SFA Initiates New Awareness, Recognition Program

Working to raise awareness of the criticality of individual commitment to flight safety and mission success, USA’s Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Program has instituted a new initiative designed to enhance awareness of flight safety and provide employees with insight to safety processes within various organizations of USA.

Employees selected to participate in the SFA Site Awareness and Recognition Program learn about Shuttle operations in multiple USA and NASA facilities.

“Many USA employees work on one specific task in the space industry and do not have the opportunity to observe or understand how other areas work toward flight safety and mission success,” said Chryel Coker, one of USA’s SFA coordinators.

Each month, USA managers select employees to participate in the new program.

“This activity is absolutely worthwhile,” said Bob Monroe, Parachute Operations. “It has motivational value in that it reminds us our individual efforts combine to operate vehicles that are unique and incredibly complex.”

To date, 76 selected employees have acquired new insight on numerous areas of the Shuttle Program, including the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, Mission Control Center and the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Texas; and the Launch Pads, Orbiter Processing Facility, Parachute Refurbishment Facility, Refurbishment Facility, Hanger AF, the Tile Shop and the Retrieval Ships in Florida.

The focus of the SFA Site Awareness and Recognition Program is to increase the understanding of program operations and USA capabilities and reward employees for their diligence and commitment to flight safety.

“The Space Flight Awareness tour gave me an opportunity to experience several facilities that support the space program,” said Eric Pullen, Crew Activity Manager, Training Ops and Planning. “My guides shared personal stories, significant facts and historic events from their own career experience in space technology. I thought these extras made the tour very memorable.”

The program also gives employees the added opportunity to talk with each other about their own personal roles in the space program.

“One does not realize how many different intricate functions and dedicated, proud employees are involved to prepare the Shuttle system for launch,” said Burton Pelkey, Quality Engineer in SQ&MA.

The new program has received accolades from participating employees, and all indications point to a successful program that is accomplishing its intended purpose.

“You never realize how big something is or what it looks like close up unless you actually work on it,” said Jodi McAmis, Administrative Assistant Manager in Ground Operations, Ground Systems Support. “This opportunity gives you a deeper understanding of what things are and how they work.”

Organizers of the SFA Site Awareness and Recognition Program continue to add elements to the program that enhance and add value to the main objective – awareness and recognition.

“For those of us in the operations organizations, it’s nice to see those areas and the employees who actually do the work that directly impacts the reason the company exists,” said Karen Hever, USA IT Asset Management. “It was nice to be recognized and participate in the SFA Recognition tour. It helps refocus why we do what we do, especially in light of the inherent risk and environment that we do it in. Our employees are to be commended for what they contribute to this program from a day-to-day job perspective. But for doing it safely, they should be proud.”

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