Skaluf

Hi folks,

First let me say how grateful I am to read this amount of support from those of you on this forum. I sincerely appreciate it. As most of you know I don't post much unless I can add to a discussion without controversy. In this case I do think you deserve to know the complete story, I'll leave it to you to judge me.

So, here goes...

The week prior to the IRCHA Helicopter Jamboree I volunteered to mow part of the site IRCHA would be using to AMA's Maintenance Director on the upcoming Saturday. The regular crews would still be involved with the Nats and doing this would help them get the job done sooner. The Maintenance Director told me he'd appreciate the help and would have the mowers ready for my son and I.

Later in the week Jim Cherry asked me to not request the use of any equipment during the Jamboree (a week which I was on vacation) personally as he needed to track what was being used and wanted the IRCHA Event Director to make all requests. I agreed as I understood this need.

So, the Saturday morning prior to the week IRCHA started my 16 year-old son and I met a couple of the maintenance guys, got the mowers out and started down the road to the site to be used by the Jamboree. Shortly Mr. Cherry's vechicle came flying across the grass field, and stopped me. He was very angery and asked what the heck I was doing on a mower after our conversation. I attempted to explain that I had not requested the use of the mowers and had simply volunteered to help our guys out during a time they were short handed to get all that needed to be done-done. He would not listen to me at all.

After returning the mowers to the equipment barn I again attempted to talk to him, he would not listen to anything I wanted to tell him. He then asked for my key card. I asked him if he was firing me and he replied no. I asked many times if we could talk about this, he would not. I then asked when we could talk and he replied later in the day or the next day. Later that day I called Joyce Hager in an effort to talk to someone. She was in contact with Mr. Cherry, but out of town. Later Saturday night Joyce called me to tell me to meet in Mr. Cherry's office at 2:00 pm the next day (Sunday).

I arrived a bit early and was let into the building by Mr. Cherry. We went into his office, Joyce and Mary Hurn (HR) were there. Mr. Cherry got right to the point and said I had two choices, resign or be terminated. I was in shock... Again I attempted to explain that my actions were simply as a volunteer trying to help the organization he would simply not listen to any reason in the matter. I honestly begged him for my job back and told him I'd do anything he wanted...he would not hear of it and made a comment along the lines of "how would I look to bring you back now".

I have had a lot of support from various AMA Executive Council members. Many of them argued on my behalf during the Jamboree and as I understand it at the Sunday EC meeting. However the long and short of it was that they were unwilling to overturn Mr. Cherry's decision as they felt it set a dangerous precident.

On Tuesday of this past week, in order to pick up my final check I was forced to give them a resignation letter or face having a termination on my record. While I did give them the letter in my opinion I was simply fired.

I've enjoyed the 13 years at AMA and working with many of you. I'm working hard to get re-employed within the industry. This is what I know and love, I've been doing it for 25 years and don't want to stop now.

Thanks again for your support, I hope we will cross paths in the furture again.

Regards,

Steve Kaluf