[Swan217]

Originally Posted by dtk

To that end a list of the positions at an event that have the biggest impact on the event experience were identified and labeled as key volunteer positions. The staffing of these positions was opened up to a larger group for discussion. When an individual’s qualifications were unknown additional information was sought from people who better knew the individual. This process would seem less disposed to abuse than an individual making the decisions alone.

FiM is not a gang of malicious, self interested, power hungry people. It is, much like the rest of the FIRST world, filled with people who are passionate about this program and who are working extremely hard to further its success. Certainly mistakes are made, and these mistakes should and will be, addressed. Yet there is no reason, however great the temptation, to demonize the other side and assume they are operating with nefarious goals.

I’m sorry you had a bad experience trying to secure the volunteer position you wanted, but staffing decisions were not based on personal bias against any individual. There is no black list and, as fun an idea as it might be, there is no conspiracy.

As much as I'm flattered that the DJ is now considered a "key position," considering how much of an afterthought he usually is to the competition scene, the fact is that the timeline is in direct contradiction with the above rationalization, which brings up much more damaging questions than it answers. I'm also astonished at the number of replies that seem to be written without reading the O.P. at all.

To repeat the timeline, with dtk's input added:

• September: VIMS preferences updated
• ?Sept-Dec?: DJ named key volunteer position, Dan declared one of many veteran volunteers unfit to volunteer in new system
• Early-January: In lew of DJing, Dan offered FTA position. Dan reluctantly accepts
• Mid-January: Dan discovers physically unable to referee 2008 game.
• Late-January: Dan follows up, apparently still being considered for FTA
• Later-January: FiM board interferes with Volunteer process
• Early Feb: Dan WTF's Volunteer Coordinators
• Late Feb: Dan goes backdoor to district VC's and slips into FiM banned "key position" robot inspector
• Early March: Dan WTF's FiM board members - board members clueless
• Early March: Detroit District asks radio DJs with no FIRST experience to be MC. Unsure when they were vetted by FiM board members
• Mid March: Troy District Announcer asks Dan to fill in for him
• Mid March: FiM board interferes with Volunteer process
• Mid March: Hoping to avoid a scene, Dan abdicates to another skilled announcer
• April: Dan asked to assist Volunteer Coordinator for Michigan. Dan reluctantly accepts, on condition that FIRST HQ will be notified of events. VC agrees
• August: Dan finally sends letter to FIRST HQ
• September: Conversation with Dennis Howland. Offers to set up meeting with FiM to bury hatchet, discuss past and future involvement of Dan in FIRST. Dan eagerly agrees
• Thanksgiving: FiM Board tells VC to tell Dan to tell Dennis "no deal." FiM screws with wrong volunteer for the last time.

No, a mistake is forgetting to get lunches for volunteers at Cass Tech. This was a deliberate action to keep qualified volunteers from doing their job. Clearly I was willing to do whatever was asked of me - I clearly have no sense of entitlement. I do, however, expect a certain level of respect that I've come to know in the Real FIRST community - respect of my time, of my commitment. Volunteer Coordinators who pass along information, not obfuscate it. And a secret system of "qualifications" for "key positions" is the DEFINITION of a conspiracy!

Saying that FiM is full of power-hungry people is a generalization straw man; I referred to a few unknown bad eggs corrupting the entire group's function. And FiM according to dtk's interpretation is completely different from how the real FIRST organization works. In the real FIRST organization, the Volunteer Coordinator has the final say on volunteer positions. You won't have Dave Lavery or Paul Gudonis telling a VC who can or can't be a volunteer (Though their input is certainly welcome, I'm sure), barring some horrible snafu or event-changing actions. I say, let the volunteers volunteer and let the teams play. If someone better can do a job, let them! Don't say that someone can't do a job, especially one that they've already been doing fine for a number of years, just because you don't like the way that they looked at you or whatever.

I've clearly tolerated it for far too long, I'm now trying to change it. If that fails, you better believe I will leave it.