RICHMOND, Va. –
Irish American Heritage Month is observed annually in March. It is a time to celebrate Irish Americans’ achievements, histories, traditions and cultural diversity. To commemorate this observance, DLA Aviation shines the spotlight on Caitlin Spurling to talk about Irish American heritage.
Name: Caitlin Spurling
Organization: Supplier Operations Directorate
Years of service: Five years
What is your job title: Quality Assurance Specialist
Describe your job in a sentence or two: My job is to make sure our contractors have everything they need to be successful, such as materiel requirements, drawings and specifications. When defects are found, I investigate the cause to prevent a reoccurrence.
How do you support the warfighter? The warfighter can be assured the materiel they receive is high quality and reliable, because I’ve verified its integrity. I approach my job with acute precision because my decisions directly contribute to the readiness, effectiveness, timeliness and safety of our military personnel relying on the materiel.
Tell us something unique about your heritage or country of origin. Something unique about my Irish heritage is the concept of craic, pronounced “crack.” Craic is the way to describe a good time and the way the Irish celebrate life, overcome hardships and take time to enjoy the simple pleasures we tend to overlook in everyday life.
What is one thing you'd like others to know about your heritage? What I would like people to know about my Irish American heritage is the strong sense of community passed down through generations. Irish heritage is about forging connections and finding joy in shared experiences.
Why is it important to you that we celebrate Irish Heritage Month? Celebrating Irish Heritage Month is important to me because recognizing different heritages fosters a sense of inclusivity and makes everyone feel valued and respected. At DLA Aviation this month, employees will have the opportunity to learn about Irish Heritage Month, Irish history, traditions and our contributions. By sharing cultural knowledge, we raise awareness about the various backgrounds belonging to the people within our workforce, which promotes understanding and appreciation amongst colleagues.