ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Team APG hosted free workshops for military, retirees and civilians in the Mallette Training Facility Oct. 9. The event was sponsored by the U.S Army Public Health Command.
Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues. The NDEAM theme for 2013 is "Because we are EQUAL to the Task." Workshops held at APG included "Understanding Reasonable Accommodations" by Frank Roig from the APG Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, "Revisiting Your VA Claim" by Cindy Smith from USAPHC and "A Brief Overview of Disability Retirement" by Jill McClintick of CPAC.
"This was a great event; we thought it was important to provide this information to the APG community despite the fact that we are currently in a government shutdown," said USAPHC Equal Employment Opportunity Advisor Linda Patrick, who helped organize the event.
According to Garrison EEO Officer Rosa L. Garris-Turner, a workforce containing two percent of individuals with targeted disabilities is the Army's goal. APG's self identification is at 0.47 percent, or 55 employees, which is below the Army's goal. Targeted disabilities are deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism. Five percent of the APG workforce or 582 employees have self identified as other disabilities.
Garris-Turner said those with a disability should self-indentify as this information provides a snapshot of the APG workforce.
"This information can helps us identify potential barriers to employment," she said.
For more information about self-identifying call 410-278-1140, or e-mail, rosa.l.garristurner2.civ@mail.mil.
Attendees said they found the workshops informative.
Attendee Tony Shumpert from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Field Sustainment Support Division said he thought attendance to briefings on reasonable accommodations should be mandatory for supervisors.
"All this should be a requirement," he said.
Earl Thurman Whitley III, from USAPHC, said he enjoyed the interactive workshops.
"I liked how the presenter Mr. Roig used basic and complex scenarios that supervisors may encounter to present the information," Whitley said. "The other attendees also brought a wealth of knowledge to the training."
Mike Zajicek, a U.S. Army Research Laboratory civilian and a military veteran said he felt more informed after attending Smith's "Revisiting your VA Claim" workshop.
"Cindy was very knowledgeable. Hopefully after speaking with her I can get the ball rolling on receiving my medical benefits," he said. "Vets do not receive this information unless they ask questions. I feel relieved."
Smith, a military veteran and a former service officer for the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, said she also offers pro bono counseling at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5337 in Abingdon.
"I am very passionate about helping veterans," Smith said. "Veterans deserve guidance. Receiving these benefits can make a huge difference; these benefits can help get veterans off the streets. I have seen it happen."
For more information contact Smith at serviceofficer.vfw5337@gmail.com.
Patrick said Team APG plans to host future "Revisiting Your VA Claim" and "Understanding Reasonable Accommodation" workshops. Dates, times and location will appear on the APG Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/APGMd and in the "Mark Your Calendar" section of the APG News. For more information contact Installation EEO Advisor Tracy Marshall from CECOM at 443-861-4366, or EEO Specialist Tiphanie Pharris, from the Garrison EEO Office, at 410-278-1131.
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