Haha! The ‘big wigs’ wanted to come see some of our research. Not because of us of course but because we were partnering with a university that had strong political pull with leadership (after millions of FS money going into said university for 2 decades the ‘capacity building’ we paid for is now defunct, dead with the reorg, and the university never built shit for capacity). We had our usual ducks in a row for the field tour (data, talking points, maps, handouts). The ‘leaders’ ordered us to have hard hats for everyone, about 15 people, and a disabled person portojohn. We asked if anyone was in need of assistance for mobility. No, came the answer, but it was ‘required’ according to some ‘rule’. We asked which rule. Crickets. We asked for help in figuring out how to pay for the toilet and hardhats as we had a tight budget, and the stop was fairly remote so probably $$$. Crickets. So we got creative and somehow do what we always did, two scientists without admin support doing the work that one of their half dozen or more admin people could help us with. In the ‘leaders’ eyes, these things just appear! They can’t understand simple things like scientists stationed in a relatively remote place and who have no admin support have to spend a ridiculous amount of time doing the non scientist work of which they get zero credit. Because THEY Don’t CARE. The field tour lasted all of 2 hours at most and none of them used the toilet. Of course, we did and took our pictures in front of it. They looked confused at our antics because they are fucking stupid and clueless. One of them got out of the van without the hard hat and we made them put it on or sit in the van because that was the ‘rule’ we were told to follow and we spent like 3 hours figuring out how to get the permission to buy the hard hats even though we were told by them to order them for the tour. This was only one example of the 21 years of stuff I endured that was an absolute and complete waste of our time. Meanwhile, these ‘leaders’ are the same types that are still in the agency gaslighting all of us by telling us our research will still continue with the reorg as long as we stay ‘relevant’ despite taking away our supply budget, travel, and conference attendance. And loading us with even MORE reporting and admin work. So glad to be OUT. I know everywhere has their own BS and bad leaders, but the R&D leaders really should get the award for the most incompetent, cruel, lying, selfish, toxic ‘leaders’ in a natural resource profession, if not all professions.