I have been a member of the national PGR since March, 2006 and a member of the ILPGR, Inc since its founding in 2009, but in the summer of 2011 I was excluded from the ILPGR FB group. I protested but was not even given a coherent explanation. Now I learn that others have also been excluded so I raised the question again. This time the state leadership claims that it isn’t even happening.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason for this record.

From: Don Russ
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:10 AM
To: Deb Pyznarski
Cc: tnasaelpm@aol.com; 'robcurcio@yahoo.com'; 'ronni_stk@hotmail.com'; 'dozer1966@consolidated.net'; 'cowboy@ilpatriotguard.com'
Subject: Mark confesses that we cant be in the FB group because they dont like us.

Deb, I just called Roni and she said that you removed yourself.

Roni said that sometimes members unsubscribe themselves unintentionally and that she cannot take you off the “do not email” list herself – you have to do it. She did welcome your call, however.

 Home: 618.829.9820
    Cell: 618.292.4709

My thought: If their computer has you on a “do not email” list and you cannot reverse it, then perhaps you should subscribe using a different email address. I did not discuss with her your status related to the IPGR FB group from which both you and I have been excluded. Regarding that, incredibly Mark responded, “I am not aware of the membership class, nor any such list, that you are referring to.”

As I cautioned him, “You must therefore provide that list or stand accused of exercising personal animus covered-up by secrecy.”

So you should be able to receive the statewide emails, but as for the FB group exclusions, the Deputy Assistant State Captain has admitted personal animus covered-up by secrecy. -Don






From: tnasaelpm@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 8:36 AM
To: 'Don Russ'
Cc: 'robcurcio@yahoo.com'; 'ronni_stk@hotmail.com'; 'dozer1966@consolidated.net'; 'cowboy@ilpatriotguard.com'
Subject: Your Email of 2-22-2012

Good morning, Don. Your friend should contact Deputy Assistant State Captain of Administration, Roni Storck, at ronni_stk@hotmail.com regarding how to receive statewide emails and/or any other similar question that she may have. I am not aware of the membership class, nor any such list, that you are referring to. Regarding your continued allegations; commentaries; and complaints concerning what amount to essentially the same issues, several of us in various positions of regional and state leadership have already spent considerable personal time and energy in considering and responding to them. I am sorry that you remain dissatisfied with the attention, consideration, and responses that you have received.

Mark E. Pleasant
Deputy Assistant State Captain
Illinois Patriot Guard Riders






From: Don Russ
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:07 PM
To: tnasaelpm@aol.com
Subject: accountability, transparency and integrity

Mark,

Thanks again for your contribution to the January Pack 42 Cub Scout meeting. The seventeen scouts who supported the David Robinson funeral last November benefitted from your comments. I write to you today in your capacity as Deputy Assistant State Captain of the ILPGR, incorporated on behalf of a friend who is having a frustrating experience with our organization. After the McHone cemetery escort when the PGR bikes got lost – an acknowledged leadership failure – it is clear that you could benefit from all the feedback you can get.

Background: In recent months you have reversed your position on the Warriors Watch Riders. In the summer of 2010 you demanded that I neither mention nor link to the WWR from my website, and now you share missions with them. With hindsight I admit that I was at fault for ever trying to grant your arbitrary and unilateral demand. While I am glad that your position has reversed, that reversal was never communicated to me and I found myself enforcing rules that you had demanded for me that you did not honor yourself. Also, earlier this week, you dragged a former SRC into court to impose your demands on him. Funds that were given to the ILPGR to support its published mission were diverted to lawyers for the purpose of silencing SRC Fred Vukadinovic (ret) who sought only to emulate the PGR mission.

Given your background of enforcing unpublished (and unknown) rules, I ask you: What rule has MarineMom Deb Pyznarski violated? She has signed-up three times and still she does not receive the statewides. Is she blacklisted? Or is someone (Dan?) taking initiative to drop her each time she reappears? And if so, why hasn’t ILPGR leadership extended the simple courtesy of explaining to her why she is disqualified? This email exchange is not private. Why doesn’t the ILPGR act openly?

These are not unfair questions, based on my experience with the ILPGR. I was dropped from the ILPGR FB Group without any explanation. When I tracked down the source of the blackball – Dan – I had a long telephone conversation with him that produced only illogical and incoherent explanations and no reconsideration. I wrote a lengthy appeal to Gary that met a curt denial. As I now understand my status, I am permitted to attend ILPGR missions but am not permitted to participate in the FB Group of the ILPGR. (I understand that Deb is excluded from the ILPgr FB Group too.) Apparently I have been assigned to a membership class that allows less than full participation. Is Deb Pyznarski relegated to yet another membership class where she, unlike me, is excluded from statewides? If so, how many less-than-full membership classes are there in the ILPGR?

Also, and importantly, how are these various de facto membership classes reconciled with the national PGR Mission Statement regarding membership that has since 2005 read, “The only prerequisite is Respect.” The ILPGR has touted this Mission Statement since its founding in 2009. For more than two years, the ILPGR has been saying that the only requirement for membership is respect. My understanding has always been that this meant respect for the fallen hero. (And NOT that it meant deference to the arbitrary and temporary leadership of the ILPGR.) Deb and I have always shown respect for the fallen hero. We are entitled to know the basis for our disqualification from full membership and specifically how we have been disrespectful toward fallen heroes. In the absence of that explanation, we request that full membership be reinstated to us.

Further, we request a list of all who have been assigned less-than-full membership. We feel entitled to this as a matter of oversight. The ILPGR Board consists of 3 people who are designated by the 8 SRCs who are appointed by the Board. This circular authority gives the impression of a closed club of eleven people with no accountability. You must therefore provide that list or stand accused of exercising personal animus covered-up by secrecy.

-Don

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