In December 1997 I had the pleasure of meeting Rod Keller for the first time. I had brought a few things with me on my trip to Clearwater, and I was excited about sharing my experiences in Scientology (and in particular the Sea Org) with him. One of the documents I gave Rod was a photocopy of my letter from L Ron Hubbard dated February 22, 1977.

Here's my story behind this letter:

Some time around late 1976, Wayne Marple was sent to PAC (Pacific Area Command) with orders from Hubbard. The mission was dubbed "A Commodore's Mission" and was run from Flag as FMO 1674. (FMO means Flag Mission Order). Wayne had another "missionnaire" by the name of Jack Dirmann as his "Mission 2nd". Jack's wife at the time was Irene Dirmann, who was the Commanding Officer at ASHO Day, which was the "org" I was working in.

Wayne, as the FMO 1674 1st, ordered a mandatory briefing for all Sea Org staff. The order was given that all staff were to report for a briefing by the "missionnaires"; the briefing was to be held in the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course courseroom of ASHO after dinner. At that time, ASHO located at 2723 West Temple Street in Los Angeles. This was prior to the LA area "orgs" moving into the old Cedars of Lebanon Hospital Complex (aka Big Blue, or Pacific Area Command) in Hollywood, where ASHO is presently located.

During the briefing, Wayne announced that he and Jack had purchased a property and a building which was to be the new location for the Cadet Organization (this is the name of the "org" for children of Sea Org parents). Soon the Cadet Org was to be moved from its current location on Melrose Avenue. Wayne explained that the new facility was in a location quite a distance from ASHO and the other PAC "orgs". He informed us that due to the distance from the "org", parents would not be allowed to live with, nor would they be allowed to see their children every day.

It would "cut across production" too much, he explained. The Sea Org was busy "clearing the planet", and if parents were to spend time driving to and from the new Cadet Org in order to spend an hour per day with their children, it would simply not be "the greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics".

After all, the "highest purpose in the universe" is being a dedicated Sea Org member and helping "the Commodore" achieve the Sea Org's "purpose" -- "getting ethics in on this planet and the universe". It would hurt "production stats" if parents were "off post" each day to spend time with their children.

We were told in no uncertain terms, that "counter intention" to the "Commodore's orders" would result in severe punishment, such as assignment to the "Rehabilition Project Force", or "RPF".

"This *IS* the Commodore's intention", Wayne commanded, in a "Tone 40" voice, "and *no* counter-intention will be allowed to cut across the Commodore's orders." Wayne further informed us, in no uncertain terms, that "no HE&R would be allowed" (HE&R means human emotion and reaction) since that is a "response from the reactive mind".

Needless to say, this "revelation" didn't sit well with quite a number of Sea Org members, particularly parents. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! My son was only two years old at the time, and there was no way I was going to allow him to live miles away from me on a ranch where I would only be able to see him once a week. It was *unthinkable* -- _completely_ out of the question in my mind.

I just knew that what Wayne was telling us couldn't be true, so I decided to write to Hubbard. After all, Hubbard said in his "Standing Order Number One" that "all communications addressed to me shall be recieved by me" and that "by my own creed a being is as valuable as he may assist others".

So I sat down and wrote a detailed letter explaining how I felt that there was something wrong -- that it just couldn't be his intention because it was in contradiction with his words on the subject of children in his book _Child Dianetics_.

I referenced the section in Hubbard's book where he says to "spend the hour or two with him [the child] and do whatever he asks you to do, within reason of course" and to "set aside a time during the day when the child can do anything he desires which doesn't hurt animals or property". (ref: _Child Dianetics_, copyright L Ron Hubbard 1951, 1967 and 1968, chapter 8, page 93) I politely pointed out to Ron that the Flag Missionnaire was telling us something which contradicted Ron's "Source materials" regarding children.

After explaining the situation to Hubbard, I asked him *one* simple question. It was:

"Is it your intention that Sea Org parents only be allowed to see their children once a week?"

The very short reply I received from Ron a few weeks later was:

"My intention regarding this is covered in PAC Base Order Series 18; I suggest you read them."

So I read the issues which comprise PAC Base Order Series 18, and was still very perplexed because the PAC Base Orders contradicted Hubbard's "Source materials", and since the PAC Base Order issues were written by Wayne Marple, Hubbard's writings took precedence over the "non-Source materials"

(materials not written by Ron).

Once again I sat down and wrote a letter to Ron. I told him that I had read the issues and that my question still remained.

And being the model Scientologist and Sea Org member I was at the time, I asked him:

"Is it your intention that Sea Org parents only be allowed to see their children once a week?"

The next letter I received from Ron said:

"If you haven't done so, I suggest you get it word cleared in Qual."

A copy of that letter is webbed at http://parishioner.org/warrior/so1.jpg I was stunned! I simply hadn't expected Ron *not* to answer my question! After all, I had asked him a very specific and direct question. I decided that I was going to leave the Sea Org since I was not going to be allowed to be able to see my child every day.

So I announced to the Ethics Officer that I intended to leave the Sea Organization. Upon hearing this, I was assigned a "condition of doubt" and ordered to undergo an extensive "security check". The SuperCargo, Alan Prager, told me I was "psychotic" for wanting to leave the Sea Org. And the Director of Personnel Enhancement, Peggy Peden, told me, "You'll pull in something horrible, like death, if you leave the Sea Org".

For 17 weeks I remained in "doubt" and continued to work approximately 100 hours every week *without* pay or time off from my post, while I received a "sec check" -- called an "HCO WW Form One" -- designed to find my "overts and withholds".

Warrior
See http://parishioner.org/warrior/

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