Stealthy Changes to NASA Advisory Council
Keith’s note: More than two months ago I posted news that NASA Advisory Council chair Steve Squyres had sent an email to the NAC and to NASA resigning as chair of the NAC. NASA never publicly announced Squyres’ departure, never publicly thanked him for his service, etc. How creepy is that?. Now we quietly find out that Ken Bowersox is the “interim chair” of the NAC. Again, no public announcement from NASA. Who cares, I guess.
There is a meeting planned for next week 28-29 July in Cleveland. Charlie Bolden is on constant travel – often international – doing a victory lap/farewell tour – with Dava Newman doing much the same (other than photo ops that’s all she has ever really done at NASA). As such, one has to ask what value-added the NAC has these days since there is no one home on the 9th floor at NASA HQ to pay attention to the NAC.
NASA Advisory Council Chair Steve Squyres Resigns, earlier post
Wow
Yep, Charlie can put any NBA player to shame with his extensive, nearly perpetual, “farewell Tour”. Way to WASTE Taxpayer dollars
Maybe.
Every business knows the value of ‘good will’; it’s a bookable number, carefully tended.
And international travel isn’t one long vacation (although I have no idea if the General travels commercial or uses a NASA jet). It’s tedious, it’s away from the family, and it’s disruptive. Sure, he can see the Pyramids (or whatever), but still. It is tiresome as hell.
And this: guys like General Bolden make much less in governmental service than they could otherwise. Yes, he may or may not land a better job next year; but nonetheless, to the extent that travel represents a perk, it partly adds to his compensation.
General Bolden is head of a $19 Billion dollar enterprise and should probably be compared to similar CEOs; the fact that he’s a public servant doesn’t change the assessment criteria.
On balance, though, he hasn’t done a very good job, so there’s that.
Hmmm…. you could believe that narrative, of the tireless warrior making all sorts of sacrifices for the Agency, it sound like something PAO would put out or………… perhaps he likes to travel as is rumored. Did Griffin travel a lot overseas?