Archived Comments: 08/2009

Author: 007 August 30, 2009 1:56 PM To the Agents who have posted and started to bring about REAL Change from inside the agency, you have all proven to me that ATF is an agency of Honor and Integrity. This is exactly why I believe ATF will rise from under the current dark cloud and be stronger and more successful than any other time in History. NOW is the time to offer the Director not only your support but your SOLUTIONS. This website was first and foremost created for the field to be heard. To re-establish our standing as the backbone of the most aggressive and effective law enforcement agency in the world. Yes past and current practices, Policies and abuse of ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author:ity have gotten us here. Yes we lack any accountability above the Grade 14 level. Yes there needs to be a house cleaning. Mr. Melson has at least Started that process. Ronnie Carter gone, Carson Carroll gone, Kelvin Crenshaw gone, Valerie Goddard gone, Vanessa Mclemore gone. If we as Agents are going to expose and challenge the misdeeds of our leaders and demand accountability, then we have an obligation to acknowledge progress and forward movement. Finally, Remember Mr. Melson is cleaning up the mess of 4 prior Directors, Deputy Directors, DADs and SACs. It is time collectively we Help Mr. Melson, offer solutions and get back to the business at hand, catching BADGUYS. We at CleanupATF have made the Director aware of our contempt for the prior acts and the division Management and counsels office has created, now lets show him NOBODY knows this Bureau better than us. Be safe Doc Holiday P.S. The Director and Deputy Director are receiving constant updates and communications. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 30, 2009 9:01 AM Submitted by: The Joke Is On Us A recent and exciting trend amongst our SAC leadership is the critical business of "Challenge Coins" and smoked glass offices. Our present SAC's and ASAC's have created the greatest disconnect from the field agents in the history of ATF. (And yes, Mr. SAC who's looking over his shoulder saying, "Who? Me? Can't be me?" Well guess again. Yeah, it's you!) Instead of working to repair the relational dysfunction you have with your subordinates, you guys instead have fun designing, collecting and trading Division Challenge Coins. It's a neat hobby! "I'll give you two St. Pauls for a Houston?" But now for my Stone Cold Lock Offer: "I have two Phoenix's (pre-Denver-split) and am willing to entertain offers for a mint Chicago. I need that Windy City coin to complete my collection." Get all 22 now! Then start collecting the SRT coin, NRT, and more! What ATF agents are working on doesn't seem to garner much interest from our Divisional leadership but, they have placed utmost importance on classy, attractive offices. Following the lead of their defunct hero Carl "It's All About Me" Truscott, ATF Division offices are getting more and more glamorous. The latest trend: smoked glass. This is a strong design statement. The smoked glass conceals the important and top-secret inner workings of our Divisions executive staffs as they draw and color new Challenge Coin designs. Much better than say - vertical blinds or curtains! I really love your smoked glass office! It makes your leather sofa "pop"! All the panoramas of cities you've worked in with your fans' signatures on the border - killer sweet! Next up: Fireplaces in SAC offices. Starting planning now to get yours under the 2010 budget! While you SAC's are busy with your meaningless interior decorating trying to keep up with the "SAC Next Door" many of us agents sit surrounded by cardboard boxes. "Ah, who cares. They're just agents." The difference between us and you is we carry OUR challenge coins in our back pockets or slung around our necks. Ours are gold and blue and are shaped like ATF SPECIAL AGENT BADGES! That badge means something to us. Maybe it's because everyday we earn the honor to carry it. Challenge that! PS: Notice to you executives who insist on wearing a suit to work everyday. Please...lose the ankle holster. You're not cool. No one thinks you work for the FBI, and chicks are not impressed when they see your "concealed weapon". If you want to play Baretta, get a bird for your shoulder. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: getemout11 August 30, 2009 7:31 AM My Dear Comrades, We will continue this journey together calling for reform of ATF and DOJ. Change for the betterment of an agency is slow, this kind of change is always needed, moves us all forward, and keeps us current and relevant. But unfortunately, even in the face of solid direct and circumstantial evidence there are those managers willing to resist change, abort change, destroy change, through deception, and lies. Please keep your comments coming. It is my understanding that as a result of recent actions by some agents, we are continuing to gain the interest of U.S. Congress. Please remember this...there is a time and season for everything. When we started this journey, we believed that certain high ranking managers would either be demoted, asked to resign or would resign on their own as their substantial misconduct came to light. Yes, we in fact have witness these events come to fruition. This will continue. I remain steadfast in the interest of justice and continue my dedication and commitment to each and everyone of you as we soldier on together to our goal! Peace and Goodwill. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 28, 2009 3:50 PM From: Wronged I can confirm the views of “Bill” and “Doc Holiday”. E. Loos took a routine grievance I had with ATF and took such an aggressive stance against me that she escalated the complaint to a level that eventually cost ATF a pretty good sum. The funny thing is that in the end I was proven. Loos knew I was right from the onset but rather than mitigating the situation she chose to try and intimidate me into submission. She took an unfortunate situation, made it bad, then made it terrible, then made it costly and did so all under the premise of representing her “client”, ATF. She hurt ATF not helped them. She added to the damages I received and in the end everyone involved lost. Attorneys are supposed to minimize damages to their clients and instill reason between plaintiffs who can not agree without legal intervention. Look closer at all settlement contracts ATF openly breaches and all roads lead back to the Chief Ethics Attorney. The bosses love her because she will take up any fight on their behalf, even when she knows her “client” is in the wrong. ------------------------------------------ From: Find Us a Leader I have been on the job since the Domenech days. There is a common denominator between all of the Deputy Directors during my time. They are all ex-SAC’s. They do not have the stomach to discipline their old peers. Please find us a Deputy Director who is not compromised by his or her personal friendships is not extorted by their previous wrongdoings or those of their friends and who is not a part of the good old boy network that always finds a way or excuse to do the wrong thing. ------------------------------------------ From: You Hypocrite! I was subjected to a lecture from Kelvin Crenshaw where he chastised us for failing to resist the “temptations of the job” and that those types of failures could lead to us being fired. A lot of us know the truth about this guy and what he has done and been allowed to get away with. When the word gets out on all that he has been involved in it is going to be a serious embarrassment to ATF and all those people who participated in his shenanigans or stood by and knowing allowed them to continue. You’ve held us to a standard you were not willing to hold yourself to. We are all seeing who you really are and there is much more to come. ------------------------------------------ From: Storm Searcher So much of ATF’s leadership doesn’t know what they don’t know. They are playing checkers while the rest of us are playing chess. They believe everything they are told whether it be from GS to ASAC, ASAC to SAC, SAC to DD, DD to ADFO, ADFO to DD or DD to Director. The information you all receive is so filtered and cleansed that you supervisors really have no clue of what is going on in your agency. Remember the kids game “telephone line”? You start with a circle of kids. One tells a story and passes to the next. By the time it comes back full circle to the person who started it, it is all messed up, backwards, inaccurate, changed and distorted. Welcome to ATF. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 27, 2009 7:24 AM Submitted by: Doc Holiday: First as “Bill” stated, Ms. Eleaner Loos is singularly responsible for costing this agency its credibility, and the Senior executive staff any suggestion of integrity. No other employee has been more culpable for the divisive management practices that have produced so many costly settlements to the government. The key to these disputes is that most were avoidable and unnecessary. The law is clear and strongly suggests that Ms. Loos is and was responsible to ATF, and had the responsibility defend the agency, not its unethical managers or their acts. When looking at the settlements related to Casali, Klepfel, Kelly, Dobyns, Badegian, Tokos, Jessen, and on and on. These should have never left the field division and that should have been Ms. Loos’ counsel to Senior management. Instead she escalated or directed her subordinates and middle managers to escalate the dispute with impunity and arrogance since she knew she would face no consequence. Unfortunately when her office was caught with regards to falsifying government documents in matters directly under her supervision, it was not her that was encouraged to leave the agency, it was her subordinate. It was not her who paid six figures to correct the fight she encouraged, it was the agency. It has been stated the Ms. Loos’ counsel is no longer needed or wanted by the new leadership and that her retirement is imminent. Not soon enough and unfortunately void of swift and decisive discipline for her failure of integrity or ethics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Bill replied to comment from CUATF Webmaster August 17, 2009 9:41 PM Good evening everyone, and a special thanks to the party or parties responsible for this website. It is an extreme breath of fresh air to read so many comments from those that have finally realized that ATF's machine has been broken for many years. I served ten years as a Memphis, Tenn. Police Office/Detective prior to coming on-board with ATF and I served twenty two years as an ATF Agent, twelve years as a Group Supervisor; time served as a Program Manager in Headquarters and also a Branch Chief with Brady. Before going further I must state that ATF is an excellent Law Enforcement Agency, even without total support of management. One could only imagine how strong this agency could be if the playing field were equal and total support was provided. Having read many of the comments, I must state that many of the comments are in the right direction; however, before changes can be made you must understand what makes the machine operate. The names that have been mentioned are exactly part of the problems within ATF however, very few will take a stand and state that the baby is ugly. The two major individuals that are still with ATF that caused serious damage for the Agency is Eleanor Loos and Tony Torres, and he has recently been reassigned. Mr. Melson is being provided with negative information as have been the Directors before him. If one would just stop and look at their leadership past and present, it shows why ATF is in such turmoil. As promotions are GIVEN, it appears many of the individuals become brain dead. Headquarters need to be swept out and replaced with true qualified and dedicated agents not just those who have kissed the ring. Positions alone does not qualify one to lead nor does intimidation. Mr. Melson, your hands are full and I am sure you do not know who to trust. Well, I will tell you, (THE AGENT). These are your go-to people, your IA's, (THE BACK BONE FOR THE AGENCY, AND YOU ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE),this is your bread and butter. IA who investigates GS 14's and below, IG who investigates GS 15's, Office of Special Counsel, and Chief Counsel's Office are there to protect the Agency, not to reveal the truth. If these areas could be corrected then Mr. Melson, you will become the answer to many concerns within ATF. Finally, Billy Hover, having come up through the ranks and paying your dues, you do not have to prove anything to a group of self righteous individuals. You and I have had many conversations throughout the years and I though you believed in fairness. How could you allow or appoint Robert Champion to become SAC of Dallas when ASAC Michel Golson acted as SAC over twenty months plus? This man has payed his dues. The big picture is, first Ronnie Carter would not open the SAC job while he was in HQ's, just in case he wants to return to the Dallas Field Division (which he did)and now planning to retire. Not to mention he was on per diem for the period he was in HQ's. After Kevin Crenshaw moved to HQ's it was determined that he could not handle the position and now he is being sent back to the Seattle Field Division and Robert Champion will lateral to the Dallas Field Division. The games are continuing. There is just not enough time to speak on so many topics. I will leave you with this, the agents are watching and I commend each and everyone of you for taking a stance. IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. This generation does not not deserve this behavior. Do titles bring about these negative attitudes, management has not and will never, be above the law. Those that are not aware, just look at the number of law suits over the years filed by agents and administrative personnel. To all concerned, please continue to take a stance, you must stand for something or you will fall for anything. Bill ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 17, 2009 1:08 PM Submitted by: StreetRod "End of the Innocence" I retired from ATF 11 years ago with 23 years of service. It was a joy to work for my agency. We had our troublesome bosses but we always worked through or around them. Our old mantra was, "ATF Agents do more with less". That was mostly intended toward the FBI and DEA, who got all the money and bodies. The stories I am hearing are saddening. Now ATF Agents do more with less good supervision. In my day, if a boss didn't like you, it stayed there. We were not attacked and ramrodded with the intimidation that takes place in today's ATF. I believe my supervisors were more experienced and confident in themselves. Most of the people who managed me had 10 to 15 years on the street before they became a RAC. The fact that today's ATF boss may have had only 4, 5, 6 years as an agent before they left the street seems to have created the "management by fear" technique that has become so prevalent. I may have been naive but I really think that there was an innocence in believing that we were all working together. That no longer exists in ATF. The bosses brag on their days as investigators, they attack the workers and perjure themselves when questioned and the attorneys clean up the mess. Don Henley's song lyric apparently captures today's ATF. This makes us old timers sad and angry. We want today's ATF Agents to be able to work with the respect that we were given. End of the Innocence by Don Henley (second verse) O beautiful, for spacious skies But now those skies are threatening They're beating plowshares into swords For this tired old man that we elected king Armchair warriors often fail And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales The lawyers clean up all details Since daddy had to lie ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 12, 2009 11:22 AM Submitted by: SoulSurvivor ATF management has become expert in the crushing of Agents' spirit and will. They knowingly allow bad managers to exist, survive and continue to destroy. They defend bad acts and do their best to turn the tables on anyone making a complaint. They sell agency employees, DOJ and Congress a bill of goods, falsely representing how "happy" everyone is and how "productive" we all are. I appreciate what this site is attempting to do, but this conduct is institutional. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Dept of Just Ice replied to comment from Thor God of Thunder August 5, 2009 6:02 PM http://abcnews.go.co...=8241580&page=1 Check out this link ref President Obama hiring two new people who are supposed to make changes on the way the MSPB does business. Hopefully these new people will take the bad managers and lawyers out of ATF so that some Agents will not be afraid to come forward in fear of retaliation for Whistle Blowing. Life is too short to live in fear of wessels who hide behind their position. I hope ABC news will check out this site for a story that will shock America. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Thor God of Thunder replied to comment from CUATF Webmaster August 5, 2009 1:55 AM I can vouch for Eleanor Loos. She is a snake. She will do anything to protect her precious clients (ATF management), who are sometimes outright wrong and refuse to be basic human beings, men and women, and admit when they are wrong. They refuse to admit the truth. Statistics lie and the lies are in the statistics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: CUATF Webmaster August 3, 2009 9:19 AM Submitted by: Tip of the Spear The tip of ATF's ethics “spear” is blunt and dull. ATF’s Assistant Director of Internal Affairs, Kelvin Crenshaw, is out bad because he could not himself live up to apply the standards that holds others to; he apparently filed fraudulent government travel vouchers to serve his personal desires. Chief of the Professional Review Board, Marvin Richardson, has been publicly exposed for lying to the Office of Special Counsel. While doing, so he threw his own agents under the bus in a lame attempt to cover for his mismanagement. Chief Ethics Attorney, Eleaner Loos, has participated in numerous, well-documented unethical and unlawful acts, including fabrication of documents and other evidence for use in framing innocent agents. These are the three people most directly and personally responsible for how ATF internally investigates, judges and disciplines agency personnel! How can this be? Who has allowed this incredible situation to go unaddressed for so long? And besides the primary culprits, who else is responsible? ATF agents, both active and retired, as well as the taxpaying public want and deserve an explanation. The President has ordered transparency regarding government activity outside of national security or law enforcement safety issues. Neither of those exceptions apply here, and we want an answer! This appalling state of affairs is what enables people such as ATF Assistant Director Larry Ford to repeatedly lie to members of Congress regarding personnel inquiries with no repercussions, and permits people like Special Agent in Charge Vanessa McLemore to commit prosecutable felonies, yet be hidden under the Director’s wing instead of being put in a prison cell for many years.