Were 2 Americans Abandoned
Again in March 2000?
Summary. On the evening of September 7, 2000, I opened my e-mail inbox at the usual time and found the usual stuff -- e-mail from friends and family, spam, and an amazing message. I found this amazing message to be such a piece of work that I felt compelled to share it with one and all. Here it is, uncut and uncensored -- and without comment.
Background
This message is from Steve Golding, a "MIA activist" in New York. In the message, Golding has snipped and pasted parts of messages from three other people:
- Bob Necci, proprietor of the Advocacy and Intelligence Index and chairman of the Vietnam Veterans of American POW-MIA Committee.
- Amanda Kidd, relative of an Air Force Sergeant, lost in the downing of an AC-47D (gunship) whose remains were recovered in an excavation.
- "Randy Armann" -- I have never heard of him but Golding describes him in this message.
"Widest distribution possible"
Note these opening lines in Golding's message:
QUOTE
From: Steve Golding []
> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 7:46 PM
> Subject: Were 2 Americans Abandoned Again in March 2000?
> Importance: High
>
> Please give this widest distribution possible.
>
END QUOTE
Well, Steve, I'll just be delighted to help you give this message the "widest distribution possible."
No Comment
While I haveopinions regarding this message and the escapades described herein, I'll withhold comment and let you readers make up your own minds.
The Message
Quoted below is the message from Steve Golding.
QUOTE
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Golding []
> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 7:46 PM
> Subject: Were 2 Americans Abandoned Again in March 2000?
> Importance: High
>
> Please give this widest distribution possible.
>
> Were two American Soldier's abandoned again this year?
>
> The Department of Justice may be brought into this to get the answers as
> depicted below. Read this through thoroughly.
>
> Alot can happen in 8-1/2 months.
>
> On January 18, 2000 I and many POW/MIA activists were contacted by a Randy
> Armann () who wanted us to see a sneak preview of his
> book (Military Secrets & Strategies) about, among other things, the
> POW/MIA issue. He has a website <http://randybooks.com/sneakpreview.html>.
> Kim Thomas-Bowles told me that he had sold the site on e-bay for
> $5,000.00, but I have not been able to verify that nor is it important
> because the series of incidences gets worse.
>
> Randy's premise on the POW/MIA issue was that those who are alive are
> actually drug addicts, living in Thailand and are doped up until they die
> whereby their remains are then sent back to Vietnam Cambodia or Laos to be
> buried at a crash site, excavated later on and returned to the United
> States---for a price.
>
> To quote Randy:
>
> "The accounting of the POW's and MIA's has remained a sensitive issue
> since the troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. There are no longer any
> POW's. They've all been accounted for and brought home.
>
> "But the MIA's remain a closely guarded secret. There are a few legitimate
> MIA's but they are only a small percentage of the total number of American
> servicemen who remain unaccounted for. The United States will probably
> never know what happened to the pilots whose planes were blown out of the
> sky, or the infantrymen who took direct hits from artillery rounds.
>
> "The average age of the combat infantryman in Vietnam during the late
> 1960's was between eighteen and nineteen. By 1970, the heroin epidemic
> reached proportions that shocked both the military and the government. The
> young men, many from farms in middle America, had never been exposed to
> drugs or war. They consumed inhuman quantities of the purest heroin in the
> world on a daily basis. Beyond human help, they couldn't be sent home to
> their parents in that condition.
>
> "It still remains unclear as to whether it was the military or the
> government who arranged the negotiations to conceal their fate. They were
> sent to Thailand, where they're allowed to live out their lives where
> heroin is abundant. They eventually die and are buried. After several
> years, their bodies are exhumed and sent to the Vietnamese, who
> ceremonially turn them over to the United States military. They are
> brought home and laid to rest. It was the only humane way to deal with a
> tragedy like that."
>
> After reviewing this garbage, many of us in the POW/MIA community
> dismissed Armann out of hand and simply sent him a screw you e-mail for
> slandering our missing family members/comrades/fellow Americans.
>
> On February 7, 2000 I received the following e-mail from Armann:
>
> >X-From_: Mon Feb 7 14:00:54 2000
> >Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2000 11:01:57 -0800
> >From: Randy Armann <>
> >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.05 [en] (Win95; I)
> >To: Steve Golding <>
> >Subject: Re: Unrepatriated POWs
>
>
> >Steve:
>
>
> >Thanks you for your vote of confidence. You have no idea of how naive you
> sound
> >to me. Perhaps in the future, exercising a little class would bring you
> better
> >results.
>
>
> >Randy
>
> Between February and March of 2000, family member Amanda Kidd engaged
> Randy in conversation, but to me the issue was closed and he was placed in
> my archive folder because I archive every e-mail that I receive, except
> for spam.
>
> In May 2000 all that changed. Amanda forwarded me e-mail exchanges between
> she and Randy Armann which were dated between February and March 2000. In
> over 40 e-mail exchnages Randy kept alluding to a 'private investigation'
> that he is 'guiding.' He refused to give any particulars--but he did give
> a vague hint. In a February 15, 2000 e-mail to Amanda, he ended it with a
> reference to Dave Murray, VVA POW/MIA Chair for the State of New Jersey.
> Dave had been going back and forth with Armann and Armann had threatened
> to file suit against Dave...but then backed off. Why? Well, the last
> paragraph of his 2/15/00 e-mail gives a clue:
>
> > Even though the guy from New Jersey thinks he knows everything this: I
> > spent more time in Army and VA hospitals, than he has in his current
> > position. He wouldn't even be a contest in a federal court for libel.
> > But the law suit would do irreparable damage to the VVA.
> >
> > Randy
>
>
> Armann also mentions mid-March as the target date for the independent
> investigation to be concluded:
>
> > By mid-March, an investigating team will hopefully return with some
> > direct physical evidence. I'm assisting them, by pointing out the
> > locations of the MIAs.
>
> On March 2, 2000, while the VVA's Veterans Initiative were in SE Asia,
> Randy Armann dropped this bombshell on Amanda Kidd:
>
> > Date: 3/2/00 7:24:31 PM Central Standard Time
> > From: (Randy Armann)
> > To: (Amanda Kidd)
> >
> > Amanda:
> >
> > I made a slight error when I said that the investigators are looking for
> > the MIAs in northern Laos. Actually, they're very close to there in
> > northern Thailand. The travel plans originally made were for Vietnam
> > and Laos. Bob Necci, a board member of the VVA on the national level,
> > is part of the search team. Dave Murray isn't even aware that Bob and I
> > know each other. Can you just imagine how much I've had to bite the
> > bullet, until Bob left for Vietnam on Feb, 19, 2000. You're the only
> > one who knows of this.
> >
> > Call me soon, Amanda.
> >
> > Randy
>
> First of all it was common knowledge that Bob Necci left for Vietnam in
> February. So was it that Amanda was the only one who knew that Necci had
> left for Vietnam or was it that Amanda was the only one that knew that
> Necci was part of Armann's "search team?" I believe it the latter.
>
> Armann was sorely mistaken if he thought that Amanda was the only one who
> knew that Necci had left for Vietnam. In addition, Amanda called his
> attention to this fact herself in that Necci had sent out a public
> announcement through his e-mail network informing the POW/MIA community
> thathe would be leaving on a VVA-funded trip to SEA.
> As a reporter, Amanda continued for weeks attempting to draw information
> from Armann regarding his "private search team" and his "sources", which
> should be noted had NOT at this point been connected to Necci yet.
> Gradually Amanda gained Armann's trust to the point that he began to
> divulge additional information. Information that eventually resulted in
> his admission to a connection to Necci which he began to pressure Amanda
> to "go public."
>
> Why? What was it that Randy could've said to Necci, the VVA National
> POW/MIA Chair and the chair of the Veteran's Initiative, that could be
> significant enough that Bob would listen? The next series of notes that I
> received are replays of Amanda and Dave discussing whether or not Armann
> is bluffing about Necci's involvement or even if Armann actually knows
> Necci. I do not copy those notes here because it is not germaine to the
> questions surrounding Necci's trip to SEA. The question remains, however,
> why would Necci remain silent on this? There's more, be patient and read
> on...
>
> It was decided that Amanda would wait until Necci returned from the VI
> trip to SEA before asking him about his so called relationship with Randy
> Armann. But before Necci could return, Armann e-mails Amanda again. Note,
> Armann mispells his first name which may be a simple typo, but I have
> called attention to it here just for the record. Pay real, real close
> attention to the following e-mail. Note that The "Return Paths" have been
> left intact in order to provide the necessary evidence of legitimacy to
> this series of correspondence. Correspondence to which Necci later
> admitted DID come from him while still overseas:
>
> March 5 2000 Armann forwarding Necci e-mail from SEA to Amanda:
>
> >Subj: [Fwd: Laos]
> >Date: 3/5/00 10:26:19 PM Central Standard Time
> >From: (Randy Armann)
> >To: (A Kidd)
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >I just received this a little while ago. I wish I were with Bob right
> >now, to go further into northern Laos and question the elders near the
> >Thai border.
>
> >Never give up, lovely lady. I'm going about this in a different way.
>
> >Ranbdy Armann
>
> >>--------------------
> >>Return-Path:
> >>Return-Path: Delivered-To:
> >>Received: from imo11.mx.aol.com (imo11.mx.aol.com [152.163.225.1]) by
> beach.silcom.com >>(Postfix) with ESMTP id 0736414543A for ; Sun, 5 Mar
> 2000 19:00:49 -0800 (PST)
> >>Received: from by imo11.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v25.3.) id
> k.6d.1c41c1a (6103) for ; Sun, 5 Mar 2000 22:00:44 -0500 (EST)
> >>From: Message-ID: <> Date:
> Sun, 5 Mar 2000 22:00:43 EST
> >>Subject: Laos
> >>To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="US-ASCII" >>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> >>X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
> >>Delivered-To:
> >>Received: from imo11.mx.aol.com (imo11.mx.aol.com [152.163.225.1])
> >>by beach.silcom.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0736414543A
> for ; Sun, 5 Mar 2000 19:00:49 -0800 (PST)
> >>Received: from
> by imo11.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v25.3.) id k.6d.1c41c1a (6103)
> >>for ; Sun, 5 Mar 2000 22:00:44 -0500 (EST)
> >>From:
> >>Message-ID: <>
> >>Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 22:00:43 EST
> >>Subject: Laos
> >>To:
> >>MIME-Version: 1.0
> >>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> >>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> >>X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version)
> >>X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
>
> >>Randy:
>
> >>Sorry for the delay. The weather and communications have been terrible.
> We were trapped
> >>in Hanoi for three extra days because of the weather.
>
> >>We were out in the field in Laos for three days. Met with two
> individuals (separate
> >>locations) who said they were former American soldiers. We had long
> converations with each
> >>of them. They have Lao families and seem content, but each did indicate
> they missed their
> >>former land and families very much. There is a heavy price to pay for
> their decisions.
>
> >>We also met with a former Lao advisor to US forces (his story). Seemed
> credible. We
> >>discussed both "live" and "missing" US soldiers. He took us to a crash
> site that he said
> >>was unknown to the US, but we checked with JTF and it is recorded and
> will be excavated
> >>with a three year time-period. The long-range plan covers excavations
> for nearly the next
> >>ten years. JTF is pressuring the Lao gov't to increase the number of
> excavations each
> >>year.
>
> >>He also said there was a group of American and Lao mercenaries, working
> together, who were
> >>involved in many illegal schemes. He said there were former soldiers
> from the war.
>
> >>We will be traveling to Da Nang and Saigon over the next week.
>
> >>Take care.
>
> >>Respectfully,
> >>Bob Necci
>
> "We were out in the field in Laos for three days. Met with two individuals
> (separate locations) who said they were former American soldiers. We had
> long conversations with each of them. They have Lao families and seem
> content, but each did indicate they missed their former land and families
> very much. There is a heavy price to pay for their decisions."
>
> Now what the hell is this? Former American soldiers? Were they POWs
> allowed to marry? MIAs who evaded and joined a village? Who were they?
> What was the content of the conversation that Bob Necci and members of the
> Veterans Initiative had with these two Americans? Were they deserters?
> Were they discharged personnel who decided to go back? Why the hell was
> Bob Necci being guided by someone who claimed that our POW/MIAs were drug
> addicts in a book; who claims to have been involved in the POW/MIA issue
> for years but did not know who Colonel Joseph Schlatter is? What
> information did he give Bob Necci that made Necci sit up and take notice
> and why was Necci e-mailing this guy while Necci was in SE Asia?
>
> March 6th 2000 Armann e-mails Amanda copying e-mail from Necci to Armann:
> >Subj: [Fwd: Thai]
> >Date: 3/6/00 2:37:25 PM Central Standard Time
> >From: [email protected] (Randy Armann)
> >To: [email protected] (A Kidd)
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >Received by me this morning. Please keep this material confidential.
>
> >Randy
>
> >>--------------------
> >>Return-Path:
> >>Delivered-To: [email protected]
> >>Received: from imo19.mx.aol.com (imo19.mx.aol.com [152.163.225.9])
> >>by beach.silcom.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id A009A145504
> >>for ; Sun, 5 Mar 2000 22:24:27 -0800 (PST)
> >>Received: from [email protected]
> >>by imo19.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v25.3.) id k.d3.23d05a0 (6108)
> >>for ; Mon, 6 Mar 2000 01:24:15 -0500 (EST)
> >>From: [email protected]
> >>Message-ID:
> >>Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 01:24:15 EST
> >>Subject: Thai
> >>To: [email protected]
> >>MIME-Version: 1.0
> >>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> >>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> >>X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version)
> >>X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
>
> >>Randy:
>
> >>I am staying 2 extra days in Thailand on the way home and will
> discreetly inquire.
>
> >>Bob
>
> Remember, Necci is in Communist Vietnam. The internet is/was not as open
> there as it is here. You can bet that his communication was monitored, as
> was his movements. How is it that Necci felt compelled to answer Armann
> unless there was some sort of relationship? And it is apparent that Necci
> is giving Armann a heads up on his itinerary.
>
> And on March 6 2000, Armann wrote Necci back:
>
> >Subj: [Fwd: Thailand.]
> >Date: 3/6/00 10:22:01 PM Central Standard Time
> >From: [email protected] (Randy Armann)
> >To: [email protected] (A Kidd)
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >Attached is a letter I just sent to Bob Necci.
>
> >Randy
>
> >>--------------------
> >>X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
> >>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
> >>Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 20:00:31 -0800
> >>From: Randy Armann
> >>X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.61 [en] (Win95; U)
> >>X-Accept-Language: en
> >>MIME-Version: 1.0
> >>To: Bob Necci
> >>Subject: Thailand.
> >>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> >>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> >>Bob:
>
> >>When you get to the northern-most part of Thailand, be sure to talk to
> >>the people near your age group or older. When you reach the hills, keep
> >>your eyes open for the presence of American soldiers, e.g. size of shoe
> >>prints, cigarette butts, remnants of former military equipment, etc.
>
> >>Be sure to ask them about a heavily concentrated area of white and black
> >>American former soldiers.
>
> >>Remember, the elders are freaks for Salem cigarettes.
>
> >>My prayers are with you and your team. Right now, you're closer to the
> >>truth than anyone's ever been.
>
> >>Respectfully,
>
> >>Randy Armann
>
> So there is e-mail flying to and from a communist country with
> instructions on how to kill the elders---with either tobacco or via
> communist troops after the note is intercepted by communist intelligence
> agents. If American POW/MIAs were not at the heart of this, the amateurish
> handling would be almost laughable. Instead, it is a shot directly into
> the heart and perpetrated in part by someone who is supposed to be on the
> side of the families and activists.
>
> March 9, 2000 in an E-mail from Armann to Amanda:
>
> >Subj: Re: THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT
> >Date: 3/9/00 12:45:55 AM Central Standard Time
> >From: [email protected] (Randy Armann)
> >To: [email protected]
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >First of all, Bob Necci must not know about you until I feel the time is
> right.
> >The e-mails I sent you concerning Bob's and my correspondence, is the
> confidential
> >material that I mentioned earlier.
>
> >Bob was only supposed to go to Vietnam and Laos, but under my direction,
> found 2
> >American servicemen in northern Laos. The intelligence man he met must've
> told
> >him plenty about northern Thailand, otherwise he wouldn't have extended
> his trip
> >to go to Thailand.
>
> >I want you to keep in mind, that I know exactly what I'm doing. You and
> the
> >others are too involved and lack objectivity. Thinking with old ideas
> will always
> >bring you back to nowhere. You're obviously reluctant to call me. So be
> it. I
> >don't want Bob to get cold feet when having to take on the government,
> and that's
> >why I'm relaying the information to you.
>
> >When it's time for Bob to go public, you may have waited too long. If
> he's
> >intimidated, I want you to break the story. Tell me Amanda, are you
> really
> >prepared to go all the way?
>
> >Your caution and doubt about me is annoying. Try listening and reading,
> and let
> >me take you into the world of military intelligence. Be supportive of me,
> or I'll
> >drop you like a hot rock, and your only chance of finding youre cousin
> will slip
> >right through your fingers.
>
> >Randy
>
> Now Randy is claiming that Bob Necci, the VVA National POW/MIA Chair, the
> founder of the POW/MIA Fax Network and AIIPOWMIA and the chair of the
> Vet's Initiative has found 2 American servicemen in Northern Laos and he
> extended his trip, according to Randy to follow up on northern Thailand
> and Bob Necci is keeping Randy in the loop FROM SEA? Via E-MAIL, which is
> obviously unsecured? (I mean, I got it for cryin out loud) Would that not
> endanger anyone that the communists know they are holding in those areas?
>
> Read on, it gets....well I won't say better!
>
> March 10, 2000 e-mail from Armann to Amanda:
> >Subj: investigation.
> >Date: 3/10/00 6:02:55 PM Central Standard Time
> >From: [email protected] (Randy Armann)
> >To: [email protected] (A Kidd)
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >When I receive more information from Bob, I'll let you know. Bob
> >doesn't know that I've been on touch with you, so we'll keep it between
> >ourselves. I'll see if and when he wants to go public.
>
> >The first phase of this strategy is nearly complete. Be sure not to
> >share the information I've forwarded to you with anyone.
>
> >Randy
>
> March 16, 2000 e-mail to Armann from Amanda asking if he has spoken to Bob
> [Necci] since Necci got back from SEA:
>
> >Subj: HAVE YOU TALKED TO BOB?
> >Date: 3/16/00
> >To: [email protected]
>
>
> >Randy~
>
> >Just touching base to ask if you've talked to Bob since he's been back.
> I've been out of
> >town quite a bit again this week, so I haven't had a chance to respond to
> your note (below)
> >until now.
>
> >I'm just wondering if the two of you have had a chance to discuss his
> trip , and whether or
> >not he would approve of what he's found out being publicized.
>
> >Don't want to ask him anything personally until I know whether or not
> you've talked to him
> >first. I don't mind working with the two of you together, but just want
> to make sure that
> >it's alright with him. Would like to get some quotes from him if he's
> willing.
>
> >Let me know... and thanks for the patience.
>
> >Amanda
>
> March 17, 2000, E-mail from Amanda to Bob Necci:
>
> >Subj: BOB, CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS??
> >Date: 3/17/00
> >To: [email protected]
>
>
>
> >Bob~
>
> >I wanted to wait until you'd had a chance to unwind after your trip
> before I contacted you
> >about this.
>
> >I truly hate to bother you, but I'm wondering if you can help me a bit
> regarding an
> >e-mail that was sent to me on March 5th by an individual by the name of
> Randy Armann.
>
> >You'll find it included below, but I'm doubtful that it's something that
> you intended for
> >anyone to forward.
>
> >I first learned of Randy a couple of months ago after he contacted me to
> ask that I access
> >his webpage titled "MIA Cover-Up", which gives an overview of a chapter
> regarding his
> >theory that all (or most) POW/MIA servicemen were left behind due to
> hopeless heroin
> >addictions.
>
> >I've debated this theory quite thoroughly with him via e-mail (as has
> much of the rest of
> >the POW/MIA community); however he continues to cling to his belief that
> all POW/MIA
> >families and activists are in "denial."
>
> >The issue gradually escalated as he "semi-talked" for weeks about
> "anonymous sources" who
> >were involved in a "search" that was intended to bring back "physical
> evidence" around
> >mid-March.
>
> >His evasiveness and his tendency to take offense to anyone who challenges
> his
> >"heroin-addiction theory" surrounding MIA servicemen has caused me to
> hesitate in any
> >attempt to take him seriously.
>
> >Eventually, he forwarded me this correspondence (below) which he claims
> is from you. Since
> >he's aware that I'm a freelance journalist, he's asked me to "go public"
> with the
> >information.
>
> >I've told him that I simply can't publicize that sort of information
> without your
> >permission and without something solid to base it on.
>
> >Bob, can you help me to understand this?
>
> >Randy claims that he knows you and that you own a copy of his book title
> "Military Secrets
> >and Strategies." Do you endorse his theory?
>
> >Above all else, please accept my apology if I've received this
> correspondence without your
> >approval. Unless you inform me otherwise, I want you to be assured that
> it WILL remain
> >confidential.
>
> >But I am anxious to receive your reply regarding whether or not you know
> this individual...
> >Whether or not you accept his theory... and whether or not this
> correspondence did in fact
> >come from you.
>
> >Additionally, I've saved other correspondence that Randy and I have
> exchanged, so please
> >let me know if you'd like for me to forward any of it to you for
> reference.
>
> >Again, please accept my apology for any trouble that this may have
> caused.
>
> >Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
>
> >God Bless...
> >Amanda Kidd
> >(Cousin of James Preston~ MIA~ Laos)
>
>
> March 18, 2000 Bob Necci's response to Amanda:
>
> >Subj: Re: BOB, CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS??
> >Date: 3/18/00 1:46:34 AM Central Standard Time
> >From: Bob Necci
> >To: AKidd13036
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >I do not subscribe to Randy's theory. Yes, some vets were involved with
> drugs. But, if you
> >accept Randy's thinking, everyone was involved.
>
> >My travel in Laos was private and not to be distributed. How are we to
> get answers if
> >people keep sending everything over the Internet? Please do not
> distribute.
>
> >I will speak with Randy first thing this morning.
>
> >Respectfully,
> >Bob Necci
>
> Note that Necci didn't deny it was his e-mail. Also note that he stated he
> would speak to "Randy first thing this morning," indicating that he didn't
> need to find a contact number for Armann.
>
> His trip to Laos was private? What did he do, put a stop to the field
> activities of the Veterans Initiative whilest he took a side trip to Laos?
> Does that make sense? Why not go to Laos after you extended your stay....?
>
> And his admonishment that we aren't going to get answers while people send
> things all over the internet is a joke. For those of you that do not know,
> when Dr. Timothy Castle's "Castle Memorandum", (the DPMO analyst who wrote
> a blistering memo regarding the criminal ineptitude at DPMO), started
> circulating, it was expressly requested that everyone hold off
> distributing it until Dr. Castle could secure a locale out of Washington
> DC for his family. It was Necci who first published that memorandum while
> Tim was in the process of securing such an out-of-DC locale. So
> admonishing anyone for the discussion of anything is well beyond Necci's
> purview in my humble opinion.
>
> Keep going. You'll be sick.
>
> March 19, 2000 Armann's e-mail to Amanda re Necci:
>
> >Return-Path:
> >Received: from rly-za02.mx.aol.com (rly-za02.mail.aol.com [172.31.36.98])
> by >air-za03.mail.aol.com (v70.19) with ESMTP; Sun, 19 Mar 2000 16:00:17
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> >Message-ID: <[email protected]>
> >Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 12:59:57 -0800
> >From: Randy Armann
> >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.61 [en] (Win95; U)
>
> >Subj: your move.
> >Date: 3/19/00 3:00:17 PM Central Standard Time
> >From: [email protected] (Randy Armann)
> >To: [email protected] (A Kidd)
>
> >Amanda:
>
> >Early yesterday morning, Bob Necci called my home and was quite upset.
> >It seems you called him and told him about our conversations. We made
> >an agreement that you wouldn't contact Bob until I had an opportunity to
> >discuss things at length with him, remember?
>
> >The e-mails that Bob and I sent to each other, should pretty much size
> >up my involvement. Bob followed my instructions to the letter. You
> >didn't receive the last messages we sent each other. Actually, I never
> >told you or Bob about how this strategy's going to play out. The five
> >goals I outlined for you are pure fiction. I always knew you couldn't
> >be trusted. I decided to do something different.
>
> >You're out of the loop, Amanda. That's the price you pay for
> >intervening in my affairs. Now you can go back to what you've always
> >done, and what you've achieved, long before I showed up. Nothing!
>
> >Randy
>
> >P.S. You could have achieved greatness. Unfortunately, you'll go
> >through life knowing you're just another reporter. Live with that.
>
> Armann made it clear there were more messages between he and Necci. Just
> who is Randy Armann and what made him someone that Necci would listen to?
> Would communicate in an insecure way from a Communist country? And who
> were the two American Servicemen?
>
> Well since this time a series of e-mail were sent to Bob Necci from a
> variety of people asking particulars, pleading--almost begging--for
> answers. For the most part, Necci ignores the request. Occasionally, he
> conducts what I would consider damage control.
>
> In one of the notes, Bob Necci stated, in part:
>
> "I met with two men who were not Vietnam aged individuals. Their
> nationality is in serious question as is also their allegations.
>
> "I report this to both the national POW/MIA Committee and Veterans
> Initiative committee at the VVA Jan. 2000 board of directors meeting.
>
> "It should be noted that this was a private trip, not VVA funded...."
>
> Well, since Necci didn't leave for SEA until mid February and did not get
> back until mid-March, how did he report all of this to the [VVA] national
> POW/MIA Committee (which he chairs) and the Veterans Initiative committee
> (ditto) at the January 2000 BOD meeting? And if the trip was private, why
> report it to the Board?
>
> If the nationalities of the two men were in question when he is asked
> publicly about them, why on March 5th did he say he met with 2 individuals
> that said they were former American soldiers and if they were not of
> "Vietnam aged" why were they talked to for a long time? What was the
> content of the conversations? What information was gleaned and why were
> they paying a heavy price for their decision unless they were not allowed
> to come home? Why didn't Necci indicate to Randy on March 5 that the
> nationality of the 2 men were in question as well as the so-called
> allegations that they made. Nor did he make mention that they were not
> Vietnam-War "aged." Necci made no such claim then. Necci simply said that
> "we" spoke to two indivuduals who claimed to be former US soldiers. That
> "we" spoke to them for a long time. And at two separate locations. Necci
> further added that they paid a high price for their choice. What is that
> about?
>
> Logic would dictate that if the trip to northern Laos did not produce
> results, then why would he listen further to Randy Armann? Why not simply
> cut him off? Yet not only does Necci not cut Armann off, he apologizes for
> the delay in answering him; tells him that he is extending his stay for
> several days to follow up on Northern Thailand. Armann, meanwhile,
> indicates that Armann gave Necci information that required the side-trip
> to Thailand whereby Necci extended his stay. Can anyone say, "something is
> rotten in Denmark?"
>
> If it was a private trip and not funded by VVA or the Veterans Initiative,
> then where did this unemployed man come up with the funds to stay in SE
> Asia for a month, in fact, to extend his trip? And if he received the
> funds by donations relative to the Fax network or AIIPOWMIA, then it is
> not a private trip--it is funded by folks who do so with a view on
> gleaning answers about the whereabouts of unrepatriated Prisoners of War.
> Bob has a duty to answer in detail his meeting with not only the two
> alleged Americans, but the Lao adviser as well. If he did get the funds
> through donations, how did he expend them? Put out a detailed accounting
> of the funds as required by any organization that spends more than 12,000
> USD in a single year that has a 501c tax exempt status. It's the law.
>
> If this was not a Veterans Initiative trip then who is the "we" that
> talked with the alleged Americans? What was their relationship in terms of
> their usefulness on this trip. In other words, why were they there?
>
> As far as this being a private trip, it appears that the trip to Laos was
> not private that if anything was private it would have been the extension
> in Thailand. So the Laos trip in which the two individuals that claimed to
> be former American soldiers were talked to was part of the whole Veterans
> Initiative trip. Thereby the questions must be answered. By law.
>
> Finally, if it was a private trip that Bob Necci has taken pains to point
> out and not funded by either the VVA or Veterans Initiative then one
> question remains....Why then would Bob feel it necessary to report to the
> Board of Directors on a private trip that he was taking to be part of
> Armann's search team? They aren't funding it, no need to tell them; no
> need to possibly tie the two organizations into it. But Necci claims he
> reported it to the Board of Directors in January 2000. 2 months before
> meeting with the 2 former American soldiers. Thinking people must ask
> why, if it was a private trip, did Necci brief the board of directors? The
> answer should be obvious.
>
> Necci has had every opportunity to answer these questions to us, those who
> have toiled endlessly in this issue and yet he steadfastly refuses. In
> fact, I gave him an ultimatum prior to writing this. I told him he had 48
> hours to answer the questions, otherwise I would go public. This after
> months of several of us asking him about this. His response was silence.
>
> He claims that these two alleged Americans miss their former homeland and
> their families. Has he notified the families that he met with their
> sons/brothers/nephews/cousins? WHO ARE THEY, WHAT ARE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES
> AND WHY WON'T NECCI ANSWER? WHAT IS THERE TO HIDE?
>
> By remaining silent on this matter, does that not paint all of us who
> scream government cover-up and lies in the same position of telling the
> American public just a little bit of truth at a time? Does he not
> epitomize what we have been rallying against for years? Why would we stand
> for this from one of our so-called own?
>
> More questions remain. Did he take photo's of them? If not, why not? He
> could've sent them via e-mail as easily as he was e-mailing Randy Armann,
> the man who claims our unaccounted for are a bunch of doped up drug
> addicts. Did he take their fingerprints that could lead to a positive ID?
> If not, why not? Did he try to identify marks; tatoo's or scars? If not,
> why not? Basic identification. He could have minimized many questions if
> he simply took a photo, a print maybe even borrow a tooth since our
> government loves to ID remains repatriated by a single tooth--even though
> they lost the dental records years ago.
>
> There was a chance here to do something. I've been wondering about the
> pro-McCain pieces that Bob has forwarded on in the past; about the
> pro-government pieces that he has forwarded with more frequency, but I
> would never have thought that he would leave two Americans behind, even
> alleged Americans, without going public about it in detail. Without so
> much as reporting the incident to the USG. And maybe he did, but we can't
> seem to get an answer out of him so we have to assume that he did not.
>
> Instead of coming back from SEA with answers, answers that he has promised
> to try and get by the written word, by implication, and by voice, he left
> SEA causing us more heartache, more questions, absolute disgust and a lot
> of tedious work to try to get answers from him. Yet he isn't connected
> with the USG. His arrogance has led us to this.
>
> He can unsubscribe me from his list. I do not want to receive anything
> more than what amounts to propoganda while he obfuscates the truth. I urge
> all reading this to unsubscribe from his list and all voting VVA members
> to unseat him at the next VVA convention.
>
> Moreover, I urge all reading this to contact VVA National to demand
> answers specifically regarding this incident. It is bad enough when the
> government does this to us, but it is worse when one of our so-called own
> does this to us.
>
> The members of the Veterans Initiative Committee should demand a detailed
> written report together with an accounting of funds that were expended if
> those funds were a result of a donation of any kind whatsoever to comply
> with USG regulations governing 501c filings; regardless whether those
> funds were gotten via the VVA, the VI or otherwise.
>
> Bob Necci is too closely associated with both VVA National and the
> Veterans Initiative; and people giving funds, whether or not they were
> direct to Necci or via the VVA or VI, they are giving these funds to
> someone that represents the VVA and the VI to get answers; not to cause
> more questions by not giving an accurate detailed report of his trip to
> SEA where he interviewed persons regarding the possible whereabouts of
> unaccounted-for Americans.. The acceptance of the funds could be construed
> as a violation of law which would put the charitable status of both the
> VVA and VI in jeopardy and perhaps even be construed as criminal.
>
> The leadership at VVA National should call upon Bob Necci to act with due
> diligence in answering the questions surrounding his Feb-Mar 2000 trip to
> SEA; to force him to give a detailed written report on the trip with
> specificity on the two alleged Americans and the Lao national whereby they
> should publish said detailed report in their newsletter. Failing that, an
> outcry should be directed at VVA demanding answers and the leadership
> should be made to answer directly at their next convention and the
> Department of Justice should be brought into this.
>
> And, Necci claims that his trip to Laos was private, yet his e-mail to
> Randy indicated anything but. To quote again:
> >>Sorry for the delay. The weather and communications have been terrible.
> We were trapped
> >>in Hanoi for three extra days because of the weather.
>
> >>We were out in the field in Laos for three days. Met with two
> individuals (separate
> >>locations) who said they were former American soldiers. We had long
> converations with each
> >>of them. They have Lao families and seem content, but each did indicate
> they missed their
> >>former land and families very much. There is a heavy price to pay for
> their decisions.
>
> >>We also met with a former Lao advisor to US forces (his story). Seemed
> credible. We
> >>discussed both "live" and "missing" US soldiers. He took us to a crash
> site that he said
> >>was unknown to the US, but we checked with JTF and it is recorded and
> will be excavated
> >>with a three year time-period. The long-range plan covers excavations
> for nearly the next
> >>ten years. JTF is pressuring the Lao gov't to increase the number of
> excavations each
> >>year.
>
> >>He also said there was a group of American and Lao mercenaries, working
> together, who were
> >>involved in many illegal schemes. He said there were former soldiers
> from the war.
>
> >>We will be traveling to Da Nang and Saigon over the next week.
>
> Does that sound like a private side-trip? Does anyone think that the
> Department of Justice will see this as a side trip or will they see the
> refusal to answer a direct violation of the law which could lead to the
> revocation of 501c tax exempt status for the VVA National and the Veterans
> Initiative and could possibly lead to a criminal investigation. More
> importantly, does Bob Necci want to take that chance?
>
> And what of Necci? Was he outwitted by a master of deceit or was he a
> willing participant and the consequences be damned? Did he realize that
> Armann was playing him and he is simply too embarrassed to admit that he
> wanted to bring someone out so badly that he allowed the VVA and Veteran's
> Initiative to be put in jeopardy? At minimum this certainly shows that
> priorities are not straight in the Necci camp; he should step down as
> National POW/MIA Chair and Veteran's Initiative Chair. This was sheer
> amatuer ineptitude; pink-pantherish. And he has put the tax exempt status
> of the VVA and the Veterans Initiative on the line. Why do you think he
> has gone to great length in conveying that this was a private trip.
>
> If one dollar of VVA money was used, then this cannot be considered a
> private trip. If one dollar from any donations were used, then this cannot
> be considered a private trip. 2 American soldiers were left behind; they
> missed their former homeland and their families and they are paying a high
> price for their decision. Well they are not the only ones that will be
> paying a high price. The VVA will pay a high price. The Veteran's
> Initiative will pay a high price. Bob Necci will pay a high price. The
> POW/MIA Families continue to pay a high price; the families that this is
> all about. The POW/MIA Community is paying a high price because we are in
> a damned if we do and damned if we don't situation. We don't have the
> luxury of trying to work with the Board of Directors of the VVA to get
> this settled. They have demonstrated that they do not have any regard for
> the law when they fraudulently reported that the Veteran's Initiative
> settled 50 MIA cases a few years back. To this day they have not complied
> with the law and rendered their financial statements to those who
> requested them. If there is nothing to hide, you don't hide nothing!
>
> I refuse to get into a long protracted negotiation with the VVA over this.
> This could have been avoided if only the answers had been forthcoming.
> Necci had the power to handle this quietly; he chose this course of
> action.
>
> Several years ago when Former Congressman Billy Hendon came back from SEA,
> prior to Necci becoming VVA's National POW/MIA Chair, Necci demanded a
> 'sitrep' (briefing) from Hendon. Hendon refused and there was a furious
> week of name calling and words going back and forth. One of the things
> that Necci said was that Hendon had a duty to the families and the POW/MIA
> community to report in detail what he discovered or had done during
> Hendon't trip to SEA. (Hendon had chained himself to JTF-FA HQ demanding
> that they go to certain coordinates in the military secure zone of
> Vietnam.)
>
> How is this any different except that it is now Necci who is refusing to
> answer questions that revolve around his own interview with 2 alleged
> Americans--where is his duty, his obligation?
>
> Finally, who is Randy Armann and what is his true agenda? He claims
> military service that cannot be verified. He appears to be working
> covertly with someone of significance inside the POW/MIA issue and more
> importantly inside SEA and yet he betrays that person to a free lance
> reporter while that person is in a communist country. He talks of
> confidentiality but breaches it as easily as butter melts on hot mashed
> potato's. He berates a family member telling her that this is her final
> opportunity to find out what happened to her cousin and he sends and
> receives e-mail from a communist country with confidential information
> that if true would certainly put lives in jeopardy. POW/MIA lives.
> Cooperating witnesses lives and even Bob Necci's life. All while betraying
> the whole thing to a free lance reporter---while it is unfolding! Is it a
> set-up? Is he setting up the VVA? The Veteran's Initiative? The PoW/MIA
> community by pitting us against Bob Necci and all he represents? Is
> Armann's agenda to have the POW/MIA community shoot itself in the foot
> during a presidential election and is Bob Necci dim-wittingly allowing
> that to happen by refusing to answer the questions?
>
> If answers are not forthcoming in a reasonable period of time, I will
> contact the Department of Justice and demand that they launch an
> investigation into the particulars of the expending of funds on this so
> called private trip made by an individual with no apparent means to make
> such a trip. An individual who sits on the two committees of a national
> organization whereby those two committees are supposed to be working
> toward gleaning answers for the families of those otherwise unaccounted
> for from SEA--not creating more disturbing questions. I suggest all those
> that are following this make the same demands of DOJ.
>
> Steve Golding
> PoW/MIA Forum
>
>
>
> <http://www.ojc.org/powforum>
END QUOTE
For examples of cases in which Americans are living in SEAsia, of their own accord and minding their own business, check out this article.
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