The effort and ingenuity which characterized our development of weapons and defense systems have not been matched in our approach to energy. We believe that a major overhaul of the LLL management structure is needed. Persons within top management are making technical decisions even though they have not engaged in scientific or engineering work for as long as twenty years. They are not qualified to pass scientific or technical judgment on important innovative ideas and tend not to recognize the importance of ideas that they do not understand. With the recent retirement of Dr. Edward Teller, there is currently not even one eminent scientist on the LLL Board of Directors.
Top management is supported and isolated by an ever-expanding bureaucratic structure.
Until the mid-1960's, LLL division leaders communicated directly with the Director. They are now isolated from him by his deputy and assistants, by department heads, assistant department heads, etc. It has become very difficult to pass an idea up through the hierarchy without it being misrepresented. Personalities influence technical decisions. Appointments of project leaders, division leaders, etc.