Letter to Editor - A Response to Article on Alexander's Anti-Discrimination Efforts

Dear Editor:

I appreciate your January 2012 article on Secretary of the Army [1977-1981] Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.’s efforts against discrimination. Such efforts were sorely needed and long overdue in view of the long-term pattern and practice of discrimination in the Army. The article touched me in a particular, as I was among the intended beneficiaries of having a genuine Army anti-discrimination program.

However, Alexander’s efforts promised more than they delivered, for the reason that there was no follow-up enforcement and review system to deal with retaliation against Army personnel such as myself. There was nothing done to ensure that the Equal Employment Opportunity System functioned in that regard.

My record was as an exemplary Army employee with a record of awards. Some two years into Alexander’s term of office, mid-1979, I filed class action with respect to ongoing discrimination impacting a number of employees at my Army base, TACOM, Warren, Michigan. Army TACOM retaliated almost immediately with a “decision to terminate.”

Federal law 5 USC § 7513.(b) mandates a 30 days notice of charges against an employee when an agency intends disciplinary action such as a “decision to terminate.” In my case, Army TACOM provided no such notice, then nor thereafter, and refused and continues to refuse, to allow me EEO review.

And to this date, such review in the EEO has not occurred notwithstanding that (a) such review is mandatory upon request pursuant to EEO regulations such as 29 CFR § 1613/1614, and (b) I appealed in every conceivable review forum to try to obtain such review.

The Army policy of discrimination that Alexander sought to overturn, in effect, remains in full force and effect as though he’d never served, insofar as my situation is concerned. And mine may be the tip of the iceberg, since no review system follow-up existed, nor has ever come into existence since then, as none of his successors have ever taken any action to ensure follow-up occurs against retaliation.

I’d be happy to provide a copy of the pertinent EEO correspondence by Messrs. Perez, Adler, and Williams, affidavit by co-worker Vyron Barker, and case analysis.

Sincerely,

Leroy J. Pletten
8401 18 Mile Road #29
Sterling Heights MI 48313-3042
(586) 739-8343

PS. Perhaps you can forward this to him. He’d be shocked to see the correspondence, affidavit, and analysis, as to what was going on without his knowledge and consent.