WEST BETHESDA, Md. –
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Maryland, observed a combined National Hispanic Heritage and National Disability Employment Awareness Month during a short ceremony Oct. 12.
"Today was about knowing, about having knowledge about the Hispanic, about the disability, the need to make sure our employees - Carderock - know it doesn't matter if Hispanic, disability, Asian, whatever culture we have here, we are all one," said Wanda Jimenez-Barkdoll, the deputy equal opportunity officer at Carderock.
The event's keynote speaker was Marco Robledo, a wounded warrior and son of Mexican immigrants. He's an administrative technical specialist in Carderock's contracts department (Code 02).
National Hispanic Heritage Month started in 1988 and is observed annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to celebrate the history, tradition and cultures of Hispanic people. National Disability Employment Awareness Month began in 1988 and is observed annually in October to raise awareness of contributions of disabled people.
"This is an opportunity to reaffirm the (Department of Defense's) commitment to recruit, retain and advance people with disabilities throughout our workforce," Jimenez-Barkdoll said. "Smart employers know that including different perspectives in problem-solving situations leads to better solutions."
Jimenez-Barkdoll introduced Robledo. When she saw him at new employee orientation, she knew he would be the right speaker.
Robledo, with his Belgian malinois service dog called Chuck Diesel lying on the stage next to him, spoke about his time in the military, growing up in Arkansas and how a day in Iraq changed his plans.
His parents instilled in him compassion to help others.
"Anyone who has been to our house during Thanksgiving can attest to the fact that no one is allowed to leave our home without a full belly and a dozen of my mom's world-class tamales," Robledo said.
At 17 he enlisted in the Arkansas Army National Guard, and at 20 he received his automotive service technician certificate from Arkansas Tech University. Two days later he was mobilized and attached to Alpha Company, 875th Engineer Battalion and deployed to LSA Anaconda, Iraq, to be a Humvee turret gunner.
For eight months, Robledo was the only person in his battalion not hit by a roadside bomb. That changed when his Humvee was hit and ambushed near Tarmiyah, Iraq, May 26, 2007.
The area was considered a no-go zone at times. That day it took air strikes and Apache helicopter gunships escorting a medical evacuation helicopter to his location to evacuate Robledo.
"I give credit to my band of brothers, because it was their training and their perseverance that saved my life," Robledo said.
He spent two years at Walter Reed going through rehabilitation and multiple surgeries. His dreams of owning his own mechanic shop were over with his left hand and leg gone. He landed internships and other jobs. He started his job at Carderock in September.
He didn't want his speech to be about burden but one that inspires.
"Although my journey has taken me several places I never intended to go, it has brought me here, where I feel I have a lot to learn and contribute to," Robledo said.
Capt. Mark Vandroff, commanding officer of Carderock, presented Robledo with a certificate and gave remarks.
"They've enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect their multi-ethnic and multi-cultural customs," Vandroff said of Hispanic people in the country.
Vandroff talked about growing up in an area of central Florida with a large Cuban population.
"I consider myself lucky during my years growing up there in Florida to have been raised in such a neighborhood," Vandroff said.
Equality, dignity, respect and cooperation are essential values in the DOD and the department recognizes their contributions to advance disability awareness.
Vandroff said these observances are an important part of recognizing that everyone brings strength to the workforce.
The observance wasn't all serious. There was a "walk a mile in my shoes" challenge and a round of 10 trivia questions. For the challenge, two volunteers came up from the audience to the stage to do tasks as if they were handicapped. The first volunteer had to put on two pairs of gloves, empty a pen basket, put each pen back then print and sign his name. He took his time with his task and eventually put everything back in and signed his name with double-gloved hands.
The second volunteer's right arm was bound to his side, leaving just his left hand to open a glass jar with an undetermined amount of money inside - which he could keep if he could open it. He tried a number of ways but couldn't open it. People at the ceremony also answered trivia questions on things like whether singers like Fergie, Mariah Carey and Marc Anthony are Hispanic (all of them are), to the number of Hispanic people in the country, to how many people in the county are handicapped. Everyone who correctly answered a question received a bag of snacks.