{
  "id": 3524580,
  "title": "Contractor to Civil Servant: NASA Welcomes Jeret Howard",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/contractor-to-civil-servant-nasa-welcomes-jeret-howard",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T13:32:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NASA Science",
    "slug": "nasa-science",
    "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/stennis/contractor-to-civil-servant-jeret-howard/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jeret Howard, a logistics management specialist at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, has transitioned from a long-time contractor to a civil servant. His new role is a continuation of his life-long commitment to national service. Hired under NASA's directive to strengthen technical skills within the civil service, Howard has worked for over 15 years at NASA’s Stennis Space Center as a mechanical technician and contractor. He is now responsible for securing necessary hardware and components for propulsion testing, ensuring the wise use of taxpayer dollars. Despite the technical nature of his work, which includes supporting Artemis missions and testing for companies like Blue Origin, Howard emphasizes the puzzle-like challenges of mechanical work and his dedication to his family, particularly his daughter and son, who both proudly support his career.",
  "summary": "At 17, Jeret Howard raised his right hand to serve his country as a United States Army combat medic in Iraq. This past summer, he raised his right hand again at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Hired as a civil servant under the agency’s workforce directive to restore core competencies by […] The post Contractor to Civil Servant: NASA Welcomes Jeret Howard appeared…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}