Scott Pace Headed for GWU

Editor's note: NASA Associate Administrator for Program Analysis and Evaluation Scott Pace will be heading to the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University as its new director. The Institute is currently run by John Logsdon. Pace should be in place after Labor Day for the Fall semester.

At PA&E Pace was responsible for providing objective studies and analyses in support of policy, program, and budget decisions by the NASA Administrator. Prior to working at NASA, Pace was the Assistant Director for Space and Aeronautics in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

Barbara Gregory

BARBARA ANN GREGORY On May 4, 2008 of Annapolis, MD. Beloved wife of Fred Gregory. Also survived by one son, one daughter, four grandchildren, one brother and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visiting hours will be on Thursday, May 8 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at TAYLOR FUNERAL HOME, 147 Duke of Gloucester St., Annnapolis, where a funeral service will follow at 2:15 p.m.

Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 3 p.m. If attending the burial, please meet at the administration building at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Anne Arundel Medical Foundation, 2001 Medical Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. Online condolences may be made at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com

Ed Weiler Will Keep His New Job

NASA Internal Memo: Weiler Assumes Official Role As NASA Science Chief

"Administrator Michael Griffin announced Wednesday that Ed Weiler will remain as NASA's associate administrator for the agency's Science Mission Directorate. Weiler was named interim chief of the directorate March 26."

Things Are Getting Weird at MSFC: Absentee Management at the Top

Disturbing E-Mail Goes Out to NASA Employees, WHNT

Editor's note: When employees take dramatic actions such as this - i.e. to circumvent traditional management chains to raise both personal - and important workforce issues - it is symptomatic of managerial insensitivity and incompetence at the top. Dave King should be taking this very seriously - as a personal failure in his own management of MSFC - not something an employee did that requires a reprimand.

Reader note: This is an email that was sent by a Marshall employee yesterday. It was sent as a mass email (Marshall-wide global). Management response: "A MSFC employee sent a mass e-mail to the Marshall workforce today. We are taking appropriate action to provide assistance and to maintain a safe work environment for all of our employees. Due to Privacy Act considerations, we cannot comment further. Dave King, Director".
 
Email message below:

From: [DELETED] (MSFC-ET10)
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 9:40 AM
To:
Subject: CHANGING OUR THINKING

[DELETED]

HSPD-12 Update - A Step Backward

Media Advisory HSPD-12 JPL: Court Withdraws Finding of Friday April 25
 
"Robert M. Nelson, a Senior Research Scientist at JPL and the lead plaintiff in the JPL case said, "Our attorneys remind us that the judicial system involves a very deliberate process. We will remain patient and let the judicial activity run its course. While we are waiting, NASA and Caltech are forbidden, under the existing temporary injunction, from conducting the intrusive personal background investigations ordered under HSPD#12.""

NASA JPL HSPD-12 Media Advisory: Court Denies Government Petition for Injunction Review, earlier update

HSPD-12 Update

NASA JPL HSPD-12 Media Advisory: Court Denies Government Petition for Injunction Review

"On Friday April 25, 2008 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to review its earlier decision issuing a temporary injunction preventing NASA and the California Institute of Technology from conducting intrusive personal background investigations of employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. The government had petitioned all of the judges of the Ninth Circuit Court for a review of a January 11, 2008 ruling by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit that issued a temporary injunction stopping the investigations until a full trial is held in federal district court."

GRC Cancer Issue Still Lingers

Alleged NASA Cancer Problem May Have Existed For Years, News 5

"New questions are surfacing about cancer cases at NASA Glenn Research Center and how long the problem may have existed. NewsChannel5's Autumn Ziemba spoke with NASA retirees and spouses of employees who died of cancer decades ago after working in the development engineering building. It's the same building where at least 40 people have been diagnosed with cancer, but now these people are wondering if there was a problem, how long did it exist?"

NASA site defends safety record in response to cancer concern, AP

"Patient confidentiality prevented the agency from demanding personal health information on cancer rates, said Thomas Hartline, director of safety at NASA Glenn. ''Therefore, we have not been able to verify the numbers that the union put out,'' he said."

Is Ellen Engelman Conners Coming to JSC?

Editor's note: It has been a month since NASA Watch first reported that Ellen Engelman Conners had been selected as the new Director of External Relations at JSC. At the time sources were not exactly certain when the formal offer was going to be made and/or if she had indeed accepted it.

Well, it has been a month and Ellen Engelman Conners does not show up in the NASA X.500 directory ...

Just What JSC PAO Needs - An Overt Bush Politico, earlier post

Saleeba Replaced as Head of NASA Security

Editor's note: Looks like David Saleeba is no longer Assistant Administrator for the NASA Office of Security Program and Protection. This page says "Jack Forsythe (Acting)". NASA is looking to hire someone for Saleeba's position at USAJobs:

NASA Headquarters: Assistant Administrator for Security and Program Protection

GRC Decides To Respond to Employee Concerns

NASA Glenn to Hold Briefing Related to Health Concerns

"On Fri., April 11 NASA's Glenn Research Center will host a media briefing to discuss the health concern allegations recently reported in the media. The briefing will begin at 4 p.m. in the Development Engineering Building. The building is located on the north side of Brookpark Road."

When Work Makes You Sick at NASA

NASA Glenn union wants answers on workers' cancer rate, Cleveland Plain Dealer

"A union at NASA Glenn Research Center is worried about the number of workers who have been diagnosed with cancer, despite studies saying the rates are within normal range. Leaders of the Lewis Engineers and Scientists Association are asking several members of Congress to investigate the incidence of cancer. The disease has been diagnosed during the past three or four years in about 40 of the 100 workers on the Developmental Engineering Building's third floor, said Dennis Pehotsky, a spokesman for the association."

Leaving Michoud Folks in the Dark

NASA transition will cut 1,100 Michoud jobs, New Orleans City Business

Will the Ares and Orion projects replace all the jobs lost to the space shuttle phaseout? "We won't know the exact specifics to that until we get the actual contracts in place," Chapman said.

Michoud facing new, post-shuttle frontiers

Though other space manufacturing sites around the country have become accustomed to the inevitable shifts in work, this is the first time in more than three decades that there has been a change in civil space policy that affects the Michoud work force, said Sheila Cloud, the NASA administrator in charge of the transition at Michoud.

"I think they are extremely nervous," she said of the Michoud employees. "This work force is different from many, if not most, (NASA) work forces. They are totally unfamiliar with the process, and that heightens their concerns. We talked to them about what to expect, to best of our abilities."

Editor's note: Gee, Sheila, then instead of leaving them in the dark, how about clueing these people in, once and for all?

David Low Obituary

G. David Low, 52: Cerebral Astronaut Flew on 3 Shuttles, Washington Post

"G. David Low, 52, a NASA astronaut who served on three space shuttle missions before becoming a space industry executive, died March 15 of colon cancer at Reston Hospital Center. During his 12 years as an astronaut, he logged more than 714 hours in space while circling the Earth more than 540 times."

David Low Has Died

Editor's note: Astronaut David Low died on Saturday from colon cancer. A funeral mass will be held after Easter at Our Lady of Hope in Sterling, VA. Details to follow.

Editor's update: The Funeral Mass has been scheduled for 10:30 am, Monday, March 24, 2008, at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church, 46639 Algonkian Pkwy, Sterling, VA.

Sean O'Keefe Is Heading Back To Washington

Sean O'Keefe To Head GE Aviation's Washington D.C. Operations

"Effective June 2, Sean O'Keefe, 52, will head GE Aviation's Washington D.C. operations, replacing Dr. Thomas Cooper, who is retiring after serving in the role with distinction for 21 years."

I'll Bet You Did Not Know This

36% of scientists at NASA are Indians: Govt survey, The Times of India

"The extent to which desis have made an impact in the US was reeled off in the Rajya Sabha -- as many as 12% scientists and 38% doctors in the US are Indians, and in NASA, 36% or almost 4 out of 10 scientists are Indians."

Donald Lopez Has Died

National Air and Space Museum’s Deputy Director and Aviation Legend Donald Lopez Dies

"Donald S. Lopez, 84, deputy director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, died of a heart attack on March 3. Mr. Lopez had been with the Smithsonian Institution since 1972, when he became part of the team led by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins responsible for planning the construction and opening of the National Air and Space Museum."

Job Cuts Ahead

NASA Work Force Projections Previewed, Aerospace Daily

"Subcommittee Chairman Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) pressed Griffin on the issue of sustaining NASA's human spaceflight work force during the downtime between the shuttle's retirement and the introduction of the Orion and Ares I vehicles, projected for early 2015. "We don't want to go through what we went through after the shutdown of Apollo," Nelson said."

Senators clash with NASA chief on speed of space transition, Congress Daily

"Griffin also said the shutdown of the shuttle program is likely to lead to the loss of thousands of NASA jobs at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans."

HSPD-12 Update

NASA AFEU Memo on HSPD-12 Badging

"NASA is proceeding to implement Homeland Security Personnel Directive (HSPD-12) at all Centers, including Ames. Center management has determined that more than 20% of the employees at Ames are moderate or high sensitivity risk. AFEU contends that Ames management has over-classified a large number of employees, particularly given that GSFC and JPL have reported around 5% at moderate and high risk."

Robert Jastrow

Robert Jastrow, Who Made Space Understandable, Dies at 82, NY Times

"In an age when scientists tended to keep to their laboratories and lecture halls, Dr. Jastrow was a very public figure, a prolific author and commentator on a wide range of topics including the space program, astronomy, earth science and national security issues."

Remembering Gordon McKay

Planetary Exploration Newsletter Volume 2, Number 10 (February 10, 2008)

DR. GORDON MCKAY (1945-2008)

Dear Colleagues, It is with deep sadness that we write on behalf of the Science Mission Directorate to mourn the untimely passing and celebrate the life and career of Dr. Gordon McKay. Beginning his career as a Ph.D. student on the first lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo astronauts and ending it in a role of exceptional leadership at a NASA review panel, Gordon devoted his life to public service and the advancement of scientific knowledge. Gordon was someone who epitomized being a civil servant.

Gordon McKay

Editor's note: Gordon McKay died today in Maryland. He was in town for a NASA HQ proposal review. Details to follow.

HSPD-12 Update

JPL back to court in background check case, Valley Sun

"On Feb. 15 Jet Propulsion Laboratory employees will be back in district court concerning their lawsuit against NASA. Twenty-eight scientists and engineers at JPL filed the suit challenging NASA's requirement of background investigations that they contend are unconstitutional. The background checks were required in 2007 by NASA in accordance to a 2004 Bush administration directive. Background checks are required by all governmental offices due to this directive but each office can choose their own procedure, said Virginia Keeny, attorney for the JPL employees."

NASA ARC Internal Memo: New HSPD-12 Badges Are Starting to Arrive

"Ames has started receiving and issuing the new NASA HSPD-12 compliant badges for civil servants who have completed enrollment, and non-civil servants who have completed the required background investigation and the enrollment steps. These badges are being delivered to Ames in batches."

Job Cuts at NASA HQ

NASA Internal Memo: Reduction of Headquarters Ceilings

"NASA Headquarters (HQ) was notified in November 2007 of significant Full Time Equivalent (FTE) reductions for Fiscal Years (FY) 2008 through 2013. The FTE provided to HQ is the basis for establishing and managing HQ personnel ceilings. Headquarters Policy Directive 3330.1, Human Capital: Workforce Planning and Ceiling Control Management, dated November 26, 2006, sets forth the policy for assigning and managing total organizational ceilings (TOC) for each organization and HQ as an institution. Last fiscal year HQ ceilings were adjusted and a continuous effort is underway for planned reductions through FY 2013. However, the latest FTE reductions will require HQ to achieve these adjustments sooner than originally anticipated."

HSPD-12 Update

Was the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit too liberal in stopping NASA background checks? You decide, ComputerWorld

JPL scientists resist NASA's bargain-basement inquisition, LA Times via SJ Mercury News

"For the last four years, two robot rovers operated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been moving across the surface of Mars, taking photographs and collecting information. It's an epic event in the history of exploration, one of many for which JPL's 7,000 civilian scientists and engineers are responsible - when they're not fending off the U.S. government's attempts to conduct an intimidating and probably illegal inquisition into the intimate details of their lives."

Werner Dahm Has Died

Huntsville has lost another one of the original team of German rocket scientists, Huntsville Times

"Werner K. Dahm, an internationally recognized rocket pioneer whose work in Germany and the United States made important contributions to the nation's ballistic missile programs and its manned and unmanned rocket programs, died late Thursday afternoon in Huntsville at an assisted living center. He was 90 years old."

LSU Is Looking For A New Chancellor

Chancellor Sean O'Keefe Announces Resignation, LSU

"The university system leadership clearly has the authority and deserves the prerogative to empower those who can take the university to the next level and I wish them every success in that quest. It is evident to me that LSU needs a campus leader who enjoys the full confidence of the board and the president. I have no doubt they will be successful in that endeavor."

Editor's note: No folks, contrary to idle speculation, he most certainly was not fired.

HSPD-12 Update

Inquisition at JPL, opinion, LA Times

"NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, however, is one of the Bush administration's true believers, and his first reflex always is a crisp salute. He directed Caltech, which has a contract to run JPL for NASA, to make sure all of the lab's employees complied. The university initially resisted, then caved when NASA threatened to withdraw its contract. Worse, the government demanded that the scientists, in order to get the badges, fill out questionnaires on their personal lives and waive the privacy of their financial, medical and psychiatric records. The government also wanted permission to gather information about them by interviewing third parties."

HSPD-12 Update: Court Rules in Favor of JPL Employees

Federal court of appeals rules in favor of JPL employees in suit against Caltech and NASA over intrusive background investigations, HSPD-12.org

"Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in favor of the JPL employees who sued Caltech and NASA over intrusive background investigations. A lower court had dismissed the employee's claims and the employees won a temporary injunction from the ninth circuit court of appeals. Yesterday' the same lower court dismissed Caltech as a defendant in the case. Today's action by the court of appeals overules the lower court."

S.F. appeals court bars government's probes of NASA scientists, SF Chronicle

"After a hearing later Friday at which a federal judge in Los Angeles formally issued the injunction, Stormer said NASA had announced it would refrain from conducting the investigations of similar employees at any of its installations nationwide. NASA representatives were unavailable for comment."

Court Allows Scientists to Work at NASA Until Trial Over Background Checks, NY Times

"Michael Cabbage, a spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said, "NASA will, of course, comply with any rulings from the court of appeals."

HSPD-12 Update

District Court Hearing on Injunction Restricting Background Investigations of JPL Employees

"Background: The case evolves from a hearing last year in which employees of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sought injunctive relief against their employer Caltech and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in order to prevent intrusive personal background investigations. Caltech and NASA argued that these intrusions were required under Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12, an executive order signed by President George W. Bush. The JPL employees do no classified work."

LaRC Employees To Become Movie Stars

"The Box" Casting Call For NASA LaRC Employees

"Casting representatives are now accepting submissions from NASA Langley employees to appear as background actors for Richard Kelly's upcoming feature film, "The Box" starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden."

ESMD's Revolving Door - Update

Editor's note: Last month I submitted a series of questions to NASA ESMD PAO (see ESMD'S Revolving Door). After a delay of several weeks, I finally got a response which was some what lacking in detail. I was directed to approach NASA LaRC PAO since "NESC is an independent NASA entity and ESMD does not keep track of the duties of NESC employees."

I heard back from LaRC PAO today only a few days after asking my initial question.

According to NASA LaRC PAO, from a human resources perspective Scott Horowitz is an "appointed consultant". This classification is used "for positions that require only temporary or intermittent employment." As such Horowitz is exempted from certain regular government requirements such as the need to compete the position.

Horowitz is also designated as a "Special Government Employee" - a position wherein the employee performs temporary duties "for no more than 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days." As a Special Government Employee some but not all provision of the Ethics in Government Act reply. Additional restrictions are applicable if he works for more than 60 days.

Horowitz's pay check comes from the federal government and his employment is through the NESC.

Horowitz is participating as part of a mentor team for the MLAS (Launch Abort System). This team is composed of former Space Shuttle and Apollo engineers and astronauts. Their task is to produce an independent critique of the MLAS design.

The MLAS design was originally created by Mike Griffin and Scott Horowitz. In response to a direct question as to whether Scott Horowitz had been hired to work on a project that he created while he was Associate Administrator of ESMD, the answer was "yes".

Horowitz may work on other tasks at some point in the future including a readiness review in March.

A J Roy has died

"A.J." Roy Jr., longtime NASA employee, dies at 78, Houston Chronicle

"Arda Joseph "A.J." Roy Jr., who left North Dakota for the skies above Texas, devoting most of his career to NASA, died on Friday. He was 78. Born in Minot, N.D., Roy joined the U.S. Air Force shortly after graduating from St. John High School in St. John, N.D. He earned his pilot's wings in 1953 and left the Air Force three years later."

Dr. Robert E. Shurney

reader note: "Dr. Robert E. Shurney recently passed away in Huntsville, Alabama. Dr. Shurney, a retired Marshall Space Flight Center engineer, accomplished several major and significant tasks for NASA."

Dr. Shurney was the lead engineer for the tires used on the Lunar Rover Vehicle. When ordered to make them as light as possible, his innovative approach was to create an aluminum tire that had metal plates on the inside and a wire mesh on the outside. The design proved to be a complete success. Dr. Shurney also designed the Skylab waste control system which was the first successful equipment to make "going to the bathroom" somewhat normal in space.
He not only designed this space commode, he also tested it aboard the zero-G KC-135 to ensure it would work. His design was ultimately the basis for the WCS used aboard the Space Shuttle. Dr. Shurney was recently honored by an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute as one of the USA's foremost African-American space scientists. More information: http://stefscrib.blogspot.com/

HSPD-12 Update

Editor's note: I will be on Federal News Radio Tuesday morning between 7:00 - 7:15 am EST (just after the news) to talk about HSPD-12.

HSPD-12 Update

NASA will check backgrounds despite criticism, Government Executive

"Keith Cowing, editor of NASAWatch.com and a former NASA scientist, agreed. "This may come back to bite NASA in the very near future when it realizes that it needs some of the very people it is now imposing strict background requirements upon." Implementing the policy government-wide could actually be detrimental to homeland security because of the resulting "mix of unfilled positions at federal agencies -- positions that are vital to our nation's economy and security," he said."

Remembering a Runner

Dedication of the Willie McCool Memorial Marker at the United States Naval Academy, David Schuman, SpaceRef

"Amidst the regular burden of work, some may appreciate this short description of an emotional ceremony I attended this past Sunday at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was not widely reported in the media but held a very special significance for NASA employees, in particular for those who happen to be runners. I'm a runner and, while there have been many times when I've been tempted to break down on a racecourse, this was a special time."

HSPD-12 Update

Judges hear arguments on JPL checks, Pasadena Star News

"JPL employees returned to court Wednesday as a panel of three federal judges heard arguments about extending a temporary injunction against NASA's new employee background checks. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges posed sharp questions to the government lawyer about the necessity of the background checks, which include questions about drug use and drug treatment, as well as an open-ended waiver releasing personal information."

Honoring Gene Kranz

NASA Honors Legendary Flight Director Gene Kranz

"NASA will honor Eugene Francis "Gene" Kranz with the presentation of an Ambassador of Exploration Award for his involvement in the U.S. space program. Kranz will receive the award during a ceremony at 2 p.m. CST on Dec. 6 at the Central Catholic High School."

HSPD-12 Update

Appeals Court Hearing on Injunction Restricting Background Investigations of JPL Employees

"Attorneys and Plaintiffs will be available for media interviews following the hearing A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments Dec. 5, 2007, on an injunction pending appeal in the case of 28 Caltech employees at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who filed suit to prevent unreasonable personal background checks. The JPL employees -- all of whom work on non-classified space exploration projects -- sued NASA, the Department of Commerce, and their employer, Caltech, to prevent intrusive, open-ended background investigations imposed by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin in support of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. The background investigations were associated with issuing new identification cards to employees in order for them to access the JPL facility. HSPD12 mandates new identification documents but does not mention background investigations. None of the plaintiffs have security clearances."

Management Changes at GSFC

NASA GSFC Internal Memo From Ed Weiler: Management Announcements

"A couple of weeks ago, I sent out a Center-wide message announcing that with the pending retirement of Dolly Perkins at the end of the year, Laurie Leshin will be taking on a new role at Goddard as the Deputy Center Director for Science and Technology. Today, I'd like to announce the appointment of Dr. Bernard Seery to a new post in Code 100 as the Assistant Director for Advanced Concepts. I am also pleased to announce that Dr. Peter Hildebrand, Chief, Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, will succeed Bernie as the new Deputy Director for the Sciences and Exploration Directorate."

HSPD-12 Enforcement at GRC

NASA GRC Internal Memo: HSPD-12 Enforcement

"If you are receiving this email, you have been identified as a supervisor of an employee who has failed to comply with a Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 requirement and deadline regarding a background re-investigation. This re-investigation is necessary before a new HSPD 12 compliant NASA badge can be issued. Without the new NASA badge, the employee will be unable to gain access to NASA facilities and Information Systems."

GSFC Buyout Update

NASA Internal Memo: Goddard's Buyout/Early Out Incentive Plan

"As you are aware, NASA is in the process of a major transformation designed to realign the Agency and implement the Vision for Space Exploration. To achieve this vision, NASA faces many challenges including re-shaping the NASA workforce to successfully meet changing mission requirements. In order to refocus the skill mix of our workforce to become more effectively aligned with current and anticipated funded work requirements, each Directorate has evaluated its workforce requirements and has identified eligible categories of positions that may be experiencing either a workforce surplus or that may be impacted by a possible reduction in work requirements and/or reduced funding in the immediate or near future."

New JSC HSPD-12 website

Editor's note: A new JSC HSPD-12 website is online here.

HSPD-12 Update

Appeals court stops some NASA HSPD-12 background checks, FCW.COM

"As project scientist for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, William Banerdt is one of the top scientists at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he has worked for 24 years. He's also a plaintiff with 27 of his JPL colleagues in a lawsuit against NASA, which has underwritten the lab since 1959 through a contract with Caltech. In their lawsuit, Banerdt and the other JPL scientists say background Investigations required under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 violate their constitutional right to privacy."

Theron Bradley

Editor's note: Theron Bradley died today from brain cancer.

JPL HSPD-12 Activity Has Ripple Effect Across NASA

NASA JSC Special Notice HSPD-12 Deadline Has Now Been Extended to the New Calendar Year

"The following message is a correction to a JSC Special Notice regarding Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12 rebadging. The deadline for rebadging all employees has slipped for the entire agency due to issues with the new badge. JSC Security will continue the rebadging process into the next calendar year, and will continue to accept current NASA badges until the rebadging process is complete."

GSFC Contractor Shuts Doors, Stiffs Employees

Workers Without Pay After Government Contractor Goes Bankrupt, Fox 5

"More than two dozen workers are without jobs and paychecks after the government contractors that employed them [Information Network Inc. at NASA GSFC] filed for bankruptcy."

HSPD-12 Update

Injunction in NASA-JPL background checks extended, AP

"A federal appeals court on Thursday extended an injunction sought by more than two dozen workers at NASA's premier robotic exploration lab who claim a Bush administration directive requiring background checks invaded their privacy. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week issued an order that enjoined NASA through Thursday after a lower court sided with the government. The new order means the injunction remain in place during the appeal process. A hearing was scheduled for December."

Text of Court Order (PDF)

HSPD-12 Opponents Get Some Good News (Again)

Ninth Circuit Issues Injunction Against NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Unconstitutional Requirement of Invasive Background Investigations

"Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals entered an emergency injunction against the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Court ruled that NASA could not require Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers holding non-sensitive positions to sign waivers of their privacy rights. If the Court had not issued this injunction, thousands of scientists would have had to choose between waiving their privacy rights and keeping their jobs."

NASA JPL Internal Email: Subject: HSPD-12 Temporary Injunction

"Shortly after 4:00 pm today, the Ninth Circuit granted JPL employees a temporary injunction until October 12, 2007 or further order of the court. What this means is that any employee who has not submitted a questionnaire for a non-sensitive position, including the authorization forms for release of information, is not required to do so until October 12, 2007 or further Order of the Ninth Circuit."

Court Ruling, PDF

Anti-HSPD-12 Opponents Get Some Bad News

Judge Rejects Background Checks Claim, AP

"A federal judge denied a request Wednesday by more than two dozen workers at one of NASA's research labs to block a Bush administration directive requiring background checks and access to personal information."

JPL Employees to Appeal Negative Ruling by Judge

"Hundreds of JPL employees have taken issue with the background checks. In addition to the 28 plaintiffs, more than 200 employees have signed an on-line statement stating that they completed the questionnaire under duress in order to keep their jobs. Many others are yet to comply with NASA's requirements. As pointed out by Caltech attorney Mark Holscher in court Monday, only 4100 out of 7500 JPL employees and contractors have initiated the required paperwork."

GSFC Lags in NASA Culture Survey Response

NASA GSFC Internal Memo: 2007 NASA Culture Survey Response Rate

"The survey has been open for 3 weeks and according to the current statistics, we are the lowest responding Center at only 9.64%. I encourage you to respond to the NASA Culture Survey and provide open and honest feedback regarding your perceptions with respect to management credibility, upward communication and organizational support."

Herman Lee Patterson, Jr.

Herman Lee Patterson, Jr., (Pat) died peacefully Saturday, September 29th after a lengthy hospital stay in Bristol, TN. Pat grew up in Lynchburg, VA. He served the United States Air Force and was stationed in Seoul, Korea. Pat worked for Wackenhut Services Incorporated 40+ years in many capacities and was their longest serving employee. He spent 20 years at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida where he rose through the ranks from a security officer to the Chief of Security

Anti-HSPD-12 Opponents Get Some Help

Judge to bar NASA background checks on drugs for time being, AP

"A federal judge said he planned to temporarily bar NASA from asking workers at one of its research centers during background checks whether they had ever used drugs. The drug use question was only a small part of a lawsuit filed by 28 scientists, engineers and staff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena who claimed the new security measures invaded their privacy. They include senior scientists and engineers on high-profile missions including the Galileo probe to Jupiter and the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn. U.S. District Court Judge Otis Wright said Monday he wanted to balance workers' rights with national security."

Media Advisory JPL Employees vs Caltech, NASA and Department of Commerce Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12

Earlier stories

Help Define a diversity awareness baseline

NASA ARC Internal Memo: Diversity Assessment Survey

"Ames Research Center has contracted with Westat to develop a Diversity Assessment Survey for civil service staff as part of the Ames Diversity Implementation Plan effort. You will receive subsequent e-mail transmission from Westat to begin the survey process. The purpose of this survey is to assess the current state of diversity awareness at Ames. The survey results will be used to define a diversity awareness baseline for Ames Research Center and to design future activities for the continuing enhancement of Ames' diversity. This Web-based survey will be administered by Westat in the mid-October time frame; individual submissions by Ames participants will be kept strictly confidential by the external administering party."

Another Employee Survey

2007 NASA Culture Survey

Editor's note: Two comments about the attached survey. There is no question number 34. This appears to be an error in the numbering of the survey questions. The survey is adaptive i.e. an answer to a given question may generate differing successor questions. For example, identifying oneself as a line employee, supervisor, or manager will cause different successor questions to be posed to the interviewee. The images that are attached assume that the employee is a line employee. None of the buttons or links work. These are just images taken from the actual survey package online internally at NASA.

You may also find the following surveys taken more than a decde ago to be of comparative interest:

1996 NASA Agencywide Employee & Customer Satisfaction Survey Results

1996 NASA Employee & Customer Satisfaction Survey Results (NASA HQ)

JPL HSPD 12 lawsuit Update

NASA researchers balk at background checks, Government Executive

"Several lawmakers have voiced displeasure to senior Bush administration officials about a new policy on background checks that has prompted nearly 30 scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to sue NASA. The employees, all of whom work for the California Institute of Technology, risk losing their jobs if they fail to comply with the investigations."

Griffin at IV&V

Editor's note: Mike Griffin spoke at IV&V today wherein he addressed dwindling research activities at NASA and how that may affect job security. Anyone who was at the speech is welcome to send in your notes/quotes on exactly what Griffin said. Send them to nasawatch@reston.com

Reader note: "Mike flew his own private plane out to Fairmont this morning. Bryan O'Connor also visited. After touring the facility (including a Shuttle landing simulator--where Mike safely landed on first try), there was QnA all-hands, not "a speech". I don't recall any mention of "dwindling research", but mostly how thinking about safety verification and validation, hardware or software, needs to be upfront in the design process for new systems as opposed to acting later in the "safe/unsafe umpire" way of doing business. Oh, also I don't recall anything about "job security" except for working through issues of uncovered capacity over the past 2 years and assigning space exploration work to previously "aero" centers. Some discussion of 10 healthy centers."

JPL Employees File Suit Over HSPD12

JPL Employees File Suit to End Background Investigations

"Twenty-eight senior scientists and engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL is a part of Caltech) have filed suit today in United States District Court for the Central District of California against NASA, the Department of Commerce and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on behalf of a class of JPL employees who are being required to waive their privacy rights and submit to an unconstitutional intrusive background investigation in order to retain their jobs with JPL."

NASA Scientists Challenge Security Rules, The Nation

"Griffin came to JPL in June and told us this security decision was 'a direct result of 9/11,'" says Dennis Byrnes, chief engineer for flight dynamics at JPL and a thirty-year veteran of the lab. "But that was a lie. Other federal research labs aren't being required to go through this. Besides, if they're worried about terrorists, they should be checking all the UPS trucks that drive in here, not the scientists who have worked here for decades!"

Jerry Hammack

Jerry Hammack helped designed vehicles for space program, Obiturary, Houston Chronicle

"Jerome "Jerry" Hammack, an aeronautical engineer and member of the team that founded what is now the Johnson Space Center, died Monday of cancer. He was 85. Hammack also was associated with the design of the space capsule used in Project Mercury, NASA's first manned space program. He later had similar duties in the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and shuttle projects."

Today's Ask the Administrator Question

From: Konstantin Penanen (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Date: 17-Aug-2007

Question(s): Mike, During your recent all-hands meeting at JPL a number of employees raised their concerns about the implementation of HSPD-12 and the resulting intrusive investigations. While you expressed your own basic comfort with the directive, you emphasized that the process is government-wide and your hands were tied.

We at JPL have the privilege of hosting a number of students and postdocs conducting long-term research projects. The Lab also has the privilege of hiring many highly-qualified, creative, and often nonconformist individuals. Some of these, as well as some of the current employees will make a career choice which will spare them repeated, intrusive background checks that include interrogations of friends and neighbors, credit checks and in some cases medical and financial history search. As you may have recently learned, the Department of Energy interprets HSPD-12 not to cover contractor employees without secret clearances at DOE National Labs (Deputy Secretary of Energy Clay Sell memorandum, October 13, 2005). Employees at FermiLab, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and other FFRDCs will be issued site-local badge and no additional background investigations will be forced on them. Would you be satisfied with a similar approach for JPL, NASA's only FFRDC, if asked by JPL and Caltech leadership? Thanks for your answer.

Response: I cannot speak about the actions of other agencies regarding HSPD-12. OMB has approved and is overseeing NASA's implementation of HSPD-12 and NASA is doing what it needs to do to be compliant. I will not make an exception to our previously announced position regarding HSPD-12 implementation for JPL, its students, post-docs, or on-site contractors, nor for on-site contractors at other Centers, who - as it turns out - are equally "highly qualified" and "creative".

Reader note : Keith: Re: Ask the Administrator; JPL HSPD-12

I can't find any reference to DoE's 2005 exception for FFRDCs to not comply with HSPD-12. To the contrary, I find these websites which seem to indicate that their policy is the same as NASA's policy. Both of which are trying to comply with the federal mandate which makes no exceptions for "uncleared" personnel or FFRDCs.

http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/206/n2064.pdf

http://www.oakridge.doe.gov/external/Programs/SupportingActivities/SecurityandEmergencyManagement/OROHSPD12Initiative/tabid/207/Default.aspx

Reader note : The memo is linked at

http://www.lbl.gov/CIO/PIV/

(see the link to the memo, http://www.lbl.gov/CIO/PIV/sellmemo.jpg )

The link you found appears to be old, posted before the memo. It refers to N206.2, which was issued in Sep. 05 and expired in 06. The new notices, superseding N206.2 are N206.3 and the current version N 206.4 http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/206/n2064.html

N206.4 states:

APPLICABILITY.

a. All Departmental Elements. Except for the exclusion in paragraph 3c, this Notice applies to the badging of all DOE Federal employees, all contractor employees with an L or Q access authorization, uncleared contractor employees servicing the DOE Headquarters complex and applicants for employment in the populations described above within all Departmental elements who require a DOE security badge.

Oak Ridge newsletter, http://www.ornl.gov/info/reporter/no72/nov05_dw.htm (scroll down) from Nov. 2005 says:

DOE has scaled back many of the require ments of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, giving the order much less impact on the Lab than earlier thought (see Reporter No. 71). Per an Oct. 13 memo from DOE Headquarters, uncleared contractor employees will no longer be subject to a Personal Identity Verification process. Only Q- and L-cleared contractor staff, who have already undergone much of that process, will be required to comply with the PIV order.

It appears that HSPD-12 implementation stopped abruptly after the memo, and at many sites the old information remained orphaned.

Charles Force Has Died

NASA Mourns the Loss of Charles T. Force

"NASA notes with sadness the passing last week of Charles T. Force, former associate administrator for the agency's Office of Space Communications. Force left NASA in May 1996 after an aerospace career that spanned more than four decades. He joined NASA in 1965 as director of the Guam tracking station used to support the Apollo lunar landings. He would later go on to help develop, construct and employ NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, known as TDRSS."

Gilbrech To Head ESMD, Cabana To Head Stennis

NASA Administrator Announces Senior Leadership Appointments

"On Friday, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin named Richard J. Gilbrech as associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, the NASA division designing the next generation of spacecraft to return astronauts to the moon and eventually journey to Mars. Gilbrech currently serves as the director of NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Griffin also named Robert D. Cabana, deputy director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, to replace Gilbrech as center director at Stennis."

Workforce Issues at NASA

NASA: Progress Made on Strategic Human Capital Management, but Future Program Challenges Remain, GAO

"NASA recognizes that critical skills now present in the civil service and contractor Space Shuttle workforce are needed to complete present and future mission objectives, but also understands that additional capability will also be needed in certain areas. Given this, NASA is looking ahead and considering how best to mitigate any potential loss of skills and knowledge that could take place in the period between the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2010 and the resumption of human space flight in 2015."

Machinists Union to Testify Before House Science and Technology Committee on NASA Workplace Issues, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

"We welcome the opportunity to testify about the serious issues faced by workers at NASA's facility at Cape Canaveral," said Johnny Walker, District 166 Directing Business Representative who will be testifying for the IAM. The IAM represents more than 2,000 workers at NASA facilities at Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center."

Boeing and IAMAW Local Lodge 1163 Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement

"The Boeing Company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Local Lodge 1163 have reached a new three-year collective bargaining agreement that affects 92 employees of the Checkout, Assembly and Payload Processing Services (CAPPS) program at Kennedy Space Center, Fla."

HSPD-12 Concerns at JPL Are Growing

Editor's note: The HSPD-12 issue has not gone away at JPL. Quite the contrary - people are more alarmed than ever. For further information on the JPL rebadging issue check out this website: http://www.editthis.info/jpl_rebadging/Main_Page and this one: http://www.hspd12jpl.org

Video of employees protesting HSPD-12 outside JPL and handing out flyers as other employees arrive at work.

You can also join a Yahoo group devoted to this issue.

Reader note: You might be interested to know that things are heating up at JPL around the implementation of HSPD-12. At this point in the process, virtually all employees have been assigned a 10-day window to submit the forms authorizing an unlimited background check, but according to the official JPL HSPD-12 web site there has been only about 50% compliance. The actual number quoted on the site are (note that there are approximately 6000 employees, and that the second category below is a subset of the first):

Individuals initiated for SF85/SF85P and Reviewed by JPL's OPS: 3141
Individual's Data Collected and Submitted to OPM: 2319
New ID Badges Issued: 0
Data from 8/2/07

(Interesting side story: The official site http://hspd12.jpl.nasa.gov has been cleared for external release to the public, and it was available to the public until mid-July 2007. NASA has now directed JPL to make it available only internally at JPL and one is redirected to the NASA site if accessed outside JPL.)

The following question and answer appears in the FAQ section of the official JPL HSPD12 web site (italics and underlining are from the original):

What happens if I don't complete my application within the 10-day time frame?

Due to the large number of applicants still to be processed, the Office of Protective Services will monitor the OPM initiation backlog list and you may be notified with the following email notification:

At this time you must submit a request to the JPL Office of Protective Services to reopen your account with OPM. In fairness to the employees who have not yet been initiated but who will be scheduled to do so in the coming weeks, your request will be put in a queue behind them. If you delay in submitting your request, we want to inform you there is a strong likelihood you may not get through the process before the October 27, 2007 due date, and you would be placed on an unpaid leave of absence. Please do not delay any longer.

If you do not submit a request within the next 15 days, you will not be able to do so before October 27, 2007 and JPL therefore will assume you intend to resign effective October 27, 2007 and begin to process your paperwork accordingly.

I don't know whether anyone has received such an email yet, but I have worked at JPL for over 30 years, and I have never been threatened with being fired (or being voluntarily resigned) in all that time.

You can check out what the resistance to this process has to say at http://www.hspd12jpl.org

Christopher Scolese is named as new NASA Associate Administrator

Scolese to Succeed Geveden as NASA Associate Administrator, NASA

"NASA Associate Administrator Rex Geveden announced Wednesday that he will leave the agency at the end of July to join Teledyne Technologies as the president of Teledyne Brown Engineering, Huntsville, Ala. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has selected Christopher Scolese to succeed Geveden as associate administrator, the No. 3 position in the agency."

Griffin's Gentle Approach

NASA Lab Workers Decry New Security Checks, Science (subscription)

"If you do not want to surrender the information to allow your background to be checked ... then you cannot work within the federal system," Griffin told JPL employees during a 4 June visit. That message hasn't gone down well among some JPL employees. "Signing this form amounts to inviting the government to go on an open fishing expedition," says planetary scientist Robert Nelson."

Griffin Starts Echoing OneNASA Concepts

NASA Strategic Management Council 22 May 2007: Available for New Work (AFNW) Status Report

"Griffin remained firm that JSC will not grow to meet excess demand. He noted that he has been clear in his direction to the mission directorates, but that it is clear from the continuing problem that mission directorates and program and project managers are not working to achieve the same goals. Griffin related his previous experience managing military development programs that were dispersed across dozens of organizations across the country before the days of the high-speed internet. He reported that military space projects got done, with no higher failure rate than at NASA. He directed members to tell program managers they have no choice--four or five centers are not going to go out of business enabling a couple of centers to limit work to their own centers and contractors. Griffin praised SMD Associate Administrator Alan Stern for determining to assign future work to the JPL rather than competing it in order to maintain workforce at the laboratory."

Personnel Changes at HQ

Editor's note: Bobby German has been named Deputy Chief Information Officer at NASA HQ. Also, William Bruner has been named Acting Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs.

ARC Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Incident

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Incident

"On Monday, June 11, 2007, a contractor employee accidentally sent an email to 39 recipients at Ames with an attachment containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) for 426 other Ames contractor employees. The affected employees work for seven organizations under contract to NASA Ames. The companies are: QSS, Tessada, EASI, Eloret, Foothill Community College District, Weigel and Oak Ridge Associated Universities."

Deleted

Agency-wide NASA Update on Tuesday

NASA Update with the Administrator and Deputy Administrator

"Administrator Michael Griffin and Deputy Administrator Shana Dale will host a NASA Update tomorrow at 1 p.m. EDT in the Headquarters auditorium. The program will be broadcast live on NASA TV and will be available on the Internet. During the program, employees will be able to ask questions from Headquarters and participating centers. Employees may also e-mail questions in advance to: nasaupdate@hq.nasa.gov"

Security Issues At JPL

NASA contractors raise concerns about looming security checks, AP

"Several aired their frustration to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on Monday during an hour-long, all-hands meeting at the lab that was closed to the public and media. Griffin apologized to those who found the new system intrusive but said that it was a "privilege to work within the federal system, not a right" and that he would carry out the order unless it was overturned in court, according to a video of the meeting obtained by The Associated Press. Griffin said he had no qualms about giving up personal information. "I'm sorry if it sounds to you that I've surrendered to the dark side. I don't see it that way," he said."

- NASA JPL HSPD-12 Meeting Ends Abruptly, earlier post
- JPL Employee Concerns About Background Checks, earlier post
- Letter from Rep. Rush Holt to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez Regarding Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12, earlier post
- Internal NASA JPL Memo Regarding Privacy Issues Associated with the Implementation of HSPD#12

NASA JPL HSPD-12 Meeting Ends Abruptly

Reader note: "Today we (JPL folks) learned that Rep. Rush Holt has taken up our cause and has asked the Secretary of Commerce to explain why so much personal information is needed for the new HSPD-12 badging process. Text is here.

In addition, I attended today's standing-room-only meeting to discuss the new badging process to JPL'ers and the presenters refused to discuss several key issues regarding how the data is to be handled, who has access to the data, and why the release form allows investigators access to *any* records including financial and medical. It was made very clear to the employees that if we didn't "voluntarily" give them the information they seek, that we wouldn't have a job come October 29th."

"The highlight of the meeting came when someone pointed out that most of us would be commiting perjury if we signed a release stating that we gave the information voluntarily. Randy Aden, JPL security chief, directed his staff member not to addesss the question and the meeting ended abruptly."

Fred Wilshusen Has Died

Fred Wilshusen, Rocket Pioneer, dies at age 84, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

"Fred Wilshusen, rocket pioneer, died May 15, 2007, at the age of 84. Born in 1925 in Boulder, Colorado, Fred served in the Navy as a radar technician, patrolling the pacific coast for Japanese submarines in torpedo bombers, during WWII. After the war, he earned his Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He joined the fledging Upper Air Laboratory at CU as a graduate student in 1956. ... Tell us your story about Fred in the LASP blog."

NASA Workforce Hearing Update

Subcommittee Focuses on Ensuring the Health and Vitality of NASA's Current and Future Workforce, House Science and Technology Committee

"The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today examined a range of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) workforce issues identified by the recently released reports of two independent review panels. The Subcommittee's work is aimed at ensuring the health and vitality of the NASA workforce in the 21st century."

- Opening Statement By Chairman Mark Udall
- Statement by Lee Stone
- Statement by David C. Black
- Statement by John G. Stewart
- Statement by Toni Dawsey

NASA Workforce Hearing

Witnesses Say That NASA Workforce Must Be Ready for Future Challenges, House Science and Technology Committee

"Dr. David Black, co-chair of the Committee on Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration at the National Research Council, summed up the current workforce challenge, saying, "NASA has too few program and project managers and systems engineers with the requisite experience in human spaceflight systems development to successfully oversee Vision for Space Exploration projects."

 Lee Stone testifies before Congress, Ames Federal Employees Union

"As many of you have heard, our own VP of Legislative Affairs, Dr. Leland Stone, testified before the Subcommittee for Space & Aeronautics, a House subcommittee of the Space & Technology Committee. The hearing subject was, "Building and Maintaining a Healthy and Strong NASA Workforce". Lee represented IFPTE employees at NASA before the subcommittee and provided written testimony to the subcommittee. This is the second time he has testified before this subcommittee."

Audio of the hearing.
Lee's written testimony.

Dumbacher To Head MSFC Engineering Directorate

NASA MSFC internal Memo: Key Personnel Announcement: Daniel L. Dumbacher

"I am pleased to announce the selection of Mr. Daniel L. Dumbacher to the position of Director, Engineering Directorate, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Alabama.  Mr. Dumbacher replaces Mr. Michael U. Rudolphi who retired in March 2007."

Robert Lightfoot Is New Deputy CD at MSFC

Robert Lightfoot Named Deputy Director of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

"David King, director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., today named Robert Lightfoot as the new deputy director of the center. Lightfoot replaces Charles Chitwood who has accepted a position in private industry. Since October 2005, Lightfoot has served as director of the Shuttle Propulsion Office, where he is responsible for the manufacture, assembly and operation of the primary Shuttle propulsion elements."

JPL Employee Concerns About Background Checks

NASA employees object to data-gathering actions, Government Executive

"Lawmakers are investigating accusations that federal agencies are violating civil liberties in enforcing a presidential security directive that requires workers and contractors to undergo background checks in order to enter government buildings and computer systems. On April 26, a bipartisan group of scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Jet Propulsion Laboratory wrote a letter to Reps. Rush Holt, D-N.J., and Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich. The scientists urged an end to the policy of gathering extensive personal information, including racial, ethnic, financial and medical details as part of the new security protocol."

Internal NASA JPL Memo Regarding Privacy Issues Associated with the Implementation of HSPD#12

"We are being asked to sign blanket waivers that permit investigators to intrude into our personal financial and medical records. The information that we are being asked to supply is very similar to the information requested for a full security clearance. The support documents provided to us by NASA associated with the HSPD #12 implementation contain numerous errors or falsehoods. We are all aware that falsification of federal documents is a crime so one might charitably assume that these mistakes are due to incompetence rather than outright deceit. Nevertheless, it raises serious concern regarding the confidence that should be placed in the security of our personal information once it is placed in the hands of such incompetent individuals as those within NASA who are forcing these documents upon us."

NASA Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12 (HSPD-12)

"I am an employee of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and reside in Sierra Madre so I am doubly a constituent of yours. I am quite concerned with the implementation of HSPD-12 by JPL/Caltech under direction of NASA. To wit: I believe it to be an unwarranted intrusion into my personal life and an unconstitutional violation of my civil rights."

Comments? Send them to nasawatch@reston.com Your comments thus far:

I am complying with the request and submitting the paperwork required for the background check. However, I am wondering if some of my information will be acceptable.

I have moved 3 times in the last 7 years. In the area where you list your previous addresses, you are asked to list someone "who knew you well at that address and who preferably still lives in the area." I never got to know my neighbors.I listed friends who live several miles away but visited me at the address.

I can not help but wonder what the government will do with this bit of information.

Hi Keith,

Some comments on the rebadging process from a contractor at GSFC, because I think the views expressed so far have been somewhat specific to JPL... Please DO NOT use my name or email address because it's usually not good for a contractor to make noise.

Like most of the others that have sent comments, I am not pleased at the prospect of an invasive background check to keep my job at NASA. However, I do understand the rationale for the background checks and would, in principle, comply without complaint provided a reasonable level of sanity and courtesy were extended by NASA management to those of us going through the process at GSFC. In fact, Goddard management has very clearly given the rebadging process insufficient thought, and exacerbated the matter by extending little or no consideration (or courtesy) to employees. Some examples follow.

Prior to undergoing a background check, each employee is supposed to be assigned a "risk designation". There is a standard procedure for this, namely completing a "NASA Position Designation Record" (form NF1722), which takes into consideration different levels of access to NASA computers and financial records, etc., in scoring each individual. Although the form is more confusing than it need be, it is clear that most Goddard employees would be assigned a risk level of "low". The background investigation for a low risk position requires the completion of an "SF85" form to collect personal information needed for the investigation. I suspect that most people (myself included) would be annoyed but not excessively troubled by the requisite encroachment of privacy in completing the SF85, and would comply with at most minor griping.

Unfortunately, for reasons that are not entirely clear, Goddard management instead decided to summarily raise the risk designation for all 5,000+ contractor employees having a badge (even those of us off-site) to a minimum of "public trust and/or sensitive position", in lieu of the standard risk designation process. This higher risk level requires a more invasive background investigation (form "SF85P") which, depending on the information gathered during the initial investigation, may then require one to provide signed releases for additional financial and medical information. This implicit reclassification did nothing to instill trust in management. The perception among many employees is that those civil servants in charge of the rebadging process are 1) lazy, 2) have no concern for employee privacy, and 3) are possibly doing something illegal.

Until several weeks ago, Goddard management had improperly (and, again, possibly illegally) required all employees to sign the financial and medical information releases in advance. This further eroded trust in management, because it demonstrated that those directing the rebadging process were at least ill-informed, and possibly incompetent. Personally, I find the implications of this blunder somewhat disturbing: The financial and medical releases never expire, hence our government can, at any time in the future, legally demand financial and medical information about those individuals forced to sign the releases in advance. We have been told that there is no way to "take back" the releases since they have been electronically sent to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Couple these events with the normal levels of anxiety over the background investigations, numerous unresolved issues with the forthcoming smart cards, legitimate concerns over the loss or theft of our detailed personal information, and concerns over the impact of the enormous cost of the rebadging process (while we simultaneously lay off cleaning staff, telephone operators, and library staff) and I think it's understandable why some of us are, in the words of an earlier post, "crybabies" about this matter.

I really have to wonder why I have to go through an extensive background check to perform the same unclassified (and non-sensitive) job that I have had for 30+ years. Also, I am very worried about identity theft. The Transportation Safety Administration, part of the Department of Homeland Security, admitted last Friday to losing a hard disk with 100,000 employee records. If Homeland Security can't protect it's own records, what hope is there for NASA doing so, or whoever NASA turns the records over to? Will NASA insure us against any losses due to identity theft? I'm nearing retirement and I wonder if it's worth it to risk my life savings, rather than retire now and not go through this onerous process.

"Whaaaaaaaaa!  I've got to fill out a form asking for personal information!  I don't like it.  Whaaaa!"

So go the NASA crybabies.  Life's tough.  Get over it.

But that's not the point, is it?  The real issue is this: "What is NASA or the DHS going to do with this mountain of information??"

Are we going to see massive armies of government bureaucrats swarming across the country conducting background interviews on the shadier characters??

Will there be more budget cuts to NASA science programs to fund this "security theatre" DHS show??

And most importantly, what's the final scenario in this fire drill??  Is anyone going to be terminated because of the information gathered on them??  Can you say BIG LAWSUIT TIME??

Would someone point out to the NASA Civil Servant that JPLer are NOT Civil Servants?  JPL is a contractor-run facility.  I also work for a NASA contractor (Lockheed Martin), 100% of my salary comes from taxpayer dollars - but  I was never subjected to a 3 hour form until I applied for a security clearance.  So, will Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin, etc. be next on the list of contractors who must spend their overhead dollars for employees to fill out forms (yeah, that will raise the overhead rates!!)?  Seems unfair to single out one contractor.

Keith, Wow-JPL employees (can someone remind them their salaries come from tax payer dollars) have been working on highly sensitive projects (not classified) for years without having adequate background checks. Sounds like a great idea, huh? Now they have to go through the exact same background checks as their civil servant peers (many of whom aren't working on projects that are as sensitive). Sounds like California to me.

-A NASA Civil Servant who has been fingerprinted, disclosed his finances, and agreed to a background check.

I have the form sitting on my desktop but hav