Northeast Region contracts provide disabled a chance to work

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Jay Cope

Jennifer McPherson smiles as she hands yet another plate of peas, com, and fish to a Sailor in the Neptune Hall Galley at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine. It is something she does hundreds of times each day, but every time she gives a new smile and a shy hello to the service member.

Working in the mess hall is a job most Sailors avoid if given the choice. McPherson, a civilian contract employee, enjoys the work and does the job happily, despite the fact she daily struggles through a disability.

"I like working with the military. They are nice people," said McPherson. "Serving on the line is the most fun. Everyone says `hi' and asks how I'm doing and I usually do the same. I have friends here and I want to keep working here for a long time."

All this may sound pretty average, and that's good as far as McPherson is concerned. She and many other disabled employees, working for the Navy throughout the Northeast Region, are looking for exactly that--a chance for a normal life.

Over the past decade the Navy Northeast Region has been employing disabled persons in fulfilling service contracts. This marriage of social programs and the military has proven to be of immense benefit to both.

Janitorial services, laundry cleaning, and food service assistance are the three primary areas where contracts have been issued, through National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) approved companies for services in the Northeast Region. Of these contracts, the food service assistance contracts for Naval Air Station Brunswick and Naval Station Newport, R.I., galleys, by far, employ the most.

"This contract (for the Newport galley) represented a quantum leap in both size of employment and exposure," said Bill Maraziti, contract supervisor for the James L. Maher Center. "This is a high-activity, high-energy kind of place. We knew from the start it would t a large undertaking, but saw there was a large number of jobs we knew our people could handle."

The James L. Maher Center, under the food service contract, provides more than 100 employees for the Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport's Ney Hall galley, approximately three-quarters of whom are disabled to some extent. Disabilities for the workers range from developmental problems and traumatic brain injuries to physical disabilities and deafness. The employees work in all aspects of the galley's food service mission--vegetable preparation, scullery operation, cleaning, etc., under supervision of experienced shift supervisors.

According to Maraziti, the chance to work is important to the disabled, and the effects can be far reaching. "These are people who historically have barriers to employment. Working in an environment with this kind of exposure, can change the views society has of them. Sometimes these people feel they don't have an opportunity in life, and this [contract] gives them that chance. The impact is not just local, but statewide. People from Warwick, Westerly, Pawtucket, as well as from Newport choose to participate."

The workers aren't the only beneficiaries of the NISH contracts. NAVSTA Newport's galley derives benefits equally from the program, in the form of a motivated, consistent, and loyal work force.

"They do the same thing every day. They provide great service and do it happily," said MSC (SW) Alan R. Thomson, Ney Hall's Leading Chief. Their cheer is infectious, and I enjoy coming to work. My eyes have been totally opened up. These people do an outstanding job, far better than I expected. They make my job easy."

Not only easy, but effective as well, judging by results. Ney Hall was a finalist for the military's Ney award for food service excellence in only the second year under this contract. The galley was also recently awarded its second consecutive 5-star rating under the revised Ney award program. A rating, that Thomson stresses, would not have been achieved if not for the contributions of the Maher Center employees.

Maraziti wants the disabled workers to be associated with successful programs and emphasizes that one of the benefits of being a social organization is that the focus of the contract is no longer on the bottom line.

"Traditional contractors' goals are different than our goal. Their objective is to make the maximum amount of profit possible, ours is to generate the most employment opportunities to people who have disabilities, and to do that, we [Maher Center] have to ensure we provide the best quality product possible. We pay attention to the little details. Our philosophy is that Ney is every day. Our standards are at a level such that we don't have to sweat when the inspectors walk in the door."

Naval Air Station (NAS) Brunswick's Neptune Hall galley earned the 5-star rating as well this year and also attributed much of the success to the workers under a NISH contract through a company called Pathways Inc.

"Longevity and consistency playa big role in our achieving the 5-star rating," said MSCM (SW) Douglas A. White, Neptune Hall's leading Chief. "They [disabled employees] are dedicated people who do their job very well. The core people who have been here for seven years are key. Cross training isn't necessary any more, because they know the job, and there is so little turnover. They are the `meat and potatoes' of the operation. Steve, Brian, Helen, Matt, Dan, and John have been here since I've been here, and I would hate to lose them."