[December 1, 2025] Earlier this year, a local South Jersey non-profit Veteran organization asked for permission to use a park on Veterans’ Day. This was meant to be a symbolic gesture to honor our Veterans, families, and friends. After many weeks of back-and-forth discussions with this state-funded Park, permission was ultimately denied.
I was the representative of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports local Veterans. Those who led the organization wanted to make this trip to highlight the service of the many who have gone to war over the 250 years of the United States, a noble and reasonable goal.
Like all state Parks, they will play a significant role next year as we celebrate our nation’s founding. No one is under any illusion that this will be easy for those managing the park’s operations. However, they are funded and staffed by the state specifically for this effort. They are aware of their responsibilities and capable of doing their jobs. Still, there are issues in their system that I wanted to bring to their leadership’s attention.
“I strongly believe this failure by the Park is part of a systemic leadership decision-making problem within the Parks system. Our request should have taken about 10 seconds for any competent leader to approve. “Wear life vests, don’t break anything or get hurt, good luck, and send me a photograph.” That’s it. Simple. But instead, I was given a lengthy explanation of how hard the staff works at the Parks. And, yes, I can believe that they do work hard. Yet, when you make mountains out of molehills, the fact is that it makes a lot of work; unnecessary work.” – Letter to State Governor, dated November 30, 2025
A common issue in large organizations is the tendency to become corrupted by bureaucratic processes that only slow decision-making and protect interests. This is no way to run an efficient, effective organization and is a reason many businesses fail.
Will changes be made to the Park system? Perhaps. We will try again next year to get permission, and I now understand where the problems are within this Park.
EDIT: This post was modified 12/20/2025 to incorporate lessons learned from a post this date titled, Lieutenant Mud Flap. The main lesson is that “leaders” who run organizations can be professional, outgoing, know the rules, smart, well-connected, hard working, and dedicated, but still not understand how to successfully fulfill their mission. Bureaucracy corrupts. Be aware of this easily-overlooked problem.
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I’m writing without full context, and obviously I’m missing info but I’d like to make a general comment about state parks. I’ve had many associations with these in the state of New York and others, and have found the staffs to have good attitudes, professional, and dedicated. However, they are not leaders from the perspective of the military (aka Gen. Satterfield). They are bureaucrats. This doesn’t mean they are bad at their job, it’s that they have different priorities and a different mission than a military leader in that position would have. Their main effort is to any Board or boss at their higher level has given them; not the park. They will say they are there for the people of the state, but in truth, they are they to continue giving preference to whatever gives them a good look, continued funding (for their jobs), a place to advance to a better position within state government, and to earn a pretty good paycheck. Local citizens from that state are good only in that they also support those missions. Never forget that, and you won’t be disappointed. ALso, it is much better to always go to the top person immediately because the talent down the command chain tends to be lazy and dumb. No offense, of course, just the facts from my view and over 30 years of experience with them.
Gen. Satterfield quote, “Don’t do stupid.”
Ha, the place is run by women. Probably a DEI hire. Hey, I could be wrong but looks like they did “make a mountain out of a molehill.” That’s what women do. But, Let’s all be clear, don’t overthink a problem. Be decisive. Be a leader. Looks like that didn’t happen here.
Gen. Satterfield, I’m amazed these folks can run a Kool Aid stand. Well, I don’t mean to put them down too hard. I surmise that the “rules” they’ve adopted are designed to make their jobs easier and to keep the idiots out of the park. They don’t know you and thus thought you might just be more riffraff.
Gen. Satterfield, I do appreicate and respect what you are doing here. I would hope that the Historical Park takes your criticism to heart and improves their way of doing business. But what they failed to have done is prioritize the “citizens” who are at the heart of their mission. The park is not there to look pretty and to have beautiful posters and websites created to look at, but to be a historical and symbolic gesture to those who fought in the Revolutionary War and all wars since. Let’s not overlook the fact here that a failure seemed to be in the cards early on when calls were not returned. I also noticed that there are few men in the organizational lineup. This eventually leads to the feminization of the organization, and that has happened. They want their park to be pretty – and it is – but it does not cater to those who would use the park. That is sad and a common occurrence in Pennsylvania.
I hope the “leaders” of this Historic Park actually gets what Gen. Satterfield is writing. I’m not convinced they will learn anything.
Yes, too bad that it has come to the point that the governor has to be informed. But, like the bureaucracy they are, little to nothing will be done at the senior level. They will write this incident off as a one-off and ignore Gen. Satterfield’s warning to them. A good leader would know what to do. In this case, most likely not.
PERMISSION DENIED ….. TIME FOR ACTION
RULE # 101 in the military is “Don’t piss of a General Officer.”
I’m sure that the Governor of Pennsylvania will do exactly ZERO. That is what politicians at that level do. What will get them motivated is if this letter got into the hands of the media. Of course, In Penna, the media are lapdogs of the Democrat Party and so it won’t go far. But hey, there are all sorts of media out there that can still put a kick into the pants of any politican. I hope the governor does something like, say, “Get your ass in gear and stop being so bureaucratic.” But, I’m not holding my breath. Great letter, Gen. Satterfield. A piece of art.
I’m not holding my breath either. They make mountains out of molehills but when a good, fast, common sense decision is necessary (as in the case), they punt.
I’m sure they had a better excuse, but if they did, they had better say it. Gen. Satterfield wants the truth.
I just love it when someone gets the ire of Gen. Satterfield. He is like tar and feathers that stick onto someone who has violated the basic norms of that community. In this case, he is hammering a Historic Park for citizens who can enjoy it, but they reject their very citizens for a simple request. This is the part that won me over.
“I strongly believe this failure by the Park is part of a systemic leadership decision-making problem within the Parks system. Our request should have taken about 10 seconds for any competent leader to approve. “Wear life vests, don’t break anything or get hurt, good luck, and send me a photograph.” That’s it. Simple. But instead, I was given a lengthy explanation of how hard the staff works at the Parks. ” – Gen. Doug Satterfield, on US Army General Officer Letterhead
Bam! Got ’em.
OUCH …………………….. nailing bureaucrats to the wall.
I agree that Gen. Satterfield is at the top of his game (too bad he retired). This letter slams Pennsylvania and those who led this Historic Park. I hope they get their act together, I’d rather do that than have to face Gen. Satterfield who has the mental ability to shame those who fail at leadership. His 40 years in the Army gives him a hundred times MORE experience than those at the Historic Park. So, don’t piss him off.