Twitter
Facebook
National Disability Employment Awareness Month seeks to raise awareness about disability employment issues. This year’s theme is “Expect. Employ. Empower.” Although NDEAM is a national campaign, lower level awareness helps to increase opportunities for people with disabilities.
Author, theoretical physicist and father. Stephen Hawking continued to realize his highest potential even through his disability, a principle Ramstein’s 86th Airlift Wing Equal Opportunity Office practices every day.
Striving to accomplish their goal of helping all Air Force members reach their highest potential, the EO office is spreading awareness of specific Air Force members during National Disability Employee Awareness Month.
“The reason we are raising awareness of this matter is to make sure disabled, yet qualified, people are not being overlooked while applying for a job,” said Tech. Sgt. Shajita Rios, 86th AW EO adviser. “Many times someone with disabilities is less likely to be hired over someone with none, even if they are capable of doing the job all because the person hiring has a misconception that they can’t do the job.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a veteran looking for work has a 25 percent chance of being discriminated against due to a disability received during their service.
“This is a huge pool of people that can be discriminated against and lose out on a job,” Rios said. “This limits the choices to fill that position, even if they are 100 percent qualified. Having meaningful employment is a civil right; you can’t deny someone of that just because they are a little different.”
The EO office hopes to rid the discrimination of age, ethnicity and other variables that create inequality within the work force, as well as fighting for the rights of the disabled.
“How would you like to go to work every day and be judged because of your race, age or skin color?” said Master Sgt. Margarita Lugo, 86th AW EO NCO in charge. “Not much would get done if no one wanted to work, so we are here to make sure all members who serve in the Air Force military, civilians and even dependents, have assistance and guidance if they need it. A lot of the time people don’t know how to handle these situations, and we’re here to support and enable individuals so the mission can continue.”
Unlike other military services, the Air Force is the only branch with EO advisers that helps civilians and military members.
“The Air Force is very unique when it comes to the EO world,” Lugo said. “It not only helps us as EOs, because it gives us the extra experience, but when it’s time to hang up the uniform we know the Air Force has already taken that extra step to take care of its people.”
While discrimination and inequality persists, the Ramstein EO office will continue to guide those looking for a career and brighter future.
