W8JKC

This post contains a lot of information, and some very interesting reading from a couple of different sources. In my opinion I am glad I got away from this bunch back in January. See that post here: http://www.w8jkc.com/2010/01/16/quad-county-react/

I originally learned of this story from Fox 8 Cleveland (WJW) via their website: http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-obama-man-arrested,0,928965.story (Note: The updated story is at http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-president-ohio-man-txt,0,4781992.story?page=1)

Here is an excerpt of the story:

At about 2 p.m. Sunday, airport police saw McVey get out of a car and saw that he had a sidearm, airport police Capt. Kevan Smith said. He was using a handheld scanner and radio to monitor local agencies and told an officer in the Asheville airport parking lot that he wanted to see the president, Smith said.

McVey was nowhere near the president’s plane, and was in a rental car return lot that is open to the public, Smith said.

McVey’s car was equipped with police gear, including a siren box, a mounted digital camera and LED law enforcement-style strobe lights in the front and rear dash, Smith said.
…
“Everything they found on him, with the exception of a gun, he basically had all that when he was in Coshocton,” said Wise, of the volunteer emergency group. “He just basically liked to monitor police frequencies and listen to what’s going on.”

That’s common for the group’s members, though they are not authorized to have police sirens and lights or to break the speed limit on the way to emergencies, Wise said.

“He’s kind of a go-getter, and I know we had to kind of clip his wings a couple times and tell him he needed to watch what he was doing out there and slow down a little bit,” Wise said.

McVey had a camera in his car because he liked to chase severe storms and post video online, Wise said.
…
For about two years, McVey has been a member of a volunteer organization that assists the sheriff’s department with traffic control at emergency scenes, said Tim Wise, president of Coshocton County Radio Emergency Association Citizen Team.

When I read that the first time a few things stood out to me. I have highlighted those in the above excerpt.

Next I noticed this in one of the email newsgroups I am a member of. Basically somebody posted a different link to a similar article.

On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 10:40 AM, Jeff K. wrote:

Good Morning,

Just wanted to pass this little nugget along. Evidently a REACT whacker from Ohio was arrested with a tricked-out car and a sidearm when Obama was in Asheville.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9FARUC00&show_article=1

However, a few hours after the posting of the original email I noticed replies from Mr. Ed Greany and Mr. Stan Walters, both from the REACT International Board of Directors.

Reply #1:

From: Ed Greany
Subject: Re: [GMRS] Fw: Re: [SoCal-GMRS] REACT whacker arrested in NC
To: GMRS@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, April 26, 2010, 6:41 PM

Mary, David, et al:

This person is a member of REACT and also a ham radio operator. TODAY, he is no longer a REACT member. We do not tolerate this behavior but unfortunately cannot ride shotgun with everyone who wears the REACT patch – as both of you well know.

We took action and he is GONE from REACT.

Ed Greany, Executive Vice-president
REACT International, Inc.
e.greany@REACTINTL. org

Reply #2:

As a general rule, REACT HQ does not nor can it promote the use of any kind of lighting or responder type gear on members’ vehicles. The mission of REACT as a whole is to use two-way radio (and yes, you are correct that many teams including mine use GMRS) to save lives and property. Some teams have fallen into roles within their communities as responders of sorts, assisting local Sheriff’s Departments and fire departments with incident scene management including barricading roads, etc. I have visited with teams and team members who are “called out” by local responder agencies and if they have that kind of relationship and it is a valuable service and they use radios, good for them. Some states including PA allow motorists to display additional amber lighting on a vehicle as long as it is stationary under the definition of a “roadside assistance” vehicle and local hardware stores now stock and sell single amber-domed rotators as breakdown safety equipment. Again local and state laws are all different and one cannot assume that because you are under the jurisdiction of your county sheriff and he insists that you run amber lights when blocking a road in Ohio that you have the same privileges anywhere outside that county. I also do not believe that the normal duties of a REACT team member as a communicator would warrant carrying a weapon. Not that there is any reason a team member cannot go through proper legal channels to obtain the permits and licenses needed to do so, but it would not ever be a requirement of membership in a REACT Team.

Thinking of our radio equipment including GMRS HTs, it may have been a bit of a fright for law enforcement to see someone with so much communications and responder equipment. My guess he was listening to the airport tower or area departure control and probably not chatting on GMRS at the time. Strapping on his sidearm was obviously very poor judgement on his part. But going all out to call him a whacker may also be a stretch. He is quoted as having an interest in a law enforcement career and I hope that this incident will not ruin his chances as everything else about him, his school grades, activities in extracurricular groups, obtaining his Amateur license and being a REACT team member all point to a civic minded service oriented young man.

And although I have no lighting beyond factory on my vehicle, I have 4 antennas and a lot of safety gear including my CERT pack, a cache of MURS HTs, Turbo Flares, reflective triangles, wanded flashlights, battery hot shot, tire inflator, etc. One day I had a driver in downtown York PA motion for me to roll down my window which I did and he asked me if I could talk to Mars. I told him that was too far away but the moon was within range.

Regards,

Stanton Walters
WQFD736, AB3EM, KIS5155
Director, Region 1
REACT International, Inc
s.walters@reactintl.org
717-235-7826

Once again, you will find the parts of the email and both replies that caught my attention highlighted. I just though I should share this with everyone that hasn’t seen it yet.

Note: Some contents of this post may be subject to copyright of the original author(s). Content is posted here under “Fair Use”, see http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html.

If you have any questions, comments, complaints, etc. see http://www.w8jkc.com/contact/ for information on how to contact me.

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On Thursday, March 12th 2009, 8 members of Quad County REACT traveled to Suitland, MD to attend the annual meeting of REACT International on March 13th. We left around 1315hrs from Beloit, OH. Around 1745 we arrived in Washington, DC and decided to stop and check out the area, instead of heading straight to the hotel in Suitland. We visited the area of our nation’s capitol for about 2 1/2 hours. We then decided to continue on to the hotel, and after checking in, we decided to meet and discuss our agenda and topics for the meeting. Everyone retired to their rooms around 0130hrs to get some sleep for the meeting later that day.

At around 0730hrs everyone was up and getting ready to head over to the REACT International offices for the meeting which was slated to start at 0830. We had a little trouble finding room to sit down, but we did, and it became apparent to us that there was standing-room only left.

We each received copies of the agenda for that day, and minutes from a previous meeting (Nov. 25th 2007) that were to be voted on for approval. (The meeting agenda is attached, see link at bottom of page.) Around 1030hrs the Board adjourned for a 10 minute break. When the meeting was called back to order, such items as budget, fund-raising among many others were discussed. (See Meeting Minutes attached.) Around 1150hrs the Board decided to adjourn again for lunch and to resume at 1330hrs. It was also decided that the Visitor session would be the first matter to be discussed upon returning.

When we returned from lunch at the local Pizza Hut, the board asked Mr. Jim Dyke, President of our team to present our items. Mr. Dyke presented the following items: (See our agenda at the bottom of the page.)

Mr. Dyke began by quoting section 9.18 from the bylaws;

Section 9.18 Waiver of these bylaws. Since these bylaws are established for the protection of all Members, they may not be waived or suspended at any time.

and section 3.7;

Section 3.7 Denial or Termination of Membership. The Board of Directors may deny application for or revoke membership of any Member Team, Life Member, or Affiliate Member, or remove council recognition, for cause the Board deems prejudicial to the best interests of the corporation. A removal action taken will be in writing and mailed by certified mail to the applicant or Member. The applicant or Member will have forty five (45) days of receipt to appeal the decision stating why the action should not be taken. The Board of Directors will review the appeal and issue a final decision within sixty (60) days.

Mr. Dyke then presented a letter that Mr. Jason Boone of the Ohio REACT Council sent to the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce to all Board members.(The letter is attached below.) Basically, the letter stated that our tem charter was revoked, we were no longer a REACT team, and that MCRRT C260 was the team in Stark County, and was willing to assist with their events instead of our team.

Mr. Dyke also explained that this letter was a flagrant violation of the bylaws, and that Ohio REACT Council had no right, or authority to act on behalf of REACT International and issue/send such a letter. He also explained that we believed that Mr. Don Manlove may have been involved with this letter and the denial of our membership renewal.

Both of these persons (Boone and Manlove) had violated REACT International bylaws, citing section 3.7, and that only the Board can revoke or deny membership.

Mr. Dyke went on stating that we believed that the only way to resolve this issue was to suspend Ohio REACT Council, and complete and investigation into the matter. We also requested that MCRRT C260 be included in the investigation, and if it was found that they held any part in issuing or sending it, that charter be revoked. Mr. Dyke also requested on behalf of the team that Mr. Manlove have his own investigation, and for him to resign and/or the board take action to remove him from his position if he was found to have any part in the letter or denying our renewal as a team.

Several items were explained to the Board about MCRRT C260 such as them carrying badges, and other various issues that they have been involved with. These issues also include some Federally Illegal matters that were also brought up.

Note: A video of Mr. Dyke’s presentation to the board with audio is attached. See the bottom of the page.

The Board was appalled that Ohio REACT Council would do such a thing, and a discussion on the matter was opened.

During the discussion it was brought up that Ohio REACT Council had similar suspensions and investigations at least 3 or 4 times in the past.

The Board motioned that Ohio REACT Council be suspended, and an investigation be completed on their actions. The motion passed.
The Board motioned that a letter of apology be written and sent to our team, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and any agency in our area that we deem, and/or may have been involved.

After our issues were discussed and acted upon, we thanked the Board for the time on the floor and for their cooperation on the matter.
We left the meeting around 1530hrs and went to the hotel to check out. We decided to revisit Washington, DC on the way home for better photo oppurtunities, and to see attractions that we hadn’t the night before.We visited The White House, The U.S. Capitol Building, The FTC/FAA Building in DC, then we left to visit the Pentagon and memorial. After we were done visiting, we continued on the long ride home. We stopped in Breezewood, PA for dinner around 2145. We arrived back in Ohio around 0130, and everyone finally arrived home around 0300hrs. The trip was deemed a success, and well worth it. We had fun, and when needed we got down to business.

Any Questions or Comments on the items brought up with the Board may be submitted to Mr. Jim Dyke (President) (330) 280-4857 jdyke@quadcountyreact.org.
Any Questions or Comments on the trip or other topics may be submitted to Mr. Dave Coleman (Vice President) (330) 704-0521 dcoleman@quadcountyreact.org; Mr. Matt Boudreaux (Operations Manager) (330) 685-5674 mboudreaux@quadcountyreact.org; or Mr. Justin Corner (Webmaster) (330) 879-8552 jcorner@quadcountyreact.org

From quadcountyreact.org, used by permission.

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