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NEWS | Oct. 15, 2015

Disabilities not always apparent to the untrained eye

By Alun Thomas 63rd Regional Support Command

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – The scars from war or everyday life come in many shapes or forms, physically and mentally. To the untrained eye, a co-worker may look and act the same as those around them, but simmering beneath the surface could be a trauma or injury causing pain and grief.

This was a key talking point during the 63rd Regional Support Command’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) event Oct. 14 at the headquarters auditorium, here. 

Elaborating on the significance of the monthlong program was guest speaker Derrick Felton, director and team leader of Veteran Affairs Readjustment and Counseling Services, Menlo Park, California, who said a disability is classified as physical or mental injury that limits a person’s movement, senses or activities.

“There’s different types of disabilities, from vision, movement, thinking, remembering, learning and mental health,” said Felton. “This nationwide campaign raises awareness of these issues and celebrates the contribution of America’s disabled workers past and present.”

Felton, an Army veteran, said NDEAM was enacted in 1945 after veterans returning from World War II were returning from the battlefield and back into the workplace and having a challenging time readjusting.

“President Harry Truman signed a resolution declaring the first week of October ‘National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week,’” said Felton. “In the interests of political correctness they changed the name and expanded it to a whole month.”

Felton asked those in attendance what they think a disabled person looked like and said there’s no way of telling.

“Disabled people include those with sensory, physical and mental conditions ... people with disabilities cross lines of age, gender, race and sexual orientation,” continued Felton. “It is a group anyone can be a member of at any time. Almost all of us will encounter a disability at some point in our lives.”

Normally a physical disability triggers most people's attention, whether it be someone using crutches or in a wheelchair, said Felton, but it’s the disabilities we don’t see that can be more striking.

“People with disabilities are just that - they’re people,” he said. “Just because someone has a disability does not mean they can’t do their job.” 

Most people will go out of their way to help someone with an obvious physical disability, yet it’s the ones not seen that are problematic, because those suffering will not disclose them in most cases, said Felton.

“Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression ... if they don’t tell you they have these things they won’t go out of their way to share them with you, because you don’t know,” he continued. “Disability is only one part of who they are - it’s what they can do at work that matters.”

Managers should always ensure reasonable accommodations are in place for disabled workers, Felton stated.

“Besides physical limitations, the person may have a mental disorder they need assistance with in the work area. So for instance if someone has been diagnosed with sleep apnea and they realize coming to work early means they aren’t ready to work, they can ask if they can come in later,” said Felton.

“This is what reasonable accommodation means,” he said.

Co-workers shouldn’t judge disabled personnel either and treat them as normal human beings, said Felton.

“One thing a person won’t tell you if they have a disability is their story, unless it’s on a need to know basis. They don’t want your sympathy,” he added.

“This is something everyone should respect,” Felton concluded.