There have been some other perks such as an opportunity to dine in the White House mess, access to several functions in the White House south lawn, and having a tour of the West Wing and the Oval Office. What is really great about OSTP is that the people are very creative and intelligent, and have very broad vision. Dr. Lane and the Associate Directors have a great reputation for being very sharp, articulate and easy going. There's a sense of history and a definite sense of teamwork, camaraderie, identity and a culture of work ethics about the place. In many other respects, OSTP is not the easiest place to work in, however.
Some issues can be very broad and demanding, and occasionally determined by outside forces.
Most people put in long hours, and many times, it seems as if your work disappears in a big 'sink' without any further feedback. Some days you come in with plans to do certain things but those plans may quickly evaporate because of other priorities. The turnover also means that there is constant learning by new staff from colleagues. However, the pace of work never slowed down. Despite having top-secret clearance, I did not work on any defense related or secret stuff.