire Revelations website that there were possibly several firing operations that became necessary on the YH Fire, one of which was alleged to likely have killed the GMHS. However, the SAIT-SAIR chose instead to falsely blame their deaths on the wind shift! These firing operations, especially the Sesame Street and Shrine Corridor areas were treated cavalierly by possible unskilled WFs and FFs under questionable supervision. All the while concurrently and simultaneously working on the YH Fire, both as the Lead Investigator (LI) Mayhew and as a Division-Group Supervisor (DIVS) Nuttall, they had to know this was a reality. This is based on several accusatory public records. Clearly, a permissible inference!
"It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt - Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910
Knowing full well that this author is an outright critic of the YH Fire and GMHS debacle from the beginning, and also a Truth Teller regarding other wildland fire cover-ups, this author would have been alleged and / or considered to be a threat to them based on discussions with Mayhew over the years currying favor with the USFS in various bogus wildland fire alleged investigation / review forums posted on the internet and the WLF LLC Incident Reviews forums, e.g. Pagami Creek Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLA) (2011) fairy tale and the convoluted Saddleback Learning Review (LR) (2013). It was even posted in Wildfire Today with this nauseating and obsequious comment from Bill Gabbert (RiP) in the June 20, 2012, Wildfire Today ("The very well done FLA is a must read. Someone should make a movie about this."). And then the alleged nefarious plan(s) to do a real "investigation" on the YH Fire, which he claims he did very well San Diego Safety Summit in 2023. However, he actually denies it in one of his publications and wants to revisit it because he claims that he is the only one qualified to accomplish this (Fireline Factors). So well, in fact, that his allegedly former light no longer shines in this dark world; he allegedly chose instead to become likely one of the many darker forces in the USFS world of deception. This author strongly alleges and contends that it is a permissible inference that Brad Mayhew (BM), as the YH Fire Lead Investigator (LI), and Nuttall as the SWA Regional Fire Director (SW-RFD) performing as a DIVS on the YH Fire, either while holding the SWA position or while on a formal detail to the USFS Washington Office, logically follows that the same thing appears to apply to "Judas" Jake Nuttall (JJN): it also appears that he subscribed to all of it and felt and still feels the need to further carry it on to discredit Schoeffler revealing the truth about the YH Fire and GMHS debacle in other forums.
This author confidently alleges and posits the following: (1) Given both Mayhew and Nuttall's respective Regional and / or National affiliations, (2) this author's professional associations with each of these individuals as well as at least some of the same Regional and / or National affiliation opportunities for access and exposure to public records (e.g. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lawsuit), (3) the numerous USDA USFS FOIA and PA Requests filed by this author leading up to the eventual lawsuit, etc.) and (4) the numerous personal and professional opportunities to perpetuate this alleged widespread fraud campaign. This author alleges that Mayhew and Nuttal have engaged in a likely combined, continuous, and almost unlimited collective falsehood, and unprofessionalism to establish the false rationales for discounting their discrimination. Employing an alleged hazy amalgam of guesswork, gossip, falsified information, intimidation, and academic arrogance, the BM and JJN hierarchy slowly and steadily cobbled together a likely personal quasi-judicial, quasi-national bureaucratic Hans and Franz setup with a Machiavellian twist resulting in the bogus SAIT-SAIR.
Especially Nuttal's alleged dictatorial actions. First off, the heart of the matter is about the alleged SWA "Janus" Jake Nuttall and his alleged illegal and unprofessional actions and decisions in February 2023 flat out prohibiting this author from both attending the SWA HS Workshop and giving his presentation. (not included) This post is further revealing his discriminatory attitude and behavior, he allowed another former HS Supt. to attend the SWA HS AAR and give his presentation on many of the same subjects as this author.
Figure 3. See the world more clearly, open to different perspectives image. Source: Roland Topor #Criticalthinking#Perspective#Truth, LinkedIn
Given that the SWA USFS WFs and others within the SWA or under his supervision on a fire assignment, will be forced to deal with this alleged Janus-faced individual; the same one that cowardly relayed through the SWA Steering Committee Chairman that he prohibited this author from attending the Feb. 22-23, 2023, Southwest Area (SWA) IHC Workshop stating it was: "Because of all your lawsuits against the USFS, all your FOIA Requests, and your persistent speaking truth to power attitude."
"Because of all your lawsuits against the USFS, all your FOIA Requests, and your persistent speaking truth to power attitude."
Really? Please consider our tried-and-trued First Amendment rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution passed by Congress Sept. 25, 1789. Ratified Dec. 15, 1791. (American Library Association - First Amendment and Censorship)
Consider now what appears to be a classic USDA USFS deception, shell game, and manipulation of facts and the truth. In the July 25, 2023, USDA USFS EEO Policy Statement screenshot of paragraph three (Figure 4a.), the July 25, 2023, date is quite clear. Or is it a coincidence? Because the USDA USFS, on Sept, 27, 2023, would ultimately deny and dismiss this author's EEO Complaint utilizing a completely different legal authority with a later date excluding the descriptive and exclusive phrase - "former employee" - clearly depicted in Figure 4.
Figure 4/4a. (above & left) Sept. 27, 2023, Snippet Source: USDA EEO
Consider Figure 4b. below and compare and contrast the USDA USFS EEO Policy Statement. Note there is a glaring contradiction and disparity here regarding USDA EEO policy. This July 23, 2023, USDA USFS EEO Policy Statement clearly states: "No employee, former employee, or applicant for employment at the Department will be denied equal opportunity ..." (USDA USFS EEO Policy Statement - https://www.fs.usda.gov). However, the "former employee" is excluded and missing for September 2023. Was that an intentional move? Was the USDA aware of the July and September 2023 date disparity?
Figure 4b. July 25, 2023, screenshot of an officially approved USDA USFS EEO Policy Statement "former employee" screenshot highlighted in red by the author in paragraph three. Source: USDA
Consider now the USFS EEO Pre-Complaint against the SWA RFD Jake Nuttal by this author. Some redaction was necessary for protection.
Moreland, Tana - FS, GA
To: Doug Fir
Cc: Jon Paladini Pierce Coleman, Elliot Barela
Thu, Jul 6, 2023 at 3:19 PM
Good day,
This email serves as your Final Interview. Unfortunately, I was unable to resolve your EEO pre-complaint. The following information identifies who was contacted and the information obtained.
I reached out to Jacob Nuttall, [the retired USFS SWA Steering Committee Chairman ... and [one other USFS employee].
You identified Mr. Nuttall as the Responding Management Official. I contacted Mr. Nuttall, and excerpts from his response are as follows:
Mr. Nuttall identified his position title as Southwestern Regional Fire Director, GS-0301-15. Mr. Nuttall explained there was a 2023 Southwest IHC Workshop held across February 22 & 23, 2023. He explained he did prohibit Mr. Schoeffler from attending and presenting at the workshop. Mr. Nuttall further explained he asked that the Chair & Co-Chair reach out to Mr. Schoeffler to preview his intended presentation prior to the workshop. If they could not preview the material to be delivered, they would want to postpone the delivery of the presentation to a future meeting. Mr. Nuttall explained he did only request Mr. Schoeffler’s presentation based off of the original agenda. All other agenda items were common standing presentations. The reason for this was because of several FOIA requests that had been submitted and he wanted to make sure they were not putting the Agency and employees in a bad spot. The presentation was not delivered to him for review prior to the workshop. The individual that reached out to Mr. Schoeffler was the Chair of the Southwest IHC … Mr. Nuttall identified the Co-Chair as "...", Flagstaff IHC Superintendent. NOTE: Nuttal incorrectly identified "..." as the Co-Chair of the SWA HS Steering Committee.
Mr. Nuttall stated he was somewhat aware of the Mr. Schoeffler’s age, but had no awareness of his religion or political beliefs. Mr. Nuttall explained his professional relationship with Mr. Schoeffler was through the IHC community, wherein they both worked for within the Southwestern Region. He stated Mr. Schoeffler’s age, religion, and political beliefs were not reasons for not allowing him to attend and present at the workshop, and making the decision against allowing him to attend was not made as a form of retaliation. To his knowledge, Mr. Schoeffler presented the material on his own at a hotel for those employees that chose to attend.
In Mr. Nuttall’s response, he identified [a USFS HS Supt.] as the Chair of the Southwest IHC. I contacted [a USFS HS Supt.] as a witness, and excerpts from his response are as follows:
[A USFS HS Supt.] identified his position title as Supervisory, Forestry Technician (IHC Superintendent), GS-0462-09. [A USFS HS Supt.] stated there was a Region 3 IHC meeting held on the dates mentioned. He served as the IHC Co-Chair and set up the schedule/agenda for the meeting, including arranging guest speakers and timeframes. He added Mr. Schoeffler for a 30 minute window towards the end of the day. [A USFS HS Supt.] explained the guest speakers were pro-bono and he reached out to the guest speakers to fill slots on the agenda. [A USFS HS Supt.] stated his thoughts on Mr. Schoeffler attending was initially to discuss his personal investments in Yarnell to share with the IHC community. He spoke with [SWA HS Steering Committee Chairman] regarding the guest speakers. The agenda was presented to Mr. Jacob Nuttall. He was not exactly sure how the decision was made but was told that Mr. Schoeffler could not attend. [A USFS HS Supt.] explained the entirety of the conversation was a bit of a blur due to the timeframe being so far back. [A USFS HS Supt.] did recall the conversation regarding the decision to allow Mr. Schoeffler to attend, having occurred with [SWA HS Steering Committee Chairman] and Mr. Nuttall, with the reason being to protect current employees.
[A USFS HS Supt.] explained Mr. Schoeffler presented his powerpoint presentation in a room he rented that was not on government time or paid for with government funds. There were approximately 8-10 individuals that attended his presentation that lasted several hours.
In Mr. Nuttall’s response, he identified "..." as the Co-Chair of the Southwest IHC. Attempts were made to reach "...", however, "..." has retired from the US Forest Service.
Your pre-complaint will be closed out today citing no resolution achieved. Attached is the Notice of Right to File a Formal Discrimination Complaint that I mentioned in your initial interview email. This notice provides 15 calendar days from your receipt to complete the documentation and submit as the instructions state, for a timely formal filing of your complaint. Once submitted, your case will be reviewed for acceptance or dismissal. If accepted, it will be assigned to an investigator who will reach out to you for a sworn or affirmed statement of events.
Please inform me of any questions you might have with the next steps in the process. Please reply confirming your receipt of such.
Thank you and best regards,
Tana Moreland EEO Specialist, USDA USFS, Office of Civil Rights
P. (626) 698-8623; tara.mooreland@usda.gov
In a world led by lies and deceit, those of us who are normal must speak out-
"unknown"
This author has continued pursuing the applicable FOIA Request, however, opted to finally drop the formal EEO pre-complaint because of the USFS failure to provide the USFS Aerial Firefighting Utilization Effectiveness Study (AFUE) records in our lawsuit up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Law in 2017. The logic being that if the USFS is going to violate all manner of Federal Statutes regarding public records as listed here, then they would certainly avoid responding in this author's favor in an EEO Complaint against a favored high level employee as the SWA RFD Jake Nuttal (e.g. "The taking of a public record or document is prohibited by 18 U.S.C. § 641. The destruction of such records may be reached under 18 U.S.C. § 1361., "The necessary measure of protection for government documents and records is provided by 18 U.S.C. § 2071. Section 2071(a) contains a broad prohibition against destruction of government records or attempts to destroy such records. This section provides that whoever: willfully and unlawfully; conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates or destroys; or attempts to conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate or destroy; or carries away with intent to conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate or destroy; any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document or other thing deposited in any public office may be punished by imprisonment for three years, a $2, 000 fine, or both). Several other germane statutes are listed as well. And for perverting the "State's Secret Privilege" (Art. II. S3. 4.3) minus the National Security prong, annotated in this Cornell Law Review link. Given all that, it is this author's professional opinion that the USFS would never rule in our favor on an EEO pre-complaint against two of their alleged cherished, faithful, favorite, and most needed employees to maintain their alleged truth about what we believe is the biggest cover-up, lie, and whitewash in wildland fire history!
Visit our August 8, 2023, Yarnell Hill Fire Revelations (YHFR) post titled: Where are the US Forest Service, June 30, 2013, Yarnell Hill Fire AFUE transcript records really hidden? They are certainly not where attorney Bill Solomon of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) U.S. Attorney's Office (representing the USDA U.S. Forest Service) says they are, (i.e. given to the AZ State Forestry and stored in the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records.
This current post will deal with the questionable course(s) of action of two former USFS Hot Shots that allegedly both turned Quisling, allowing their acquired power to go to their heads. Indeed, Nuttal's alleged dictatorial actions are obvious to us that know him. Several current and former USFS employees that grew up with and went to school with Nuttal seriously question what happened to him to take this stance.
Consider now our July 30, 2023, YHFR post with more insight on the Almighty Reverend Mayhew titled: How are the Alleged "Historical Fiction" Writer John Maclean and the Alleged YH Fire "Lead Investigator" Brad Mayhew Both Off Track About the June 30, 2013, YH Fire? Pt 2
Consider this April 19, 2024, ESPN story (William Weinbaum and Jeremy Schaap) about the US Army Ranger Pat Tillman cover-up, lies, and whitewash titled: Pat Tillman, his mom and the 20-year torment of a friendly fire death. The ESPN article parallels to the June 30, 2013 YH Fire and GMHS debacle are disturbing and remarkable at a minimum.
Nuttall mentions Chris Wilcox, also a former Heber HS, and at the time, the current (2006) Fire Management Officer (FMO) of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Chris Wilcox would eventually become the Chief for the Branch of Fire Management with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) stationed at NIFC in Boise, ID. And according to a May 2023, news release Wilcox became the new Chief for the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Fire and Aviation Management (FAM).
On July 1, 2013, this author, while working on the Papoose Fire within the West Fork Complex near Creede and Pagosa Springs, CO as a Safety Officer, first became aware that the YH Fire and GMHS burnover and fatalities had actually occurred, and also that GMHS "Marsh was at the Boulder Springs Ranch (BSR)" instead of with his Crew; this was from another USFWS supervisor that knew former Heber HS Chris Wilcox, and close friends of Eric and Amanda Marsh.
However, GMHS Marsh's actual June 30, 2013, location would later be called into question by dint of one of Joy A. Collura's PRRs which included a Yavapai County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) report dated June 30 to July 7, 2013, containing: "inventory list of items to put into safekeeping" for the SAIT "investigators" report indicating that two YCSO Deputies dated June 30 to July 7, 2013, that calls into question whether the GMHS had, in fact, all deployed their fire shelters together and died together at the alleged DZ and eventual Fatality Site GMHS per the SAIT-SAIR on June 30, 2013.
This is also referred to in the July 2013, YouTube video of the GMHS DZ News Conference video PFD Wildland Battalion Chief Willis.
PFD Willis admits: “’ … I relive it every day.” The following PFD BC Willis statement is squarely within the confines of the PFD “Prescott Way” of doing things that likely guaranteed their fatal actions. “Like many others … Willis has spent a lot of time asking himself why … ‘They wanted to reengage … Sure, they could sit up there in the black. But if they could try to get back in the game, they were going to. … do we just sit up here and watch it go by? They knew there was an evacuation going on, they knew there were people staying in their houses. So what would the public think? You’re not going to help us? Why did you even show up’” (YHFR - July 15, 2023)
Please refer to the SAIT-SAIR Appendix C: Personal Protective Equipment Analysis (pp. 82-95) READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!
The SAIT-SAIR (pp. 45-54) specifically states at least seven renderings of the phrase "will never know" within the alleged "Factual" report. This really is significant, because misinformation has been identified as a major contributor to various contentious contemporary, wide-ranging events. Belief in misinformation can lead to poor judgements and decision-making and exerts a lingering influence on people’s reasoning even after it has been corrected — known as the "continued influence effect". The psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its to correction (Ecker et al, Nature Reviews - Psychology - 2022)
Note: Appendix C. (alleged "Deployment Site of the Yarnell Hill Fire" in the SAIT-SAIR Appendix C. PPE Analysis ) warning - very graphic content.
In addition, please refer to the SAIT-SAIR where the SAIT specifically states at least seven renderings of the phrase "will never know" within the alleged "Factual" report. This really is significant because misinformation has been identified as a major contributor to various contentious contemporary and wide-ranging YH Fire and GMHS events. Not only can belief in misinformation lead to poor judgements and decision-making, it also exerts a lingering influence on people’s reasoning even after it has been corrected — an effect known as the "theory of psychological reactance."
Brehm, J. W. (1966). A theory of psychological reactance. Academic Press
Consider now the discussion on the SAIT-SAIR "will never know" psychology and the alleged Fairy Tale that eventually follows by intentionally utilizing this manipulative technique. Most people would accept it as a fact. Astute, skeptical readers and researchers challenge it.
Part Two: Learning Discussion - Discussion. "The [YHF] was a significant event to those personally affected and to the interagency wildland fire community at large. Because we do not know, and will never know, many of the precise details surrounding the final movements and motivations of the [GMHS] we considered many aspects of wildland fire operations in our discussions. This accident prompted us to think about the many unknowns and to explore multiple concepts and perspectives as we tried to reconstruct the incident, to understand it, and to analyze it." (SAIT-SAIR p. 45)
"Although we will never know for sure, we considered how the Granite Mountain IHC might have reasoned: If they stay in the black, they do no good. If they move, they might do some good even if they do not know what that good will look like. They think they can move without it being especially risky." (SAIT-SAIR p. 47)
"We have no indication that Operations or anyone else asked the Granite Mountain IHC to move to a new location but we assume they decided this on their own, believing they could reengage and help defend Yarnell. A culture of engagement and a bias for action is part of wildland firefighter identity and a factor in their success, and in this case, a bias for engagement may have prompted them to move." (SAIT-SAIR p. 47)
"Consider the role of false alarms. ... [the level of confidence in future weather updates originating from the same sources] Although we will never know the answer to this question, it is worth asking: In the absence of observed cloud and column conditions, to what extent did the Granite Mountain IHC think the weather in the second update was not going to materialize because weather in the first update occurred on a diminished level? ..." (SAIT-SAIR p. 48)
Figure 5. GMHS Chris Mackenzie (RiP) Crew actions, locations, fire behavior, etc. photo series Source: ASF, InvestigativeMEDIA
"We will never know for sure, but we wondered whether the Granite Mountain IHC’s decision to hike through the green might have seemed to them to be a decision to operate in the green just like everyone else. For the crew, this would have meant moving away from a safe location at the time of day when the fire would be most active. Decision makers base such decisions on what they know at the time and their assessment of the risks associated with various courses of action." (SAIT-SAIR p. 52)
On the contrary, considering Figure 6. below which was given to the YH Fire "Lead Investigator" Mayhew, and even assigned an evidence number (IMG_1334.JPG), the SAIT "investigators" deny they "know for sure, ... whether the [GMHC’s] decision to hike through the green might have seemed to them to be a decision to operate in the green just like everyone else." [Fallacy of Equivocation - everyone else was in fact, "in the green," far enough from these fire behavior extremes shown in this photo collage.]
Note: Appendix C. ("official" GMHS fire shelter placement) Caution! This link contains very graphic information that may be offensive or sensitive to some readers. Notwithstanding this author's professional opinion that these should be a mandatory element in all future S-130 Basic FF and RT-130 Refreshers, to alert FFs and WFs of the likely outcomes possible when failing to abide by the Rules of Engagement as well as viewing the GMHS fire shelters images and photos, and each of the graphic autopsy reports. Reader and viewer discretion is highly advised regarding these.
Mayhew's SAIT-SAIR continues: "For the crew, this would have meant moving away from a safe location at the time of day when the fire would be most active. Decision makers base such decisions on what they know at the time and their assessment of the risks associated with various courses of action." [No safe and sane FF or WF or supervisor would move away from a safe location in the black at this time of day when the fire is obviously most active as indicated by the fire behavior and smoke column in Figure 6.- a clear sign of an unsafe habit of Bad Decisions With Good Outcomes and the well known Normalization of Deviance - and the alleged GMHS hazardous attitudes preferences].
Figure 6. June 30, 2013, 1629 (4:29 PM) photo and Google Earth overlay of
Source: ASF Brian Lauber, Google Earth, WantsToKnowTheTruth (WTKTT)
Figure 7. Blowup to Burnover image - GMHS 52 minutes Source: NWCG, WFSTAR
Mayhew's SAIT-SAIR maintains: "Escape Routes - Continuing from this previous point, the [YH Fire] also prompts us to think about the connections that [FFs] make between [ERs] and [SZs]. (SAIT-SAIR p. 52) [This author's professional opinion - experienced FFs and WFs, like the GMHS and SAIT-SAIR claimed they were, should know that ERs should always precede [SZs] in LCES and the Fire Orders, using ERs to a SZ.]
Mayhew's SAIT-SAIR continues: "Whether the crew recognized it or not, their decision to go down the hillside from the Descent Point was a decision to sacrifice some of their effectiveness in serving as their own lookouts. Taking a more direct [ER] to minimize exposure in the green generally means traveling a shorter distance and potentially reaching the [SZ] more quickly. Moving down the slope into the box canyon meant the [GM IHC] would no longer be able to see the fire. We wondered: Is it possible that they relied on the rock outcropping as a barrier to fire spread? But is it also possible that the outcropping blocked their view of the fire? We will never know if the crew understood that this route of travel required that they sacrifice some of their capacity to serve as their own lookouts. We will also never know if they understood the calculated risk involved in traversing the final distance to the Ranch without the level of situational awareness that a different vantage point might have afforded." (SAIT-SAIR p. 54) [These are professionally recognized standards, clear ROE violations, permissible inference violations nullifying the SAIT-SAIR's conclusion of doing it everything right, i.e."no indication of negligence, reckless actions [,] or violations of policy or protocol."] See "How was it possible to do everything right and yet 19 PFD FFs died in one fell swoop June 30, 2013?" (YHFR, July 15, 2023)
For further details on one of several alleged firing operations that took place, also consider this 2020 AHFE paper titled: Credible Evidence Continues to Surface Regarding a Likely "Friendly Fire" Incident Along the Sesame Street and Shrine Corridor Area on June 30, 2013." And Figure 8. below.
Figure 8. Enhanced Google Earth image revealing what caused the topography-induced fire behavior steering the resultant fire behavior into the upslope twin, parallel chutes (bottom middle) eventually funneling the fire "like a slingshot" uphill directly into the GMHS Deployment Zone (DZ) and eventual Fatality Site based on the smoke column shape, size, smoke color, and volume and smoke color in Figures 6. and 8a. The fire is obviously signaling its intentions. Source: Google Earth (edit tools), Paint, Collura
Figure 8a.. Google Earth Vertical Cross-Section Snippet image, aligned northwest, the Sesame Street and Shrine Corridor (lower right) is leading uphill to the parallel twin chutes (middle) funneling deadly hot gases and fire behavior upslope to the GMHS Deployment Zone - Fatality Site (upper left). Source: Google Earth, Schoeffler.
Consider now several informative InvestigativeMEDIA regular commenter WantsToKnowTheTruth (WTKTT) comments and cross-fade videos: ABC15-clip-18-crossfade video (2018) (https://youtu.be/NSYpnPMfPmc)
Also view the Oregon BIA FMO Colby Drake: We Saved GMHS Buggies (2013). VIMEO video: (http://vimeo.com/48411010) noting this was the third time that someone had to "save" the GMHS Crew Carriers. Indeed, the LI and SWA RFD were aware of these evidences during their Investigations.
Military veteran Brian Mockenhaupt noted in the 2014 article titled Fire on the Mountain noted in The Atlantic: “The Arizona State Forestry Division (ASF) commissioned an investigation team (SAIT) to determine what had gone wrong in Yarnell. ... After the other big wildfires that had killed multiple firefighters in the past century, survivors had been able to fill in crucial pieces of information about on-the-ground conversations and decision making. But the [GMHS] had died without any eyewitnesses.” That is partially incorrect because the two hikers (Joy A. Collura and Sonny Tex Gilligan) witnessed and recorded the fire for the full June 28-30, 2013, weekend with cell phones, cameras, and videos/ And they discerned and heeded those warnings without the benefit of two-way radios and yet they made it safely to their vehicle in Yarnell less than 15-minutes before the GMHS were burned over. Mockenhaupt accurately surmised: “As hard as they tried, however, the [ADOSH] inspectors were unable to answer the question that had stymied the first investigation team: Why had 19 skilled wildland firefighters left the safety of a burned-over area and hiked into a box canyon overgrown with dense vegetation …? ADOSH visited the GMHS DZ and Fatality Site with Collura and Gilligan compared to the tunnel-visioned SAIT and the LI who never expressed any interest to do so.
In their "officially sanctioned" podcast titled: “Reading, Reflecting, and Changing Behavior” September 10, 2021, (link provided) by the WLF LLC Center Manager Kelly Woods and the Plumas NF Graduate Degreed WF Erik Apland talk about Apland's WLF LLC Incident Review Database task to read all of their archived entrapment reports. Woods, in a calculated condescending question asks Apland: "focusing on this, this huge deep dive you've done in these kinds of events ...." [Deep dive? Really? Regarding his expected and presumed neutral, objective research, he instead provided a very narrow-minded insight on those hundreds of investigative reports to match the YH Fire SAIT-SAIR conclusion of no wrongdoing when stating his own conclusions and findings. Moreover, it is rather significant and telling that he totally dodged the subject of the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire (AZ) and yet had plenty to say about the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire (MT), the 1964 Sundance Fire (ID), the 1979 Ship Island Fire (ID) the 1985 Lake Mountain and Butte Fires (ID), the 1994 South Canyon Fire (CO), the 2002 Price Canyon Fire (UT), the 2016 Pagami Creek Fire (MN) and then this is what he had to say about the historic 1933 Griffith Park Fire:] “There's been things like I've heard of Griffith Park, right, that's it, that's about it. I'd heard it, it, that it had happened but I didn't know really anything about it at all, and there are fires in there that I didn't even know that happened never heard their name before you know pretty major fires, ..." One of my favorites in the podcast (35:17) was this use of a fire shelter: "... if you can improve your conditions, and, you know, prevent some burns, or get better air ... I think I've been thinking about this and I think so. Again, you know, I have multiple answers so I have the. I'm going to come up with. What are the scenarios in which I need to be wearing gloves, not having attached to me, but actually have them on my hands, because I realized that I've been in a lot of situations where I should have been wearing them, and I wasn't right. That's one thing that's kind of a really easy, sort of takeaway right, but the, the big thing for me is that it took, reading this stuff, and spending hours and hours with all of this to get to a point where it actually did sort of have the emotional weight, that it would change behavior I believe I mean I haven't been on a fire since it started this so we'll see, I guess, but I do believe that that it will change my behavior, and it took time, but I, you know, there's some really hard things in some of these reports, and when you, when you read through those. In others, that was somebody, right, and, and I think like you said, you know, we, we need to, we honor these people by remembering and learning from them right, whether they were injured or or or passed away in the way of sort of reading all of these and really diving into them is, for me, I think what it took to pass from kind of the, well that's interesting to. This is something that deeply connects with me enough to change my behavior. And that's a hard thing to get to, I think. But that's where you're going to be able to make a difference in yourself, or with your crew, or whoever it is having, finding a way to make that connection, so that it is truly meaningful to you, and not just kind of an interesting part of history. (all emphasis added)
And quite expectedly, there is absolutely no mention in this podcast of the world-renowned June 2013 YH Fire or the GMHS debacle or how effective the tried-and-true Ten Standard Fire Orders and the 18 Watch Out Situations (10 & 18) are toward the goal of Entrapment Avoidance. Once again, the fact that they obviously completely avoided mentioning even once, the most tragic wildfire in modern history is significant and disturbing, fully supporting our contention that the WLF LLC has clearly lost its ethically objective compass; misusing our Federal tax dollars, and straying far from its mandated roots: "A lesson is learned when we change our behavior" and "the LLC operates as a national, interagency, federally-funded organization with interagency staffing. The LLC’s primary goal continues to be striving to improve safe work performance and organizational learning for all wildland firefighters." What lessons?
Consider now the Misinformation Review (2023) authors and researchers Tay, Ecker, Kurz, Hurlstone, and Lewandowsky, distinguish between misinformation and disinformation: "Misinformation - which we define as any information that turns out to be false - poses an inevitable challenge for human cognition and social interaction because it is a consequence of the fact that people frequently err and sometimes lie. However, this fact is insufficient to explain the rise of misinformation, and its subsequent influence on memory and decision-making, as a major challenge in the twenty-first century. ... the term disinformation is often specifically used for the subset of misinformation that is spread intentionally. ... Thus, in this Review we do not draw a sharp distinction between misinformation and disinformation, or different types of misinformation. We use the term misinformation as an umbrella term referring to any information that turns out to be false and reserve the term disinformation for misinformation that is spread with intention to harm or deceive." Tay et al (footnotes removed) [Indeed, it perfectly describes the SAIT-SAIR! Sharing misinformation can also deepen ideological divides that disenfranchise individuals, encourage violence, and potential harm according to the authors, e.g. Eric Marsh Foundation (EMF) Facebook comments posting cryptic, oblique reference to the YHFR authors; then:"let us know where these people live, we crack heads for a living" currying favor with the EMF, curiously falling short of a legitimate FB "threat."].
Considering the above SAIT-SAIR "will never know" assertions, and the Reactance Theory, consider now one of the myriad definitions including the psychological Self-fulfilling Prophecy regarding the Fatalistic Rhetoric of "will never know" claims. "A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to the phenomenon of making a prediction or expectation of something and this “prediction” becomes true because "of one belief that it will." ... and behaved in a manner that created this. This suggests that a person’s belief can influence their actions. The principle of this phenomenon is that people create consequences regarding people or events, based on their previous knowledge towards that specific subject. Additionally, self-fulfilling prophecy can be applied to negative and positive outcomes."
FRAUD ON THE FIRELINES?
Consider now the official time recording records (Fire Time Report (FTR) and Crew Time Reports (CTRs) suggesting that Jake Nuttal worked on the June 2013 YH Fire. AZ (Archive Library) along with the Lead Investigator
Figures 9.-9h. Jake Nuttal Fire Time Report (FTR) (upper left) and Crew Time Reports (CTR) June 30 to July 7, 2013 Source: Collura archive records
Figure 9i. Schoeffler CTR with 29 CFR 785.19a remarks Source: Schoeffler
Consider now what this author alleges to establish a potentially serious ethical and legal issue for the SWA RFD - allegedly setting a good example for all his followers. And well documented based on Joy A. Collura's Public Records Requests (PRR) acquired Crew Time Reports (CTR) that the alleged "Judas" Jake Nuttall worked on the YH Fire as a Branch I - Division Group [DIVS] Branch Contingency (O-59) on a nine-day tour of duty from July 2 to July 10, 2013 (P3HL96); (July 2 0530-1200 1230-2130 H; July 3 0530-1200 1230-2130 H; July 4 0530-1200 1230-2130 H; July 5 0530-1200 1230-2130 H; July 6 (0530-1200 1230-2130 H ("Hazard pay for uncontrolled fire"); July 7 0530-1200 1230-2130 H ("Hazard pay for uncontrolled fire"); July 8 0530-1200 1230-2130 H; ("Hazard pay for uncontrolled fire"); July 9 0530-1200 1230-2100; July 10 0530-1200 1230-2100; July 11 0700 "Travel back to home unit." All of Nuttall's CTRs indicated that he supposedly took a half-hour "Bona fide compensable meal period" each day pursuant to "29 CFR 785.19a" requiring him to be "completely relieved from duty." (NWCG Fire Business Mgmt. Handbook). And each CTR was approved and signed by either an OPS 2 or OPS 1.
What this “completely relieved from duty” clause means is that Nuttall, as a DIVS with supervisory responsibility for any number of Resources, would have to stop "working" in order to "take" a 1/2 hour meal period that he was required to "show." This would require ceasing communications with his Resources in person, turning off his radio, stop driving his vehicle, etc. Indeed, completely stop working! Because he would have been inaccessible, unavailable, and unreachable for any and all manner of communications, to give or receive orders, follow, heed, mitigate and / or ensure that his Resources followed, heeded, mitigated, and / or ensured any of the required Rules of Engagement and Entrapment Avoidance principles. That is highly unlikely. It suggests he worked through those “meal period” times allegedly falsifying his CTR, a more likely occurrence, like 99% of the rest of the WF Community because "everyone else does it" and it's much easier and hassle free. This author was demobbed from several fires for failure to "show" a meal period. Call it what it is - Fraud on the Fireline!?
Consider now this IM post from WTKTT responding to a question about the YH Fire "Lead Investigator" Brad Mayhew on InvestigativeMEDIA (IM) by the YH Fire and GMHS debacle Eyewitness Hiker Joy A. Collura, on the June 2013 YH Fire: "WantsToKnowTheTruth says June 22, 2019 at 4:01 pm - You will NEVER be wrong about the Yarnell SAIT “arriving at a conclusion FIRST… and then creating a narrative to support it”. Brad Mayhew can keep yelling “Bullshit!” at you ( in public or private settings ) all he wants to. He is just personifying Shakespeare’s quote about when guilty people are usually the loudest ones in the room. “Me thinks he doth protest TOO MUCH.” It is OBVIOUS that is what the [YHF] SAIT did… and you will never be wrong. It was all about LIABILITY, really. Publish the TRUTH… and get out the checkbook. Say you CAN’T BE SURE ( even though you have evidence you are hiding ) …. and maybe it will just “go away”. What they forgot was that once you ask the entire nation ( indeed, the world ) to mourn with you and pay homage to dead people…. SOME of us ( a LOT of us ) aren’t ready to just swallow your bullshit. SOME of us ( a LOT of us ) that stood in lines and went to memorials and donated to widow’s funds actually want to KNOW what the [f**k] HAPPENED. And the YEARS that go by don’t change that desire. What the heck… a little more Shakespeare, anyone? "Foul deeds WILL rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them… to men’s eyes. - Hamlet (1.2.256)."
Consider now the formative and manipulative journey of the alleged one-and-only "Judas" Jake Nuttall on a USFS website (Oct. 1, 2021) titled "On the Move" - "Jacob Nuttall has accepted the position of acting director for Fire and Aviation Management [FAM] in Washington, D.C. Nuttall is currently the deputy fire director for the Southwestern Region [SWA FAM] the program." Mr. Nuttal is moving right along making new friends while betraying others!
Given the alleged control proclivities of the LI and SWA RFD, this may be a good time to re-introduce Groupthink listed in the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) as a "Hazardous Attitude."
Figure 10. IRPG p. xi Hazardous Attitudes Source: NWCG IRPG
Consider an extreme case, in a Stanford University student paper tilted: "The Theory of Groupthink Applied to Nanking" - "The leadership of a group can also lead to groupthink, since complete control over the group by the leader can cause an environment in which no one states their own opinions. When extremely rigid leadership is implemented within a group (such as occurs in the military) group discussions are often tightly controlled. Any dissenting opinions tend to be suppressed through intimidation or be simply not allowing the dissenter to voice his objections. If a leader in a group situation makes his opinion clear at the outset of the discussions, group members will on many occasions refrain from expressing any disagreement out of respect for the leader’s authority."
There were many symptoms of groupthink present in the overall environment at the Feb. 2023 SWA HS AAR. Within the USFS hierarchy, there is a distinct chain of command also in the wildland firefighting realm with the Hot Shots having the most rigid chain of command. On some Hot Shot Crews and during some wildland fire situations, interpersonal pressures to conform are intense. Depending on their individual leadership styles and the situation at-the-time, tolerance for nonconformity is virtually non-existent, and extreme tactics to bring dissenters into line are common-place. The GMHS was a clear exception.
This author alleges that the YHF LI and SWA Fire Director most assuredly need mental health and leadership counseling.
"Consistency Versus Licensing Effects of Past Moral Behavior" Elizabeth Mullen ( School of Management, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192; ´ email: elizabeth.mullen@sjsu.edu. And Benoıt Monin Graduate School of Business and Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305; email: monin@stanford.edu
Biblically, by contrast, this author has intentionally chosen to focus on and travel The Narrow Way - “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. You will know them by their fruits. - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them." Matthew 7: 13-20 (NKJV)
And a similar Native American proverb states: "Never follow a leader that is more in love with power than with people"
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.
Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Marcus Aurelius
This Quote, ostensibly attributed to Marcus Aurelius, is a reminder that we should avoid taking everything we hear or see at face value. (PolitiFact)
""The word "opinion" means a belief or judgment that is not based on fact or knowledge. The word "fact" means something that is known to be true. The word "perspective" means a way of looking at something. The word "truth" means something that is true or in accordance with fact. The quote suggests that we should be critical of the information that we receive. We should not simply accept what we hear or see as truth. We should question it and try to understand the perspective of the person who is sharing it.
"This can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially if we have been conditioned to believe that everything we hear or see is true. But it's important to remember that our perception of reality is shaped by our own experiences, beliefs, and biases. ... If we want to see the world more clearly, we need to be open to different perspectives. We need to be willing to question our own beliefs and to learn from others."
This author takes exception here, making the distinction between a mere "opinion" and a "professional opinion" giving the latter assertion more credibility. Truth telling is one of the most fundamental tenets of life in general. So then, based on what you just considered, do you think that Nuttall acted illegally and unethically with his February 2023 edict? Or did he act ethically and legally, albeit distantly, within the scope of his authority?
Further consider what this author firmly believes and adheres to regarding the Feb. 2023 event: The "First Amendment protects some of our most cherished rights, including religious liberty, free speech, a free press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition our government for a redress of grievances. Together, these essential rights are connected to the freedom of conscience—protecting our ability to think as we will and speak as we think." (Constitution Center.org)
Together, these essential rights are connected to the freedom of conscience —
protecting our ability to think
as we will and speak as we think.
Constitution Center
Lawsuits - "All your lawsuits against the USFS": Schoeffler v. U.S. Dep't of Agriculture Case Text.com (2018),
FOIA Requests - "All your FOIA Requests": The FOIA Project - Freeing information through public accountability.
Fred J. Schoeffler v. USDA No.18-16371 D.C. No.2:17-cv-00055-GMS Justia ('NOT FOR PUBLICATION" and "This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3." And why is that?
Firefighter Fights Feds for Radio Records From Deadly Arizona Wildfire - "The U.S. Department of Agriculture is knowingly hiding some radio traffic recordings from the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire near Prescott, Arizona, instead telling a firefighter who sued to get the recordings that they were turned over to state investigators and made public shortly after the fire, the firefighter’s attorney told a Ninth Circuit panel Friday." (Courthouse News)
9th Circuit hears former Payson Hotshot chief Fred Schoeffler’s appeal for aerial firefighting records of Yarnell Hill Fire - InvestigativeMEDIA (February 12, 2020)
Where has the USDA/USFS hidden the June 30, 2013, Yarnell Hill Fire AFUE transcript public records? (YHFR Nov. 6, 2020)
Fred J Schoeffler, the USFS Aerial Firefighting Use and Effectiveness (AFUE) Study Was Utilized On The Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013, and recorded Air To Ground (A/G) radio transmissions that exist as audio and written transcripts. These recordings and transcripts (3-ring binder) are being withheld and denied that they even exist. I just came across a few "key" public records basically affirming they "do" in fact exist ... So then, how can the U.S. Forest Service ethically and legally continue to deny these Public Records exist? (YHFR October 15, 2018)
FOIA Requests - All your FOIA Requests: The FOIA Project - Freeing information through public accountability.
Your persistent speaking truth to power attitude
See this author's April 6, 2023, legal Declaration below Figure 14.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.
Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Incorrectly attributed to Marcus Aurelius (Poynter Institute - PolitiFact)
It's time to more formally introduce and meld alleged Pastor Brad Mayhew into the post. Consider now the June 2013 Modoc NF Saddleback Tree Fatality Learning Review identifying Brad Mayhew as one of the Data Collection Team. It's highly likely he did much more, doubtful he only collected data.
Figure 11. USFS Saddleback Tree Fatality (June 13, 2013) FLA Snippets Source: USFS
Consider now the June 2013, USFS Saddleback Tree Fatality Learning Review Orwellian Doublespeak in their "Footnote 9. There were occasions in the Review where the difference between actions and decisions could not be separated, Thus the term action / decision was used, as it could have been either one, or combination of both." (p. 14) Allegedly, Pastor Brad Mayhew, on the Data Collection Team blatantly ignores that these are totally separate words with entirely separate definitions.
Figure 12. Standing up for yourself quote Source: Samira Vivette, FB
Considering the Feb. 22-23, 2023, Southwest Area (SWA) IHC Workshop, EEO pre-complaint, obviously, it was the "find his own witnesses who could testify on the witness stand in support of his version of events" prong that was by far the most controversial and most difficult because the "witnesses" were colleagues, former co-workers and former fellow HS Supts. But were they really "true friends" or merely "fair weather friends"? This author acknowledged early on to them that he was "never afraid of taking on a challenge." This author initially began his dialogue with one of the HS Steering Committee members on Jan. 13, 2013, and mentioned to him numerous times that he was putting them "in the middle, in a difficult spot" because he and the SWA Steering Committee Chairman were both still USFS employees under the alleged boot heel of their Supreme Leader.
Given all the above, here is what Confucius said: "Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself. There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. [1] friendship with the upright; [2] friendship with the sincere; and [3] friendship with the man of much observation: these are advantageous."
"Friendship with the man of specious airs; (having a false look of truth or genuineness ) friendship with those who flatter and friendship with the glib-tongued: ( artfully persuasive in speech ) these are injurious.”
This author will readily avoid classifying the former HS Supt. and Steering Committee Chairman as a man of specious airs, however, as of yet reconsidering whether he deserves the latter category based on "him informing me that (paraphrasing): ‘they said … you are prohibited from attending because of all your lawsuits against the USFS, all your FOIA Requests, and your persistent speaking truth to power attitude.’ I asked who “they” was, and he replied that it was “Jake Nuttall.” I asked him if he pushed or responded back to him, and he told me: ‘we all have supervisors and bosses we work for and we need these guys to get what we need to do our jobs.’"
Contained within this author's EEO pre-complaint are the former SWA IHC Chairman's responses to me consisting of him informing me that (paraphrasing): " ... you are prohibited from attending because of all your lawsuits against the USFS, all your FOIA Requests, and your persistent speaking truth to power attitude.’ I asked who “they” was, and he replied that it was “Jake Nuttall.” I asked ... if he pushed or responded back to him, and he told me: ‘we all have supervisors and bosses we work for and we need these guys to get what we need to do our jobs.’ Paragraph 5. above in this author's April 9, 2023, Declaration in Figure 14 below.
On the contrary, the National Hot Shot program (mostly USFS Crews) is a National Resource effort beginning in the USDA USFS Washington Office, and therefore the SWA USFS Regional Fire Staff has some say in the HS funding issue, however, Nuttal would be unable to control it totally as their SWA HS Steering Committee Chairman made it sound. There is, as this author learned, a difference between someone being afraid of their job as stated by the former SWA Steering Committee Chairman and his alleged safety concerns.
Most definitely include Judas Jake Nuttall into that category based on his smarmy podcast, i.e. "Friendship with the man of specious airs; (having a false look of truth or genuineness ) friendship with those who flatter and friendship with the glib-tongued: ( artfully persuasive in speech ) these are injurious.” Tim Cotten (Medium 2020) The Philosophy of Three Friendships A Simple Lesson About Sincerity by Confucius
Everyone has a boss or supervisor - everyone. Unfortunately, the SWA WFs and others must work under the direction of the SWA RFD with his alleged questionable, unstable leadership skills knowing now that their alleged "leader" drank the Kool-Aid of this "chosen one," almost a twin "Brother" of, and very similar to the "Chosen One", i.e. YH Fire Lead Investigator and alleged Pastor Brad Mayhew in our July 30, 2023 YHFR post.
Given the dismal character of wildland fire politics, cries of the new and improved national fire service Agencies have a hollow ring. No need to be blithe in the manner of this alleged Janus, the new year will proceed as expected from the years we’ve just had. An impotent USDA - captive to an unproductive quest for narrow-minded servile employees agreeing to their self-imposed dominance as their minions, will continue using the ongoing diversionary national and international "Show Trials" of eras past.
"In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over nine tumultuous days in October, the House Un-American Activities Committee held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in the movie industry. The blowback was profound: the major studios pledged to never again employ a known Communist or unrepentant fellow traveler. The declaration marked the onset of the blacklist era, a time when political allegiances, real or suspected, determined employment opportunities in the entertainment industry. Hundreds of artists were shown the door—or had it shut in their faces." (Show Trial, Hollywood, HUAC, and the Birth of the Blacklist, Thomas Doherty, Columbia University Press).
This perverse manipulation also includes subtle manifestations of George Orwell's 1984 "Two Minute Hate." A credible commenter states: "The Two Minutes Hate is an important piece of Party propaganda, which bolsters support for Big Brother while simultaneously providing an opportunity for disgruntled, irritable Party members to vent their negative emotions. The Party understands that the citizens live oppressed lives and are in need of an outlet to vent their rage. By creating a scapegoat like Emmanuel Goldstein and depicting images of enemy armies marching on Oceania, the Party successfully focuses the citizens' negative attention outward, which strengthens their control and grip over the population." This author and those of us that cherish our First Amendment rights of Association, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press stand up for our beliefs, unafraid to challenge "the system" are typically subjected to such machinations, manipulations, ridicule, and much more.
Figure 12a. The past forgotten and erased and lie becoming the truth quote Source: FB
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, and our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of…. It is they who pull the wires that control the public mind."
Edward Bernays quote - Often referred to as “the father of public relations,” Bernays in 1928 published his seminal work, Propaganda, in which he argued that public relations is not a gimmick but a necessity stating: "These new techniques of regimentation of mind, ... had to be used by the intelligent minorities in order to make sure that the slobs stay on the right course."
Figure 12b. Propaganda justification quote Source: Michael Rivero, Walking Times, FB
These machinations are now infecting the wildland fire realm; these combined conditions are weakening and destabilizing the morale and trust of one of the most prosperous and powerful entities, i.e. current and former solid WFs in general, and the Nationally recognized and certified Hot Shot Crews, specifically the SWA Hot Shot Crews.
"If past is prologue, the latest round of perp walks and show trials, far from administering justice or engendering real economic reform, will be much closer to what the ancient Romans called diversionary “bread and circuses.” Check out the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE; www.thefire.org), a 501(c)(3) dedicated to the defense of individual liberties on campus and elsewhere.
FIRE incorrectly refers to our Nation as a "democracy," i.e. "mob rule" because our Founding Fathers abhorred "democracy" as evidenced in the Federalist Papers and elsewhere. FIRE does a notable job of correctly stating: "Freedom of speech is a fundamental American freedom and human right. It is essential for democracy, scientific progress, artistic expression, social justice, peace, and our ability to live as authentic individuals. Yet, across our nation, this cornerstone of our free society is under serious threat. Far too many of us fear sharing our views or challenging those that seem to dominate. "Freedom of speech is a fundamental American freedom and human right. Nearly 6-in-10 Americans believe our nation’s democracy is threatened because people are afraid to voice their opinions. FIRE therefore defends and promotes the value of free speech for all Americans in our courtrooms, on our campuses, and in our culture. Our vision is an America in which people overwhelmingly believe in the right of others to freely express views different from their own, and expect their laws and educational institutions to reflect and teach this belief. Founded in 1999 as the [FIRE], for over 20 years FIRE has worked to advance the cause of free speech and the values of the First Amendment on our nation’s college and university campuses. We have done so through our commitments to sincere nonpartisanship, courageous advocacy, and an enduring belief in free speech as a force for good."
As noted in a previous YHFR post, this author will rarely - when necessary - integrate some select facts, ideas, and quotations from the writing of others into and within this author's own ideas in [brackets] as follows. "Underlying it all is a decline in cultural, institutional, and social leadership and the dying off of what was formerly an effectively unifying 'Old School' method and model of wildland firefighting. All pleaded for a renewal of civility, comity, and patriotic service, exhorting a new generation to assume the burdens of enlightened and disinterested leadership, in some cases pleading to us from beyond the grave. To my mind, motivating America’s wildland fire's “natural leaders” to resume their traditional role in promoting communal well-being and an enlightened leadership is a crucial task that will determine whether this year and beyond improves upon a personal and politically dismal 2023."
The Dunning-Kruger effect is when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area cause them to overestimate their own competence. (The Decision Lab - Why can we not perceive our own abilities?)
Figure 13. Dunning-Kruger Effect quote Source: Facebook
The Dunning-Kruger Effect applies to the LI and SWA RFD. And this historical (1720-1722) quote below describes the LI and RFD to a tee!
“There is no evil under the sun but what is to be dreaded from men, who may do what they please with impunity: They seldom or never stop at certain degrees of mischief when they have power to go farther; but hurry on from wickedness to wickedness, as far and as fast as human malice can prompt human power. ... It is nothing strange, that men, who think themselves unaccountable, should act unaccountably.”
Thomas Gordon, Cato’s Letters No. 33 (1721) Between November 1720 and December 1723, John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon wrote an extraordinary series of 144 weekly essays for the London Journal, taking their pen name, Cato, from the Roman statesman who had defied the emperor Julius Caesar. (The First Amendment Encyclopedia)
The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18 (NKJV)
Consider Judas Jake Nuttall's alleged feigned, less-than-inspiring March 2022 remote AWIMA "Special Message" spew, aligning with the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Figure 14. USFS SWA (AWIMA) FaceBook (March 22, 2022), “A Special Message From Jake Nuttall” Snippet Source: USDA, USFS, AWIMA, FB
Transcribed using the Otter app This author certifies that this written transcription is approximately 95% to 97% accurate after editing context, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and readability while providing it as a nearly complete rendering of the content that was remotely broadcast.
More importantly, it is this author’s professional opinion, based on several untoward professional experiences, and now validated by professional psychologists, that what you are about to read is Judas Jake Nuttall’s and other alleged Quislings normal feigned attempts at sounding sincere when, in fact, they allegedly use their finest Machiavellian skills of deception.
AWIMA IC PJ Lingley 0:13 "I’d like to introduce the gentleman with us remotely this morning. He works in the Southwest Regional Office. He's gonna say a few words for us. And with that, I'd like to turn it over to Jake Nuttall
Jake Nuttall 0:36 "Thank you for the introduction. And I want to start off by saying fantastic job with the Academy. So, a couple things, I want to introduce myself first. Jake Nuttall, I’m the Regional Fire Director for the Forest Service here within the Southwestern Region, Region 3. One thing I always start off with is, I want to start off with an introduction in my personal life. So the foundation that allows me to be in front of you all, to be able to do the work that I do every year. It is my wife and my three kids. … Those are the ones that actually deserve the credit to be able to do what I do. I know all of you out there have a foundation like that. It's always important to share that in my mind. Professionally, I started in 1993, I was on an Engine Springerville, AZ. and spent six years over there and then I went over to the Hot Shot Crews, the Mormon Lake HS and Heber HS for nine years. And I will never forget that foundation professionally, what it helped me develop. And I will never forget that foundation professionally, what it helped me develop and gave me the opportunity to be able to serve in a position that I have today.
"From a Fire Director’s perspective, it related to all the Agencies, I think it's really important to understand that, like Kelly Castillo on the AZ BLM side, he’s the State Director, that is an equivalent position to my position as Regional Fire Director over Arizona, New Mexico, part of OK, and part of TX. Much like you guys had the opportunity … John Truett on the State side of things, Arizona DFFM [Dept. of Forestry and Fire Management]. He's the Director of Fire, and so that has also been another opportunity to kind of look at where I sit, along with my fellow Directors throughout our community in the Southwest. So I've had a long career so far, and it's weird to say that because you guys all have been in front of the Cadre, in front of an organization leading the efforts of the [AWIMA], and I know this has been going for 20 years.
"And I just can't say enough about the program itself, the Cadre that you have over the last 20 years, to be able to really develop our students and our future organization to an interesting effort to hear that the [S]-130 / 190 [course] is going through the graduation today. I hope all of you take the opportunity to visit with the Cadre members, other members within the community and be able to really develop those mentors, those are the people that are going to be most important to you throughout your career and help you facilitate choices. For one day one of you is gonna end up in a position like mine, like John Truett, like Kelly Castillo, and my other fellow Directors. Who knows, right here in this community, right at the AZ Wildfire Academy, maybe one of you are going to be an actual Fire Director. That'd be fantastic. This is where we start our development of our future. The other side of it, you all have the opportunity to pay it forward. What I mean by that is not only that we as a community invested in the opportunity to develop you. This is your opportunity to carry what you’ve learn forward as a supervisor, as a peer, as a first-year firefighter. This is the greatest opportunity for all of you to be able to take the learning, the findings that you've gone through for a week. And be able to make sure you're paying it forward to the community. You all start to recognize all Agencies, Federal Agencies, State Programs. We have Contractors in the Student Community, and in the Cadre Community. This is where we start our development of our future. The other side of it, you all have the opportunity to pay it forward. What I mean by that is not only that we as a community invested in the opportunity to develop you. This is your opportunity to carry what you’ve learn forward as a supervisor, as a peer, as a first-year firefighter. This is the greatest opportunity for all of you to be able to take the learning, the findings that you've gone through for a week. And be able to make sure you're paying it forward to the community. Lastly, I wanted to say congratulations to everybody that is going through these programs, being able to receive a certificate and especially the [S]-130 / 90 folks. You guys are our Up-And-Comers. Congratulations on the graduation today. And again, take every opportunity to pay it forward. Because one day you'll be sitting in this position, my position, to be able to serve the priority community. So I just really appreciate the opportunity to be able to speak in front of you and with you. And next year I look forward for the opportunity to be on site. We can shake hands, we can go to lunch, and look forward to the opportunity to develop those relationships with all of you. So, with that I'll turn it back to you all."
Closing Cadre Member 5:49 I appreciate those words of wisdom for us and our students moving forward in your careers to pass this Academy.”
This author challenges Nuttall's assertion here: "And I just can't say enough about the program itself, the Cadre that you have over the last 20 years, ..." because that statement clearly has a double meaning. Often what frustrated supervisors say when asked for a reference check on an undesirable employee that they'd rather get rid of. (Grammarphile).
"Never follow a leader who is in love with himself more than his people." Native American Today, Cherokee, FB
What you just read (or listened to) were some prime examples of what this author believes to be the alleged Quisling SWA RFD "Judas" Jake Nuttall's adopted mode of operation learned from other Quislings and Machiavellian Masters.
Unlimited power in the hands of limited people
always leads to cruelty.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Consider now the germane subjects of Arrogance, Aggression, and Assertiveness (08/03/2012) by Heiner Karst - Let's Talk Coaching. This author alleges Nuttall, in his current status, follows the Arrogance and Aggression prongs while personally avoiding the Assertiveness prong.
"Arrogance can be defined as having or showing an exaggerated opinion of one’s own importance, merit, ability, etc; being too conceited overbearingly proud; making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; insolently proud.
"If I were to ask you to think of someone that you consider arrogant, what typical behaviours come to mind for you? Could they be things like:
"1) Their haughty posture and perhaps swaggering walk, and seeming lack of humility?
2) Their pre-occupation with themselves and their own importance and them not wanting ever to be seen in “a bad light”? Always needing to be the centre of attraction or attention?
3) Their preference for telling rather than asking, so that they aren’t seen as not knowing something or being seen as “weak”?
4) That listening isn’t often one of their strengths nor do they have too much awareness of the needs of others?
5) That they like to be in control and often defensive of their position, intolerant and lacking sensitivity of other’s positions?
6) Not being very approachable."
Karst also interestingly notes: "... people with such an arrogant front are often masking a lack of confidence in themselves or their ability with this sort of behaviour." And even more so notes: "... when I observe and notice overly arrogant behaviour in another person, then it’s time to 'hold up a mirror' and assess what it is in that other person’s behaviour I don’t like in my own behaviour. Please remember that for us to notice a trait in another, it has to be present in ourselves first, OK?" This author takes issue with her "it has to be present in ourselves first" assertion.
Aggression - Aggression can be defined as a disposition towards behaviour that is forceful, hostile or attacking, occurring either in retaliation or without provocation; acts intended to increase relative social dominance; making an all-out effort to win or succeed; being overly competitive.
Whilst aggressive behaviour can be found in people labelled as arrogant, not all arrogant people are aggressive. ... a tactic or a strategy to mask insecurities or lacking in confidence. It is certainly not sustainable as an ongoing type of behaviour, without leading to that person being ostracized by others.
Assertiveness - Assertiveness is defined as a form of behaviour characterized by a confident declaration or affirmation of a statement without need of proof; this affirms the person’s rights or point of view without either aggressively threatening the rights of another (assuming a position of dominance) or submissively permitting another to ignore or deny one’s rights or point of view. ...
"For those who have complained the proof is not there, this leaves little room for deniability."
"Warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who cannot provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of humanity." Sitting Bull (c. 1831 - 1890), Hunkpapa Sioux. (Native Blood, FB)
“Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”
Malachi 2:16 NKJV
Figure 15. The politically incorrect, say-it-like-it-is one-of-a-kind Former Happy Jack and Santa Fe Hot Shot Crew Boss and Supt. and eventual USFS Criminal Investigator Gary Olson Circa 1976ish Source: Olson FB
Olson writes: Gary Olson FB March 21, 2023 . Authors Note.
"And just FYI, if you are a current or former wildland firefighter, you do not want to get on my shit list where you will be enshrined for history in my Hall of Shame since this FB page and highly acclaimed and much anticipated tome about wildland firefighting will eventually become the Gold Standard for all wildland firefighters as former gadfly Public Information Officer Frank Carroll managed to do with his threatening emails if you care about your legacy. [Olson spells Nuttall with two "LLs."] For example, it has recently come to my attention that Jake Nuttall, Director of Fire and Aviation Management Southwestern Region who I am ashamed to say is a former Heber Hotshot is [f**king with my dear former competitor Fred Schoeffler as part of the systemic continuing acts of retaliation to punish Fred for his outspoken position on the Yarnell Hill Fire and its aftermath thereby endangering the lives of more wildland firefighters by continuing to deny the obvious truth. You can't have an hotshot crew destroyed on a wildfire without somebody doing something wrong.
"So...STOP IT! (More specific information regarding why shit-for-brains Jake Nuttall is now on my shit list to follow).
"I mean...I get to fuck with Fred because we stood shoulder to shoulder on America's fire lines, but most other people don't without hearing about it from me.
"Authors Note. Correction. This guy can't have shit-for-brains because back in the day, all Regional Directors of Fire and Aviation Management were old men. So...this guy must be some kind of Superstar? The only other explanation is that he sold his soul to the Devil (top-tier managers) at a very early age to get where he is at that fast. That's the problem with going above a certain level in the government, you have to be willing to sell your soul to the Devil. I wonder what he is doing with the extra 30 pieces of silver he gets every two weeks in his paycheck in exchange for endangering the lives of wildland firefighters who are still on the fire line."Why do people believe some inane, power-mongering supervisors’ lies even when they have been proven false? A sense of power buffers individuals from the stress of lying and increases their ability to deceive others. Fred Schoeffler is the longest serving Interagency Hot Shot Crew Boss in history (with something like 27 years) and that SHOULD mean something since he SHOULD be held in the highest esteem by everyone in the wildland firefighting community writ large in an unimpeachable emeritus and elder statesman Hot Shot Crew Boss status including wunderkind, petty, vindictive, and malicious U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Region (R3) Director of Fire and Aviation Management Jake “Judas” NUTTALL with his deeply flawed, myopic, and potentially fatal (to young wildland firefighters) "Kill the Messenger" mentality which are all serious character flaws he learned from his Machiavellian mentor, the previous Southwest Regional Fire Staff Duane Tewa. Judas NUTTALL is the current point person to retaliate against and muzzle Fred because of his outspoken views while speaking truth to power on the systemic lies and cover up of the destruction of the [GMHS IHC] on the Yarnell Hill Fire (YHF) of 2013. The most recent example is Judas NUTTALL prohibiting Fred from attending and presenting an important White Paper pertaining to wildland firefighter safety at February’s Southwest Area Hotshot After Action Review at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center, which is the type of thing Fred has always done since he retired (although he still went out to fight wildfires as a Safety Officer until they blacklisted him because of his stating truth to power about the YHF) as the longest serving hotshot crew boss in history with his emeritus and elder statesman status fully intact until he started speaking out on the YHF lies and cover up. ... And that’s you know…wrong. And so---I only have one question, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH JUDAS NUTTALL? And this is a rhetorical question because I already know what is wrong with Judas NUTTALL, he wants to keep the 30 extra pieces of silver he gets in his paycheck every two weeks for betraying all past, current, and future wildland firefighters, but especially hotshots. But if you don’t want to listen to Fred, I have just shown you a couple of photos of what the typical mountains look like where hotshots are routinely sent to fight wildfires armed with nothing more than hand tools in the middle of summertime in the Sonoran Desert where the ambient temperatures often exceed 110 degrees, and you SHOULD go in his place. I would go with you, but I'm tired. And more to the point, I don't need to because I already know that Fred knows exactly what he is talking about regarding the YHF lies and cover up. So... But in the meantime, if you want to read up on what Fred thinks about the YHF lies and cover up, a lot of his thoughts can be found here, https://www.yarnellhillfirerevelations.com/ I am an anecdotal storyteller and even though I try to keep the embellishments down to a bare minimum for historical accuracy, some people still say my stories get better every time I tell them whereas Fred is the real deal. I haven’t been on the fire line since 1984 or in the greater wildland firefighting community since 1988. Fred has never left the fire line, but people like Judas NUTTALL are doing their best to force him off it and that will be a bad thing for wildland firefighters everywhere since wildland firefighting safety is Fred’s special expertise and passion. ... My dear former competitor (not friend, we were never friends, and we still aren't as I haven't seen him or communicated with him other than by email since the early 1980's on the fire line although we haven't lived very far apart for the last year) Fred's expertise and passions also extend to Fire Behavior Analysis, Meteorology and Fire Weather Forecasting as a well-rounded brainiac and Warrior Nerd. I would have made the effort to go see “The Professor”, but the way I remember it, talking to Fred was what I imagine talking to Spock from Star Trek would be like. And to even make the situation more uncomfortable, Fred doesn’t have a sense of humor since the U.S. Forest Service didn't issue him one because they didn't think he would need it as a Hot Shot Crew Boss. On the other end of the spectrum, we have professional lackey, flunky, sycophant, yes-man and management li'l bitch (non-gender specific) U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Region (R3) Director of Fire and Aviation Management, Fire Staff Officer Jake “Judas” NUTTALL. ... But heads up just in case you decide to go in Fred's place, he always climbed up to where the Hot Shots worked on the mountains to break their balls etc. (but you know…in a gentle and caring way) about following all of the safety rules and guidelines all of the time, which is something I can't say about very many other Safety Officers since I never saw one (or at least very many) of them outside of fire camp where they spent most of their time huggin’ the salamanders, sippin’ hot coffee and bullshittin’. And just FYI, breakin’ Hot Shot's balls etc., even in a gentle and caring way can be a risky business. Me? I have to go see a man about some horses, but I will be back. ... Oh...and one more thing. Fred and I are on the right side of history when it comes to the Yarnell Hill Fire Disaster of 2013 and the subsequent cover up. Jake “Judas” NUTTAL and his ilk are on the wrong side of history about that God forsaken wildfire and a lot of other issues. And time will tell the truth as only it can. So... God Bless America and all of our wildland firefighters but especially our Hot Shots because that’s all I ever was or wanted to be on the fire line."
So saith the world renowned former Happy Jack HS Crew Boss, Santa Fe Hot Shot Supt., and former USFS Criminal Investigator, Wildland Firefighter Safety and Burn Over Survivability Issues Blog author and creator. Thank you Gary!
"The purpose of Propaganda is to make one set of people forget that other sets of people are human."
Aldous Huxley
This author draws from the well documented paper by the following renowned researchers and scientists Sidney Dekker, Mark Layson, and David Woods because of the notable parallels in their attempt to reveal the same adverse dynamics (e.g. moral injury, betrayal, the tension between humility and hubris, ambiguity, uncertain judgements, and more) facing the US Hot Shots in general, and the SWA Hot Shots in particular. And also the theme of this post. Their paper is titled Repentance as Rebuke: Betrayal and Moral Injury in Safety Engineering (Sci Eng Ethics. 2022; 28(6): 56) Relevant excerpts follow below Figure 16.
"Following other contributions about the MAX accidents to this journal, this paper explores the role of betrayal and moral injury in safety engineering related to the U.S. federal regulator’s role in approving the Boeing 737MAX - a plane involved in two crashes that together killed 346 people. It discusses the tension between humility and hubris when engineers are faced with complex systems that create ambiguity, uncertain judgements, and equivocal test results from unstructured situations. It considers the relationship between moral injury, principled outrage and rebuke when the technology ends up involved in disasters. It examines the corporate backdrop against which calls for enhanced employee voice are typically made, and argues that when engineers need to rely on various protections and moral inducements to ‘speak up,’ then the ethical essence of engineering—skepticism, testing, checking, and questioning—has already failed. ... One of the key calls is the fostering of moral courage: the courage to act on one’s moral convictions including adherence to codes of ethics ... the immense difficulty and ethical challenges for engineers in the face of organizational malfeasance. ... if an engineer needs ‘moral courage’ simply to do their job, then there is a major moral and systemic (or, as Herkert and colleagues say: ‘macroethical’) failure whose remedies cannot sustainably or reliably come from front-line moral heroism ... Early in 2021, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety engineer based in Seattle, publicly denounced the federal regulator’s role in approving the Boeing 737MAX—a plane involved in two crashes that together killed 346 people. What drove him to speak out while still employed was his renewed faith, deeply intertwined with an active repentance for his role in failing to prevent the disasters (Gates, 2021). ..."
"While the safety engineer’s exclusion may have acted to mitigate feelings of remorse and guilt, he was the most experienced engineer in the regulator’s Seattle office. He admitted afterward that he “felt a strong conviction that I should help with healing the families of the 737 MAX crashes” (Gates, 2021, p. 13). He indicated how his regret arose from his failure to deploy the responsibilities of his role and expert knowledge. Sharpe (2004) reminds us ... [that] it is a reminder of forward-looking accountability, linked to goal-setting and moral deliberation which themselves are embedded in particular roles that people occupy. Prospective responsibility, or forward-looking accountability, is oriented toward deliberative and practical processes involved in setting and meeting goals. In the case of safety regulation, the overriding goal of the entire system is avoiding harm to other people. A failure of forward-looking accountability, then, can be seen here as not deploying the system’s role or knowledge in the service of risk reduction and harm avoidance."
"The Moral Injury - ‘Moral injury’ is increasingly recognized as one consequence when one’s ethical framework is broadsided or even broken by the actions of others or oneself. The term was first used by Shay in the mid 1990s to describe the “betrayal of what is right by someone in legitimate authority in a high stakes situation” (Shay, 2014, p. 181). Moral injury can be triggered by a self-accusation that is caused by something one did or failed to do. But things can also be done to someone, who suffers moral injury as a result. This means that a betrayal by those in authority within manufacturer or regulator would have been but one aspect of the moral injury. Moral injury also arises when one transgresses one’s own moral compass—leaving what Litz et al. (2009, p. 697) describe as “the lasting psychological, biological, spiritual, behavioral and social impact of perpetrating, failing to prevent, or bearing witness to acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations.” The safety engineer’s would in that case have been a double moral wound.
"Betrayal is a central theme for those morally injured and has been an almost ubiquitous human experience over the ages. Individuals such as Judas, Brutus, and Cassius betray leaders and nations, leading Dante to envision their destiny as the very center circle of hell with all other betrayers. These historical betrayals have often focused on the individual as the traitor who breaks the fraternal bonds of ‘thick’ human relationships (Margalit, 2017). Organizations can betray individuals, with destructive consequences (Smith & Freyd, 2014). Smith and Freyd focused on organizations that betray individuals who report sexual abuse, but others notice institutional betrayal in cases of public safety, finding that distrust and a sense of betrayal among people gets heightened when the disaster or crisis can be traced to human agency, to human-made decisions, judgments or errors (Sobeck et al., 2020). When an engineer believes they are part of an organization dedicated to safety in a high stakes context such as aviation, only to find this dedication to safety is getting—or has been—undermined, the concept of institutional betrayal must be considered. Roger Boisjoly’s failed attempts to stop the Challenger launch decision in 1986 is a well-publicized precedent (Vaughan, 1996)."
Walk in Wisdom
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5: 15-16 (NKJV)
Consider now some of former Santa Fe HS and self-acclaimed author of the first YH Fire and GMHS book, Kyle Dickman's informative and instructive, lengthy Outside online (October 10, 2018) article as he ostensibly takes on the controversial underground "Honor the Fallen Group." It was titled: What We Learned from the Yarnell Hill Fire Deaths. The article's subtitle went even further - One of the worst tragedies in the history of firefighting prompted little change to a culture that regularly puts young lives at risk. A few seasoned veterans are working to fix that." ["Underground" is variously defined as "a group or movement organized secretly to work against an existing regime." Exactly what they're doing]
Dickman: "In January 2014, 11 veteran firefighters from the nation’s biggest fire agencies—the vanguard of fire, as they were described to me—met in Yarnell. They hiked along the route the hotshots had likely taken from the ridge into the canyon where the 19 died seven months earlier. They arrived at a startling conclusion.“We could see ourselves making the same decision they’d made,” said Travis Dotson, a member of the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (WLF LLC), a federally funded organization that helps firefighters improve their performance. Around the time of the field trip, Dotson and others formed an underground group called Honor the Fallen. Included in its couple dozen members were some of the highest-ranking firefighters from the various agencies in the wildland fire business: the [USFS, BLM, and NPS.] Their goal was to make sure Yarnell Hill, the most publicized event in wildland firefighting history, forced some much-needed changes to the job’s outdated culture. Three years later, they tried to spark “an age of enlightenment” in wildland fire. As [former aerial-delivered WF] Dotson distilled the shift in mindset, “Before Yarnell, it was about getting better at fighting fire. After, it’s been about getting better at accepting death.” [Dotson's next statement is actually quite accurate because people continue to do stupid stuff, things break, etc. All we can really do is reduce those incidence numbers based on "complete lessons learned" from honest, truthful investigations.] “Making it through a fire season without a death is a statistical impossibility.” Dobson goes on to falsely conclude: "Over time, the relationship between tragedy and rulemaking sewed into the culture the belief that firefighters die only when they break rules." [On the contrary, "the rules" as you call them, have worked just fine for many years. And to the best of this author's knowledge, there has NEVER been a wildfire where they did everything right and killed anyone, especially 19 PFD GMHS. NEVER! In addition, this offer still stands. Name me one wildland fire where the FFs or WFs did everything right and yet someone died or was killed by someone. There are none! Although Naysayers claim the YH Fire as an example because of the SAIT-SAIR conclusion. And there are those that strongly believe that Marsh, at a minimum, along with Steed, because Steed was in charge of the GMHS at the time, were both culpable for their deaths, and Marsh should have been charged with manslaughter. (Investigative Media) Moreover, there are many more of us retired HS Supts and other WF Supervisors that believe that Marsh committed suicide once he realized that his bad decisions were going to get him and all his men killed. So, he played the Captain going down with his ship" card to make him appear as the hero. This author alleges that his widow would have the audacity to label him the "National Hero." However, for all intents-and-purposes it has disappeared from the Internet].
Consider our July 2023 YHFR post titled "Was the Prescott Way Prescott FD "hero" and "sacrifice" rhetoric a causal factor of the June 30, 2013, YH Fire and GMHS fatalities?"
WLF LLC Dotson and others formed
an underground group called Honor the Fallen.
“We could see ourselves
making the same decision they’d made,
Before Yarnell, it was about getting better at fighting fire. After, it’s been about getting
better at accepting death.”
“Making it through a fire season without a death
is a statistical impossibility.”
Notwithstanding Dobson's alleged bold brown-nosing feckless assertion attempting to justify what the GMHS did above, this author holds that it is an accurate statement to conclude otherwise, i.e following the tried-and-trued Rules of Engagement (ROE) works every single time! It was the June 2013, YH Fire and GMHS debacle, and Federally-funded Serious Accident Investigation Team (SAIT) Report (SAIR) "conclusion" that bastardized the ROE and validated Dobson's assertions about the YH Fire and GMHS tragedy. This author alleges that the SW Area, former Heber Hot Shot, Regional Fire Director "Judas" Jake Nuttall turned Quisling, so he must go along to get along and toe the Party Line to curry favor with his supervisors. This author also alleges that Nuttal uses the "Divide and Conquer" method of control to ensure others will see that "speaking " is dangerous and will not be tolerated. This is contrary to the Radical Candor article (link) that encourages and promotes "creating an environment where people feel empowered to speak truth to power. This kind of culture can only be achieved when managers understand that it is authentic relationships and not power that drive them forward."
However, "speaking truth to power" about the YH Fire and GMHS for us Truth Tellers results in being sternly called out, chastized, and made an example of for others to see. After all, they need to ensure that the masses comply with the continuing "biggest cover-up, lie, and whitewash in wildland fire history" saga; applying what has become variously known in philosophy as the "Hegelian Principle" covered in the paragraph below.
"In 1808, Hegel still talked of constructing some sort of bridge between traditional logic set out in classical form by Aristotle and his own. Aristotlean logic had been the standard for 2,000 years. Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) perfected a form of deductive argument called the syllogism. "Classical reasoning assumes the principle of logical identity: A = A or A is not non-A". Why did Hegel need a different logic? Perhaps you may already have seen the answer to this in Hegel's Phenomenology. Hegel usually referred to the Phenomenology as his "psychology", because it was the only one of his writings which deals with the world, not as it appears to Absolute Mind (or Spirit) but to quite ordinary minds like our own. It traced a path from our everyday commonsense states of mind to the vantage point of "Systematic Science". Hegel's different way of thinking has become known as dialectical thinking. What makes dialectical thinking so difficult to explain is that it can only be seen in practice. It is not a "method" or a set of principles, like Aristotle's, which can be simply stated and then applied to whatever subject-matter one chooses. How do we begin to understand how this dialectic works? First, by beginning to appreciate Hegel's unique philosophical ambition."
"But in writing that book I became aware of employing a new and unprecedented way of thinking". The German philosopher Georg Hegel famously said, “The only thing that we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.” So the, we continue to make the same mistakes. "Not to be outdone in the Orwellian project of reconstructing the past to promote nefarious objectives in the present." (American Civil War student)
"It is often said that history is a story told by the winners. It might be more accurate to say that those who tell their story as history and get others to believe it thereby make themselves the winners." It is the notion that the LI and SWA RFD are promoting. Consider (The Holocaust Explained)
Dickman continues: "Yarnell did prompt a modest update to the fire shelter, the flimsy aluminum heat shields the hotshots had died under, and the development of a new phone app that helps firefighters get weather updates in real time. But as Honor the Fallen predicted, it led to no significant policy changes. In an age when fires are getting more dangerous and the need to fight them more pressing, what, if anything, has changed after Yarnell?" [Debunking and discrediting the ROE!]
"Then 2015 happened. That year, more acres burned than at any point in recorded history, and the [USFS] lost seven firefighters. That agency is one of many in today’s ballooning wildland fire business, but as the oldest and largest, it sets the industry’s culture. The chief at the time, Tom Tidwell, responded as tradition dictated. “I don’t want another fire season like 2015” says John Phipps, director of the (USFS’s) Rocky Mountain Research Station. Tidwell had called him at home in Colorado late one November night and said, “I’m directing you and the leadership team of the [USFS] to come up with a way that we don’t have that kind of a season ever again.” He gave Phipps’s team six months to come up with a way to stop [FFs] from dying on the line. “We have 10,000 firefighters,” Phipps remembers thinking. “Well, gee, what can we do in five to six months, get it deployed, and have it make a difference so that everybody goes home in 2016?” [Three separate links are provided immediately below in the three separate Life Fire Initiative (LFI) words"] It focused on “reducing the amount of unnecessary risk” to firefighters’ lives. Tidwell’s directive reinforced that the [USFS] “accepted no loss of life”and suggested 11 more rules. (A couple examples: “Under no circumstances will mop-up be allowed under snags or fire-weakened trees ... Firefighters are prohibited from working alone without radio communications or easy access to emergency medical skills.”) It provided firefighters no tools to assess risk or determine how much of it was necessary."
The article continues: "Because of swift internal backlash, these rules fell short of implementation, but they set the initiative’s tone. From the moment Life First came out, Honor the Fallen considered it a relic. The initiative didn’t mention that over the past three decades, the Forest Service’s fire force had mushroomed from 6,000 employees in 1998—about a third of the agency’s workforce—into a seasonal army that now gobbled up half the agency’s $4 billion–plus annual budget and then spent hundreds of millions more in emergency funding. It didn’t mention that wildland firefighters’ primary job was no longer to save publicly owned trees for the timber industry to cut, but to place themselves between watersheds, infrastructure, cities, and often uncontrollable fires like Yarnell Hill." [Are you friggin kidding me?]
There you are with the USFS audacity, drama, histrionics, and hype needed to support this blather and to bolster their unbelievable conclusion of no blame, no fault, and follow it with the Global Warming, Climate Change bunk, followed by his purely dramatic and utterly false statement: "but to place themselves between watersheds, infrastructure, cities, and often uncontrollable fires like Yarnell Hill" statement. WTF!?
""The greater part of the population is not very intelligent, dreads responsibility, and desires nothing better than to be told what to do. Provided the rulers do not interfere with its material comforts and its cherished beliefs, it is perfectly happy to let itself be ruled."~Aldous Huxley
How a grad student uncovered the largest known slave auction in the U.S. Jennifer Berry Clawes "The silence of the archives is deafening on this ... What does that silence tell you? It reinforces how routine this was.” Bernard Powers, founding director of the College of Charleston Center for the Study of Slavery. (ProPublica - The Current)
Continuing with Dickman: "Back on the ridgetop, Mayhew plays the video MacKenzie shot here five years ago. There’s a moment where the video jumps that looks like an edit. “People seized on that and said we’d doctored the clip,” says Mayhew, shaking his head. “They discounted the entire investigation because they thought they’d caught us in a lie.” In fact, it was two separate but complete clips edited into one. Many firefighters don’t trust investigations. History gave them good reasons. “That’s because for a long time they went out and created reasons to blame workers,” Mayhew says. As an independent contractor, he has made investigating fireline accidents his career. [Yes indeed he is doing just that. And this author alleges that the USFS knows full well they can count on him, because they helped "create" him, in order to dutifully Toe the Party Line and conclude whatever they ask him to conclude, e.g. Pagami Fire (2011) FLA, Saddleback Fire Fatality (2013) Learning Review (Figure 11.) and/or FLA, Coal Canyon SAIT (2010), and Freezeout Ridge (2014) FLA and the crown jewel of them all - the YH Fire (2013) - the biggest cover-up, lie, and whitewash in wildland fire history.]
"The team’s reaction to Mayhew’s investigation was particularly strong. He thinks that’s because their investigation did what few others have before. They acknowledged that firefighting is high risk and people sometimes die doing it. In the final report, they didn’t cast blame, which made it harder to learn from the deaths and angered many people. [There is a CA Municipal Fire Captain qualified Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) that refused the offer to be the YH Fire SAIT FBAN because of their misplaced stance blaming the fire weather (a tertiary causal factor) for the GMHS deaths instead of his confidently held, more accurate, well-documented Friendly Fire operations along the Sesame Street and Shrine corridors in and around Yarnell based on several YHFR posts and human factors conferences and websites. Listed at least twice in our YHFR website, Academia.edu, Research Gate, this author's Google Scholar account, several in InvestigativeMEDIA, Google Books, and many more]
Dickman continues:"Around the time that Mayhew’s investigation was released, in the fall of 2013, online discussion boards cropped up that attracted fire professionals and hobbyists. One blog still active today has tens of thousands of comments. [This is very likely either IM or our YHFR website] Too many of them are overseasoned with vitriol or dedicated to conspiracy theories—somebody ordered the men to leave the ridge; a backfire sparked by a homeowner killed the crew; the hotshots were amateurs. These commenters often accuse Mayhew of being a conspirator in a government coverup. He calls the accusation patently false. But what bothers him is that some of those ideas have infected the fire culture, and he’s constantly having to correct dangerous misperceptions. “It’s comforting to think, ‘I never would have done that. I’m not like them,’” says Mayhew, who was a hotshot and still works as a firefighter. “They were just firefighters, and we’re just firefighters.”
"Mayhew and I left the overlook and began hiking when the sun slipped below the Weaver Mountains and the peaks’ shadows stretched into the valley below. We followed the thin road that [GMHS] took to their deaths. It was steep and rutted, and we both kicked rocks that tumbled downhill. We soon reached the point where the hotshots opted to drop off the ridge, through the canyon, and toward the ranch. We stood there for a moment. A turkey vulture rotated overhead. “Doesn’t it look like it’s right there?” Mayhew asked of the ranch we could see at the head of the canyon. “Like you could be there in five minutes?”
"The uncertainty behind what drove those men, in view of that terrifying fire, to drop into a wickedly steep box canyon has generated the conspiracies that still haunt wildland firefighting today. Whatever it was that pulled them of the ridge, after years of making necessarily risky decisions on the fire [GMHS] missed something on [the] Yarnell Hill [Fire]" [How about standing up to the alleged odious GMHS Supt. Marsh who was threatening Steed on their discreet Crew Net channel?] In hindsight, it’s a hard decision to fathom. For his part, Mayhew tries to stay out of the swirling theories. [They are by legal definition, truly conspiracies, i.e. "an agreement between two or more people to commit an illegal act, along with an intent to achieve the agreement's goal. "because of your alleged cover-up of what really happened and why. And no longer a theory ecause they actually occurred]. On this point, he’s bullish. “They were trying to save lives,” Mayhew says. “They knew people were threatened down there. That must have weighed on them. Whatever it was that pulled them of the ridge, after years of making necessarily risky decisions on the fire [GMHS] missed something on [the] Yarnell Hill [Fire]" ”[These statements virtually match what PFD BC Willis stated in his July 24, 2013, YH Fire GMHS Deployment Site News Conference video].
Figure 16. (left) June 30, 2013, 1629 hrs. ASF Lauber fire behavior & Google Earth overlay & GMHS travel route. June 30, 2013, 1631 hrs. ABC News Mary Nunez photo image (right) Source: Lauber, Nunez, WTKTT
Figure 17. SAIT-SAIR Figure 18. idealized image Source: SAIT-SAIR
This author's legal Declaration "Under penalty of perjury" follows: Informal EEO complaint regarding alleged illegal, disparate, and unethical treatment of Fred J. Schoeffler by the SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall, regarding the February 22 and 23, 2023, USDA USFS 2023 Southwest Area (SWA) IHC Workshop at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center, 11550 W. Glendale Ave, Glendale, AZ Declaration of Fred J. Schoeffler re: the above decisions and actions of SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall. I, Fred John Schoeffler, make the following declaration in lieu of an affidavit as permitted by 16 A.R.S. Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 80. Being a former USFS employee and former SWA Hot Shot Steering Committee Chairman, I am aware that this declaration may be filed with the US District Court of Arizona; and that it is the legal equivalent of a statement under oath. 1. I submit this declaration on behalf of myself based on my personal knowledge of the various 2023 decisions and actions by SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall. 2. I relied in good faith on my interpretation of the emails and conversations with SWA HS employees regarding the above from mid-January to mid- to late-February. I was asked to provide a copy of my PowerPoint presentation which I did in a PDF format. 3. I made motel reservations at the Aloft Glendale at Westgate, 6920 N 93rd Ave, Glendale, AZ (602-883-3500) as directed in email correspondence. 4. However, during a brief phone conversation on February 21, 2023, to me at my residence in Pine, AZ initiated by the SWA HS Steering Committee Chairman Mark Adams - acting as SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall’s go-between advised me of the SWA Regional Fire Director’s decision to prohibit my attendance and ability to make my presentation at the 2023 Southwest IHC Workshop scheduled for February 22-23, 2023, at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center at 11550 W. Glendale Ave in Glendale, AZ. My date and time were designated as February 22, 2023, between 1600-1700 on their agenda, along with Rich Dolphin, the retired Smokey Bear HS Supt. However, Dolphin would be allowed to attend the meeting and make his presentation while I was prohibited. 5. This February 21, 2023, phone conversation with the SWA IHC Chairman ... consisted of him informing me that (paraphrasing): ‘they said … you are prohibited from attending because of all your lawsuits against the USFS, all your FOIA Requests, and your persistent speaking truth to power attitude.’ I asked [him] who “they” was, and he replied that it was “Jake Nuttall.” I asked [him] if he pushed or responded back to him, and he told me: ‘we all have supervisors and bosses we work for and we need these guys to get what we need to do our jobs.’ 6. And then, between February 22-23, 2023 - based on comments made to Fred J. Schoeffler by the SWA IHC Chairman ... the SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall; Director, Southwestern Region 3 Fire & Aviation Management (FAM) took the following action(s) to illegally prohibit me from attending and delivering my SWA IHC-approved PowerPoint presentation (in a PDF format) at the 2023 Southwest IHC Workshop scheduled for February 22-23, 2023, at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center in Glendale, AZ, a Homeland Security facility. 7. However, former USFS employee and Smokey Bear HS Supt. Dolphin was allowed to attend the meeting and make his presentation on many of the same areas of concern contained in my presentation. 8. Schoeffler stayed at the same motel as the SWA IHC Workshop participants and rented their Conference Room to present to approximately 15 out of the 40-50 SWA IHC participants my Power Presentation in a PDF format titled: “Has It Always Been This Way? When Was It That Everything Profoundly Changed in Wildland Fire? Are you the new generation willing and able to answer those questions? And then actually do something about it to effect worthwhile change? Or just leave it be and lose all that we have worked for?” 9. SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall; Director, Southwestern Region 3 FAM knows full-well that Fred J. Schoeffler is an outspoken critic of the fatal June 30, 2013, Yarnell Hill (YH) Fire and Granite Mountain HS (GMHS) Crew fatality, researching, writing, publishing, and presenting about this predictable and preventable tragedy in various national and international forums since 2018, including several RT-130 Refresher presentations at the same Glendale Regional Training Facility at issue. 10. And that SWA Regional Fire Director Jake Nuttall; Director, Southwestern Region 3 FAM knows full-well that Fred J. Schoeffler is boldly Christian, utilizing numerous Bible quotes in his various forums and postings dedicated to reducing the number of wildland fire fatalities due to all manner of human and psychological factors by providing research and education to wildland fire agencies, educators, firefighters, and the general public. 11. These various forums and postings include Google Scholar and those listed below in 11. (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WeaMSJkAAAAJ&hl=en ) 12. Research Gate, Academia.edu, annual Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE) International Conferences, Yarnell Hill Fire Revelations website, and Project 10 & 18 International website, and other forums. 13. In the event this goes to trial, I retained the PierceColeman Law Firm at 7730 E. Greenway Road Suite 105 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 and 2812 N. Norwalk Suite 107, Mesa, AZ 85215. (602) 772-5506; Please refrain from contacting them. (jon@piercecoleman.com). I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed in Pine, Arizona on this 5th day of April 2023 with an electronic signature. Fred John Schoeffler - Project 10 & 18 International President I certify that on April 6, 2023, I submitted the above by email to both Diedre Smith at Deidre.smith@usda.gov, and Nancy Foster at Nancy.foster@usda.gov. Fred John Schoeffler Signed: Fred John Schoeffler [End of Schoeffler declaration]
Figure 14. Schoeffler Declaration for February SWA AAR Source: Schoeffler
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.”
Thomas Paine
Figure 19. Defeating the enemy quote Source: Sun Tzu, FB
Consider now Enemy Of The State: Disparate Treatment: It's Dangerous To Be Right When The Government Is Wrong!
Author and researcher James Coe Jr. writes (Hamilton Place): I'm going to expose disparate treatment gone wild inside a federal agency. I'll expose how the feds violated my earned veteran's rights.I'll reveal how during the administrative appeals process the federal government failed to show just cause. Discover the dirty little word that will land you on the NSA watch list. What happens if the feds breaks the law and you stand your ground will shock you."
Figure 20. Power and cruelty quote image Source: Solzhenitsyn, FB
Figure 20a. (left) defending truth quote (right) controlling environment quote images Source: (left) Augustine of Hippo, FB; (right) Wendi Jade, FB
Figure 21. (left) worthy knowledge quote (right) Bill of Rights images Source: (left) Oscar Wilde (right) unk. author, FB
The cover-up is always worse than the crime.
We need those brave individuals that are comfortable with 'speaking truth to power' and who know how to break the rules without compromising their principles.
(Unknown)
Book Summary – The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
(https://nela.ced.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Summary-%E2%80%93-The-21-Irrefutable.pdf)
"Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interest, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions."
Thomas Paine, 1776
Figure 22. A sin to believe with no evidence and power to make one believe absurdities = power to commit atrocities quote Source: Voltaire, FB
Figure 23. (left) will not reason - bigots; cannot reason = fools; dare not reason = slaves quote (right) telling the story image Source: (left) Lord Bryon, FB (right) Narcissistic Families, Inc, FB
This author's 2023 SWA Hot Shots After Action Review Southwest IHC Workshop PPT/PDF titled: "Has It Always Been This Way? When Was It That Everything Profoundly Changed in Wildland Fire? Are you, the new generation, willing and able to answer those questions? And then actually do something about it to effect worthwhile change? Or just leave it be and loose all that we have worked for?" was too long to post here. Send an email or request for a detailed and thought-provoking copy. That was submitted as requested for review by the SA Steering Committee and SWCC FAM personnel scheduled for the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center Feb. 21-23, 2023 Fred J. Schoeffler - Project 10 & 18 Intl.
Consider now the answer to the post title. How Is It Possible That The June 30, 2013, Yarnell Hill Fire Human Factors Perspective Is Exploited To Restrict Our First Amendment Rights of Free Association and Free Speech?
"History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from. And if it offends you, even better, because you are less likely to repeat it. History is not yours to change or destroy." Aldous Huxley
"In order for organizations to learn, information about problems or potential problems needs to be communicated by those who "notice" these problems to people in decision making positions. Under conditions of ambiguity however, it is often difficult to recognize whether a given piece of information is important or not. The nature of the information as well as the location of the sender in the hierarchy and in informal networks may influence how the information is perceived." Source: Organization at the limit. Lessons from the Columbia disaster. (2005) W. Starbuck and M Farjoun Barriers to interpretation and diffusion of information about potential problems in organizations: Lessons learned from the space shuttle Columbia. P. 246.
Both the alleged YH Fire LI and the SWA FD and other naysayers and Kool-Aid Drinkers would benefit immensely from the statement above.
An initial internet search for the phrase "defending yourself against false accusations" revealed several hits. This author chose the Cohen Law Office (linked) one titled: Steps to Take When a Person Makes False Accusations Against You. This author truncated some key points below.
"We can also help you clear your name and work to lessen the impact the accusations have on your overall life and well-being. ... If a person makes false accusations against you, ... stay calm. Individuals naturally want to try and defend themselves by fighting back. However, acting rashly will not make your problems go away and could even hurt your case. ... retain an experienced criminal defense lawyer to assist you.... advising you about your legal options, ... provide you with the best opportunity to effectively clear your name and navigate through the criminal process. ... help you gather evidence against the individual who lodged the false accusations ... Finally... you may be able to turn the charges around."
Clearly, this author boldly chose them all - clearly the "remain calm" one based on Fire Order #6, subscribing to this unknown author's quote: "And to stand his ground and defend himself, lessen the impact the accusations have on your overall life and well-being, challenge the credibility of the individual who made the accusations, hire an attorney, challenge the credibility of the individual who made the accusations, expose both of his accuser’s history of lies or other facts, find his own witnesses who could testify on the witness stand in support of his version of events, develop a defense strategy and assert the proper defenses, and turn the charges around."
Moreover, any intervention to strengthen public trust in wildland fire "investigations and conclusion" journalism and democratic institutions is an intervention against the impacts of misinformation. These might include enhancing transparency in human factors and leadership journalism, more rigorous fact-checking of personal and political motivations, and reducing that gap that breeds distrust in alleged and self-appointed experts, and it contributes to vulnerability to misinformation.
is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong "
"You can pardon most anything in a man who will tell the truth, because you know where that man is; you know what he seems. If anyone lies, if he has the habit of untruthfulness, you cannot deal with him because there is nothing to depend on."
Theodore Roosevelt (President Roosevelt Address at Ventura, CA 5/9/03)
“Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be” – “Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” John Wooden
“If the truth shall kill them, let them die.” — Immanuel Kant
“It is not surprising that the ordinary person, in general, is much more easily indoctrinated than the abnormal…A person is considered ‘ordinary’ or ‘normal’ by the community simply because he accepts most of its social standards and behavioural patterns; which means, in fact, that he is susceptible to suggestion and has been persuaded to go with the majority on most ordinary or extraordinary occasions.” ~ William Sargant
"I have no reason to suppose that he, who would take away my Liberty, would not when he had me in his Power, take away everything else."
John Locke
Consider some worthy quotes from a bad-ass Hot Shot Crew and a former AK Pioneer Hot Shot Supt.: "Trample the weak, hurdle the dead - Attila the Hun" and "Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack."
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Figure 24. Oath of office Source: 5 U.S. Code § 3331 - Oath of office
This Federal Oath of Office still holds true and this author has never relinquished his, however, the LI and SWA RFD did relinquish theirs.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“It is dangerous to be right in matters
on which the
established authorities are wrong.”
Voltaire
Moving right along making new friends while betraying others as well.
Figure 25. Warrior quote Source: FaceBook, Internet
Updates: The usual spelling, punctuation, dividers, and grammar for corrections, enhancement, sentence size, structure and readability. Defined Quisling and Disparate Treatment; added June 30, 2013, and July 1, 2013, statements; clarified June 30, 2013, to July 7, 2013, PRR YCSO documents; added and clarified PFD WBC Willis' July 2013, YH Fire and GMHS Deployment Zone News Conference statements; defined "Underground Group"; added High Country News author Carswell comments and link; clarified "will never know" comments and defined "Reactance Theory"; clarified Figure 7. Blow-up to Burnover "52 Minutes" for the GMHS; added WLF LLC "lessons learned" quote; clarified and defined Hegel's theory and l quotes; clarified and better organized author Dickman and LI Outside online quotes; and clarified LA FF FBAN logic.
due to the size of this post- the audio review is placed on the MAY 2024 Journal and that will not go to the Public at Large for at least six months; those journals from March on through...
The video failed to post according to the error message
Fred, I was able to add the one video in comment wall here vs in the post.
Fred, all day the audio has been uploading. It is on YouTube now at 8% upload. Just wanted you to know
4-22-24 8pm this update. Thank you for your service and leadership role all those decades. I am sorry too many would rather listen to narratives vs. research out the documents to lead to a conclusion. We appreciate you standing up and doing the difficult right thing.