Message from Mike Rose ’69

TO:   AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATES

FROM: Mike Rose, USAFA ’69, JD/MBA

USAFA GRADUATES,

As you probably know, Air Force Academy Association of Graduates (“AOG”) members are encouraged to vote during February 3 – March 3 at USAFA.org/election (1) for five candidates to become members of the AOG Board of Directors (“BOD”) and (2) whether to adopt certain amendments to the AOG’s articles of incorporation and bylaws.

As the author of those amendments, I advise that they simply would make it a formal purpose/duty of the AOG to keep USAFA leaders informed, in a manner to be determined by the AOG BOD, of the views of AFA graduates about USAFA/military matters. These amendments would NOT suggest that the AOG has any authority to tell USAFA leaders what to do; rather, the AOG would inform USAFA leaders of the views of USAFA graduates for hopeful consideration by the USAFA leaders.

The need for these amendments is described below in the bio of BOD candidate Lt. Gen. (ret) Rod Bishop, as follows:

I asked our AOG for support in providing input to Academy leadership that cadets perceive the current atmosphere as “divisive” and “identity politics on steroids.” I was rebuffed and told that “the AOG cannot get involved in anything political” and “the Supt gets enough input from too many sources already.”

I believe graduates should have a voice. We are stakeholders. This is why I became a part of a concerted effort to change our AoI and bylaws. My promise to you, if elected, is that I will work tirelessly to ensure ALL graduates’ voices are heard.

To be informed of the issues, please read below a statement by the five candidates for the AOG BOD that I support, and the six attachments.

Please share this information as widely as possible with other USAFA graduates, to help educate them about the changes at the AOG that can be made with sufficient votes for change in this election. Feel free to simply forward this email to as many other USAFA graduates as possible.

Please let me know if you would like to discuss or if I can provide additional information.

V/R,

Mike Rose, JD/MBA
USAFA 1969
843-478-7595 (voice/text)

IMPORTANCE: HIGH

TO:  ALL USAFA AOG MEMBERS

FROM: AOG BOARD CANDIDATES ROD BISHOP, CHRISTOPHER WALKER, DAN BOHLIN, ALEX FOGASSY, DENNY MERIDETH

We are writing to ask you to vote during February 3 – March 3, at the link USAFA.org/election,

(1) for each of us to be elected to the USAFA AOG Board of Directors (BOD) and

(2) for the proposed amendments to the articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the USAFA AOG, for the following reasons.

We are for giving grads a voice, providing transparency and reclaiming political neutrality.

We are concerned about the deterioration of the military and academic training, traditions, culture and standards at USAFA caused by politically motivated ideologies.

We oppose eliminating important USAFA traditions and substituting DEI for merit in the selection, advancement and training of cadets that severely undermine military warfighting readiness and morale.

The attached letter dated 8/8/23 to former USAFA Foundation CEO Mike Gould (w/2 attachments) and the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QeXcbrhe5k highlight several issues.

We also believe that the AOG has supported these changes in violation of its articles of incorporation, by supporting the DEI “political idea,” by failing to “promot[e] . . . professional dialogue among its members,” and by actively censoring opposing views.

We believe the AOG’s support of these changes also violated its bylaws by failing “to produce an enduring commitment to … excellence” and by failing to “promot[e] . . . the heritage of the Academy, our common traditions….”

Please see the articles of incorporation “purpose” statement attached defining why we have an AOG.

In addition, we object to the dismissive and antagonistic attitude of some AOG Board members toward AOG members who expressed genuine concerns. As stated on pages 3-4 of the attached letter to AOG Foundation President Mike Gould:

On May 12, 2023, Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop, USAFA ’74, and Col. Ron Scott, USAFA ’73, made a presentation to the AOG BOD on behalf of themselves and over 140 other individual USAFA graduates in their personal capacities, complaining about the harm being caused by the proliferation of these racist/radical political policies/ideas at the USAFA, and the AOG’s facilitation and promotion of the same, in violation of the AOG’s Articles of Incorporation/Bylaws.

[Note: Col. Scott handed a copy of the scripted presentation to the AOG Board Chair with a recommendation that it be attached to the minutes, so that AOG members would have access to what was presented. It was not included. This presentation, which includes another link to a 300+ page supplementary document provided to the Board two days earlier, can viewed at Presentation to the USAF Academy Association of Graduates]

In response, the AOG BOD discussed that presentation in secret session instead of in an open meeting and to this day has provided AOG members no response to their concerns and specific recommendations. Instead, the Chairman of the AOG’s BOD sent other BOD members the following shockingly hostile/disrespectful statements in response:

`. . . [T]he group represented by Lt Gen Bishop and Dr Scott want only one outcome-one we cannot and will not provide. I ask that we all not communication [sic: “communicate”] with these gentlemen or other members of their organization. They are not welcome on the hill and have not proven to be trustworthy and honest brokers for their cause … Should their organization decide to pursue legal action, we have very competent and experienced attorneys who will represent the AOG.’ [Emphasis added.]

The antagonistic content and tone of these denigrative statements are not what AOG members expect from a member of the AOG BOD elected to represent them, especially by the Chairman of the BOD and a retired Air Force Major General, regarding fellow USAFA graduates and senior career officers. AOG members expect, and should receive, from their elected BOD members, especially the Chairman of the BOD, respect for them and their views and the attitude of a humble servant’s heart, rather than contemptuous distain and unfounded accusations of dishonesty.

Nor is it appropriate for the BOD Chairman to have accused fellow USAFA graduates and retired senior officers of dishonesty and untrustworthiness without stating the bases for such outrageous/unfounded claims and without giving the accused an opportunity to defend themselves; or to declare that the AOG “will not provide” the relief requested by that Chairman’s unilateral fiat instead of by public vote of the entire BOD.” [Emphasis added.]

We humbly ask that you review our bios and vote for us and our proposed amendments, at USAFA.org/election. We are available to answer questions and provide additional information upon request.

Please help us restore political neutrality and “give grads a voice” by restoring the “purpose” for which our AOG was incorporated and thereby promote professional dialogue among its members. 

Thank you for your consideration.

ROD BISHOP, CHRISTOPHER WALKER, DAN BOHLIN, ALEX FOGASSY, DENNY MERIDETH

DOCUMENTS (all are PDFs)