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News | July 28, 2016

Commander to summer hires: you directly impact warfighter

By Alex Siemiatkowski Defense Logistics Agency Public Affairs Specialist

Students in the Workforce Recruitment Program make a direct impact on the troops they support, the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support commander told the summer hires July 20.

“What you do has a direct impact on the warfighter every day,” said Army Brig. Gen. Charles Hamilton. "They (workforce) do it because they know that at the other end of that transaction they put into the computer is a soldier, sailor, airmen or Marine that needs some type of equipment that potentially could save their life.”

Eighteen students in the Workforce Recruitment Program had the chance to talk with Hamilton and ask questions during a meet and greet.

“This is one of the biggest group of students we have ever had,” said June Goldberg, a DLA Troop Support equal opportunity specialist Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity office.

The WRP is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers with college students and recent graduates with disabilities.

The 14-week program is managed by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Department of Defense’s Office of Diversity Management.

Hamilton started by sharing his college background and stories of his 30-year career in the Army.

Hamilton also opened the meeting for students to ask questions. Many asked about his career, family, difficulties in life and what college degrees would benefit them at Troop Support.

Hamilton was asked if he requested to work for “When you get promoted to general, you don’t get any say in where you go,” he said. “But it was my number one choice, inside, that I never told anyone.”

WRP students are able to apply for or convert into either the DLA Pathways to Career Excellence Program or intern program.

“(The WRP program) has grown incredibly because the success stories have a strong ripple effect throughout supervisors and managers,” said Michael Cowley, equal opportunity specialist. “Our goal is to convert as many of those students who have already graduated into the PaCE program.”

Several students said they enjoy working at DLA Troop Support and hope to make it a career.

“I love working at the Defense Logistics Agency and I want to pursue full employment here,” said Samuel Marcus, a WRP student and senior at Temple University. “I am looking forward to other opportunities DLA has to offer.”

Students in the program represented various majors from Rutgers University, Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, Southern New Hampshire University, Ohio State, Saint Joseph's University, University of Delaware and Chestnut Hill College.

For more WRP information, contact Cowley at (215) 737-5906 or visit the WRP website