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Howard Dickman, ex staff, San Diego Org, checking in

Sharone Stainforth

Silver Meritorious Patron
Originally posted by San Diego Member:
I've been working on Yvonne's bio since February and it contains many eye opening revelations. I've worked very hard in getting first hand accounts and documents from which her story is being written. This is what is important to me now.

Well, I only hope you remember to explain how she gave her children over for the greatest good and yes, that does entail doing the RPF, not the one you speak so fondly of.
 

dianaclass8

Silver Meritorious Patron
Hi Howard:

Yes, my husband Dave Thomas still remembers you fondly, he was 23 at the time when you were in the RPF and he was in the BC and you loaned him the sections in the BC.

I had just gotten in Scientology back then fresh graduate from Law School in Mexico, and that is when I first learned of the RPF, my husband CSW'd for Bill Yaude to be allowed out of the RPF for the weekend to be our minister and Gary Webber our best man at our wedding, as a matter of fact I still have the approved CSWs (I save everything! LOL) To tell you the truth I found strange that the Church would have such control over people's lives, but having studied my history of how since time immemorial military organizations do that I sort of accepted it.

Dave says that back then it was not a five year cycle, but about six months. However, my point of view as a lawyer, is that Scientology started taking the law into their own hands with the creation of the RPF, and you are one of the few rare success stories that I heard of, Howard you are a good person and no matter where you go you will be fine.

Ken Urquhart who appointed himself as the creator of the RPF considers it a good thing for all, a to-all-who-are-out-ethics-we-will-fix-you-even-if-we-kill-you-in-the-attempt-solution. He prides of himself of having created such monsterous idea. Once an religion starts telling you what to do, it becomes a cult. And the RPF is the ugly duckling of Scn, what am I saying? It is the most diabolical idea anybody could have concocted.

As we already know, it was a bad idea from its inception, staff should have been routed out not sent to an RPF, should have been given a choice, to do a program and work it out and come back. Go make it in the world and come back if you please. But holding hostage pregnant women, sick or old and feebble staff, children or young teenagers is not ethical. Wherever Ken Urquhart is he can rot in hell, he told me he does not feel gulty at all.

For one success story like yours there are thousands full of misery that can make a horror movie.

Howard, you are a unique, special rare breed of thetan, and nobody can take away from you, your win on the RPF. Well done for having accomplished it and succeeded at it! Looking forward to reading your dissertation about Mary Sue Hubbard on Scientolipedia, coming from you, I know it will be an honest account...


One more story.

Larry Wollershiem and the RPF. I was the RPF Bosun when Larry came on board, but first some background info.

I went through a Vietnam War era Navy boot camp, they were not nice to us. I had fellow recruits light their shoe polish on fire and pour the liquid wax unto their boots creating a shine you could shave yourself from. Then during inspection the inspectors would step on their boots and berate them and make them do push ups for the dirty boots. One person transferred into our unit with scabs all over his face. He had been berated so much for his bad shaving that he actually shaved a layer or two of skin off his face to get that close shave. The night before graduation I slept with a piece of steel in my pillow case the tension in our unit was so thick.

During the RPF that I was on we cleaned the Excalibur and we studied or audited. Everyday we did the same things; granted as Bosun I did do a Navy white glove examination of everyone's work, but there was no verbal or physical abuse. Into this kind of environment came Larry Wollersheim.

At first he blended right in with his fellow RPFer's. We were tied up to the dock, we ate our meals (weather permitting) on the bow of the ship. We cleaned the main deck right up to the gangplank. One incident where we did get off of the ship was when the RPF was called to help on a Hill 10 incident. The Excalibur’s lifeboat had been taken out previously and had been beached. When we, the RPF, got there we had just a short amount of time to dig the boat out of the sand before the tide came in. After digging like crazy and with the water coming closer and closer to the boat, suddenly a wrecker showed up. Larry had hired a wrecker to help us move the boat. We were all very lucky that no one got hurt when the winch line snapped; it sounded like a shot gun going off! We never did get that life boat unstuck; the ocean claimed it.

I have used the Internet to find Larry's statements regarding the RPF. He has stated that “I was dying and losing my mind”. I was his Bosun and I was never informed of that. He stated that the “food was so bad”. We ate off of plates with utensils and although we were the last to be served, we ate what everyone else ate. This is where I first had granola and I loved it. In my opinion the food was not that bad, but as my wife will attest I eat almost anything! Larry also stated that “there was no way for anyone to reach him”. I don’t know about him, but in the twelve months that I was there I wrote to my family and friends, and Dave Thomas even came aboard to ask to borrow my paid sections of the SHSBC.

I still remember the morning after Larry was detained from trying to leave. His whole demeanor had taken a 180 degree turn. I remember the wild look that he gave me and I remember wondering what was so horrible on the ship that caused that change in him. Heck, he was right up there alongside of the wrecker driver, days earlier, he could have easily gotten a ride at that time.

I'm sure Larry has good reasons for his actions. I'm just saying, our RPF was not punitive. I'm glad, even after 36 years, that I did that program.
 
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Veda

Sponsor
Part of the problem may be that there appear to be some inconsistencies in your statements.

For example:

-snip-

I have no idea what the RPF became after it was transferred to land.

-snip-

-snip-

I am aware of Professor Kent's work

-snip-

If you're aware of Professor Kent's work, then you're aware of what the RPF became after it was transferred to land and, for that matter, what it was on the Apollo.

And you might let Don Crom know that the suggestion that he consult reading material and videos about the RPF, on the Apollo, is not an attack.

Both of you are colliding with a lot of information. It's not blasting :ohmy:, it's just gentle bumping :). It's a good thing.
 

JustMe

Patron Meritorious
Hi Howard

Thanks for coming by and posting. And thanks for sharing your views and perspective on such things as the RPF.

You don't know me and I am certainly no one special but I also did Product Zero on the Excaliber. I started it on 1 September 1973 and it took me a couple of weeks I guess.

At least we had that in common and if you were there in the first half of Sept 73 perhaps we even met.

I try my best to respect others' views even when they are not consistent with my own. So I will respect your views on the RPF as rightfully your own and something to which you are entitled.

And in that same spirit I will share something personal to me on that subject and I guess on the subject of scientology "tech" in general.

I not only object to the thousands upon thousands of abuses carried out on the RPF and otherwise by Hubbard and those who did his bidding but I really object to the first word in the title of the RPF actually being in the title: "Rehabilitation"

How dare Hubbard call that "rehabilitation"? He could not even "rehabilitate" himself with a "tech" majorly unfounded in science.

It just offends me that anyone can speak of "RPF tech" as rehabilitating as if there was some wonderful bridge ahead towards which such rehabilitation would be progress.

The trail of death, misery, sorrow, loss and destruction following Hubbard and his "tech" is sadly a well worn and oft traveled one.

"Rehabilitation" indeed.

Anyway, that is my view.

Once again though, welcome to this forum Howard.

I wish you everything good.

<3
 
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SanDiegoMember

Howard Dickman
Originally posted by San Diego Member:


Well, I only hope you remember to explain how she gave her children over for the greatest good and yes, that does entail doing the RPF, not the one you speak so fondly of.

Sharone; I value your opinions as I know you have first hand knowledge from whence you speak.

I'll freely admit that I fell in love with Yvonne, or I wouldn't have spent over 500 hours of my free time working on her bio. One of the reasons for that amount of time, on her bio, is that I have done my very best to report the facts. Yes, there are a times when I did put a few sarcastic remarks in her bio, but for 99% it is just reporting that facts that I can back up.

I have been out of Scientology for 35 years. Since that time I have established myself in my community and my state. I have been a member of Mensa since 1983, I'm a founding member of the National Corvette Museum. I have held the chair of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce as well as the chair for the community group that created the internationally known Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center. I wrote and produced a 21 minute Route 66 film for the museum as well as authored the bio of General Roy V. Hoffman, the father of the Oklahoma National Guard, which resulted in his induction into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.

I believe I can pay my respects to Yvonne as I have an excellent crew working with me. You will be on my list to notify when the website gets published.

Howard Dickman
 

Sharone Stainforth

Silver Meritorious Patron
Sharone; I value your opinions as I know you have first hand knowledge from whence you speak.

I'll freely admit that I fell in love with Yvonne, or I wouldn't have spent over 500 hours of my free time working on her bio. One of the reasons for that amount of time, on her bio, is that I have done my very best to report the facts. Yes, there are a times when I did put a few sarcastic remarks in her bio, but for 99% it is just reporting that facts that I can back up.

I have been out of Scientology for 35 years. Since that time I have established myself in my community and my state. I have been a member of Mensa since 1983, I'm a founding member of the National Corvette Museum. I have held the chair of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce as well as the chair for the community group that created the internationally known Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center. I wrote and produced a 21 minute Route 66 film for the museum as well as authored the bio of General Roy V. Hoffman, the father of the Oklahoma National Guard, which resulted in his induction into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.

I believe I can pay my respects to Yvonne as I have an excellent crew working with me. You will be on my list to notify when the website gets published.

Howard Dickman

Thank You, Howard.

I have very mixed emotions about Yvonne, just like I have my own Father in regards to what they did to their children and yes, I do have first hand knowledge as to what was done to us children and it was done by Hubbard, himself, though he did get someone else to do the dirty work.

I look forward to reading your bio on Yvonne and I do understand your love of her, but I do not share those same feelings.

Welcome to ESMB, Howard.
 

SanDiegoMember

Howard Dickman
40 years ago I was part of an RPF crew that was called off of the Sea Org ship, the Excalibur, to help prepare the newly acquired Chateau Elysee for FOLO. For days we hauled a bunch of trash out of the basement, after which we scraped and painted. Per FLWUS ED# 320, dated August 15, 1974, the following RPFer’s were commended for their work;

Nick Maminakis, Beth MacRae, Ron Stone, Pat Hunter, Doug Nopson, Steve Ambrose, David Holmes, Dick Coanda, Howard Dickman, Sara Reyes, Tom Cochran and Linda Hodge.

C81574a.jpg As far as I know Sara is the only one still in Scientology, per this video by Angry Gay Pope - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIpo4Kudrpc.

Sadly Dick Coanda has passed away but his bio remains - http://scientolipedia.org/info/Dick_Coanda.

Where does the time go? :)

One of these days I'm going to back and have a look at where I worked on the Manor, just for the heck of it.

Howard Dickman
 

phenomanon

Canyon
My name is Howard Dickman. I found out about Scientology while I was stationed at the US Navy's Antisubmarine Warfare base in San Diego, August 1972. By December of 1972 I had finished my HQS course and signed a 5 year staff contract. In February of 1973, when Carl Barney's SCS Mission and the Church of Scientology of La Jolla merged to become the Church of Scientology San Diego, the Sea Org ship "Excalibur" tied up in the harbor. I signed my Sea Org contract then and later that summer, after being discharged from the Navy, I did my Product Zero on the Excalibur while it was docked in San Pedro. Shortly after doing the 5X stat push we were ordered to 7X our stats, which I flatly refused to do, resulting in my being posted to the RPF on the Excalibur mid February 1974. I graduated in February of 1975 and became the Senior C/S of the San Diego Org. In December of 1977, my 5 year staff contract having been fulfilled, I routed off of staff per policy, leaving me with no free loaders debt.

I moved my family to Oklahoma, where I have since resided, and but for a few visits to various churches I have had very little to do with Scientology. I still have friends in the Church (almost 40 years of service!), that I respect and remain friends with. Thanks so much to Emma for this forum, I have learned so much by lurking on here!

I remember you from somewhere Howard. thans for posting here.
 

AnonyMary

Formerly Fooled - Finally Free
40 years ago I was part of an RPF crew that was called off of the Sea Org ship, the Excalibur, to help prepare the newly acquired Chateau Elysee for FOLO. For days we hauled a bunch of trash out of the basement, after which we scraped and painted. Per FLWUS ED# 320, dated August 15, 1974, the following RPFer’s were commended for their work;

Nick Maminakis, Beth MacRae, Ron Stone, Pat Hunter, Doug Nopson, Steve Ambrose, David Holmes, Dick Coanda, Howard Dickman, Sara Reyes, Tom Cochran and Linda Hodge.

View attachment 7797 As far as I know Sara is the only one still in Scientology, per this video by Angry Gay Pope - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIpo4Kudrpc.

Sadly Dick Coanda has passed away but his bio remains - http://scientolipedia.org/info/Dick_Coanda.

Where does the time go? :)

One of these days I'm going to back and have a look at where I worked on the Manor, just for the heck of it.

Howard Dickman

Howard, that is a beautiful and well written bio of Dick Coanda. I only have vague recollections of having seen him around but his name was a familiar one around ASHO. You did a good job on this tribute. :thumbsup:
 

phenomanon

Canyon
Sharone; I value your opinions as I know you have first hand knowledge from whence you speak.

I'll freely admit that I fell in love with Yvonne, or I wouldn't have spent over 500 hours of my free time working on her bio. One of the reasons for that amount of time, on her bio, is that I have done my very best to report the facts. Yes, there are a times when I did put a few sarcastic remarks in her bio, but for 99% it is just reporting that facts that I can back up.

I have been out of Scientology for 35 years. Since that time I have established myself in my community and my state. I have been a member of Mensa since 1983, I'm a founding member of the National Corvette Museum. I have held the chair of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce as well as the chair for the community group that created the internationally known Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center. I wrote and produced a 21 minute Route 66 film for the museum as well as authored the bio of General Roy V. Hoffman, the father of the Oklahoma National Guard, which resulted in his induction into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.

I believe I can pay my respects to Yvonne as I have an excellent crew working with me. You will be on my list to notify when the website gets published.

Howard Dickman

Have you interviewed Peter Gillham about their life together?
 

pkatz

Patron with Honors
Can we have some more on the loss of Excalibur's boat? Such as how did she go aground (circumstances?) and where?

Who was crewing and what was the mission?

Who was the officer in charge and why was she abandoned, even if temporarily? (Call 'em out if they deserve it).

I spent hours in and around that boat. Can't get the picture of what was to be accomplished with the tow truck, was it a sideways pull to try and turn the bow seaward?
 

SanDiegoMember

Howard Dickman
Can we have some more on the loss of Excalibur's boat? Such as how did she go aground (circumstances?) and where?

Who was crewing and what was the mission?

Who was the officer in charge and why was she abandoned, even if temporarily? (Call 'em out if they deserve it).

I spent hours in and around that boat. Can't get the picture of what was to be accomplished with the tow truck, was it a sideways pull to try and turn the bow seaward?

OMG Paul, this really taxes my memory. First off as RPF members we were not allowed to talk to crew unless spoken to, so other than the galley crew and a few others I really do not readily recall names of those that were there.

The life boat was beached bow towards land with sand, I think there was sand in it too, up to where the strakes were or should have been. The boat had been beached the day before we got there. We were called in at the very last moment with the tide quickly coming in. We did our very best to dig it out of the sand. When the wrecker arrived it was positioned on the bluff with the winch line attached to the bow of the boat. The tide was licking the boat as the wrecker was winching. Once the line snapped further rescue was abandoned. I do recall having to use my hands to dig as there was a shortage of digging tools.

I'll call Don Crom and see if he can add anything to this story.

Howard
 
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