Anonymously contributedL
From the lab's (LANL) Daily Clips page:
Weapons Complex Morning Briefing
July 19, 2011
Brooks 'not Been Impressed' With Industrial Partners At LANL
Addressing a National Academy of Sciences panel examining the management of NNSA's weapons laboratories yesterday, former NNSA Administrator Linton Brookssaid the recompetition of the Los Alamos National Laboratory contract to bring in industrial partners as part of the management team is not working out exactly as he'd hoped. Longtime LANL contractor University of California teamed with Bechtel, URS and B&W on its successful bid to keep the lab contract. "Our idea was that we would preserve the great science but improve safety, security and general management," Brooks said. "I think those areas have improved. It is unclear to me whether they have improved enough to justify the turbulence that the contract change caused. I think the jury is still out. I have not been impressed ... with the involvement of the industrial partners. I have not seen from them the same level of commitment and ownership."
As an example, Brooks cited how the key personnel on the contract differ in their commitment to the lab. "The lab director has, thus far, come out of the academic community and therefore has spent his-or someday her-life in the laboratory system," Brooks said. "The senior industrial people rotate in and out and see their long-term future with their parent corporation. I don't know whether that's a problem or just a fact. I did not internalize that as well as I wish I had when we were doing all of this. When I said I hadn't been impressed with the support of the industrial partners that was one of things I had in mind."
From the lab's (LANL) Daily Clips page:
Weapons Complex Morning Briefing
July 19, 2011
Brooks 'not Been Impressed' With Industrial Partners At LANL
Addressing a National Academy of Sciences panel examining the management of NNSA's weapons laboratories yesterday, former NNSA Administrator Linton Brookssaid the recompetition of the Los Alamos National Laboratory contract to bring in industrial partners as part of the management team is not working out exactly as he'd hoped. Longtime LANL contractor University of California teamed with Bechtel, URS and B&W on its successful bid to keep the lab contract. "Our idea was that we would preserve the great science but improve safety, security and general management," Brooks said. "I think those areas have improved. It is unclear to me whether they have improved enough to justify the turbulence that the contract change caused. I think the jury is still out. I have not been impressed ... with the involvement of the industrial partners. I have not seen from them the same level of commitment and ownership."
As an example, Brooks cited how the key personnel on the contract differ in their commitment to the lab. "The lab director has, thus far, come out of the academic community and therefore has spent his-or someday her-life in the laboratory system," Brooks said. "The senior industrial people rotate in and out and see their long-term future with their parent corporation. I don't know whether that's a problem or just a fact. I did not internalize that as well as I wish I had when we were doing all of this. When I said I hadn't been impressed with the support of the industrial partners that was one of things I had in mind."
Comments
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"I have not seen from them the same level of commitment and ownership. "
They do not care about the place, mission, people, or quality. They are here to bring in as much gain to the company and nothing else. It is to maximize the profit for the minimum of work.
"Our idea was that we would preserve the great science but improve safety, security and general management," Brooks said. "I think those areas have improved. It is unclear to me whether they have improved enough to justify the turbulence that the contract change caused."
The science was lost, not even Brooks knows if safety and security improved. Due to the loss of transparency no one really knows but most guess there has been no improvement at all. The management got ten times more expensive but 5 times worse.
Who did not see this coming?
Or they will tell DOE to fix it and DOE will state it was NNSA's fault. That's enough blame game and finger pointing to take us through another round of elections.
There is not enough glue or manpower to get this Humpty Dumpty returned to its former state.
Wow! Who could have seen THIS coming?
Nothing will now kick them out. Nothing.
The privation process has also made it clear to potential employees that any promises DOE might make about health care and retirement are lies, as many LLNL retirees are finding. At least employees know not to believe anything DOE says in future.
Linton Brooks was even more of a disappointment in person than he is in these articles.
I wish for him, justice.
It says "Here is where he belongs".
I wish for him, justice.
July 22, 2011 12:07 AM
I think that number is more 26,000 when you include Sandia.
It appears that Brooks has a "pattern" of not bringing "bad news" forward following a disaster and general incompetence.
"LANL's safety record is orders of magnitude worse than the entire complex" It was later shown that LANL's safety record was actually better than most
of the other labs. Brooks had to apologize for saying this. Ya real great guy.
I don't want to say it but "I told you so" or a bunch of knew this would happen. Well, its really screwed up now. Thank you very much Mr Brooks and company. I am sure you all got rich.
Miller and Anastasio told how they really felt during the recent NAS investigations into the privatization of the NNSA labs last fall. Now Brooks is doing the same.
These are people who should know what is going on. Will it change anything? Not a chance! Riley Bechtel and his politically powerful friends have it all locked up. They'll be going after the Sandia contract as their next "victim".
July 22, 2011 12:57 AM
Add another 20,000 DOE/NNSA employees, now totaling almost 50,000. I wouldn't doubt that this guy also pissed off the dog catcher, mail man, and paper boy.
July 22, 2011 11:06 PM
Don't forget Norm Pattiz who didn't even show his face or provide a penny of his billion dollar bank account to help those in need (e.g. people that lost their homes) following the fire at Los Alamos. These guys (Bechtel and Pattiz) are not "March of Dime" poster boys.
Tom D'Agostino knows better. He knows to keep his mouth shut. He'll be extremely well rewarded by the 'Bechtel Boys' once he leaves office.
July 24, 2011 10:51 AM
Which might explain why Chu gave the entire Environmental Management (EM) Program to D'Ago, so he could give it to the "Bechtel Boys". Why doesn't DOE/NNSA just give themselves to Bechtel? In effect, they have. Yeah, DOE/NNSA is just a "front office" for Bechtel.
It is probably only a short matter of time before the DOE does likewise. When they do, you can assume they will also demand that their contract workers (inc. the labs) do likewise.
Be sure you have plenty of money in your bank accounts to cover your mortgage and car payments for the next few months. You made need that cash!
It will be looking for no-BS leaders like Schultz, Foster and Friend, not politico-flunkys like D'Agostino and Bodner.
The last two illustrate again the Peter principle, as does Chu.
It is probably only a short matter of time before the DOE does likewise.
July 25, 2011 9:36 AM
Obviously you are not capable of, or unwilling to understand that there is no connection between the current budget negotiations and the FAA shutdown, which was solely due to a failure of congress to reauthorize FAA funding through specific legislation. Get a clue, and stop being a fear-monger.
July 26, 2011 10:33 PM
Yep, unlike you, apparently,
For what? a large asteroid, alien invasion, Nights of the Templar attack, locusts, or massive food shortages? I think the scouts mean be prepared for something reasonable. So clearly the locusts are what to what out for.