The attack. I sent a note to Maddeford because he wouldnt tell me his side of the story. I tried a Facebook message, a voicemail, and an email. By the time I sent the email I let me frustration seep into my note. I began with Hey Champ. I didnt get a response. The letter was part dressing down and part pointing or howmuch good he could have eventually done if he had done things honestly and with integrity. I didnt hear back but did receive a letter from the VFW. It read: Hey champ, This is Jonathan Cooper, VFW DEPARTMENT OF ILLINOIS - DISTRICT 3 COMMANDER (which consist of the Chicagoland area), also a former diver and Chief of Operations at Operation Scuba and former Chief of Veteran Relations at Operation Blue Pride now the Chief of Logistics at Veterans for the Ocean, also a prior service Marine (2002-07) with numerous Iraq tours during my time in the Corps and also a former member of thy National Guard (CA, OR, and IL)(2007-14), which as an Illinois National Guardsman I deployed to Afghanistan from 2008-09. I just wanted to give you that information in case you wanted to launch a foolish investigation or inquiry to who I am. Over the past few years Ive been watching you and your organization closely. Im quite the student of your fundraising efforts, which is considered illegal as a non-profit organization to operate without the proper licensing. So not only have you broken state laws, but federal laws as well by posing as a certified veterans organization. I have shared this research with numerous Veteran Service Organizations in the area and throughout the state. We are launching an internal investigation to see if the organizations, any of its members, or affiliated organizations donated money to your false organization and paid your wages. This has nothing to do with the Chris Maddeford situation. That is a very unfortunate situation in which you were instrumental in blowing out of control. After the death of Gregg OBrien, I really began looking at you more. FACT, I know you wanted the late Gregg Obrien to infiltrate OBP on your crusade to destroy Maddeford, FACT, I know you had him set up the veteran diving organization at EAST COAST DIVERS. In some way you are responsible for his unfortunate passing. In closing, Im letting you know, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG...If and when I get the answers that Im seeking from the VSOs, if you screwed over one veteran, and I mean ONE VETERAN, or falsely raised money for an veteran organization that isnt legit, you indeed my friend you will have questions to answer.Respectively, Jonathan L. CooperDistrict 3 COMMANDERVFW Department of Illinois Seemed pretty official. Title introduction and signature block. Turns out that Mr. Cooper and Mr.Maddeford go way back to the days of Operation Scuba where they each owe the shop lots of money for their actions (allegedly...) Mr. Cooper also shows up in Steve Launies stream about Maddeford as the Director of Logistics for Veterans For the Ocean (sic) looking for folks to help him determine Maddefords authenticity. Heres the funny part; by the time I received this letter, I also received a copy of Maddefords apology/confession letter: --------- Forwarded message ----------From: Chris Maddeford Date: Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 3:48 PMSubject: Letter of ApologyTo: Slaunie@gmail, Tom_Browne@carpenterandpaterson, Stoneyyd69@yahoo, jsinger36@yahoo, kevin lambert To: All Present and Past Members of The 972nd Military Police Company I would like to sincerely apologize for misrepresenting myself, the details of my service and the unit and letting down all of you who were my friends and leadership. I cannot express to you how sorry I really am and I know there is nothing I can say or do that will change anyones opinion about me nor it should. All I am doing is apologizing to all of you. I would also like to shed some light on some of the things people are questioning.Service Dog - AJ is for my Physical Disabilities and is not PTSD dog, I only have one service dog the other dog was filling in for AJ when he was sick for 6 months. I was volunteering my time and fostering Mira that pit bull that was in training to be service dog and she filled in for AJ. That news video I was asked to do by pit bull organization because they were trying to enforce a pit bull band in the city of Chicago which would of lead to the death of 1000’s of Pits. This was not for any personal gain, it was to save dogs from being slaughtered Scuba Gear - I put many veterans in gear through different sponsors, I was also sponsored to wear gear for the companies as a way to advertise for there company and for pictures in return. Anytime I received new gear I would make sure another returning vet got my gear, for example SSG Dimar Vasquez, Jonathan Cooper, Issac Masic, SSG Frank Treto and more. I never stole gear or sold gear to anyone.NoN-Profits I volunteered for 3 years for Operation blue Pride full time, I was not paid my expense were covered when I took veterans on trips and To trade show/Events. I only had a credit card which all my spending could be tracked and had no access to the bank account or cash. This can be verified by Sue Chen Founder. I left OBP started Veterans for the Oceans and ran one trip to florida with a group of Boston Veterans who trip and funding was pulled from the by OBP Boston Nancy Grodberg 2 weeks before trip. I raised funds within 8 days along with the help of founder of OBP Sue Chen who thought it was wrong what OBP Boston did, I also put in $1500 out of my own pocket to make this trip happen. Joe Singer Revere Police officer Marine Combat vet can verify. Todd Jones Warrior Scuba Project, Has been claiming to be non-profit for last 3 years does not have federal 501 c (3). Has done nothing when it actually come to certifying veterans and I left his organizations with 3 other people when we asked to see a copy of the organizations bank statements and he refused. He also pays himself out of donations. Just Clearing air on his credibility, I only mention him because he has called my fiancé twice telling her false information about my health which is a violation against HIPPA. His side kick Keith Aguina all I got to say is a rescued my three legged dog from him, after he was about to drop her off at kill shelter at 2 and half months old right after leg amputation.Back to the main issue ME my past history with drug addiction and the behavior that comes along with it has caught up to me and it is not an accuse, I am asking for you to see who I am now, someone trying to help other vets 24/7 for free and not the addict I once was. I cannot apologize to you guys enough for everything. I know this will probably just end up on Facebook for everyone to tear me to shreds, which I probably deserve. I would prefer you email or call me out of respect not for me so much but the organization that I did do positive things for returning veterans and they continue to do, they do not need any more damage. I am truly sorry I wish I could go back in time and change things. I know none of you will ever talk to me again and I understand that I just want to make sure everyone knows I am sorry.Chris Maddeford I spoke with Mr Cooper shortly after I received his (call me Coops) letter to sprinkle some facts on his story. By the time we were done speaking he seemed to realize he was being manipulated; or so I thought. This did not excuse him from accusing me of being responsible for the death of a veteran in Boston who passed away during a dive he was on as part of a demo day. Gregg OBrien reached out to me pursuing a grant he eventually didnt qualify for but I facilitated an internship with Nick Fazah and his staff at East Coast Divers in Boston. Diving is a perishable skill and the internship included advanced training and use of well maintained gear in exchange for supporting the shops operations. I never met Gregg but he was my brother and a veteran in need. I called the State VFW and spoke to the Adjutant about the email I received and to all about the investigation Mr. Cooper alludes to in his letter. Seems the Adjutant is responsible for investigations so this threat was baseless Cooper states hes shared whatever he was doing with several veteran organizations. Im now a target and my organization is a target for coming forward in an investigation into Stolen Valor. Next chapter will tie it all together and show, yes show, Maddeford and Cooper are still working together with an organization whose leadership had been informed of the case weeks ago. By me. But then again, the story is too lucrative to give up.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 01:49:21 +0000
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