Blind Employees Serve America’s Military at Luke AFB Base Supply Center

Luke AFB Honor Guard Prepares to Open Celebration Anniversary of the Focusworks AbilityOne BSC Program. Foreground: Col. McCutchen, Vice Commander 944th with Bernie Richardson, Focusworks Store manager.

Glendale, AZ – For the past 13 years, five blind and five sighted employees at Focusworks Base Supply Center (BSC) on Luke Air Force Base have been providing on-base mission critical support and outfitting servicemen and women for deployment throughout the world. Today, these employees, and the Arizona Industries for the Blind (AIB), reached out to thank the community at Luke AFB for their support and to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program.

Focusworks, operated by the Arizona Industries for the Blind, also locally supports the Army National Guard, the 161st Air Refueling Wing of the Arizona National Guard, the U.S. Air Force ROTC, as the Veteran’s Administration, the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security.

There are 140 AbilityOne BSC facilities located at federal and military installations throughout the United States that provide employment to 300 Americans who are blind or severely disabled. More than 40,000 blind or disabled people are employed through the sale of products and services through the AbilityOne Program.

U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) praised the work of the AbilityOne Program and the Focusworks BSC in a letter of recognition presented during a program at Luke AFB.

“It is a great pleasure to offer my congratulations and thanks for your long standing service at Luke Air Force Base and to those who have helped make the AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program the success it is today.”

“Today’s celebration demonstrates how the America dream is available to people who are blind through business opportunities, followed by hard work, innovation and quality service,” said Kevin A. Lynch, president and CEO, National Industries for the Blind (pictured left).

The 100 attendees included service men and women from Luke AFB; Arizona Department of Economic Security Director Neal Young, Glendale Vice Mayor Steven Frate, Goodyear Vice Mayor Georgia Lord, Avondale Vice Mayor Jim McDonald and James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled.

Goodyear, AZ Vice Mayor Georgia Lord with her husband Col. Lord (Ret) talks with Dan Martinez and April Lange both with Arizona Industries for the Blind during a tour of the Focusworks BSC Store.

Colonel Robert K. McCutchen, Jr., Vice Commander of the 944th Fighter Wing unit at Luke AFB, said: “Everybody wants to do the same thing – be productive, raise their family and contribute to our community. The staff [at Focusworks] does that every day and you are serving your country well.”

Left - Carlos Paraskeva, Arizona Industries for the Blind; James Omvig, Vice Chair, Committee for Purchase - center; Jerry Eastham, Focusworks employee - 15th Anniversary Celebration of AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program, Luke AFB.

“I know our employees at Focusworks – who live in Phoenix, Glendale, Avondale and Goodyear – sincerely appreciate Luke Air Force Base’s mission and their support of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center program,” said Dick Monaco, General Manager, AIB.

About National Industries for the Blind
NIB’s (www.NIB.org) mission is to enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of persons who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and 89 associated agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind by the sale of SKILCRAFT® products and services through the AbilityOne Program, established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act.