NASA Internal Memo From J. Victor Lebacqz Regarding Aeronautics Personnel Changes
From: Lebacqz, J. Victor (HQ-EA000)
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 11:40 AM
To: Bridges, Roy D. (LARC-A); Earls, Julian M. (GRC-A000); and a long list of others@nasa.gov
Subject: Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Research
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you know, yesterday 3 of the 4 Mission Directorate Associate Administrators made known formally that they were leaving their positions within NASA. According to the rumor mills, about 25 SES at HQ have been given notification of directed reassignments.
Yesterday I learned that, because of the respect the new people have for all of you as we have been dealing with issues and trying to accomplish new beginnings in Aeronautics, I was not given a directed reassignment. Nonetheless, the Administrator does want to bring in a complete new management team, and that includes Associate Administrator for Aeronautics. It was emphasized to me that this is not in the same category as the directed reassignments. The A suite intends that the transition will be handled carefully and in as transparent a way as possible, and they are committed to working closely with me to ensure this over the next several months. I am also assured that I will not be treated as lame duck but as a fully engaged AA, and I certainly intend to operate that way as we continue to work hard to turn around the situation in NASA aeronautics.
I expect this transition period to be on the order of several months, after which I shall move on to other challenges, either within the Agency or elsewhere.
I wish you all to know the following. I will have worked for NASA 27 years this August. I have held researcher, Branch Chief, Division Chief, Program Director, Deputy Org Director, Associate Center Director, and Deputy Associate Administrator positions during that time, ending with this job as Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Research. Of them all, as a few of you have heard me say privately, this is the job that has meant the most to me. It has meant the most because of you, the people with whom I have been honored and privileged to work. During my time at NASA Headquarters, I have been surrounded by people both here and at the Centers who really want to do a good job, and so I have tried really hard to give you good jobs to do. We have worked together, argued together, and moved on together. In my first talks after being made Associate Administrator, I talked about how important my family is to me, and how we work to respect each other, trust each other, support each other, mourn together, celebrate together, and dream together. The fact that those words ended up being in the NASA Family value remains a singular honor to me, but of even higher significance is that I believe we all have, in fact, become a family.
When the time comes, I will really miss this job, and I will really miss you. Until then, we still have a lot of work to do, and I can’t wait to get together with you and get it done.
Very best personal regards,
Vic
Dr. J. Victor Lebacqz
Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Research
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, DC 20546-0001
202-358-4600
email: J.Victor.Lebacqz@nasa.gov
