New Chief Counsel of the FAA
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AKiss20
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Not craving a participation trophy at all, I was just a bit incredulous that it seems some people either don't read the thread to realize things have been linked prior (my response to Daleandee) or don't read/do basic research to find answers to questions they have (my response to Ghery). To be clear, I don't think the link I originally posted answers your question as I did not link it in response to yours, but rather one asking what school & fraternity he went to. I actually agree with you, it's a typical puff piece to try and make the fraternity look good/relevant but it does in fact answer the questions I originally linked it to answer.I was going to quote Daleandee instead of you and deny you the participation trophy you crave, but I'm in a good mood.
I shouldn't be, as I just read that puff piece for the second time, and still didn't see a mention of any specific legal accomplishment or novelty in his career. Frankly I'm not sure I'd classify much of the hand-wavery there as any sort of legal mention at all, but he apparently spoke with a legal trade publication journalist once, so I'll give half credit.
Did I overlook something twice?
Ghery
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From the link the OP posted....amazing what you can learn if you read.
Sometimes it is easier to ask, than to click on an unknow link and read, and read, and read.
Delta Delta - Florida International University. Beta Psi 1975 here.
SkyDog58
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Canis Non Grata
So from his bio, pasted below, that was your only takeaway? How about everything that I bolded? None of that merits his selection?
As the FAA’s Chief Counsel, Marc Nichols provides legal advice for all aspects of agency operations and works closely with the Department of Transportation’s Office of General Counsel on issues of national significance to the aviation industry. Marc has more than two decades of extensive experience in the legal, technology, aerospace, and defense industries.
Marc most recently served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Saab businesses in North America, and as the chief legal officer of the company in the United States and Canada.
Prior to his tenure with Saab, Marc served as Director of Compliance & Global Legal Counsel at Rolls-Royce in its defense sector, helping lead legal efforts in helicopter aerospace, compliance, ethics, and government investigations. He previously served as Inspector General at the U.S. Government Printing Office, worked for various law firms, and is the former vice chair of the Aerospace Industries Association Legal Committee.
The native New Yorker is a graduate of the Washington and Lee University Law School in Virginia, and holds a B.A. from Wabash College in Indiana. In May 2018, Marc became only the second elected African American as well as the second LGBT president of the Wabash College Alumni Association in the college’s 200-year existence.
Warmi
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There are dozens and dozens of people with similar credentials so yeah, nice try …
SkyDog58
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Canis Non Grata
Do you really believe that his race and sexuality are the only reasons he was hired?
Warmi
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Of course not the only but unfortunately we are back to reality where “correct” race and other completely unrelated but “politically suitable” credentials are certainly making a difference - especially for highly visible positions.
It is just another modern form of corporate-style virtue signaling.
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3G
If I told you that’s what led to the current Undersecretary of the Air Force (#2 civilian) being hired, you would not believe me.
Political appointees in the civil service need not meet the Federal Senior Executive Service (SES) qualifications and, since 2018, require specific OPM authorization to become a permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES position.
Most political appointees to the SES are payback or statement appointments.
Daleandee
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I admit I'm not perfect & posted a link that was already posted but you seem to be enjoying being "incredulous" having brought it up twice now.
If you are that overtaken by my simple error perhaps you should go anonymous and seek some advice from folks on the medical topics thread. Might even find help here:
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/ocd-trigger-thread.104777/
Rushie
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He’s black AND gay? Cool. I had a few gay black friends back in the day. Good people. Of course, I’m sure this guy wouldn’t have got this appointment despite being black and gay if he belonged to the wrong political party. Or did I miss that part in the link?
Daleandee
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Why do those two factors need to be a part of the conversation? Most of us don't run around proclaiming our color, sexual preference, religious beliefs, wealth status, etc.
I don't care for the guy but that's just a thing I have about lawyers ...
Warmi
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Ask people in HR departments why they started including stuff like “women, people of color, and LGBTQ people are encouraged to apply” in their job descriptions and you will have your answer.Why do those two factors need to be a part of the conversation? Most of us don't run around proclaiming our color, sexual preference, religious beliefs, wealth status, etc.
I don't care for the guy but that's just a thing I have about lawyers ...
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Why do those two factors need to be a part of the conversation? Most of us don't run around proclaiming our color, sexual preference, religious beliefs, wealth status, etc.
I don't care for the guy but that's just a thing I have about lawyers ...
They don’t, but when the source is the one that introduces it in a public bio, is it verboten for anyone else to comment on the source’s own description of who they are and their successes?
I can remember when the military masked official photos and I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been since demographic data was suppressed from promotion boards specifically to remove visual/appearance bias from the selection process.
Daleandee
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Seems we are both asking questions we know the answer to.
When I was working a corporate job and had to do some hiring for specialized positions I was given all the rules for what could, and could not, be asked of any applicant. It was quite amazing what they could share compared to the limits of what I could ask about. Company had very deep pockets and didn't want us managers doing anything to tarnish their reputation or lose large sums of money in a lawsuit.
The world has definitely changed and so have the rules.
midwestpa24
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Kind of on topic...
I saw United announced their first academy class of students for a flight school they opened. The touted how 80% of the class in minorities or females. While I have no issue with that, it does seem to indicate that in their efforts to promote diversity, they probably discriminated to get there.
I saw United announced their first academy class of students for a flight school they opened. The touted how 80% of the class in minorities or females. While I have no issue with that, it does seem to indicate that in their efforts to promote diversity, they probably discriminated to get there.
PaulMillner
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Most of us actually do, unless you avoid any mention of your family, no photos on your desk or in your wallet where someone might see when you pay your lunch bill, and you completely cover your skin somehow...
It's just that those of us who are white and straight never have to give it much thought... others? Not so much.
Paul
Warmi
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I have nothing in common with you except completely accidental things like color of my skin ….so speak for yourself…
Lindberg
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So this would be equivalent to him having pictures of his family on his desk or in his wallet. That's not what anyone is talking about.
Daleandee
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Disagree. I have many friends of various ethnicities, preferences and backgrounds. We simply see each other as humans.
You're trying to equate what we can observe about someone with what someone wants to make us observe about them. Big difference and as Lindberg noted, that is not what we are aiming at.
SkyDog58
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No one ever questions the process when a straight white male gets the job, but when a minority gets the job, questions and snarky comments abound.
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I never had a reason to question the process in my .mil days. Very, very transparent processes and merit qualification criteria. Public promotion lists, to include cut lines. Average tenure in service, in previous rank, and minimum times of service to be eligible for promotion. For certain ranks, the cut line on knowledge and skills test scores was public. Public pay scales ensured everyone knew, to the penny, what everyone else made. All your peers were paid exactly equally.
It wasn’t until I entered the private sector that I realized how screwed up the private sector is in that respect. ‘Fit’ is more important than skill, which can developed or places where a rising tide lifts all hands. Value systems based less on common, shared experience and expectations and more on vague performance statements that are ambiguous across a peer group.
Neither is better or worse, they are just different. Failing to recognize differences is just as bad as not celebrating differences.
Warmi
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You are about 20 years behind the curve …
https://thespectator.info/2021/10/3...ce-to-get-into-college-receive-financial-aid/
midwestpa24
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It's more about how the story is written. It isn't that John Doe got the job. It's the John Doe is the first ever gay, black, trans, whatever to be hired, aren't we so socially conscious, look at us, headline. It becomes about those details, when it becomes about those details. These things shouldn't matter, but then they do?
AlleyCat67
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I’m curious. If the Knights of Columbus posts a story about the first Italian-American XXX, do you automatically assume he/she is unqualified? Also the FAA press release mostly discussed his 20 years of experience with Saab, Rolls Royce, and other aspects of the transportation industry. The AA/LGBT aspect was only mentioned in the last paragraph…
MauleSkinner
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No one ever announces that they hired a white, straight male in the press release, either.
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I assume everyone who mentions anything other than qualifications has an ulterior motive. Honestly, Senior leader announcements like this in the military are one-liners. Colonel Jane Doe, Vice Wing Commander, 33d FW to Commander, 1st FW, effective 1 Feb 2020.
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2876316/senior-leader-announcement-week-of-dec-9/
I count CQ Brown as a friend and mentor. Here’s his bio as current Chief of Staff, Air Force.
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/108485/general-charles-q-brown-jr/
Same with Law Robinson.
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/108119/general-lori-j-robinson/
The only place their ‘firsts’ came to light were in quotes by civilian political appointees. Nobody who mattered gave a crap nor do/did they care about those things.
Daleandee
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True. Add "Christian" to the headline and they'd be hair on fire over it.
Well, may I suggest to stop assuming that.
Sometimes people are proud of being the "first XXXX" to accomplish something.
Sometimes other people are proud on their behalf.
There are all kinds of reasons that a person, or a wiki page, or a news article, might choose to include such a detail.
If you read a "first XXXX to..." type of announcement about a person, and immediately jump to the conclusion that they must not deserve to be there, then... well, it says more about YOU than it does about the person in question.
-- First woman, and first American, to winter-over for the AMANDA experiment
Everskyward
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Agree. It might not have been his choice to play up that aspect, or it might have. I'll say that I dislike being used in that way. I would rather people not notice, and especially not highlight, my race or gender.
Lindberg
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You don't think it's the least bit weird that his official government bio mentions who he likes to have sex with?
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Read what I said. I never mentioned unqualified, I mentioned ulterior motives.
AlleyCat67
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Like if it had mentioned that he had been married to his High School sweetheart for 20 years? We never have to read that stuff about straight people…
Warmi
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Statistically
The fact that someone is a woman, specific race, like to have sex this or that way is not an accomplishment of any kind - that just came free with the package, whatever that package happens to be …so tell me what exactly are you proud of ?
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Lindberg
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But it doesn't mention that he's married to his high-school sweetheart. It doesn't mention whether he's married at all. So your analogy fails. It's more like if he was hetero and it mentioned that he's an ass man or likes blonds, or just said he was straight. But you'll never see that in a professional bio; it's reserved for dating profiles.
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years ago I read a quote from Bill Russell, (iirc, the first black coach of the Boston Celtics), a sportswriter made some comment about how much progress Boston had made wrt race relations... Bill responded with something like: we'll have made real progress when it isn't noteworthy.
I wish I could find that quote...
Good question.
I''d be proud of overcoming obstacles.
Don't give me the tired "there are no obstacles anymore, society is all prejudice-free these days" line that I hear all the time on this board. I know better. Just one indication is the hostility and judgement on display in this very thread, towards a stranger about whom y'all know next to nothing.
I'd be proud to have paved the way for others to come after me in some way.
It's a kind of honor, and one that comes with increased scrutiny. Such a distinction --sought out or not-- is not without its price. A price that another that does not "come with the package" would not have to pay. Again, re-read this thread from the beginning and ask yourself if this FAA guy is facing a kind of scrutiny that others would not have to endure. Clearly he is.
Even without all that, people are allowed to be proud of all kinds of things, without some objective standard of it being an "accomplishment" that YOU get to dictate or define. People are proud of things their kids do. Of staying married for a long time. Of having the courage to be gay and out. Of their vintage car in the garage. Of their cultural heritage. Let people be proud of stuff. Jeez.
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Was it “I wasn’t offered the job because I am a Negro, I was offered it because Red figured I could do it.”?
Everskyward
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Back in the 1990s I was a mapping pilot at a small company. My boss was retired Navy; a chauvinist who thought a woman's place was at home. We often argued about this and other cultural issues where our opinions differed. I asked him once why he hired me. He said, "You're not my wife, you had experience doing this job, and you're good at it." I appreciated that honesty.
That's why I thought it was pretty humorous when the occupant of the hangar next door, part of an Army King Air team, asked me if I was the token minority. Yeah, I'm the only other pilot besides my boss.
That's why I thought it was pretty humorous when the occupant of the hangar next door, part of an Army King Air team, asked me if I was the token minority. Yeah, I'm the only other pilot besides my boss.
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Warmi
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People are proud of all sort of things but what has to do with anything ? Do you list all that stuff on your resume ?
Try to stay on topic or don’t bother …
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