[December 1, 2025] Earlier this year, a local South Jersey non-profit Veteran organization asked for permission to cross the Delaware on Veterans’ Day. This was meant to be a symbolic gesture to honor George Washington’s famous crossing on the night of December 25-26, 1776. After many weeks of back-and-forth discussions with the Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park, permission was ultimately denied.
I was the representative of Last Salute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports military burials for 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.
The Washington Crossing Historic Park 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 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, 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? I doubt it. But I might be surprised. We will try again next year to get permission, and I now understand where the problems are within the Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park.
Of course, I wouldn’t want my readers to miss out on reading the letter. Here it is:
Letter to Gov of Penna on Washington Crossing EMBED————
Please read my books:
Gen. Satterfield quote, “Don’t do stupid.”
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.