BETHESDA, MD (Dec. 6, 2011): John Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy, presents Dr. William G. Conley an award for Outstanding Employee with a Disability at the 31st Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards Ceremony. Conley, an engineer with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, earned the award for making advancements in research and defeat of improvised explosive devices. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Dustin Q. Diaz/Released.)
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the Department of Defense (DOD) is one of the leading employers of people with disabilities. The military’s culture of taking care of its own and “No Excuses” attitude combined with access to technological advancements give it certain advantages in both the recruitment and retention of these individuals.
But what’s really nice about Terri Moon Cronk’s story for American Forces Press Service is the enthusiasm expressed by officials she speaks with regarding the advantages that hiring people with disabilities brings to the DOD. They are benefits that would be recognized by any employer.
Problem-solving is at the forefront of why 14% of the Department’s civilian workforce is comprised of people with disabilities. In an organization that is literally making life-and-death decisions, having the perspective of people who overcome obstacles on a daily basis is crucial for ensuring a situation is fully assessed. Stephen M. King from the DOD’s office of diversity and equal opportunity tells Cronk:
‘For any organization to be its best, you really have to take advantage of and value what everyone brings to the table: their background, knowledge, skills and abilities…’ People with disabilities face unique challenges, King noted. ‘We need that type of problem-solving ability and skill in the workplace.’
King credits recent executive orders that have placed an emphasis on employing people with disabilities, especially military veterans, for their workplace success. But he also points out that the DOD co-sponsors a Workforce Recruitment Program with the U.S. Department of Labor, which has developed a pipeline of potential employees with disabilities from some 250 colleges and universities. The database created from this program will aid other federal agencies in efforts to hire more people with disabilities, an initiative which many departments were found to be lacking by the Government Accountability Office.
While Cronk’s article did not address the more than 800,000 people employed by the DOD through contracts with civilian companies, imagine the impact that could be made if a similar focus on hiring wounded veterans and other people with disabilities were part of the policy for these organizations. While companies seeking federal contracts balk at the new rule proposing 7% of their workforce for people with disabilities, the DOD has found a place for twice that amount in their own offices and continue to search for ways to provide opportunities for these individuals to develop skills that advance their careers and put them in positions of leadership.
The military is responsible for many innovations we enjoy as consumers, from microwave ovens to the Internet; perhaps their strides in making life matter for people with disabilities can enact a similar change on society.
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