Wait - So What the Heck is REALLY Going On?

We are so glad you asked! Here is a fuller picture of what is going on with the museum and the very real threat to this sacred space.

The Museum's President of the Board of Directors, Jamil Dada, unilaterally decided to eliminate the professional museum staff and alter the museum's mission. Dada’s decision permanently laid off the Collections Manager, Archivist and Restoration Assistant forcing the Director of Collections, Curation and Restoration (who is currently undergoing treatment for an aggressive life-threatening cancer) to resign in protest . Dada’s action left the museum with only one of the professional museum staff member in place to care for 122 vintage aircraft, 20 military vehicles, 60,000 artifacts and an extensive archives of letters, documents, books and photographs from veterans stretching back to the First World War.

Why? Good Question!

Dada has given different answers for his controversial decisions; one excuse was financial concerns, which appears to be unfounded. Click HERE to learn more and see the museum's publicly available financial reports. In a public statement, Dada lauded the Museum's accomplishments, popularity, and made the following public statement:

"At this time, the Board of Directors has a vision of growth including building additional hangars, providing better accommodations for the convenience of our visitors, the refinement of our displayed aircraft and exhibits, and increasing and improving our education programs. We also have plans to fund these improvements so that we remain a strong and viable contributor to our community and the world."

OK, That Sounds Good, Right? So What's the Problem?

One problem is that the claims made within the statement have been disputed by the Board of Directors, who did NOT vote for this. Board members report that Dada's decision was never brought up in the meetings or discussed amongst the board.

The March Field Air Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, officially named the March Field Museum Foundation Inc. The foundation was established to support the museum, which was transferred from the Air Force to the non-profit in 1996. Its mission is to educate the public on aviation history by exhibiting, restoring, and maintaining historical aircraft and artifacts

Board members point to the foundation's bylaws, which required board approval for staffing changes. There are very real concerns that bypassing this process raises serious governance concerns and jeopardizes the nonprofit status of the Museum.

What Changes are Planned for the Museum?

It is reported that Dada and the VP of the Board, Mel Gutierrez, are planning to sell aircraft, eliminate the archives, and alter the museum's purpose into an event center.