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WASHINGTON, D.C. July 23 - The Aerospace Industries Association briefed the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee yesterday on initiatives taken by industry this year to rebuild the nation’s professional military space workforce. AIA President and CEO John W. Douglass reminded the committee of the Rumsfeld Commission finding that less than 20 percent of the top 150 DoD officers who hold space operational positions today have had space career backgrounds. “Unlike the more traditional legacy missions of tactical and strategic air combat, there is no clear and achievable career path to leadership positions for space professionals in the Air Force corps of general officers,” he said, adding, “The Air Force must fix this problem or risk losing its space related mission.” Douglas testified on a panel of business and academic witnesses in support of a report issued by the congressionally-mandated Rumsfeld Commission on obstacles to the creation of a professional military space workforce. In today’s world, Douglass said, “Space assets are more critical than ever to monitor and isolate elusive terrorist adversaries. And with an aging workforce and the drain of scientists and engineers to an IT economy that barely existed 12 years ago, the space and aerospace industries face an unprecedented double threat to the recruitment of a technically qualified workforce.” Douglass said that AIA, the federal government and the states have launched a systematic effort to revitalize the three most important ingredients of sustaining a high-caliber workforce. “We need to revise curricula to incorporate space and aviation concepts in kindergarten through 12th grade math and science classes, create college and graduate courses of study that outline aerospace research and engineering career plans; and develop life-long training and re-training in technology-enabled design and production capabilities.” He added, “Our competitors in Europe, Russia, and India realize the technological and military benefits of space exploration beyond Low-Earth Orbit. A vigorous human space flight program can bring NASA and DOD cadres together to maintain America’s position as the world’s leading space power.” View John W. Douglass' testimony before the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee (pdf)
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Contact: Alexis Allen, AIA |
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