National Disability Employment Month kicks off at Pentagon

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  The Headquarters Air Force Disability Resource Group kicked off National Disability Employment Month with an information fair here Oct. 1 to educate Air Force members and managers about Disability Employment and Accommodations.

"The purpose of today's event is really to raise the profile here in the Pentagon of employees with disabilities, demonstrate all the different positions we're holding and demonstrate a lot of the skills we have," said Dr. Robert Rudney, first co-chair for the DRG. "So, we're here to advertise the capabilities of people with disabilities and their readiness to work. A lot of this information doesn't come out very easily, so we decided it would be great to have an information dissemination effort. Spread the word."

The event featured representatives from the DRG, Air Force Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), Air Force and Department of Defense Equal Opportunity Offices, and the Pentagon Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program Technology Evaluation Center (CAPTEC).

A main focus of the information fair centered on accommodations for disabled persons in the work place. Centrally funded through the Department of Defense, CAPTEC provides technologies for disabled employees to federal agencies and wounded service members.

"We can provide the technology free of charge to the agency. It would be the property of the agency for the individual's use," said Erin Sanderson, Pentagon CAPTEC coordinator. "So, depending on if they have vision, dexterity, hearing, cognitive or communication disabilities, we can provide the technology they would need to access the computer environment."

The event also highlighted information for Air Force families who have children with disabilities.

"I'm here today to be able to inform families who have special needs about the resources and information they can get from the EFMP family support program," said Diana Caicedo, EFMP family support specialist. "There are various programs, especially for those families who have transitioning students looking to go into the workplace. There's vocational rehabilitation and agencies that help with the transition for those with special needs to get out in the work force and be successful employees."

Originally the "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week," Congress established October as National Disability Employment Month in 1988. For more information, visit http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/. Families can visit their local EFMP office for more information on services provided.