The North Star Report™

EQUALITY REPORT | COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

“Should I Sacrifice to Live ‘Half-American?’” – James G. Thomson, 1942

Let me start with a question: How would you feel and what would you believe to be true, if you were a 9-year veteran with specialized training and experience in an aviation specialty…air traffic control, who then hired into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) only to be “deemed a training failure and terminated” because you were told by the Facility’s Air Traffic Manager, the Training Team, and the Training Review Board (TRB) that you were basically “too dumb” (through your alleged lack of knowledge and experience) and that the Facility and the District lacked the resources, i.e., contract training staff support and the access to tower simulation (TSS) equipment for you to become a Certified Professional Controller (CPC), and, moreover, you had to endure mistreatment, disparate treatment, hostility, and institutional abandonment and neglect all the way to Headquarters?

The story of an African-American Female United States Navy Veteran’s encounter with DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization (ATO) 2017-2018.

Hired: Mrs. Ramona Zelda Jones – African American Female, U.S Navy Veteran of 9-years as Air Traffic Control Specialist. A Military Direct Hire to FAA Facility Nantucket Memorial (ACK) Air Traffic Control Tower, Nantucket, Massachusetts, without attending FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Results: Deemed Training Failure/Involuntary Termination – DOT/FAA Air Traffic Technical Training Program – Facility Training Review Board (TRB) “Recommendation to Terminate” Air Traffic Technical Training as being “deemed a training failure” based on the following rationale: “The group (Facility Training Review Board) believes that there were extenuating circumstances with regards to the VRA hiring process and Nantucket Memorial (ACK) ATCT’s limited training resources.  In this case, (1) the employee had no previous tower experience and was not provided the 296 hours of Initial Tower Cab training (Course 50046 or current course) which consists of both classroom and laboratory instruction in the tower cab procedures and the tower cab visibility exam before commencing OJT.  (2) The shortfall of knowledge and experience could not be adequately provided by her training team and the facility.  (3) The facility lacks any support staff to provide Mrs. Jones with the needed specialized training nor is the facility able to make use of Terminal Simulation Systems (TSS) training (which is available to other tower training programs in the Region).”

 In Her Words: January 8, 2018

“This is to inform you of how I was treated while employed in the Federal Aviation Administration.

When I left the military in June of 2016 to pursue my career as an air traffic controller in the agency, I was very hopeful and excited. I had been a Navy air traffic controller for over 9 years and had done excellent, but I still longed stability so that I could spend more time with my family without having to worry about deployments and duty.

When I first arrived at my facility (Nantucket Memorial) I tried to ignore the warning signs of what was sure to come. Starting off I was told before my arrival that I would be living with the administrative lady that I had been in contact with at the facility. I did not find out until I arrived that I would be staying with one of the controllers instead, a white male. My supervisors later designated this person as one of my trainers. At first, I was told that it would only be a couple of weeks and was promised more secure housing but then I ended up living there for over a month until housing became available. I would frequently come home from work and notice personal items misplaced or curtains that were drawn closed. When it was finally time for me to move out my trainer offered to “hire me to clean his house sometimes.”

Management saw that I was uncomfortable with this person and refused to assign me a new trainer even when I broke down on position and new trainers became available due to the qualification of another controller.

A lot of times when I was at work, I felt isolated and was ignored because I am an African American female. People would often refer to me in conversations with me sitting right there instead of asking me directly.

As the only African American at my facility, I was often left out of things even when I was the person most qualified to do so. For example, my facility recently got STARS and as a radar controller I am very familiar with the system. I was the first one to complete the training assigned and when asked for volunteers to help teach the other controllers the system I was told that I needed to focus on my ground control studies.

A lot of things that applied to the other controllers did not apply to me as an African American female. Since starting this job, I have tried to be a model controller by showing up to work early when others show up ten minutes late and constantly listening in on position to try to correct deficiencies that my trainers would not assist in. I never complained about work or training. I only asked for a new trainer because I felt uncomfortable because the trainer assigned to me was a guy that they had me living with for over a month when I first arrived and that was ignored. A lot of times during training I was hit on technique and I spoke up about this issue and was ignored.

I’ve been yelled/cursed at on position by my supervisor and humiliated.

This whole experience has been a nightmare down to the review board process. The board acknowledged that my training was done incorrectly and still voted to terminate my training. They instead blamed this tragedy on me being a direct hire and the “lack of resources” at my facility.

When my husband and I visited the facility in April prior to me coming, management never mentioned that they would not have the tools or manning to be able to train me properly.  My poor training was not due to lack of manning but the [un]willingness of the facility to give me the tools that I needed to succeed, and I cannot help but feel like this was due to me being an African American female.

It is very disappointing to me, as a veteran, that has served my country proudly as well as a veteran spouse to go through this kind of treatment here. I have never felt so isolated, alone, unwanted, and disrespected as much as I have felt these last few months. My biggest regret is having my family put in this situation. I have two small children, 9 and 3 years old that will be affected by this move. Now my family will be forced to leave many of our possessions on the island because we can not afford to move everything.

The only question that I have is why or how could this possible be allowed to happen?

If we can answer this question maybe another veteran and their family will not have to go through what my family and I are experiencing.”

COO Response: January 15, 2018

Dear Ms. Jones,

Thank you for contacting me and sharing your experience.  I understand that you have filed an EEO complaint and the Agency has agreed to mediation.  I am confident that the process will identify any deficiencies and address your concerns.  If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your EEO Counselor.

Sincerely,

[Name]

Chief Operating Officer

Federal Aviation Administration

Air Traffic Organization

Vantage Point:

The COO’s response was simply a pretentious, “Thanks, but don’t bother me with your Black female-people problems.”

First, I, in my heart, remain deeply troubled that anyone must endure this kind of intentional mistreatment, indifference, and hatred. Add to the facts that Mrs. Jones is an African American and a 9-year Veteran, the obvious racial-and-gender based animus exposes like a nuclear explosion making forever desolate the hopes, dreams, and aspirations she had for herself, her family, her career, her very life.

Pretense and Pretext – An Assessment of the Justifications to Terminate/Wash-Out.

FAA Training Review Board Justifications: In this case, (1) the employee had no previous tower experience and was not provided the 296 hours of Initial Tower Cab training (Course 50046 or current course) which consists of both classroom and laboratory instruction in the tower cab procedures and the tower cab visibility exam before commencing OJT.

Knowing this when she was hired, why, then, did the FAA Air Traffic Organization and Human Resources place Ms. Jones at an Air Traffic Facility when she allegedly did not have air traffic control “tower experience” and place her at a facility consistent with the air traffic training, experience, and expertise she gained while serving in the United States Navy? She was set-up to fail from the beginning.

FAA Training Review Board justifications: In this case, (2) The shortfall of knowledge and experience could not be adequately provided by her training team and the facility. 

Again, knowing this when she was hired, why, then, did the FAA Air Traffic Organization and Human Resources place Ms. Jones at an Air Traffic Control Facility where based on this Air Traffic Control Facility’s Training Review Board, her “alleged” shortfall of knowledge and experience, the FAA’s “taxpayer funded” Air Traffic Technical Training Program “could not, in their own words, “adequately provide” her at the facility level, by her “all white training team,” the required qualification training needed to become a Certified Professional Controller (CPC)? So keep these facts in mind: (1) On September 8, 2008, the FAA, using taxpayer money, awarded a contract for Air Traffic Control Contract Training at $859,000,000.00 and on April 1, 2017, again using taxpayer money, awarded a contract for Air Traffic Control Contract Training at $727,200,000.00 for a total of $1,586,200,000.00, yet this FAA Training Review Board claims a lack adequate training expertise and infrastructure to allow an African American female, 9-year Veteran with United States Navy Air Traffic Control training and experience to be successful to the Certified Professional Controller level in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization!

FAA Training Review Board justifications: In this case, (3) The facility lacks any support staff to provide Mrs. Jones with the needed specialized training nor is the facility able to make use of Terminal Simulation Systems (TSS) training (which is available to other tower training programs in the Region).”

Again, knowing this when she was hired, why, then, did the FAA Air Traffic Organization and Human Resources place Ms. Jones at an Air Traffic Control Facility where based on this Air Traffic Control Facility’s Training Review Board’s own admission that the facility (1) “lacked any support staff to provide Mrs. Jones with the needed specialized training, and (2) nor is the facility able to make use of Terminal Simulation Systems (TSS) training (which is available to other tower training programs in the Region).” – Once more: (1) On September 8, 2008, the FAA, using taxpayer money, awarded a contract for Air Traffic Control Contract Training at $859,000,000.00 and on April 1, 2017, again using taxpayer money, awarded a contract for Air Traffic Control Contract Training at $727,200,000.00 for a total of $1,586,200,000.00, yet, the facility “lacked any support staff to provide Mrs. Jones with the needed specialized training; and (2) this Air Traffic Control Facility’s Training Review Board’s own admission that the facility “lacked the ability to make use of Tower Simulation Systems (TSS) training (which is available to other tower training programs in the Region)” when taking into full consideration the following information about the TSS from the FAA’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP):

FY-2010 Request $6.7 Million – NAS TRAINING FACILITIES – SIMULATOR

“Program Description. The NAS Training Simulator project will acquire and deploy training simulators to selected air traffic facilities in the field. Similar technology implemented at the Academy and by the US Air Force has proven successful. This project focuses on using technology to assist FAA in training newly hired controllers during the next 10 years in response to projected staffing requirements. This program provides funding to acquire simulators, training media, and communications equipment for air traffic facilities.”

“Relationship of Program to FAA Strategic Goal, Objective, and Performance Target

FAA Strategic Goal 6 – Organizational Excellence.”

“FAA Objective 1 – Implement human resource management practices to attract and retain a highly skilled, diverse workforce and provide employees a safe, positive work environment.

Through the use of simulation at Terminal facilities, the FAA can further enhance training for air traffic controllers in a high fidelity, realistic environment. Not only will this reduce on-the-job training time, but also significantly reduce operational errors. Students need the simulated environment to reach the skill level necessary to become a fully proficient controller.”

FY-2016 Request $6.7 Million – TOWER SIMULATION SYSTEM (TSS) TECHNOLOGY REFRESH – National Airspace System (NAS) Training – Equipment Modernization – Training Simulators – Tower Simulation System.”

“Program Description. The Tower Simulation System (TSS) equipment modernization program will update obsolete tower simulation equipment and analyze the potential for adding new airport locations and satellite facilities. The TSS is currently deployed at 32 airport locations (i.e., hubs); provides satellite capabilities for an additional 138 facilities including systems for the FAA Academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center and the William J. Hughes Technical Center; and supports controller qualification and skill enhancement training at each site.”

“The TSS is a full-scale tower simulator providing an interactive, highly realistic environment for controller training. The TSS supports up to four simultaneous trainee positions including local, ground, flight data/clearance delivery, and coordinator. Trainees achieve initial proficiency in the simulator and when that training is complete, begin work in an operational facility as a “developmental” in preparation for certification.”

FY 2018 Request $5.0 Million – TOWER SIMULATION SYSTEM (TSS) TECHNOLOGY REFRESH

National Airspace System (NAS) Training – Equipment Modernization – Training Simulators – Tower Simulation System.”

“Program Description. The Tower Simulation System (TSS) modernization program will update obsolete tower simulation equipment and analyze the potential for adding new airport locations and satellite facilities. There are 36 TSSs currently deployed at 38 sites supporting 177 tower facilities. There are also 17 TSS at the FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) and 3 at the William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC). The TSS supports controller qualification and skill enhancement training at each site. The TSS is a full-scale tower simulator providing an interactive, highly realistic environment for controller training. The TSS supports up to four simultaneous trainee positions including local, ground, flight data/clearance delivery, and coordinator.”

“Trainees achieve initial proficiency in the simulator; when training is complete, they begin work in an operational facility as a “developmental” in preparation for certification. The simulator provides synthetic voice response and voice recognition to allow the student to interact with the simulator. The voice recognition system interprets the student’s commands and translates them into actual aircraft movement depicted visually on the screen. A recorded playback feature allows instructors to review and evaluate performance and provide feedback to the student after the training session…. The program will upgrade 56 TSSs and procure 23 new mobile platforms to provide training capability at locations that do not require a permanent system.”

To summarize, approximately $1.5 billion awarded for contractor support air traffic training and approximately $18.7 million to procure, upgrade, and increase locations and availability of Tower Simulator Systems throughout the Agency but none of these “taxpayer funded” Air Traffic Technical Training Program staff expertise and resources were made available, authorized, or permitted for Ms. Jones at a predominantly White-staffed air traffic control facility in the Air Traffic Organization!

Obviously, the oversight and administration of the FAA’s Air Traffic Technical Training Programs from the Vice President of Safety and Technical Training to the Director of Technical Training permeating down and throughout the Agency’s Air Traffic Technical Training Program staff, structure, and environment to the Training Team Level at the facility demonstrates a “culture, custom, and practice” of purposely subjecting African Americans, and specifically Ms. Jones, to a hostile, indifferent, and antagonistic work environment to reinforce and clarify to Ms. Jones the Agency’s “intent to foster and sustain” a work environment of disparate treatment, humiliation, and racial-gender toxicity and hostility…as she tells us, “she was the only African American person at the facility!”

Clearly, throughout the FAA an anti-Civil Rights sentiment, custom, and tradition still prevails and reveals a much-desired apartheid structural, organizational, and cultural environment proactive in fostering and sustaining “White privilege, preference, and favor” to the detriment and outright denial of Civil Rights, equality, opportunity, fairness, access, and justice, i.e., “racial equity,” in federal/public service aviation careers for African American veterans and civilians alike. When African Americans hire in the FAA, they (we) are immediately introduced to a work environment that daily communicates not caring for or about, not being welcomed, and not being wanted.

The Double V Campaign

The “Double V Campaign” was launched in 1942 by a Black Newspaper called “The Pittsburgh Courier,” when the newspaper published a letter in January 1942 from a twenty-six-year-old African American from Wichita, Kansas, a Mr.  James G. Thompson. In his letter he wrote, in part – “Being an American of dark complexion and some 26 years, these questions flash through my mind: ‘Should I sacrifice my life to live half American?’ ‘Will things be better for the next generation in the peace to follow?’ ‘Would it be demanding too much to demand full citizenship rights in exchange for the sacrificing of my life? Is the kind of America I know worth defending? Will America be a true and pure democracy after this war? Will Colored Americans suffer still the indignities that have been heaped upon them in the past? These and other questions need answering; I want to know, and I believe every colored American, who is thinking, wants to know.” Source – https://www.pcsb.org/cms/lib8/FL01903687/Centricity/Domain/7034/james-thompson-letter.pdf

Ms. Jones is a Veteran – “I had been a Navy air traffic controller for over 9 years and had done excellent, but I still longed stability.” She served her country willingly defending the life and livelihood, liberty, happiness, freedom, and Constitutional rights by being faithful and true to the Oath of Enlistment: “I, [Say Her Name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Ms. Jones’ pernicious encounter with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO), in my view, reveals the confluence of past racial indignities with present racial animosities. And, furthermore, answers in the positive that African Americans will continue to “suffer the indignities heaped upon us as in the past.”   As Ms. Jones’ service in the armed services of the United States demonstrates her willingness to sacrifice her life for those of very same individuals in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization who so maligned and disgraced her – “I’ve been yelled/cursed at on position by my supervisor and humiliated.” While the leadership at the highest levels of the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Agency’s Air Traffic Organization trampled on her Civil Rights and abandoned her Constitutional rights for the sake of “White privilege, preference, and favor” thereby, denying her an equal employment opportunity to become a Certified Professional Controller solely based on her race, color, and gender.

And, sadly, the DOT/FAA Model Work Program and the EEO complaint process are ingenuously deployed as a “pretext of concern,” all the while, due to race, color, and gender, African Americans candidates, trainees, and employees, are intentionally and constantly being treated differently, less favorably, and altogether inferior by their similarly situated White peers, their chain of command, and the Offices of Civil Rights, Human Resources, and Legal. All allowing a persistent pattern-and-practice of race-based mistreatment and discrimination to continue from generation to generation in federal/public service!

I maintain that concerning African Americans, DOT/FAA has, continues, and will continue (based on race, color, and gender) with “their” complete and outright rejection of civil rights law, equality of consideration and opportunity (ECO), equal employment opportunity (EEO), fairness, and affirmative employment programs (AEP); which means, unfortunately, that Black female veterans, like Ms. Jones, quickly find themselves abandoned and neglected that very moment after the swearing-in ceremony to then, hopelessly, realize they’ve been made prey to an “institutional lynching” that culminates with the pre-determined and unjustifiable loss of livelihood, hope, and a career in an aviation profession that she desired and deserved!  Below her letter to the Air Traffic Manager.

Letter to the Air Traffic Manager

Mr. [Name],

I am officially requesting to go to the academy to receive tower training so that I can be retained in the agency. If I cannot go to the academy I would like to be transferred to a radar facility since that is were most of my air traffic controller experience is. I am a 9 year distinguished military veteran. In my time in the military I served as a previously fully certified military ATC controller who was only trained as a radar controller.  Being given the opportunity to continue my air traffic control career in the FAA was an amazing opportunity yet I was sent to the facility with no experience working in a tower environment and received no official FAA  structured classroom instruction or training. The lack of structure during training was completely opposite from what I’m use to getting from the military.

After receiving the recommendation from the training review board I would like to officially request the opportunity to go to the FAA Academy for Initial Tower Cab training (Course 50046 or current course) which consists of both classroom and laboratory instruction in the tower cab procedures and the tower cab visibility exam before commencing OJT.  I believe being giving the opportunity to attend this training will better prepare me to be successful in the tower environment and will allow me to be a successful air traffic controller in the FAA. It was noted  and documented in the review board findings: 

The group believes that there were extenuating circumstances with regards to the VRA hiring process and ACK ATCT’s limited training resources. In this case, the employee had no previous tower experience and was not provided the 296 hours of Initial Tower Cab training (Course 50046 or current course) which consists of both classroom and laboratory instruction in the tower cab procedures and the tower cab visibility exam before commencing OJT. The shortfall of knowledge and experience could not be adequately provided by her training team and the facility. The facility lacks any support staff to provide Mrs. Jones with the needed specialized training nor is the facility able to make use of TSS training (which is available to other tower training programs in the Region).

Such circumstances  as noted by the training g review  board resulted in me not being successful.  With adequate Tower Classroom Instruction it is my belief that I would be able to be brought up to standards and will be a successful Air Traffic Controller in the FAA. I will also send my response to the propose letter of termination within 7 days of today.”

Concluding, Mrs. Jones did not lose her federal employment because of the lack of air traffic control specialists’ (ATCS) qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience.  She was, in DOT/FAA terminology, “involuntary terminated” because the “predominantly White” DOT/FAA personnel structure, work environment, and human capital management system and processes remain openly defiant against racial integration and equality and purposefully anti-civil rights while adamantly adhering to those apartheid tendencies, custom, and culture dear to “segregationist ideology and beliefs.”  All to sustain  an organizational milieu that permeates with a complete and unending lack of concern for and indifference to African Americans who serve in our nation’s military as long as they retain the customary power to impose their will on and over African Americas as “they” see fit, i.e., Jim Crow!

Department of Transportation Workforce Information April 2021

(Source: https://www.transportation.gov/assistant-secretary-administration/human-resources/workforce-information)

Table 1. Comparison Total (Number and Percentages) – All ATCS 2152 To All Veterans; To All Female Veterans, To All White Female Veterans; To All Black Female Veterans

ATCS 2152: All Veterans: All Veterans: Female Veterans: White Female Veterans: Black Female
17690 4430 553 395 68
100.00% 25.04% 3.13% 2.23% 0.38%

Table 2. Comparison Total (Number and Percentages) – All Veterans; To All Female Veterans, To All White Female Veterans; To All Black Female Veterans

Veterans: All Veterans: Female Veterans: White Female Veterans: Black Female
4430 553 395 68
100.00% 12.48% 8.92% 1.53%

So, fifty-seven years after the passage of the “Historic” Civil Rights Act of 1964 and fifty-four years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, DOT/FAA Air Traffic Organization has 68 permanently employed African American female veteran air traffic control specialists. This is the 21st Century…right? Well…maybe…approximately thirty-eight years from now DOT/FAA’s Air Traffic Organization could achieve a air traffic control specialist workforce inclusive of 100 African American female veterans who are permanently employed and actively engaged as air traffic control specialist in their air traffic control facilities…though this is highly unlikely and improbable!

Sadly, Ms. Jones’ encounter with the Federal Aviation Administration is another real testimony that African American veterans, female and male, still today must and will experience (1) those very same patterns and practices of racial discrimination, racial oppression, and racial hatred and hostilities, (2) the very same lack of equality of treatment and opportunity, (3) the very same absence of equal employment opportunities, and (4) and the very same complete institutional abandonment of civil rights protections and equality under the law guarantees that have burdened and disgraced Black Veterans throughout this country’s history in the struggle for equality, liberty, freedom, and justice…all the original realities of and need for the “Double V Campaign” for Black Veterans.

Ms. Jones thank you for your most honorable service in the United States Navy for All Americans! Served, But Not Protected.

So, what is your answer?

In Unity!

Brutha’ Q

brutha.q@thenorthstarreport.com

BLACK MEDIA MOVEMENT – “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail; 1963.

 DISCLAIMER – The thoughts, viewpoints, and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and are based on the author’s own life or professional experiences and expertise and do not represent or reflect, nor are they to be construed whatsoever as espousing the official policy or position of any other individual, agency, organization, institution, employer, or company. The reader determines the value, benefit, and utility of any information, viewpoints, or opinions expressed herein at her or his own discretion.