John's Open Letters Vol. 1 #23

March 25, 2002

With the election of Officers soon coming, I made a list of what others and myself feel we need from our elected officials in the K.W.V.A.

1) We need Officers who will give a straightforward answer when asked a question and who will not ask your motive for asking a question.

2) We need Officers who will speak for themselves and that includes Staff Officers.

3) We need officers who will not expel Members except where there is a very serious reason such as a felony.

4) We need Officers who will vote on official business on issues because of their merits, not because the President wants their vote to be as he wishes. No block voting.

5) We need Officers who will give "public credit" to Chapters and Members when deserved, not to use their accomplishments as a bragging point for their own glorification.

6) We need Officers who will upgrade our Procedures Manual and By-Laws so we have a smoother running Veterans Organization that functions properly.

7) We need Officers who will listen to the Members concerns and provide them with a timely reply.

8) We need Officers who will listen to an Advisory Committee on issues for the good of the K.W.V.A.

9) We need Officers who will work with the Departments and Chapters towards making them an important part of the K.W.V.A., not just statistics to take credit for and brag about.

10) We need Officers who will be cooperative with all the Members, not just a select few.

11) We need Officers who will work, in whatever their position is, towards a better K.W.V.A. so we again have a fine organization to represent us all and especially the many who have made and are still making so many sacrifices. (Apparently some of our present Officers have forgotten their responsibilities to the By-Laws and the Members who voted for them, so they would be in the official position that they are.)

We could use a stronger Financial Committee with a better explanation of our expenditures so the Members would not have to question them. We have a large pool of experienced and knowledgeable people who could be an excellent source for help such as Advisory Committees.

We need to have resolutions acted upon in a timely manner and not sent back or shelved for picayune reasons. Not everybody can write a resolution but the idea is there and with proper help their concerns should be brought to the attention of the Executive Board. This is healthy for it is Democracy in action; the way it should be.

We were led to believe the "West" would see how the K.W.V.A. would be "Administered" at the Vegas Meeting. Well, those who went, even though it was a small number, about thirty in attendance, said it was a big disappointment. The speakers were great but the procedures were not done in the best manner that it should have been. One man from Vegas said it was not done in a professional manner. I was not there but I did talk to many who were, and that is not hearsay. Some were Directors of the K.W.V.A. - so much for our present K.W.V.A. administrators.

For the Members that were recently added to my list of Open letter recipients, there are thirteen Officials who do not want my letters or e-mails for any reason. One of them said he has deleted e-mails from other Members who have asked him questions but he refuses to acknowledge them. Talk about snubbing the Members by our present Elected Officials (not all of them). I was asking for the truth and I am labeled a trouble-maker and threatened with expulsion, legal action, taking away our computer and e-mail and having me investigated by a States Attorney. All because I write these open letters.

I was bombarded by insulting, vulgar, untrue, false and improper e-mails by at least one perverted Member of the K.W.V.A. who is supporting our President Harley Coon. He sure has a select group of followers.

One SICKO has insulted Directors Dick Adams, Ted Trusdale and Members Ken Buckley and Dick Wainwright. Some of these totally false accusations were also directed towards several Past Officers and other Members.

E-mails are being sent to me and others under the user names of "Kwar1950", "Inchon915", and "Skronen266a". All are AOL.COM and the "Skronen266a" is to confuse you so you think I am sending this trash. Two have sent the same or similar subject messages today (23 March, 2002) within two and a half minutes (2 1/2). From observing the consecutive log-on's and log-off's of those three user names as shown in the AOL Buddy List Window, it is obvious that all three are the same person. There is no limit to the devious ways some will go through to degrade me and others so you will not consider voting for a change of Officers.

These types of actions were done by subversive organizations in order to gain power and control over their subjects with the subsequent loss of their rights including the right of free speech and expression. I would hate to think we have in our midst someone who learned their lesson well while trying to stay well-fed and survive. That thought frightens me, not for my own well-being but for the K.W.V.A.

There is nothing worse than having power-hungry and control freaks in an organization. They tend to corrupt those around them so they can get the things done that "they want" and be damned to the rest.

I received an e-mail recently that stated, of the nine Officers who attended the St. Louis, Mo. Meeting about 17 months ago, only 3 are still on the Board. That Meeting was not attended by Mr. Coon and some of his staunchest supporters and was declared not legal even though it was a proper officially declared Executive Board Special Meeting. This appears to be a terrible abuse of power and lack of respect for these well-intended Officers. There is proof that this Meeting was held to the highest standards. Documentation that all Board Members were notified officially and the Meeting was boycotted by the non-attendees. Again, lack of cooperation because it did not come from the top.

I just received information from a Veterans Service Officer in Ohio who has been having problems with a couple of our Officers. They are making an effort to have him removed from a "Civil Service" position on a three-county Board. One of the K.W.V.A. Officers was not renewed to the Board. It was stated that it was very difficult to get anything done because the un-renewed Board Member would not cooperate with the rest of the Board. He wanted things his way or no way. Sure sounds familiar. The sender of this information says he may have to hire a lawyer to keep his job on the Board. He has been a Veterans Service Director for many years and a Civil Service member over thirty years. Due to the possibility of a legal suit I cannot give you more details but if you want his name and phone number they are available to you on request. This man is also a Life Member and has been active in Veterans causes and Organizations for a very long time. He said he is very upset because of the way the K.W.V.A. is being run now.

I have faith in Justice and the Almighty so I feel these pathetic people who have insulted my integrity and honesty will get rewarded for their actions whether they be "small or large". When I was a policeman, a long time ago, when someone did not want to answer a question or was leery of the question asked, they would answer by questioning the questioner. It is called reverse psychology. This was practiced by the Chinese in the Korean War and was quite effective on some men. It was a terrible experience I have been personally told.

What has happened to not have an open dialogue with the general Membership and the Officers of the K.W.V.A.? I don't mean all of them for some are very cooperative and dependable. When I asked Mr. Krepps why the Minutes were not in the Graybeards magazine I got an answer from Mr. Coon. I ask Krepps and Coon answers. The answer I got from Mr. Coon was nothing more than an excuse and generally did not make any sense. I was hoping Mr. Krepps would answer so I could get a proper explanation. I must be a dreamer to expect that much.

We are fast approaching what some call the eleventh hour, our time to select our future leaders in the K.W.V.A. I will be sending a "Get Out The Vote" letter with a list of highly qualified candidates who can and will lead the K.W.V.A. to greater and higher heights. I will be recommending Past President Dick Adams and others just as soon as the Mar/Apr Graybeards is sent out for your consumption. I take umbrage with the statement by Mr. Coon in his "President's Message" that there are a "few good candidates running". There are more than a few and you will be reading who they are. The K.W.V.A. should be for the good of its Members, not for its Officers only, and the Candidates I will be recommending will be for the Chapters and Members and the good of the future of the K.W.V.A. Your vote is needed more now than ever. GET THE VOTE OUT.

Please pass my letters on to others by whatever means you have at your disposal. Copy if you wish.

Thank you and God Bless you.

Please let me know your opinions about my Open letter and whatever else you care to say in regards to this letter.

Freedom is not free and it never was.

Respectfully, John Kronenberger