(SO THE SCPR THINKS!)
DUE TO "POPULAR DEMAND"
REPUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 23, 2014
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 22, 2014
UPDATE: 10:05 AM
An email to the SCPR from Sgt Major Altieri
Dan Nicholas Altieri
rocksgtmajor@ ... Today at 12:00 AM
To Tramols@att.net
Mr. Olson,
I appreciate you taking interest in my story.
I have had both the honor and privilege to have served with many great, honorable, and extraordinary men and women in both my law enforcement career in nearly 27 years at the Stark County Sheriff's Office and the 30 years, 10 months and 14 days of active/reserve duty in the United States Marine Corps.
The experience I gained at both places was eye-opening and one of a kind. Working beside so many selfless men and women who prided themselves in doing the right thing, caring for each other, and being a part of something so much bigger than themselves. Demonstrated to me what a great country we live in and a place we need always to protect.
I was forward deployed 15 times with the United States Marine Corps, serving on 4 combat tours with the Marine Corps Infantry.
I went on hundreds of combat patrol missions in places like Grenada, Beirut Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I was "part of a team" of men who would face death daily and most times, live to tell about it.
My story is not new though, many men and women in history have done this and so, so, much more. Veterans Of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and many other conflicts.
As Marines and as Soldiers this is expected of you. You take care of that Marine to the left and right of you, to the front, and the back of you.
There is much "Honor, Courage, and Commitment" in the Marine Corps and the United States Armed Forces. I am very honored and humbled about being a Marine Corps combat veteran. My father was a combat veteran,
My Uncles were combat veterans, my Cousins were combat veterans. We are not hero's, [sic] just part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
We were just "part of a team".
[Editors note: enlarged for emphasis in light of Maier's claim - see below - that because Altieri was not personally politically loyal to Maier in Maier's political campaign he is not a team player.
Altieri was a loyal "for the well being of Stark County's people highly respected sheriff's department employee which is a proper application of being a team player. Being a team player for selfish politicians is not, in the opinion of the SCPR, an appropriate definition that Maier apparently has in mind]
I do know a lot of heroes though. I served with many men who gave their lives up on the battlefield so we all could live free in this United States of America. Many of those heroes are buried in section 60, in Arlington National Cemetery. I feel obligated everyday to make sure the sacrifices of those great men are never forgotten. It is my responsibility to always keep their stories and memories alive forever.
Semper Fi!
Dan Nicholas Altieri
ORIGINAL BLOG (UPDATE 10/23/2014)
As readers of The Stark County Political Report know, yours truly, from the beginning of his tenure as the appointee of the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee (SCDPCC) as sheriff, has not thought very well of George T. Maier's character.
Yesterday, The Report learned new information that plunges Maier to the lowest level possible on the SCPR's scale of rating character.
Maier in December, denied a "reserve" deputy sheriff commission to retired Stark County deputy sheriff Dan Altieri who also happens to be - in the estimate of the SCPR - an American military hero.
- SCPR Note: For the time that Altieri served as a reserve deputy sheriff, he says he did so for "no pay."
To summarize (see more details below) In the conversation, Maier made it clear that because Altieri had supported Lou Darrow for sheriff and had handed out flyers in support of Darrow, he (Maier) would have "to think it over" as whether or not he would commission Altieri as a reserve deputy sheriff so that "he would be qualified" to assume a security job at an area college.
Take a first hand view/listen as Altieri in 2011 is interviewed by a military officer about his sterling military career:
Highlights of the video include:
- 24 years (then, in 2011) 27 by the time he retired in 2012 as deputy sheriff [in the jail division],
- 9 years, the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine, achieving Sergeant Major status, engaging in some 125 combat missions,
- 11 deployments over 28-1/2 years as an active duty and reservist Marine,
- combat deployments (Infantry):
- Grenada, 1983
- Beruit Lebanon, 1983/1984
- Desert Storm, 1990
- Iraq, 2005
- Afghanistan, 2011
- Altieri awards:
- the Bronze Star,
- Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 gold star with combat device),
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1 gold star), and
- Combat Action Ribbon (1 gold star).
In addition to his heroic military service sacrifice for you and I to be freedom enjoying Americans exercising our Constitutional rights of free speech and freedom of association, the SCPR thinks Altieri courageously stood his ground in exercising his Constitutionally protected political right to support Lou Darrow in the face of a bullying George T. Maier.
The arrogant Maier questioned the American hero Altieri's trustworthiness.
How dare he!
Here's Alteri's account of the conversation about getting a reserve deputy sheriff commission.
A few days after Maier was reappointed sheriff by the SCDPCC, he pulled Altieri aside: (a paraphrase)
Maier: "I didn't appreciate your handing out Lou Darrow flyers. The flyers are very offensive to me and my family."
Altieiri: "There was nothing in those flyers that didn't appear on the front page of the newspaper."
Maier: "Because of your passing out those flyers, I can't trust you."
Altieri: "I worked at the sheriff's department for 27 years and in doing so demonstrated my trustworthiness."
Maier: "Do you think I am qualified to be sheriff?"
Altieri: "No I don't in that the Ohio Supreme Court has said you were not qualified."
Maier: "You are not a team player. I will have to give you a call back on the matter of your continuing as a reserve deputy as to whether or not I will grant you a commission for a new term."
Does anybody reading this blog think George T. Maier called back?
Of course not!
Here is a copy of an email received by Altieri in January, 2014:
Dan Nicholas Altieri
Dear Officer Altieri,
This notice is to inform you that the Stark Co. SO [Stark County Sheriff's Office] recently filed paperwork with our office indicating that your appointment with Stark Co. SO has ended effective 01/31/14. If you feel this paperwork was submitted in error, please contact your agency.
If you have any questions for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission regarding this notice, please contact Justin Hykes at (740) 845-2716 or Justin.Hykes@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
Judith I. Wilson
Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission
Professional Standards Section
Office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
Office number: 740-845-2668
Fax number: 740-845-2675
Email: ...
The SCPR thinks the behavior is tantamount to Maier foisting an "abuse of discretion" (of a power that he had as the representative of the people of Stark County; not a personal, private power as he seems to think) on Altieri.
Stark Countians should be outraged!
What an insult to an American military hero, no?
A man who risked "life and limb" to keep this country free and a thriving democratic-republic.
And where has Maier political pal Shane Jackson (Stark County Democratic Party political director) been; the self-appointed guardian of the sacrosanct?
He should have been way ahead of the SCPR in chastising his buddy for his treatment of one of Stark County's finest warriors, no?
Among Maier's glaring negative qualities (if one can get through all the "splash and dash"), one should include hypocrisy.
Maier has participated in job fairs specifically targeting military veterans; he mouths his respect for veterans and yet he treats the militarily distinguished Dan Altieri - in the name of Stark Countians in his capacity of sheriff - in a manner which is disgraceful.
For those who know anything at all about this guy and his out-and-out power politician brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr (a former Stark County Democratic Party chairman); political vindictiveness shows up time after time after time for those of us who dare to tell them "to take a hike."
To George, trustworthiness is defined as being "ask no questions loyalty" to him individually and his personal political ambitions.
To Altieri, loyalty is defined as being to the American people and to the people of Stark County.
George T. Maier, in the view of the SCPR, behaved shamefully with American military hero and Stark Countian "I will exercise my Constitutional rights" Dan F. Altieri.
After December 23, 2013 (the end date for Altieri's Swanson issued commission) and Maier's failure for obvious political recrimination reasons, Altieri was no longer qualified to do police work in Ohio.
And, as the SCPR understands it, Maier is said to have known that his denial of the commission would jeopardize Altieri's employment.
To the credit of three area police chiefs (Navarre, Perry Township and Hartville), Altieri had alternative opportunity to get credentialed.
Predictably, he took up the offer of Hartville Chief of Police Larry Dordea (Maier's November 4th opponent) and is working as a part-time Hartville police officer.
For most of his life, Altieri has been a political independent. But over the last 8 years he says he considers himself to be a Republican.
During those years he served under Democrat Tim Swanson. And had Mike McDonald not tragically succumbed to a terminal illness and could not take office on January 7, 2013, Altieri says that he would have stayed on in a McDonald administration of the office.
He had high regard for McDonald.
Obviously, he does not for Maier.
He does support Dordea's election and expects him to be successful.
However, should Dordea not be elected, Altieri says that he could be looking to run against Maier in November, 2016.
Of course, Altieri is not the first nor is he likely to be the last to catch the ire of George T. Maier for refusing personal political loyalty to Maier over the interests of the people and the rule of law.
Altieri's problem with Maier is eerily similar to that experienced by Lawrence Township trustee Michael Stevens.
When he was supervisor in the Street Department of Massillon city government (Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. administration), he had a dispute with Maier over Kathy Catazaro-Perry signs for mayor being in the public right-of-way, to wit:
Isn't shocking that the man would be "the elected by the people" sheriff of Stark County would be "vulgar and out-of-control" and hurling "f ..." bombs around.
If a ordinary citizen gets under his skin, is the Stevens example in the offing?
How crude for a man who "dresses to the nines," no?
And, of course, there is the Columbus Dispatch article of August, 28 2008 in which there were allegations that Maier had been abusive of Ohio State Patrol officers.
In recent days the SCPR received a mailing of a copy of an Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) investigation on the vetting or lack of vetting that a candidate was subjected to in his getting a top level job with the ODPS.
The investigation, as interpreted by the SCPR, seems to indicate that top level employee was hired without being vetted about the circumstances surrounding his dismissal from the Ohio State Patrol (OSP) and his failure to indicate same on his written application after the fact of his ODPS hiring.
The investigative report shows that Maier (assistant director at the ODPS) knew about the apparent OSP firing (which occurred years earlier) and talked about it with others within the ODPS but was of the mind that "everybody deserves a second chance."
Unless, if your name is Dan Altieri, who, of course, did nothing wrong.
There was "no mercy" for a man who was exercising his Constitutional rights.
But if George likes you and, apparently, even if he thinks the dismissal was appropriate action, being "a friend of George's" is all it takes to get him to look the other way.
It turns out that the top level official had not only one omitted apparent firing, but another.
What is not clear about the investigation is whether or not Maier knew about the second incident.
The SCPR thinks it is likely that he did.
So what, one might say.
Well, doesn't one have to question his judgment?
Add this to all Maier's other questionable qualities and it is just a bit scary - it is Halloween season, you know - that this guy might become the "elected" sheriff of Stark County?
APPENDIX
Most recent Altieri biography:
Sergeant Major Dan Altieri completed boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina on 23 March 1983 and was assigned to the United States Marine Corps Military Police School at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
In July of 1983 Private First Class Altieri reported for duty at 2D Military Police Company, 2D Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he served as a rifleman.
He deployed in October of 1983 as an attachment to Echo Company, 2D Battalion, 8th Marines where he participated in Operation URGENT FURY, the invasion, evacuation, and liberation of the island of Grenada.
Later in November of 1983, he participated in shore based combat operations with the Multi-National Peace- Keeping Force in Beirut, Lebanon.
He was then later deployed to Cairo, Egypt in July of 1985 on Operation BRIGHT STAR with Golf Company 2D Battalion, 6th Marines.
While at 2D Military Police Company he served in the following billets: Rifleman, Fire Team Leader, and Squad Leader until December, 1986 when he obtained the rank of Sergeant. He began his Marine Corps Reserve career in 1989 with 2D Military Police Company (B-), Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His detachment was mobilized during Operation DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM from February 1991 to July of 1991 and performed a joint NATO Operation in Northern Norway, and then stateside duty in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina with Brigade Service Support Group 2 (BSSG-2). While at Military Police Company (B-) he held the following billets: Training NCO, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Company Gunnery Sergeant, Company First Sergeant, and Platoon Commander.
He was promoted in 1995 to Staff Sergeant and in 1997 to Gunnery Sergeant.
In May of 2001 he was promoted to First Sergeant and he then assumed the duties of Company First Sergeant for Lima Company, 3D Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division in Columbus, Ohio.
During his tour of duty, Lima Company won the 2001 Super Squad Competition for 4th Marine Division, conducted Counter-Terrorism Training in Israel in 2004, and then later completed a successful combat tour with Regimental Combat Team 2, 2D Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF 04-06) in 2005. There he participated in such notable combat operations as Operation MATADOR, NEW MARKET and SWORD.
On 25 March 2006 he was promoted to the rank of Sgt Major and was assigned as the Sergeant Major for 3d Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division.
As the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Sergeant Major, he conducted training operations in Queensland, Australia in 2007, and had a successful combat tour with 1st Marine Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF10.0/10.1) in 2010-2011.
In May 2011, Sgt Major Altieri was assigned as Regimental Sergeant Major for 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. During his tenure at 25th Marine Regiment, he assisted in the readiness of his units going to and from Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (10.1/10.3), and multiple security operations.
Sgt Major Dan Altieri retired on 1 June 2013, after serving more than 30 years of both active and reserve service.
Sergeant Major Dan Altieri’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (w/ 2 gold star in lieu of 3rd award and combat distinguishing device), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (w/ gold star in lieu of 2nd award), Army Achievement Medal and Combat Action Ribbon (w/ gold star in lieu of 2nd award).
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