The system began with nepotism, and as-such it was broken from the beginning. Those who have made it into the inner circle, and who do not somehow get cast aside when a "higher up" feels threatened, can enjoy great job security. In over 10 years of professional work and over 3 decades of volunteer involvement, I have seen so many people give their life to serve and defend the organization's cause, only to get thrown out in the cold. The decisions of short-sighted unqualified leaders often ruin lives of employees who sacrifice over and over again just to be able to serve the cause. It is what I have heard several therapists call "spiritual abuse," meaning that they treat many people poorly, unethically, and often even illegally, and then tell them that if they do not stay and take it, they are being unfaithful to God. Lawyers like The Salvation Army, because they will always settle lawsuits out of court so as to protect their reputation. Those who stay are often those who are protected from this kind of abuse due to their own familial or interpersonal connection with the "higher ups." There is too much money on benefits for officers and big parties.
