USPA BOD Election Results 2022-2224

I see that many qualified people are correcting statements, or offering different opinions of the statements put forth by “lyosa” and others. That’s good, everyone has their own views, their own opinions, and are free to express them, right or wrong. Of course, they are always subject to correction in a forum such as this.

One comment I want to set straight, about the “E” license proposal. Many are under the impression it was the USPA Board that was trying to force it down the throat of the members. That is wrong. The “E” license idea was mine…I developed the idea, I formulated it, I proposed it in S&T Committee, I argued the merits, I (with the Executive Director permission) got it included in a poll to the membership, and the membership did not show enough interest to pursue the concept, and it was dropped. So, if you want to attack someone about the “E” license proposal, you come after me, not the Board. You come after me all day long, bring all you got.  It was my idea, my proposal, it didn’t pass muster, it was dropped. Not the Boards idea, mine. 

That is the way things work on the USPA Board. We look at maybe 100 different ideas or issues every meeting, maybe 5 or 10 pass muster. But we give a voice to any member with an idea, or suggestion. So when you say, the Board is wasting time looking at a new concept, such as an “E” license, we consider hundreds of ideas every year. Most are discarded, a few are passed. That is why the Board exists, that is part of the work it does, all as volunteers, with no pay.

If anyone wishes to discuss this offline, by PM, or directly, I am happy to oblige. My home address, email, cell phone is in the front of every Parachutist magazine.

Paul Gholson, USPA Southern Regional Director

[email protected]. 901-233-4144

2 hours ago, lyosha said:

But all I'm seeing a lot of deflection of ownership and refusal to take responsibility here.

The buck stops here, if ya know what I mean.

There is no deflection and no refusal to take responsibility concerning the voting numbers for the board of directors because there is nothing to deflect and no failure to take responsibility for.

Turnout in USPA elections has always been low. I've noted before that there are some obvious reasons like new members that don't vote because they don't know our system or even what they are voting for, and life members who are still on the voter rolls but are disengaged, but there are also people who don't vote because they simply aren't concerned with it.

These folks don't see anything wrong with the way things work. They get their magazine, processing times for licenses and ratings are fast, they have 3rd party liability coverage in case they break something or someone, and dozens of other things USPA does for them in the background. Fun jumpers (the largest segment of us) just want to show up, make some hops, drink some beer, and do it again next weekend.

Our members aren't voting for representatives that make life-altering decisions on their behalf. They are voting for volunteers who work for the members doing at times some of the most mundane things imaginable. If the governance of USPA isn't important enough to a member to prompt them to vote, so be it. We will still represent them the best way we know how. That comes with the price of membership.

6 hours ago, chuckakers said:

There is no deflection and no refusal to take responsibility concerning the voting numbers for the board of directors because there is nothing to deflect and no failure to take responsibility for.

I think this has run it's course. I'm going to finish by pointing out that the second part of the statement kind of goes against the first, and kind of is a prime example of what I referenced in my prior post.