JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, or NDEAM, the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence command team of Maj. Gen. Dennis LeMaster and Command Sgt. Maj. Clark Charpentier hosted a small-ribbon cutting setting Oct. 16 for the organization’s newly installed ADA compliant ramp that ensures better accessibility to and from the command headquarters building and Willis Hall at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.
The American Disabilities Act, or ADA, is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. This year marks not only the 75th observance of NDEAM, but also the 30th anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing the ADA into law.
MEDCoE hosts a formal observance for NDEAM Oct. 27. This year’s national theme is “Increasing Access and Opportunity.”
There is limited seating for the in-person event and masks are required for all attendees as a COVID-19 mitigation measure.
Sgt. 1st Class Melody Williams, an equal opportunity advisor assigned to MEDCoE, said that accessibility to events has actually improved with more programs being live streamed in light of COVID concerns.
“If people cannot physically join us, we plan to live stream the event to ensure no one misses out,” Williams said.
She feels that each of the unit monthly observances are important to allow people to hear different perspectives than their own.
“I hope people will take the opportunity this month, to find out more about the ADA, what reasonable accommodation is and why is it so important to so many of our co-workers,” Williams added.
For more information about NDEAM, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam. For more information about the MEDCoE NDEAM Observance Ceremony, visit https://www.facebook.com/MedicalCoE.