Scott O’Grady of Dallas is a self-employed motivational speaker. He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and was commissioned through the US Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program. O’Grady received a bachelor’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
A "motivational speaker" for the Juvenile Probation Commission? Really? So I wondered, "Who is this guy?," and as usual Google is our friend. According to O'Grady's web page on a speakers' bureau site:
Shot down in war-torn Bosnia, Scott O’Grady shares the six-day, life-or-death ordeal that made headlines, inspired millions and taught us about preparation, teamwork and leadership.An Air Force fighter pilot, Captain Scott O’Grady was shot down over Bosnia while helping to enforce the NATO no-fly zone in an F-16. Alone -- facing death, capture and the elements -- he discovered within himself the spirit to go on and relied on the skills learned during a lifetime of preparing for the unthinkable. From O’Grady’s compelling life-and-death story, audiences learn how to adapt, change and succeed even under the most daunting and trying of circumstances. Even while isolated behind enemy lines, Captain O’Grady remained a member of a carefully drilled team. He details the preparation, teamwork and leadership responsible for his survival and for his dramatic rescue by the U.S. Marines — qualities that are crucial to success in every facet of business and life. The ingenuity and fortitude that kept him alive in hostile territory for six days now inspires audiences to their own groundbreaking achievements.
Quite humorously, though, news accounts of his story don't quite jibe with the idea that "Even while isolated behind enemy lines, Captain O’Grady remained a member of a carefully drilled team." A story from the UK Independent published in 1995 about the episode was titled "All-American hero's errors bring NATO down to earth." Their description paints O'Grady's level of professionalism and preparedness in a different light:
The way he was shot down, and his inability to communicate with aircraft searching for him, have revealed many shortcomings, and the US Air Force will have to take a hard look at its pilots' training. ...Capt O'Grady's first mistake was a matter of discipline - he took off dressed only in a flying suit and a T-shirt , not properly clad to eject and survive in a hostile environment.The Bosnian Serbs apparently locked radar on to his F-16 fighter several times, but he continued circling when he should have known he had been picked up. Eventually, the Serbs launched an SA-6 missile ,guiding it towards his plane visually. A quick transmission from the radar was then enough to guide the missile to the plane in its final moments, blowing it in two.Capt O'Grady did not, apparently, know how to use his survival radio or the Global positioning system. Eventually, he seems to have worked out how to use the aids by trial and error: had he been well versed in the drills, he could have been picked up days earlier, sources said. He also headed towards a reference point quite needlessly, showing a misunderstanding of basic procedures.
Pretty striking differences in those two accounts, huh?
Most recently, Mr. O'Grady obtained his seminary degree in 2007, has been giving speeches at "Tea Parties" and he wants to run for office, though he can't decide which one. He's got a very odd campaign website that promotes him as a leader for Texas, asks for contributions and volunteers, but strangely declines to say what office he's seeking. On his contributions page, it declares, "Scott needs your financial support to explore the opportunities to serve Texas at the State or National Level." I wonder if this was the opportunity he was exploring, and if so what he'll do with his contributors' money?
There's nothing on O'Grady's "Issues" page that would make you think he's ever given a second thought to juvenile justice. This seems like an appointment motivated by political patronage instead of experience and merits. It'll be more than a year before the Senate gets around to confirmation hearings on these appointees, but when they do, O'Grady's selection to the Juvenile Probation Commission probably deserves a second look.
UPDATE: Though the press release didn't say so, this was actually a reappointment, according to TJPC's website. O'Grady was already on the board, though according to meeting minutes he missed two of the last three board meetings. So it's not a new appointment, but it's still a strange one.
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24 comments:
Scott probably has just as much hands on experience as half the people working at TJPC. When it comes to Juvenile Justice on the State level, little experience seems to be the norm.
My hope is that you would have the balls to meet Mr. O'Grady instead of blogging him for information. The times I have talked with him at board meetings, he has had the interest of children at heart. He may not be a schooled professional "juvenile justice practitioner;" however, we might need just those set of eyes providing oversight.
First, 3:52, nobody commenting anonymously has ANY business questioning if others "have the balls" for this or that. Grow some first, then you can talk. Unlike anonymous gripes too cowardly to put their names on their attacks who so frequently troll the comments section in this blog, I'm happy to meet Mr. O'Grady or anyone else I've criticized face to face and retract misstatements if I'm wrong.
I don't know what "blogging him for information" means (I "Googled" him for information), but I only observed that his stated background and interests don't seem to include any crossover with juvenile justice - maybe that's inaccurate. I don't doubt that a non-pro who takes a genuine interest can make a significant contribution - I certainly don't have professional corrections credentials except in nonprofit advocacy roles. But I don't see anything in O'Grady's background or public persona that indicates an interest in these subjects. According to TJPC's meeting minutes, he didn't attend a commission meeting since 2008, but he's out agitating with the tea party crowd and preparing to run for office. Perhaps he's too busy with other interests to accept reappointment?
"he has the interest of children at heart" ??
What about the interest of community safety and accountable for crimes committed by juvenile delinquents. At least a juvenile justice practitioner can see things clearly (for the most part). There needs to be people with experience in those positions so they can form a somewhat educationed opinion. I have no doubt that Scott is a great guy; however " he has the interest of children at heat" doesn't cut it.
Grits states "...he's out agitating with the tea party crowd and preparing to run for office. Perhaps he's too busy with other interests to accept reappointment?"
What difference does it make that he is participating in Tea Party events? Many individuals appointed to boards such as these have political aspirations. I just find it of note that you needed to specifically mention the Tea Party movement in both your blog and your post. One could easily assume this is an issue for you.
"What difference does it make that he is participating in Tea Party events?"
It doesn't make any difference to me what he does in his off time. But I happen to care about juvenile probation issues so I think it important that commission members show up at those meetings from time to time.
I don't really even care if he doesn't have a background in juvenile justice, as long as he is the type of individual to take it upon himself to get objectively and factually acquainted with the issues.
However, since I find the statements on the issues page of his website (the ones he's actually thought about) to be a bit over simplistic and short on substantive points, I'm not confident that his appointment is a wise one. IMO
I'm also a bit confused as to why he never mentions his membership on the commission.
5:15, you only quoted the second half of the sentence. The full line said, "According to TJPC's meeting minutes, he didn't attend a commission meeting since 2008, but he's out agitating with the tea party crowd and preparing to run for office." Clearly the implication was that he was able to make time to devote to those activities but not his TJPC appointment.
I mentioned the tea party connection for the same reason I mentioned his military service - it's how he self-identifies and the subject of the post was "Who is this guy?" Should I ignore it when it's one of the main things he promotes about himself on his campaign site? Also, in the post the link under the tea party comment takes you to a speech he gave so readers can assess his views for themselves.
Wouldn't it behoove the gov's office to put out a statement when people are appointed to positions, introducing the people and explaining the reason for the appointments?
7:58 - They did issue a press release (linked in the text), FWIW. That's how I found out about it.
If one looks back at the history of these sorts of juvenile justice boards, one often finds political appointees who don't seem to have any particular child welfare or juvie justice backgrounds.
So much so that one could easily get the impression that such expertise has been frowned upon.
This appointment is noteworthy more for its consistency with past practice.
IMO, there is a place for lay members of such boards, but they should be individuals with some past experience or activity in either the child welfare or juvenile justice fields. This could include volunteers or philanthropists just as easily as professional or academic experience.
Thus Scott's questioning would be just as appropriate if this individual were a lifelong Dem Party activist.
BB
Scott O’Grady is appointed to the TJPC board and Grits can’t wait to shoot him down before we can see what he can do - all pathetic arguments against the man, not one word about what he would like to do as a board member. I guess O’Grady is used to it - get shot down over Bosnia and now Grits shoots him down for how he 'self-identifies'. Now shooting him down for missing board meetings seems fair. Welcome, Scott, to the ugly side of Texas politics. I like your web site, Grits, but how does this argument against the man help?
He may be a good added change. Look at the misfits that took TYC to the bottom rung. He has to be an improvement to the past juvenile supporters. Best wishes to him. Support him, Grits.
Sam - Where should I have derived this information about what he wanted to do as a boardmember? Not from his board activities in 2009, clearly, nor from the "Issues" he says he most cares about on his website. Perhaps from his long record of service working on these issues? No, not there, either. The Governor certainly included no such detail in his press release to which the post was reacting.
Also, I didn't "shoot him down" for his association with the Tea Partiers, I just linked to his speech. It was the commenter at 5:15 who implied that was a negative association. All I did was examine the background of a gubernatorial appointee, mostly linking to his own statements about who he is and what he believes.
That said, if Mr. O'Grady wants to run for public office, he'll need to get used to folks in the public discussing and judging his record.
I think all of you may be focusing on the wrong appointee, if your concern is about having people on the Commission who have the time to devote to it. Look at the Gov's press release about one of the other appointees, William Conley:
"William Conley of Wimberley is Hays County Commissioner of Precinct Three. He is chairman of the Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization, vice chairman of the Capital Area Council of Government, and a member of the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District Executive Board, Austin Community College Center for Public Policy and Political Studies Executive Board, and Main Street Board of San Marcos. He is also a member of the Hays County Area Food Bank Executive Board, San Marcos and Wimberley Chambers of Commerce, and Rotary Club of San Marcos...."
Unless Mr. Conley is a superman I have a difficult time imagining how he can do justice to all those organizations, make a living, and spend much time with his family. When I pointed this out to my wife, she suggested that Mr. Conley has a female assistant who keeps his calendar, arranges his interary, reads and condenses for him all staff reports, budgets, and position papers, prepares his own position papers and talking points for each organization, takes notes at meetings, and drafts his correspondence.
Upon my remonstrance at the blatant sexism of her remark, my wife conceded that it could be a male doing all that work for him. But we agreed that someone other than Mr. Conley is probably doing the heavy lifting.
Well, I am glad to see he is associated with the tea party. It will be nice to have a conservative voice in such a liberal field.
Yes, b/c there's been such a paucity of conservative voices exerting real power over juvie justice.
Except, um, the Bush and Perry administrations.
BB
One has to wonder where and how people like Anon 12:59 spend their waking hours.
They are right next to you - beware.
If you think that get tough conservatives are caling the shots on the State level, you are obviously out of the loop.
10:50 - Name a pol you think is "conservative" if Rick Perry is not. He's the one making the appointments - nobody else.
If my memory serves me right didn't the last version of the HB 3689 place 1 chief juvenile probation officer on the TJPC board? Soooooo..... Why this guy over a chief? O"Gready has done nothing for the TJPC board like the other "Public members". Get some real experience on the board.
Looks like TJPC Executive Director won again. A chief on the board would put TOO much experience on it to where she could not snow the others on the board like happens now. There should have been more provisions put in place for experience than just 1 chief in the first place.
Grits, your 6:28 post states "he is the only one making the appointments". Have you ever delved DEAP into the process? He is tolf who is the best candidate by his appointments board, who are influenced greatly by the agencies that the appointments will serve over. TJPC board is a prime example. Billy McClendon serving on the board, Ruth Jones McClendon championing TJPC's cause in the house to keep the board intact. HMMMMMMMMM!!!!
Known fact and straight from the appointments office, every candidate is run past the executive director of TJPC prior to submitting for the Gov's approval and appointment. A term was used in the Sunset Hearings against chief's on the board "fox guarding the henhouse". Sounds like the slyest of foxes is the executive director.
I only wish that these orgs would consider the rights of the employees (Juvenile Supervision Officers) that have to have day to day interactions with the children that are detained by the courts for their crimes against our communities. There seems to be too many people at the top sometimes that don't have the experience necessary to make good quality decisions when it comes to how to supervise these children in a safe and secure manner.
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