SPACE CENTER June 29, 2001 VOL. 40, NO. 12 L YNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TEXAS Law of the land (and space) Astronaut James Reilly is sworn in as an Honorary U.S. Marshal By Eric Raub carries the title of Hon- the hopes of being orary Marshal into able to tell the others Two down, two to go. space. what to do. Just-the-FACTS “All Honorary In his life, Reilly stronaut James Reilly now has Marshals have raised has received at least ❖ Astronaut James Reilly will be only to become a cowboy and a awareness of the two big phone the first U.S. Marshal to fly A fireman to realize the dreams of Marshals, but none will calls–one from in space. many children. more than Mission NASA and one from ❖ Established in 1789, the U.S. Reilly, already one of the few who gets Specialist Jim Reilly,” the U.S. Marshal’s Marshal’s Service is America’s to travel in space, became an Honorary McKinney said. office. Both calls left oldest federal law enforcement U.S. Marshal at a special swearing-in He then told Reilly at him awestruck. agency. ceremony June 4. His selection makes the ceremony: “When “This is very similar ❖ him the only person who can list two of you were asked what to the day I got Marshals have done everything America’s most captivating occupations kind of astronaut you called to work here,” from taking the census and on his resume. wanted to be, you said, Reilly said. “I protecting federal officials, to “Our two agencies share something ‘law enforcement astronaut.’ Today you’re wasn’t sure they hadn’t made a mistake apprehending over half of all remarkable in going to be one.” in selecting me as an astronaut.” federal fugitives. common–both have cap- Reilly is a While he is modest about his achieve- ❖ Today there are 95 Marshals in tured the imagination of Mission Specialist ments, Reilly is proud to be an astronaut 94 judicial districts. the American people,” for the upcoming and an Honorary Marshal. ❖ There are approximately 4,200 said Marshals Service STS-104 crew. One “As one of seven Honorary Marshals,” It is indeed an honor Deputy Marshals and employees Acting Director Louie of his first “official” he said, “it is indeed an honor for me to stationed in more than 350 McKinney. “Astronauts for me to represent the acts was to deputize represent the U.S. Marshals as the first locations. and Marshals have tack- the rest of his crew, Marshal in space.” ❖ led missions that seemed U.S. Marshals as the though he jokingly For more information on the U.S. Only seven people have impossible. Today they first Marshal in space. suggested he did it in Marshals Service please visit: been designated Honorary come together in one http://www.usdoj.gov/marshals/ U.S. Marshals. remarkable man.” - Astronaut James Reilly Reilly received the famous trappings of a U.S. Marshal, including the circular golden “America’s Star” badge and photographic identification Astronauts and Marshals credentials and display, complete with a have tackled missions carrying case for both. Only six other peo- ple have received these items as Honorary that seemed impossible. Marshals. However, none of them ever had Today they come together in the opportunity to wear the badge into space. one remarkable man. Honorary Marshals are chosen by the Director of the Marshals Service for the –Marshals Service attention and awareness they bring to Acting Director America’s oldest federal law enforcement Louie McKinney agency. Former President Ronald Reagan, actor James Arness, Sen. Robert Dole, Sen. John Warner, entertainer Bob Hope and Sony music executive Tommy Mottola all received “America’s Star” for their contribution to the U.S. Marshals Service. Reilly served as the keynote speaker at three Marshals Service management training conferences. According to infor- mation provided by the Marshals Service, his discussions on teamwork and leadership have become benchmarks for the agency. He will make a further contribution to the agency when he Allison begins Volunteers Special hurricane needed for Hurricane season. Open House. section. Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 & 5 2 June 29, 2001 SPACE CENTER Roundup Tropical storm Allison June 2001 • From June 7-15, Allison left enough rain to supply the water needs of the entire U. S. population for one year, according to the NOAA Web site. • Allison was far-reaching, dumping water and destruction from Houston to NASA JSC 2001e18553 photo by Rob Markowitz Bob Gaffney the New England states. • As of June 19, Allison’s total death toll was 47, including 22 people locally. • Thirty Texas counties were Fear is healthy, designated as disaster areas in the wake of Tropical The rain that Tropical Storm Allison preparation is brought to the area was just too much Storm Allison. for the roof of the InDyne exhibits ware- • Recent estimates indicate house. The InDyne, Inc. building is essential and located a block away from Space Center that Allison has caused Houston on Point Lookout Drive. Its more than $2 billion dollars neither may highbay warehouse houses the exhibits in damages, making it the used by NASA/JSC’s traveling exhibits most expensive tropical program and literature used by the ISC be enough. Library. Late Friday or early Saturday, storm in U.S. history. June 8 or 9, the roof succumbed to the • The highest storm total - Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel unusual amount of rain and water build- reported from Texas was after Hurricane Andrew up and collapsed. Impact and water damage was being assessed at press 36.99 inches at the Port Right on cue! Emergency time as a demolition contractor was of Houston. planners and weather forecasters demolishing and removing the damaged part of the facility. For more information, couldn’t have asked for a better go to the Web site: opportunity to promote hurricane http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/exhibits awareness than to have a tropical storm develop right off the upper Texas coast during the first week JSC Cooperative Education Students of hurricane season. held a flood relief drive for local flood The last time a tropical distur- bance hit JSC this early in the victims. Donations were given season was in 1989. Coincidentally, to the local Red Cross. that storm was also named Allison. She formed during the first week of the season and, after passing over Cooperative Education Students Wendy Stone, Houston/Galveston from south to Chris Ranieri, Maile Ceridon and Pooja Agrawal put boxes together as part of their effort to help flood victims. north, she looped back and passed over Houston again from northeast to southwest. Sound familiar? It can NASA JSC 2001-18745 photo by James Blair happen here and it will again...and again...and again. The warning is ❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ clear: Now is the time to make preparations for your survival. Hurricane season for the Atlantic Human Resources works to improve its services to JSC forecast region, which includes the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, retreat designed to plan for future Desk - grows and adjusts services to meet started on June 1 and extends through By Jeannie Aquino improvements in their area. This experi- the needs of JSC employees and other Nov. 30. Although the prime period inding new ways to improve cus- ence gave the leadership team first-hand customers it welcomes input on its cur- for storm development tends to be tomer service is one of JSC Human knowledge about the desk’s many chal- rent services. Over the next few weeks a from the end of July through the end F Resources’ (HR) principle goals. lenges, and also reinforced their belief survey will be available online asking for of September, storms have been With the customer in mind, the organiza- that the desk is critical to the success of feedback about the HR Customer known to form earlier. tion put together its Human Resources the overall HR organization. JSC has once again reviewed and Customer Service Desk, which officially Becoming the quality organization that updated plans for preparing for and opened when it moved to its new Build- HR leadership envisions also means an responding to hurricanes. During ing 12 location last year. increased use of Internet services through hurricane season, all organizations The Customer Service Desk, which is the Human Resources People Web site across the center should review their supported by the HR Administrative Team, (http://jscpeople.jsc.nasa.gov/). state of readiness. is a “one-stop shopping” location for Services now available on the Internet This edition of the Space Center employees to inquire about benefits, train- include online benefits statements, Thrift Roundup features information about ing and other human resources issues. Savings Plan participation, health insurance preparing for severe weather and “We’re constantly searching for ways information, NET University and the specifically hurricanes. It includes to improve service to JSC’s employees online submission of job applications. information on lifesaving actions and retirees,” said Greg Hayes, Director “We are working to move our more that you can take. With this of Human Resources. “The knowledge routine tasks to the Internet, so that our Greg Hayes, Director of Human Resources, recently worked the Customer Service Desk. information, you can recognize about Human Resources that this team people can work on more substantive severe weather and develop a plan brings together in one place can only issues with JSC employees, such as Service Desk and its staff. The informa- to protect yourself and your loved improve the way we do business with our survey activities, stress management, tion that is gathered will be essential to ones when threatening weather customers.” change efforts, strategic management and the organization in its ongoing goal to approaches.