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News | Oct. 25, 2022

DLA named best mid-sized component for hiring employees with disabilities

By Nancy Benecki DLA Public Affairs

The Defense Logistics Agency was named Best Mid-Sized Component Among Employers of Individuals with Disabilities for the sixth consecutive year during the Secretary of Defense’s 42nd annual Disability Awards Ceremony held virtually Oct. 20.

The awards are based on criteria related to the hiring, retention and advancement of individuals with disabilities. DLA had the greatest increase of individuals with targeted disabilities, as well as the largest number of employees hired under the federal government’s Schedule A hiring authority.

DLA also led mid-sized components in converting interns from DOD’s Workforce Recruitment Program into permanent employees. The agency’s Reasonable Accommodations Program provides assistive technology and services to employees with disabilities to help them perform essential job functions.

This year’s award marks the 20th time DLA has won the mid-sized component award, said Eric Spanbauer, the DLA Equal Employment Opportunity Office’s program manager for special emphasis programs.

“What truly matters here is DLA doing our best by staying on the cutting edge of all affirmative actions to ensure accessibility is available for our valued employees with and without disabilities,” Spanbauer said. “The real achievement is about equity, which is the epitome of equal opportunity and diversity. We must always continue to improve, advance, innovate and optimize our DLA disability program.”

Steven Chu, a management and program analyst for Defense Logistics Agency Information Operations, was also one of 28 individuals recognized as an outstanding DOD employee with a disability.

“Many people with disabilities are still only seen for what we can't do, but what we can't do does not stop us from working hard to support our country and those who fight for it,” Chu said.

The awards are presented every October during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.”

“Here at the Pentagon, Secretary [of Defense Lloyd] Austin and I are committed to making sure DOD draws from all of America's many and diverse strengths, and that in so doing we also reflect the nation we're sworn to defend,” said Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks. “We're also committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace culture across all of DOD. That's why today we're recognizing four DOD components that are leaders among their peers and hiring, retaining and promoting people with disabilities.”