Department of Defense honors Sixteen Employees at 15th Annual Disability Awards Ceremony
The Department of Defense honored sixteen employees with disabilities at the
15th Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards Ceremony today in the
Pentagon Auditorium.
Also recognized, by award of the Secretary of Defense Trophy, were three DoD
components for affirmative action planning that enhanced their ability to
employ people with disabilities.
The ceremony is part of National Disability Employment Awareness month
throughout the Department of Defense. Every year since 1945 the President of
the United States has proclaimed a national observance in October to promote
employment of people with disabilities.
This year's National Disability Employment Awareness month theme is "Profit
from Our Experience." There will be ceremonies and exhibits at DoD
installations worldwide.
The keynote address was delivered by Deborah Kaplan, Esq., vice president and
director, division of technology policy, World Institute on Disability. A
member of the administration's Advisory Council for the National Information
Infrastructure, Kaplan holds a law degree from Boalt Hall Law School in
Berkeley, Calif.; is treasurer and co-founder of the Alliance for Public
Technology, Commission of Mental and Physical Disability Law of the American
Bar Association and president of the Board of the Oakland based Center for
Urban Family Life; National Governing Board of Common Cause and the Civil
Justice Foundation.
Edwin Dorn, undersecretary of defense for Personnel and Readiness provided
opening remarks and presented the awards for outstanding employee with
disabilities and awards to organizations being cited for outstanding
affirmative action programs.
Closing remarks were provided by William E. Leftwich III, deputy assistant
secretary of defense of Equal Opportunity. Dr. Stephen C. Joseph, deputy
assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs, also delivered remarks about
the DoD Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program.
Secretary of Defense William Perry has set a goal for DoD to increase
employment of persons with severe disabilities from 1.3 percent to 2.0 percent
of its civilian work force. As of June 30, 1995, DOD employed 10,039 persons
with severe disabilities, which is 1.29 percent of a civilian work force of
780,309 (excluding the National Guard and Reserve technicians).
Perry asked for the full cooperation of every service and agency, and the
continued resolve of every employee, to improve the opportunities and quality
of life for Americans with Disabilities.
"In particular, I urge you to make use of the new Federal Recruitment Program
for people with disabilities," Perry said. "We will make resources available
to fill at least 100 summer jobs through this program in the Department of
Defense each year. Many applicants referred through the program are also
available for permanent employment."
Award Recipients were selected by their organizations from among thousands of
Defense employees worldwide. Each received a framed certificate signed by the
Secretary of Defense.
This year's recipients are:
George H. Bayer Jr., auditor, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Charles Cooper, a military personnel technician with the Texas National Guard
in Austin received his honor posthumously. Cooper passed away Sept. 10, 1995
shortly after being selected for the award.
Aubry Gene Eary, a sales associate with the Army Air Force Exchange Service,
Patrick Air Force Base, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
Olic Elster Jr., mail clerk, Depart of Defense Education Activity, Arlington,
Va.
Don H. Gardner Jr., Army industrial engineer, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
Joel T. Gordon, accounting technician, Defense Commissary Agency, Little Rock
Air Force Base, Ark.
Craig J. Hegemann, electronics engineer, Defense Information Systems Agency,
Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
George Scott Higdon, cartographer, Defense Mapping Agency, St. Louis, Mo.
Richard A. King, program analyst, Department of the Navy, Newport, R.I.
Tamara M. Lewis, secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington
Headquarters Service, Arlington, Va.
Patricia A. Luken, voice language analyst, National Security Agency, Fort
Meade, Md.
Kathleen B. O'Connell, contracting officer, Department of the Air Force,
Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Donna L. Starcher, auditor, Office of the Inspector General, Department of
Defense, Arlington, Va.
David A. Stradley, intelligence technician, Defense Intelligence Agency,
Washington, D.C.
Joanna White, investigative assistant, Defense Investigative Service, Richmond,
Va.
Brian L. Zolo, computer specialist, Defense Logistics Agency, Columbus, Ohio.
Those service components honored for affirmative action achievement in
employing people with special disabilities included:
Department of the Navy -- John H. Dalton, secretary of the Navy, accepting for the best military department for 1995.
Army and Air Force Exchange Service -- Maj. Gen. Ad Bunger, commander,
accepting -- for best mid-size component.
Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington Headquarters Service -- David O.
Cooke, Director of Administration and Management, accepting -- for best small
component.
