Multiple Detonations

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by Bruce, Dec 24, 2017.

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  1. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    cookderosa likes this.
  2. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

  3. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    This is not to excuse or apologize for Laura Callaghan . . . but after she was exposed and fired (losing 19 years of accumulated pension), she doggedly went to work on earning regionally accredited degrees, and, over 6 or 7 years, earned her BA (Edison), MA, and PhD (Northcentral).
     
  4. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Dr. Bear, that's interesting. I hope an attitude adjustment accompanied the degrees.
     
  5. Michigan68

    Michigan68 Active Member

    So......she didn’t have a Bachelors prior to working for the Government???
     
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    From the Wiki in Bruce's link, that appears to be correct.
    "In 2003 Callahan was reported to have obtained all three degrees on her government resume--her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees--from Hamilton University, a diploma mill in Wyoming"

    So no real bachelor's - or any other real degrees, at that time.
     
  7. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    I think she had an AA or AS from TES(C)U.
     
  8. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Yes, she did. An AA in liberal arts. Since the 2003-2004 debacle, she has earned multiple legit degrees and I believe those include a Bachelor's in Computer Science from TES(C)U. At least I'm pretty sure it's from there. The Wiki says "Edison University" and I'm pretty sure they mean Thomas Edison State U; other articles definitely state she enrolled at that legit New Jersey school for her bachelor's. I was worried for just a brief moment, because "Edison University" was the name of a degree mill run by Natalie Handy, wife of James Kirk /McPherson, while her husband was doing jail time for other degree mill operations. Their story here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kirk_diploma_mills

    Glad that's cleared up. I'm sure that particular degree of Laura Callahan's is not from that "Edison University" but from the legit TES(C)U in New Jersey.

    What I didn't know, is that after all this 2003-2004 stuff, the Obama Administration hired Laura Callahan (now holding 3 or 4 genuine degrees) for a sensitive cybersecurity post in 2011!

    We had a thread on it here: http://www.degreediscussion.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8232
    And an article here: http://www.wnd.com/2011/07/323373/

    Does the US Government have a short memory?

    J.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2018
  9. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member


    The vetting process must have been a joke. Probably still is.

    Thanks for the links.

    I'm surprised that some there excused her practices. If she had a gallstone, it would be the size of Gibraltar.
     
  10. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    decimon: So......she didn’t have a Bachelors prior to working for the Government???

    John: No. But the job description for her job did not require a Bachelor's degree (or any other degree).
     
  11. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    The reply is in fact to Michigan68.
     
  12. Michigan68

    Michigan68 Active Member

    If the purchased degrees didnt matter, then basically her own arrogance brought her downfall. If I read former posts correctly, she wanted people in the office to call her "Dr". Sad


    Michael
     
  13. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    Is there actually any press about Callahan lost her pension? Because she wasn't fired. She resigned. Had she stuck around she absolutely would have been fired. But she wasn't. They allowed her to bow out graciously.

    But even if she was fired for cause, I don't believe that is sufficient for denying a federal employee their credited years of service. She didn't belong in any of those jobs, but she did work there during that time.

    Doesn't change the original point of this post, mind you. Just one of those reminders that getting fired from the fed doesn't mean you walk away without a pension and getting kicked out of the military doesn't mean you received a Dishonorable Discharge.
     
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    To determine that, I've spent more time on this old story than it's worth. I have found the usual threesome: zip, nada and bupkes. The only mention of Callahan's alleged pension loss seems to be from private posters on degree-fora. My guess - they were misinformed and it probably didn't happen. Shoot me if I'm wrong.

    J.
     
  15. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    My source for the pension matter was my co-author, Allen Ezell, retired 31-year veteran of the FBI and founder of their DipScam diploma mill task force. Ezell met with Callahan several times, and invited her to write an essay on her experience for our book, mentioned in my signature below.
     
  16. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Dr. Bear. Looks like it's still zero press articles, then, as that's what decimon was asking: "Is there actually any press about Callahan lost her pension?" If there is any such press, of course you may shoot me, as I suggested earlier. :)

    And - I know the Callahan story was covered in "Degree Mills...", but did that pension loss info actually make it into the book you co-authored with Agent Ezell?
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2018
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Come to think of it, if Ms. Callahan has managed to keep her pension (and I'm not saying she has/hasn't) that would be a very strong motivation for her to rejoin the Government in 2011, as she did. Not many years -- and out with a full pension. Something to think about...

    J.
     
  18. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    BTW - speaking of pensions, the Canadian Government has a rule nowadays, that keeps old rascals like yours truly on the straight and narrow. If an old-timer like me gets jailed for more than three months - any reason - poof! His/her Government pension STOPS until release date. Gone - not refundable on release. Good idea, I think. Started when an infamous serial killer of children and young adults, serving 11 concurrent life terms, was found to be collecting about $1,100 a month in pension benefits. No more.
     
  19. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    OOPS. Sorry. It was Neuhaus who asked, not decimon. Apologies all round. :oops:
     

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