Critical Eye for the Culpable Guy

Critical Eye for the Culpable Guy
by Mike Madias, Clinical Sociologist and Columnist

"Slice-o-Life"

September 8, 2003

Columnist Mike Madias This column was provoked by the press release issued last week by NASA, after it received the report of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB).

Since the CAIB was investigating an "accident", implicit in the boards mission was that the loss of the Columbia was accidental.-that it had no authorship than chance. I disagree. And I challenge you to find a spot where the NASA leadership showed remorse for the deaths of the Columbia crew. Here is the URL: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2003/aug/HQ_03276_AOK_Acpt_CAIB.html

NASA Administer Sean O'Keefe said: "NASA committed to the families of [the] crew that we would find the problems that caused this horrible accident, fix them, and return to the exploration objectives their loved ones dedicated their lives to."

HARDBALL challenges O'Keefe: 1. It was not a "horrible accident" at all, was it? It was more a case of negligent homicide. Whether it was criminal negligence is a matter that should be considered. It was homicide, as people were killed. And there was significant negligence. Once the report was issued, clearly documenting mismanagement, the NASA administrator did not offer his resignation; nor was he fired. If any civilian caused the death of a number of people; his defense attorney would also say that it was all a "horrible accident."

2. Finding the problems, fixing them, and carrying on with the program is not enough. The CAIB and its chairman, retired U.S. Navy Admiral Harold Gehman, were delinquent in not naming the individuals, and corporations who might be culpable. Instead of the CAIB, a federal grand jury could have done the investigation. And if the negligence rose to the level of an indictable offense, then there could have been a trial.

NASA said: "The efforts of all concerned with the investigation will help NASA improve the Space Shuttle program, our management processes, and our capability to safely return to flight."

HARDBALL challenges NASA: This type of language is typically used in quarterly reports to stockholders, explaining a downturns in earnings.

O'Keefe, was Deputy Director of the White House Office of Management and the Budget. He was selected to lead NASA by George Bush. As he accepted the position, O'Keefe stated that he "was not a rocket scientist. " He was more of an efficiency expert with experience in managing other government programs.

The CAIB said: "The organizational causes of this accident are rooted in the Space Shuttle Program's history and culture, including original compromises that were required to gain approval for the Shuttle, subsequent years of resource constraints, fluctuating priorities, schedule pressures, mischaracterization of the Shuttle as operational, rather then developmental, and lack of agreed national vision for space flight. (CAIB report page 9)"

HARDBALL challenges the CAIB: The CAIB said that seven astronauts died due to a "broken safety culture". The report also said that "History" was a culprit. What can "culture" or "history" do?

It might be unfair to lay the entire blame on O'Keefe. But if the buck is to stop and park anywhere, it should at least slow down to a crawl as it passes by O'Keefe's work station.

"Culture and history" refers to the former NASA director Daniel Goldin; a Clinton appointee. The NASA infrastructure was aging, and the funding was dwindling during Goldin's watch. In order to appease fiscal conservatives in both parties, the Clinton administration cut budgets and ignored necessities.

The CAIB report shows photos of Launch Complex 39A and the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center. The facilities have deteriorated. The Shuttle is assembled in those ruins.

NASA identified 100 "infrastructure items" that demanded immediate attention. A congressional committee took a tour of the space center and concluded that old the buildings were in deplorable condition, (their words, not mine). The lowball estimate for fixing up the buildings was a mere $600 million. Not a penny of it was approved. The Goldin and the Clinton administration did not go to bat for this paltry sum of money. So O'Keefe inherited a program that was already on the skids.

But O'Keefe was the new broom who decided to further "rightsize" NASA. First he transferee the management of the program from its long time home headquarters in Houston to the Cape. Second he sought to privatize parts of the Shuittle program and transfer the management to the lowest bidder.

So, the Shuttle disaster was not an accident, or a quirk of culture or history. It was negligence. Someone had a choice in the matter and chose badly. He, she or they should be held accountable. Any moral society would demand this.

HARDBALL's final comment: I read the press release, I read the report, and then I spit. ***

Shalom

Mike

And good night to seven friends, where ever you are. ***

Photo of Mike Madias courtesy of the author

A clinical sociologist living in the Metropolitan Detroit area, Mike's work has appeared in The Detroit News. He may be reached by e-mail at DetroitHardball@hotmail.com.