Tuesday night, Leah Remini’s A&E series once again provided harrowing stories of what it can be like to grow up in Scientology. Her guests, Mimi Faust and Christi Gordon, spoke about the frightening result when Hubbard’s ideas about children being adults in small packages gets put into action.
Like anything else in Scientology, how children are treated is governed by a huge number of policies and reports, and today we’re looking at one of the documents that shows how children were treated under the ideas of L. Ron Hubbard. We’re fortunate that one man has done so much to collect huge numbers of such documents so that we can go through them today. We’re talking about Mark “Warrior” Plummer, who left Scientology in 1983, and is pretty legendary for the collection of church materials he’s amassed.
Also helping us is Sunny Pereira, who for several weeks has been working with Mark to pull out key documents for us to discuss. And we’re joined by Christi Gordon, who was on Tuesday night’s show.
Sunny, around the time this first document you chose for us was written, you were in the Cadet Org. Tell us about it.
Sunny: I was 13, and I was assigned to be the ethics officer. I was supposed to make sure all of the cadets were doing what they were supposed to. The two main things we did was sell Freedom magazines and pass out copies of The Way to Happiness on the streets. Freedom was sold for $2, and we got to keep 50 cents from each sale. And The Way to Happpiness Foundation paid us to hand out their booklets.
The Bunker: Well, at least there was some money involved. Christi, what did you take away from the Cadet Org?
Christi: The Cadet Org is where the Sea Org transforms its neglected children into child soldiers. It gives them a purpose, promises them power and recognition and hammers in discipline via its live-in indoctrination and work camp where kids are virtually isolated from those that care about them. You learn how to give and take orders, how to muster, salute, and applaud L. Ron Hubbard’s picture. You learn how to clean, make a bed, wash windows per policy, and spend a huge amount of time learning to snitch by writing Knowledge Reports to inform on others in the group who are goofing off or under-performing. This may include your own parents if they don’t behave optimally. You learn to report on everyone and everything around you that is an outpoint or affects production or morale.
The Bunker: And so just about anything might get you into trouble if someone else turns you in. What then?
Sunny: I got into trouble and was sent to the Children’s RPF. It ran off of Flag Order 3434, just like the adult RPF. As far as I can remember, I spent pretty much all day every day sweeping the front yard of the ATA building.
The Bunker: What was your crime, Sunny?
Sunny: My job was ethics officer, but because I was one of only a few kids who could ride a bike alone, I had to bike down to The Way to Happiness Foundation on Wilshire every week to pick up whatever money the Cadet Org was owed. It had nothing to do with my actual post. I lost $30 one time. I guess it fell out of my pocket while I was riding, but they were sure I had stolen it. And so to the Children’s RPF I went. I was on it for eight months, with no end in sight. I had no way to complete the program, because there were no steps to do to get off the Children’s RPF. It was like I was just sent there and forgotten about.
The Bunker: What was the Children’s RPF supposed to accomplish?
Sunny: Your submission. It’s part of the indoctrination to prepare you for the Sea Org. And you learn it, or you’re out. And being thrown out comes with a huge sense of failure, and, for a child, the terror of losing your (mostly absent) parent. I was 13 at the time, but many of the Cadets were as young as 6. In the Children’s RPF, you can’t talk to the other kids unless they speak first. And bullies come in all sizes. Those kids loved to boss the RPF kids around, and we had to do what they said. Polish my shoe! Clean that mess off the floor! Get my dinner! It was humiliating. I had almost forgotten about that aspect of it. It left me feeling so guilty, even for things I hadn’t done. It was a mental prison.
The Bunker: So how did you finally get out of it?
Sunny: A Sea Org recruiter came over to get someone into the Sea Org one Thursday morning and came to get another kid, who refused to go. I was out there sweeping and I jumped up and said “I’ll go!” I would happily sign a billion-year contract just so I could stop sweeping that stupid yard.
The Bunker: OK, let’s take a look at the document itself. Here’s the top part of it.
CO CMO PAC
VIA SNR PERS OFF PAC —– CC: CO PACAdvertisementNEDRA COHEE
A/CADET COORD PACRe; Kid scene in PAC.
Dear Sir,
I want to propose a handling to the recent and past flaps we are having concerning the Cadet aged kids. Please see my CSW.
SITUATION: I need to re-institute the Children’s RPF and propose Jim Garrett as Adult MAA for Cadet Org.
The Bunker: This document was written by a woman named Nedra Cohee, and we think it dates to 1988.
Sunny: Nedra Cohee was the Cadet Coordinator for PAC Base. (Her title was actually “A/CADET COORD PAC.” The “A” is for “Acting.” All post titles are assigned as “acting” until you get through all the training for that post. Some people have the “A” in their post title for years because they never get through the training for their post.) Basically, she was in charge of everything in regards to the Cadets. She was the go-to person into and out of the Cadet Org, and she was on this post for years. Her son, Daniel Cohee, was assigned as the Commanding Officer Cadet Org. He was 11, and he was assigned to run the whole org, which had 60 or 70 Cadets at this time. So this request (called CSW, for Completed Staff Work) was for Nedra to put this Children’s RPF back in place. She mentions that the previous Children’s RPF had been successful, with many people going into the Sea Org from the Children’s RPF. And she mentions Jim Garrett. Jim was a tough guy who made Cadets into tough Sea Org members. He treated the kids as adults and did not back away for anything. He was tough, but not to the point of abusive. I did not have any issue with him, but some of the kids did not like his aggressive training methods.
The Bunker: Here’s the next portion…
DATA: I have several Cadets and blown Cadets who need to go to the children’s RPF. Since being back in the Cadet Org I have been pushing hard on getting basics in and pushing hard on getting the Cadets producing. The scene is getting better with many Cadets starting to pick up their hats and the scene is starting to improve. However a very small percentage are enturbulative sources and are sabotaging efforts to set the scene right. (reports are written and are I/P on the enturbulative sources) They need to be moved off the line per Forcing In The Ideal Scene.
In addition to the Cadet Org itself getting established there are SO kids not in the SO who need to do the Children’s RPF to get them back on purpose as SO members.
Currently [name redacted] is an enturbulative source who has been on the lines of the EPF, SNR HCO PAC, SECURITY, CADET ORG. He needs to be moved off everyone’s lines and put into the Children’s RPF. [Redacted] recently took a razor blade and cut X’s in his skin up and down both his arms. He is psychotic in PT [Present Time] and needs close supervision.
We are in PT re-establishing the Cadet Org in pushing in the LRH advices and policy concerning it. The reinstituting of the childrens RPF is needed as a part of it’s establishment. In 1976 when the Commodore re-established the Cadet Org, he also included the childrens RPF as a part of this. Ref Pac Estates Unscramble. In 1986-87 when myself and Yolanda Avila put back in the advices concerning the Cadet Org, the re-instituting of the Childrens RPF was very instrumental as one of the successful actions done with 10X’d the Cadet Org at that time. Eleven resources came out of that org most of which went to CMO PAC. The Childrens RPF was slammed in at that time and was very successful as it allowed the area to cool down and the establishment actions started biting as the CI [Counter-Intention] and internal enturbulation was off the lines. The Childrens RPF was run per the FO’s on the Childrens RPF (3434 series). A copy is attached for your viewing. The LRH advices on the Childrens RPF are also attached.
Sunny: She mentions that there are Sea Org kids who are not in the SO and need to go through the Children’s RPF to get back on purpose. She is referring to kids who have already signed billion-year contracts who vanished from their posts and went back to being kids. She wants to round them all up and send them through the Children’s RPF. She talks about a child who has cut up their arms and needs to be gotten under control. I don’t know who that is. Nedra is explaining that they used the Children’s RPF to move “enturbulative” kids off the lines. They would basically be separated and isolated from everyone else, as part of their punishment.
Christi: The ones that had “blown” were runaways, the ones who were self-harming needed medical and psychiatric care, the ones who were disaffected but wanted to come back had been made homeless when they refused to conform. These abandoned and rejected children had no one and nowhere to go. Some ventured out, wandering LA. They got onto drugs, they drank alcohol, they got pregnant, they became suicidal, they became angry and destructive and acted out committing crimes. Others instinctively stayed close to their friends and family and orbited the property, sneaking into the crew dining rooms to steal food, sleeping in the garage among cars or on the top of the elevator tower or roofs. Some found odd jobs with local Scientology business if they hadn’t already been blackballed. They begged and borrowed and stole to exist. I was never on the Children’s RPF — we didn’t have one at Flag during our RPF times — but if it was modeled after the adult RPF it would be purely punitive to reeducate and reform, and to convince kids they didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to play, and didn’t want to spend time with parents or family. To teach them that whatever pain they are feeling can be made worse if they don’t comply.
The Bunker: And here’s the final part…
Another factor is that there are disaffected X-SO kids who are originating they want to come back. Today the CO PAC told me the Lipton girls want to come back. Last week Jade Kavanarr came to see me. This is a big reach from these kids. Our X-SO kids at Mace-Kingsley need to be pulled back and handled. They all need the childrens RPF.
I propose Jim Garrett as MAA I/C of the RPF. He knows the kids well and can run good control on them and has been successful in this area. He also has a purpose to work with children.
Today CO PAC gave me a copy of a KR from CO’s MAA FCB which outlines trouble we are having with the kid scene. This KR further supports my need to establish the Childrens RPF. I can turn these kids around, I just need my adult MAA.
SOLUTION: Please push order down the line for Jim Garrett to report to the Cadet Org to take on the post of Adult MAA for the Cadet Org. Scott Foster could replace Jim at ASHO. (Jim is currently at ASHO……He is senior HCO staff)
THIS IS OK.OK ….. NOT ….
ML, A/CADET COORD
Nedra Cohee
Sunny: She mentions that all the ex-Sea Org kids from the Mace-Kingsley ranch need to be pulled back and put through the Children’s RPF. Damn, as if being sent to Mace-Kingsley wasn’t punishment enough! And she wanted to trade Scott Foster from the Cadet Org staff with Jim Garrett, the tough nut. Scott Foster was well loved by the kids as far as I can tell. Even up to today kids remember him as one of the good guys. He tried, as much as he could, to give the Cadets and Sea Org kids a small bit of normal in their lives.
Christi: When I read this document I see a woman who is desperately trying to make her job easier, who is trying to make the Scientology Sea Org model work as Hubbard said it should. She believes these children can be transformed into productive Sea Org assets if they are punished severely enough by assigning an adult to interrogate and punish them. Reinstating a prison program would contain them in an environment where they could be beaten down and broken like horses, stripped of their free will and spirits, and made to be obedient vehicles who are trotted out and paraded around as shining examples of LRH’s philosophies. In essence, they would give up any hope of anything beyond the Sea Org or Scientology. They would simply get with the program.
The Bunker: Thank you, Sunny and Christi for helping us look at this alarming document. We reached out to Nedra Cohee, who is no longer in the Sea Org. She accepted our friend request on Facebook, but didn’t respond to our message asking to speak with her about the Cadet Org and the Children’s RPF.
Now, here’s the document itself…
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Birmingham gets its Ideal Org today!
David Miscavige will be in Birmingham, England today for the grand opening of the new Scientology “Ideal Org” in the suburb of Moseley, and we expect to start receiving reports from our correspondents there soon.
In the meantime, let’s look back at the long road the “Brummies” took to get to this point. It required years of fundraising efforts, and none more delightful than a tropically-themed shindig thrown way back in 2011 which featured a conga line….
And right in the mix was local mystery writer RJ Ellory, who, besides taking part in dance parties to raise money for Scientology, is also known for faking his own book reviews online, and for helping in the effort to attack Leah Remini’s television show…
We can’t wait to see if Ellory is a featured speaker at today’s event. We sure hope so!
“There’s an American chap at the podium doing the whole “testing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5″ thing while his colleague fights to keep her umbrella from blowing inside out.”
“Birmingham is this country’s most diverse city so it’s extraordinary to see such a white crowd.”
“They ‘ve just driven in 2 more coaches to add to their Berlin Wall.”
Oh look, it’s John Alex Wood and Gem the Twit. We beg you, Bunkerites, please stop arguing with these two paid propagandists on Twitter. You’re only increasing their “stats.”
“Scots wha hae!”
Nation of Islam, in the house.
“They’ve brought out a huge powerful spotlight which they have trained on the one remaining gap in the bus wall. I stupidly looked right at it and now I’m seeing stars.”
“The event is starting so they have a man with an umbrella trying to block our view – except the two media guys have taller tripods!”
——————–
Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 4,909 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 55 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,118 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 1,892 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 2,666 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,012 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,506 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,546 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,258 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 784 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 4,873 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,013 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,333 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,308 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 664 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 4,966 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,072 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis for 1,475 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,348 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 929 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,434 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 1,678 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 12,787 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 21, 2017 at 07:00
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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
