An Air Force civilian received top-level recognition at the 25th Annual Department of Defense Disability Award ceremony.

John Hanson is the 2005 Outstanding DOD employee with a disability. Mr. Hanson, who works at the base family support center here, was the lone Air Force recipient out of 18 who received awards.

The Dec. 6 ceremony highlighted the accomplishments of DOD employees with disabilities.

Mr. Hanson found out about his selection when his commander came to tell him he needed to take care of a short-notice tasking.

“I was sitting at my desk when Maj. Shawna O’Brien (319th Mission Support Group commander) came and told me she had something that needed to be done,” Mr. Hanson said.

However, the tasking turned out to be getting his photo taken.

Mr. Hanson’s story doesn’t start with his award. It begins 30 years ago.

“When I was a kid, I had an uncle who lived in the Fargo-Moorhead (N.D.) area when the base was just getting set up. He took me over to the site and showed me and what the contractors and military personnel were doing to set the base up,” he said.

“Years later, I was in the Air Force stationed in Virginia, with the options of going to Ellsworth (Air Force Base), S.D., a base in Vietnam or Grand Forks,” he said. “Because of my past experience, I chose Grand Forks -- and have never regretted it.”

He went on to other bases and after received an honorable discharge and returned to Grand Forks as a civilian.

Shortly after returning, Mr. Hanson joined the North Dakota Army National Guard. When he was finally retired from the military, he received more than 60 percent disability for injuries sustained while in the service.

His disability hasn’t stopped him from helping others.

Mr. Hanson recently retired as an American Red Cross volunteer with more than 29 years of service. During that time, he served as chairman of the board of directors, disaster action team coordinator and disaster chairperson.

Mr. Hanson is also very involved in veterans’ issues. North Dakota’s governor appointed him to serve as a member of the state’s administrative committee on veterans affairs.

"For many years, veterans’ issues have been lying dormant,” he said. “Now there are people out there who are bringing those issues to the forefront so veterans can get the assistance they need."

His efforts have had tangible results for veterans.

"I was talking to Senator Kent Conrad about veterans’ health insurance issues. We drafted something up and he took it to the Senate floor,” he said. “That's making a difference.”

Mr. Hanson’s spirit of service, both as an Airman and civilian, exemplify his attitude that a disability shouldn’t be a barrier to “making a difference.”

“We all have the ability to overcome any of life’s challenges and not let it stop us,” he said. “You might think you have it bad. But then you see someone else who’s in a wheelchair, building race cars. Everyone has the ability to overcome.”

--Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein contributed to this story.