Sunday, March 1, 2009

Yes, Virginia, It Is Legal For Me To Be A Board Member

While I won't be officially seated until Wednesday, I've been engaging in arguments with friends and other military members about it, have been confronted by my command about it, and feel I may as well put out a kind of miniature FAQ about the subject. If anyone has any more substantive questions, email or comment and I'll be happy to add them to this.


Q: What are you talking about? What won't happen until Wednesday?

A: Well, as of Wednesday, I will be the newest member of IVAW's Board of Directors. As a runner-up in the last election, when a resignation came up I was tasked, and here we are.


Q: OMG! Are you the first active duty member of the IVAW BoD? Are you the only one?

While I won't be the first active duty member of the Board of Directors, I will be the first active duty member of the Board of Directors who isn't outprocessing at the time. However, while I currently am the only active duty member on the Board, I will not be for long, as another Board member has decided to return to active duty to assist the new administration in creating hope and change for the military.

Q: Isn't this illegal? I thought I saw somewhere that active duty members weren't allowed to hold office in political clubs.
A: Not at all! Active duty members are prohibited from doing a lot of things for partisan political organizations thanks to our new 1344.10 update. However, IVAW does not fall into the DoD's definition of partisan, and therefore, I am fully entitled to perform both my duties to the military and my duties as a Director of the Board for IVAW.

Q: What about Greer v. Spock? Don't you pay any attention to legal precedent?
A: Only a new warrant officer would ask that, you betrayer of the NCO Corps. (I'm hoping that one year you get to clear up personal relationships also gives me the right to disrespect you until you decide whether or not to cut me off as well) You should clearly read a little bit more thoroughly. Greer v Spock does not apply for the following reasons:
1) It had to do with partisan candidates
2) It had to do with civilians. A commander can bar his base to civilians, he cannot bar it to military personnel.
3) It had nothing to do with nonprofit office.

Q: Does this mean you'll be responsible for every action of IVAW? Does this mean we can blame you for everything that goes on in the organization?
A: Wait, don't you do that anyway?

Q: What does your command think about this?
A: Right now, I imagine they're frantically trying to figure out if they can move me to another unit to pass the buck to someone else. However, I'll accept that they may well surprise me.

Q: Does this mean everything you say on this blog is the official position of the IVAW Board of Directors?

A: No. Directors have many different opinions on many different subjects. This blog does not speak for them, but only for myself. If an official position comes out, you'll see it in policy, not on my blog.

7 comments:

christopherleemiles said...

Ms Coppa, it will be quite interesting to hear how this one pans out.

I wish you the best and admire your courage. I'm sure you'll a strong board member.

Davy said...

Well you are the first on the BoD who intends to stay in the military, so the military and other people will give you flack for that, and of course you understand this makes you the new punching bag for alot of members, and I got my own opinions about staying in the military(which seem opposite of yours,) but I gotta say, you do got some guts to put up with all the flack and stay in, personally I say FTA. Congratulations Selena!

Carl Davison
Bay Area IVAW

Infantry Dad said...

Hooray for you.
I can see some crusty old 4 star choking on his cigar over this one.

How do you feel about stop loss?

Sapper1 said...

Ms Coppa,
Do you really think you are going to get away with all the things you are doing being active duty military without going to jail? You have made a large number of mistakes. They have all been documented. That is what happens when you get over confident. I am very patient. The internet is a powerful tool & you have made sure you are all over it. Your words printed and in audio. The photos & videos of you and your disgrace to the uniform. Did you actually think these types of activities would go unnoticed or unpunished?

Army Sergeant said...

Thanks everyone for the support! Infantry Dad, I am very opposed to stoploss. I think that if we can't get enough volunteer soldiers who are well qualified to fill our ranks, it tells us something about the war we're fighting and we may need to look at that. By the way, you must be prescient! If you read my latest post, you'll find that a four star is indeed aware of this blog. Or at least, so my command tells me.

Sapper1:
I'm not sure who you are, or why you've been what seems to amount to cyberstalking me. However, in answers to your questions, my activities are indeed legal: they are nonpartisan activities. The DoD regulation only applies to partisan activities. I feel that I am not a disgrace to the uniform, but rather a credit to it. However, thank you for your opinion. In America, we can all have ours-which is what makes us so great.

Anonymous said...

You are a fucking discrace!
should change your name to Barrack room lawyer. I am glad i am not standing next to you in a fox hole...
I will be looking forward to reading your blogg from Ft. Leavenworth.

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