McDougle: It was so much more fun being a suit tech because you’re out doing stuff, interacting. Now you’re always tied to your computer, meetings, and things of that nature. You’re still working, but it’s not as fun as being a suit tech and being out actually interacting with the crew members. I’ll pop up at an event every now and then just to say hi to the crew members, but so many that I knew are gone now. There’s so many new astronauts that I don’t even know that many anymore. I just go and show my face so they’ll know who I am when they see me down. Steve [Steven W.] Lindsey, I know him of course. It’s great to see that he’s commander of 133—when it was the last flight. Now it’s not the last flight. He’s one of the few that I still know. Lindsey is the only one I know on 133.
McDougle: I don’t think it’s affected it at all. As far as the people that make decisions, my management, I think I’ve been so fortunate and treated so well since I’ve been here, since coming in the door. USA, up until this day with us going through layoffs, they are taking such good care of us and offering so much. I moved through the ranks. I think everybody is treated fairly and judged and promoted on what they bring to the table, on their merit and credentials, and how hard they work. That’s why I wasn’t real concerned when I came out here. I started at the bottom as a C technician even though I had seven years’ experience. But I knew once I got here, and they saw my work ethic and saw what I had to offer that I would move up.And I did. I was the only black woman in here for a long time, then we had another girl come in for a little while. I was at the bottom of the totem pole. I was brand-new to Boeing. I became an A tech, which is a crew chief, and I was the only woman to achieve that at that time.
A crew chief is over the team that goes down for launch and has to make sure all the gear is getting processed.I was one of the top technicians in the Air Force. When I left the Air Force my rank was sergeant, E-4. My first mission as crew chief was STS-75. I got here in ’90, my first mission was in ’91. Then I became a crew chief. When I became a crew chief there was another technician that was in that position and was an A tech, and he wasn’t performing at A tech level. My manager demoted him, saw that I had been performing at “A” tech/crew chief level, and promoted me! “You know what? She’s doing above and beyond what a crew chief does, so we’re going to promote her.” I was shocked, because I never thought anybody would get demoted and that they’d actually promote somebody else. Maybe a slap on the wrist and tell you to do better, but not demotion. Of course, I was ecstatic and just jumping for joy.
I just couldn’t believe it, because I had been working so hard, and this showed that they appreciated it.Then I went into another little funk where I felt like, “They don’t appreciate me.” That same week they walked in and surprised me with a Silver Snoopy [award presented by astronauts], girl. I about broke down, “They do appreciate me!” I was in one of those modes like, “I’m just a number. They don’t really appreciate all the work I do.” I’m not doing it for them to recognize me, but I still feel like you need to recognize people when they’re doing good work. Like in the Air Force they wait till you leave and give you a little plaque. I told them when I left there, “You guys need to recognize people throughout the time they’re here, not just when they’re leaving. Maybe they wouldn’t be leaving.” That’s what I try to do. I try to recognize people often. I feel like I win when they win. I do. I feel so excited—you can tell I’m excitable—I feel so excited when somebody on my team wins something, especially if I nominated them.STS-75 was my first time being a crew chief. That was February ’96, the day before my birthday, February 22nd. STS-78 was the all-girl suit tech team. I’ve got to show you that. That was the first time, and the only time that’s ever happened. All-girl suit techs and I was the crew chief. That was another highlight of my career, first time we had all girls.
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