Temple: Allegations unfounded
By Staff
Wrongfully using displays of anger, profanity, degrading names and racial slurs unbecoming of an officer and gentleman: Temple maintained while he did use profanity occasionally, he did not use racial slurs at the unit.
The allegation apparently arose from a complaint by a former black pilot, Maj. Clyde J. Romero, that he was badgered into resigning from the unit. His flight call sign was "Buckwheat," which Temple said Romero himself selected.
A document obtained by The Star indicates that Romero's flying record was less than perfect and he may have left the 186th for reasons other than racial slurs. A 1992 memo says one of Romero's cross country flights to South Dakota "was characterized by a lack of professionalism …"
A 1997 memo says that Romero, like four other pilots, was asked to sign an undated letter of resignation by then-Lt. Col. David Weaver when the 186th converted to the KC-135. The document says that after his first flight in the KC-135, Romero "was reported to make unwise and unsafe flying decisions."
Wrongfully operating a retail liquor store at Key Field in violation of Air Force regulations and state and federal tax laws: Temple said he was ordered to "go over there and run the package store," an on-base liquor store that sold whiskey and wine to military personnel and civilians, which Temple says was allowed by Air Force regulations.
Temple, who ran the store with Lt. Col. David Hughley, said it had all appropriate licenses, obtained 99 percent of its stock from the state liquor warehouse and was periodically inspected by state and federal authorities. Its sales were exempt from taxes, but Temple and he and Hughley kept good records on what products were bought, when and for how much.
He said the ANG Package Store, as it was known, made a profit of about $1 a bottle. Proceeds, he said, helped fund such activities as an annual minority awareness banquet, bowling team, two softball teams and support for the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, the Guard's family support group and retirement gifts for unit members with at least 20 years in service.
The package store closed in February 2002 and its holdings "were transferred to Keesler Air Force Base before any of these allegations came to light," Temple said. He said the store was losing money in a post-Sept. 11 world marked by tighter security that made it difficult even for long-time civilian customers to go on the Key Field base.
He said the liquor store operation was cleared by military and state authorities. " … the bottom line .. was that there was no illegal activity going on," he said; inventory and money was accounted for, except there was $7,000 more money in the bank than an audit could account for.
The substantiated allegation, Temple said, "is completely inconsistent with reports, audits, bookkeeping and the documentation that was provided to the inspecting officer. In my opinion, he had total disregard, or at least disregard, for the documents we provided him and he made no effort to go any further from there that I know of."
Wrongfully operating an individual equipment issue function: As executive officer of his squadron, Temple also served as the financial officer, in which he basically was a requesting officer for items needed by crew members from office supplies to flight suits, boots and gloves.
As a convenience to air crew members, Temple said, he kept a supply room that was separate from the base's supply operation. It would be stocked with office supplies and what is known as individual equipment items, such as flight suits, boots, gloves.
He said he obtained 60-70 flight suits from Columbus Air Force Base that were bound for salvage or disposal, kept them in his storeroom and gave them to air crew members of the 186th upon request. Such flight suits normally cost about $90 each, but Temple said he figured he was saving the government money because the items had not cost anything to obtain.
