National Disability Employment Awareness Month – Dennis Kerstetter

RICHMOND, Va. -

RICHMOND, Va. - Editor's Note: October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an effort to confirm the federal government's commitment to ensuring disabled workers have access to good jobs, every month of every year. In observance of NDEAM, Defense Logistics Agency Aviation will feature employees with disabilities.

Name: Dennis Kerstetter

Organization: DLA Aviation Industrial Plant Equipment branch of the Engineering Directorate, located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Years of service at DLA: 46 Years

What is your job title, and what do you do? I am a machinist work leader, and my job is to assist in coordinating work with my supervisor, as well as assisting the machinists with difficult set-ups. My main focus is teaching the machinists in the shop the correct orders of operation and proper procedures to ensure all repairs are correct and meet or exceed the standards.

How do you support the warfighter? I rebuild industrial support equipment that is used by the warfighter and their supporting elements.

The theme for the 2024 National Disability Employment Awareness Month is "Access to Good Jobs for All." In your words, briefly explain what this means to you? Although I am unable to hear, that does not stop me from doing the job that I love. Being able to be a machinist is very important to me, as I was taught the correct way to rebuild machines when I was in school. Having the same opportunities as someone who is hearing is also important. I am able to communicate well with others and make sure that everything is correct and that my work exceeds the standard. I have been able to teach and help others learn the correct way to rebuild machines.

Tell us something unique about you. I am able to work on nearly anything. I have a very good attention to detail and a good understanding for how things work. I am a very good handyman and craftsman. I take pride in what I do and always strive for everything to be correct and in the proper working order. I am able to determine what the problem is, and to help others understand the fault and how it needs to be fixed to work correctly.

What is one thing you'd like others to know about individuals with a disability? Just because somebody has a disability does not mean they should be labeled. There is no difference between someone who is disabled and someone who is not. In my case, just because I can't hear, does not mean I can't function. I am able to hyperfocus on my work, and I don't get distracted. I am able to observe and understand what is going on and what I need next to complete my work. In situations where there is a large number of people, an interpreter helps me understand the conversation. If there is an issue with a co-worker understanding American Sign Language, I am able to physically show and explain the problem and solution. It means a lot to me when people put effort in to learning ASL so they can communicate better with me. Even though I am deaf, if anyone in the facility has a question, I am able to convey the correct or a more efficient way to solving their problem.

What are you most proud of? I am proud that my co-workers have a lot of patience with me when it relates to our communication barrier. It also makes me proud that people are able to use the processes and methods I taught them to succeed and continue to get the job done right. The machinists that I have taught have been able to do more and more work on their own every day, and they ask me less and less questions. I am proud the machinists feel confident using the processes on their own that I have taught them.

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