WASHINGTON – NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale on Thursday announced the appointment of Bill Bruner as assistant administrator for legislative and intergovernmental affairs. Bruner has served as acting assistant administrator for the office since June.

The office of legislative affairs and intergovernmental affairs develops and implements the legislative strategy to carry out NASA initiatives requiring congressional action and state and local government relations. The office also responds to requests and inquiries from congressional committees, individual members of Congress and their staffs.

Prior to joining the Bush administration, Bruner had a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring at the rank of colonel. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Operation Desert Storm. He then served in several key positions in Washington including on the staff of the secretary of the Air Force; as a military fellow in the office of the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; and as an office director within the office of the secretary of defense, where he won the Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul H. Nitze Award for Excellence in International Security Affairs.

Bruner is a graduate of the National War College in Washington, where he received a master’s degree in national security studies. He also earned a master’s degree in airpower arts and sciences from the School of Advanced Air and Space Power Studies at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., where his thesis topic was “National Security Implications of Inexpensive Space Access.” He also is a graduate of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. His bachelor’s degree in astronomy is from San Francisco State University.

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