10 career fields shut out of astronaut duty

[unhappycamper]

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on March 11. The Navy has barred officers from naval special warfare; engineering duty officer; permanent military professor; explosive ordnance disposal; information professional; intelligence; public affairs officer; Judge Advocate General's Corps; Supply Corps; and Civil Engineering Corps from consideration to be astronauts.


10 career fields shut out of astronaut duty
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 2, 2008 17:07:44 EDT

Officers from 10 career fields have been barred from consideration for astronaut duty in the Navy’s May 5 selection board, a move that has upset some would-be astronauts.

The communities barred from consideration are: naval special warfare; engineering duty officer; permanent military professor; explosive ordnance disposal; information professional; intelligence; public affairs officer; Judge Advocate General’s Corps; Supply Corps; and Civil Engineering Corps.

Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Harvey, in signing off on the March 19 Navy-wide message, wrote that the communities were excluded because of “critical inventory shortfalls” or their “skill set requirements” in the Navy’s post-Sept. 11 mission.

Lt. Cmdr. William Marks, a spokesman for Harvey’s office, said he believed this is the first time communities have been barred from consideration by the board, at least going back to 2000.

That’s not fair, said Lt. Cmdr. Michael Runkle, executive officer of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City Beach, Fla. Runkle said he has wanted to fly in space for as long as he could remember, and that he believes his combined background in explosive ordnance disposal and deep-saturation diving made him a strong candidate to be a mission specialist.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/04/navy_astronauts_040208w/

[AngryAmish]

1. Barring JAG corp is totally unfair

We need more space lawyers.

[KingOfLostSouls]

2. Never know

thats where bush could try to establish the next rendition spot.

"people tortured in outer space are not subject to the rules on planet earth"