I recently was asked to submit to this web site an invitation to join the chiefs forum. After filling out the required form "B" and sending it in I was told since I did not qualify as a chief due to the fact that I did not serve as a chief in any department I could therefore not enroll on that fourm.

Having served IAFF for 26 years and then leaving to form North American Fire Fighter Veterans Network after suffering with P.T.S.D. diagnosed from work related trauma and finding that the "O.B.C." attitude continues to exist even on this fourum I am compelled to make one critical observation. The "Web Chief" from his own bio has no chiefs designation but made himself a "chief" and moderator of the Chiefs Forum.....such that....well....I guess it boils down to or heats up the discussion "What Makes a Chief a Chief?".

The web chief thinks that it is about where you serve as a chief....what your position looks like and with what county or level of government you work at......that, to me makes sense.....Looking at his bio....I can see he has served with great efforts since he was 12......Does this fourm provide for all points of view? Yes....to a point......I have been told that I cannot be a chief on this fourm.....due to the fact that I have not served in a Chief's capacity in any department......fair enough again...it is after all.....his sandbox ....his bucket and shovel and his to moderate as he sees fit.

It is mine to re assert from my position that....in matters of fire and firefighting experience that my candle and my position as a Senior Chief with NAFFVN on the web firefighterveteran.com/ is no less nor no more than his position that he has assigned himself as "web chief" who reserves the rights to moderate and control who is and who is not deemed to be a bona fide "chief". In that respect then I can support his descision to be exclusive not inclusive of his descision.

Leadership is leading from the front and making the hardball descisions that are required when they are needed and making them in such a way that a fair sense of balance is weighted in favor of "the common good".

The message that is contained in the "censorship" of the message that goes with North American Fire Fighter Veterans Network and the project "F.I.R.S.T. S.T.E.P. H.O.P.E. along with the message from the NIMH and former f.d.n.y. firefighter Jimmy Brown" is something that, given the moderators background in communications ,leads me to beleive he has been driven by his own vision and version of what a "Chief" looks like and who a "Chief" is. That and the rather uncomfortable fact of stress and what it does to firefighters leaves him....well...somewhat uncomfortable.

I will let the "Big Chief in the Sky" determine where and how my posting looks like when it comes time to have a more detailed and personal conversation with HIM. In the meantime....the message is clear and the politics of being exclusive and censored remain what they are......

Shannon H. Pennington B.C.S.M. A.A.E.T.S.
Ex IAFF 26 year career firefighgterveteran
Senior Chief (Administrative)
North American Fire Fighter Veterans Network
F.I.R.S.T. S.T.E.P. H.O.P.E
care for the caregiver

"Not All Wounds are Visible"
firefighterveteran.com/