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Show IT 2r. cowtAt ntmcTM Tmouo r7 u Mj Loctsncs sofa during the deer hunt Do Lrj 3L x "ri. at-- W A tx5 V V I r ,jr a a Iff 111. Hilltop Times t w V. 1 f Oct. 18, 1991 True grit displayed every day by Frances Kosakowsky Hilltop Times staff writer October is Handicapped Awareness Month, which is time set aside to recognize the contributions made to our country by citizens who do a day's work for a day's pay and who do this work by overcoming physical challenges that 90 percent of our society never has to give any thought to. For many years, the federal government has spearheaded the drive in our society to provide meaningful employment with the accompanying boost to that comes from being able to earn one's living in spite of a handicap. Ten percent more than 1,300 workers at Hill AFB are self-estee- m considered to be handicapped in some way and they are employed in virtually every organization at Hill AFB. Tom LaRonde, the disabled employment program manager, says that jobs have been found for workers with handicaps ranging from hearing and vision impairments to learning disabilities. Programs available There are four programs aimed at including the handicapped: Student aid, wherein 20 percent of the students are handicapped. Co-o- p. Thirty-percen- t disabled veterans. Special placement "By employing students, we provide an environment where the student is able to learn primary work functions and gain some social interaction skills that must be learned to be successful in the workplace," said LaRonde. "The 20 percent who are handicapped need the experience as much as other students." To convince conservative supervisors that handir procapped workers can get the job done, a a worker was created is whereby handicapped gram for in a an periplaced excepted position od on a trial basis. If the worker proves to be satisfactory which most of them do, says LaRonde he or she is converted to career conditional or career status, otherwise the worker will be placed in another job under 700-hou- four-mont- h r the program. "We have nine handicapped workers in the process of being converted," LaRonde said. "Overall, our handicapped workers have less absenteeism than the rest of the work force," he said. "I attribute this to the work ethic of our handicapped workers and to the fact that most of these folks simply have to meet more challenges than the rest of us." 700-hou- Money spent on programs In refuting allegations that too much money is spent to accommodate the handicapped, LaRonde said, "Anyone who says that is probably ignorant of the contributions the handicapped make to our society." Recently, LaRonde attended a meeting of state and federal managers of programs for the handicapped. Once of the conclusions coming from the meeting was that the Eastern Seaboard states are much more advanced in accommodating the handicapped than the western states. Borrowers bovaro Advertising doesn't mean good deal 66 Overall, our handicapped workers have less absenteeism than the rest of the work force. 99 Tom LaRonde program manager "I see no difference in providing the handicapped worker with a tool to help him or her do a job. We provide tools for other workers too," he said. This year's Handicapped Worker of the Year at Hill is Charles "Chuck" Baxter, who is a team chief in the denial research unit of the Technology and Industrial Support Directorate. Baxter was medically retired from the military 14 years ago due to the onset of severe arthritis of the spine. He has been on both sides of the fence. "Of course you have to adapt to your handicap by making special sleeping arrangements or learn Deadlines ensure holiday delivery Sometimes handicaps not obvious "I don't pay much attention to my handicap," Disabled employment Hail early ing to read lips or whatever is necessary to live with your handicap," he says, "but, most times it doesn't get in other people's way you adapt." Baxter said that he believes that handicapped people are more conscious of the need to conserve their sick leave. He has accumulated more than 800 hours of sick time as a hedge against something unforeseen happening. Baxter says. "Everyone has something to deal with, it just doesn't show a lot of the time. I've heard comments about people with handicapped stickers on their cars like, 'They don't look handicapped to me.' If people are able to walk away normally, it doesn't mean they aren't handicapped. It just isn't obvious," he said. Baxter said he has never been discriminated against because of his physical handicap. "If I don't get a promotion, it isn't because I'm handicapped, it's because someone was more qualified for the job than I am," he said. His advice to anyone who has to overcome a problem in order to do a job is to prepare as thoroughly as possible before applying for the job and to be persistent when applying. "Things are changing all the time," he said. October promotions Air Force members move up |