Late Narconon
®
Pay, Tie to Scientology
®
Hit - 29 October 92
NEWKIRK - Several former employees of Narconon Chilocco New
Life Center criticized the facility Wednesday for failing to
promptly pay their salaries and overtime, and claimed that the
recently licensed drug and alcohol abuse facility is a front for
the Church of Scientology.
Gene McCormick, who quit as Narconon Chilocco's chief of
security on Monday, and Edith Clark, whose duties included head
of international training, had the harshest words for the 75 bed
facility when the group met with reporters Wednesday in a
downtown Newkirk building.
Clark said Narconon Chilocco owed her an undetermined amount
of back wages because she said the facility refused to pay her
overtime even though she says she worked 60 to 70 hours a week.
Clark, who worked at Narconon Chilocco for 19 months, said she
has complained to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Most employees are paid minimum wage and have to sign
contracts, Clark said. Many are required to read material that
comes from the Church of Scientology.
"It's a front for Scientology," McCormick said.
More Scientologists are scheduled to arrive at the facility
shortly, he said.
Narconon Chilocco president Gary Smith called comments from
his former employees unfortunate.
"In the last 2 1/2 years we have employed over 300 people
and now there a few that are complaining," Smith said in a
statement. "It's unfortunate that anyone would continue to
oppose our efforts to get people off drugs. "We are a
licensed facility and have passed all tests and inspections, I
can find 1,000 supporters of Narconon Chilocco for each
detractor," he said. "We are open and we will continue
to get people off drugs."
Bruce Pyle, a public information officer at the facility
confirmed McCormick and Clark worked at the facility.
Smith has denied any ties with the Church of Scientology.
However, Narconon Chilocco staff members said during public
hearings last year that some materials from the late L. Ron
Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, are used in some drug and
alcohol rehabilitation courses.
McCormick said he never was approached to join the Church of
Scientology, but he has seen Scientology literature given to
staff and trainees.
Pictures of Hubbard are hung in each of the buildings but
religious pictures or books are banned at the facility, he said.
Clark said she was asked several times to read Scientology
material, and she believes Narconon Chilocco is being used as a
recruiting tool by the Church of Scientology.
"Why would they make me study it if it's not a front for
Scientology?" she said. "If it's not Scientology, why
would they force the people to study it"
"The whole point is they want to turn anybody there into
a Scientologist." McCormick called Narconon Chilocco
disorganized, and said he has seen a number of former students
who completed the program return because they failed to stay off
drugs or alcohol.
He said it was common for trainees to walk the six miles from
the Narconon Chilocco campus to Newkirk to go to bars and drink
beer.
McCormick said Narconon Chilocco has trouble keeping patients.
Some leave a week or two after arriving because of austere
conditions.
Clark said living quarters are not air-conditioned, and dining
and kitchen facilities were dirty. She said she often saw
cockroaches in the kitchen. Hamburgers and hot dogs make up most
meals, she said, for staff and for patients who pay $22,750 for a
three-month course.
"For people that pay the amount of money they do to come
through the rehab center is ridiculous," Clark said.
She said some trainees at the facility have contagious
diseases and some lack proper immigration cards.
McCormick said he quit after two-and-a-half years because of
late pay.
On December 1, 1992, the United States Department of Labor
Office in Tulsa confirmed that there was an investigation
underway regarding the cases of at least one of the
non-Scientology employees who had left Chilocco following their
Health Department licensing. Results of the investigation are
unknown at this time and it may be late December or early next
year before they can be obtained through the Freedom of
Information act.
Reports have come in, unconfirmed as yet, that the remaining
few non-Scientology employees at Narconon have been asked to
leave, including Bill Grant and his wife, who are supposed to be
some kind of relatives to Garry Smith's wife.
The name "Narconon"® is trademarked to the Scientology
organization through one of their many front groups. The name
"Scientology"® is also trademarked to the "Church"
of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the
individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the
dangers of the Narconon scam are members of or representitives of the
Scientology organization.
If you or a loved one needs help -- real help -- there are
a number of rehabilitation programs you can contact. The real
Narcotics Anonymous organization
can get you in touch with real people who can help you.
Click [HERE] to visit Narcotics
Anonymous's web site. Narcotics Anonymous's telephone number is
1 (818) 773-9999.
Return to The NarCONon exposure's main Index page.
Forward: For a systematic, detailed, professional exposure of
Scientology's "Narconon" front group, visit the
Narconon Exposed web site.
By Michael McNutt, Enid Bureau
Daily Oklahoman
Thursday, October 29, 1992
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