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http://www.timesrecordnews.com/trn/local_news/article/0,1891,TRN_5784_4187077,00.html
James Moore couldn't hear the worries that surrounded him when he first came to Sheppard Air Force Base.
He doesn't need to hear the praises he's received since then - he just needs to look at them.
Moore, who is deaf, was recently selected for the 2005 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee with a Disability Award. He's one of two hearing-impaired workers in the 982nd MXS/LGMX. The 46-year-old engineer designs and develops training models and simulators for courses and purchases various aircraft parts.
Mitch Weatherly, chief of trainer development flight, made the nomination. He said the distinction is well deserved.
"He's an individual who goes beyond barriers," he said. "Here's an individual who gives you 100 percent every day. He's a go-getter."
Early on there were worries about Moore working at Sheppard, said Joseph Mahon, engineering supervisor for the group.
"Before he even got here, people said they didn't know if he would work out," Mahon said, explaining the worries have since dissipated. "He works hard. He's one of those people, if you ask him to do something, he jumps right on it."
Moore was born May 6, 1959, in Lamesa, Texas, the second of three children. When he was 7-months-old, he caught measles. Doctors believed the accompanying high fever may have caused his deafness, according to the base. At 11-months-old, he was profoundly deaf and had a 95 percent decibel loss that cannot be improved with hearing aids. At that point, his mother began driving him to Levelland, Texas, to the Texas Tech Speech and Hearing Department for speech therapy.
His father's military career took the family from Texas to Oklahoma to Colorado and back to Texas. He graduated high school in 1978 and headed to Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas, for a year. He worked part-time for United Parcel Service for more than three years until he learned that he wouldn't be allowed to operate a delivery truck because he was deaf.
So he went to school full-time at Texas State Technical College in Waco, eventually graduating in 1985 as the first deaf student to be awarded an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology from the school.
"I came to get a new job in Kelly AFB in September 1985, and then they turned around and closed the base," he said in an e-mail message. "I transferred to Sheppard AFB eight years ago."
He quickly made his mark, Mahon said.
"Everybody took to him," he said. "He picked up and ran right with everything."
For instance, he was supposed to have an interpreter for the first two weeks of his Sheppard assignment as a way to introduce him to everyone and help him get an idea about his new job. After a week, Moore decided he didn't need an interpreter because he could communicate well enough using pen and paper. He's quick on the uptake, Mahon said. Just Tuesday morning, Mahon needed Moore to redo a job that took another worker a day to complete.
"I gave it to him and within an hour and a half" Moore was done, Mahon said.
Moore even taught beginning sign language classes to office personnel during his lunch hour to break down communication barriers while increasing flight personnel sign language capabilities and understandability.
The base has also been a big help in moving beyond his disability, Moore said. For instance, Sheppard has installed a laptop with voice recognition and a flashing light on his phone.
"Over the years, Joe Mahon and I have become knowledgeable of each other's role. We know what the expectations of this job are," he said. "It's a great pleasure to work with Joe, Esther Gilkerson and Don Kraft because they understand my abilities at work and trust me with my job performance."
Modernity has also helped, he said.
"Today's technology has helped me more on doing the work," he said. "I effectively communicate at my work, a lot by e-mails and notes from the computers. Also, (the fact that) I cannot hear helped me focus on my work performance better, rather than being distracted by noises or background conversation. I adjusted very well with my job and technologies surrounded me."
Don't be fooled, though: he's not afraid to be a little goofy, Mahon said.
"He's a clown," he said and laughed. "He laughs and tells jokes."
He's lent that enthusiasm outside of the base as well.
He's been lead instructor for beginning/intermediate sign language at Vernon College and Midwestern State University since 2002. He also volunteers for sign language classes in Wichita Falls and mentors students to begin feeling comfortable using sign. He's a former president and vice president of Texoma's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.
Already honored on base for many accomplishments, Moore said the DoD award was appreciated.
"I felt more proud for that," he said. "And really thank our entire workers in the office and shop."
James Moore couldn't hear the worries that surrounded him when he first came to Sheppard Air Force Base.
He doesn't need to hear the praises he's received since then - he just needs to look at them.
Moore, who is deaf, was recently selected for the 2005 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee with a Disability Award. He's one of two hearing-impaired workers in the 982nd MXS/LGMX. The 46-year-old engineer designs and develops training models and simulators for courses and purchases various aircraft parts.
Mitch Weatherly, chief of trainer development flight, made the nomination. He said the distinction is well deserved.
"He's an individual who goes beyond barriers," he said. "Here's an individual who gives you 100 percent every day. He's a go-getter."
Early on there were worries about Moore working at Sheppard, said Joseph Mahon, engineering supervisor for the group.
"Before he even got here, people said they didn't know if he would work out," Mahon said, explaining the worries have since dissipated. "He works hard. He's one of those people, if you ask him to do something, he jumps right on it."
Moore was born May 6, 1959, in Lamesa, Texas, the second of three children. When he was 7-months-old, he caught measles. Doctors believed the accompanying high fever may have caused his deafness, according to the base. At 11-months-old, he was profoundly deaf and had a 95 percent decibel loss that cannot be improved with hearing aids. At that point, his mother began driving him to Levelland, Texas, to the Texas Tech Speech and Hearing Department for speech therapy.
His father's military career took the family from Texas to Oklahoma to Colorado and back to Texas. He graduated high school in 1978 and headed to Eastfield Junior College in Mesquite, Texas, for a year. He worked part-time for United Parcel Service for more than three years until he learned that he wouldn't be allowed to operate a delivery truck because he was deaf.
So he went to school full-time at Texas State Technical College in Waco, eventually graduating in 1985 as the first deaf student to be awarded an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology from the school.
"I came to get a new job in Kelly AFB in September 1985, and then they turned around and closed the base," he said in an e-mail message. "I transferred to Sheppard AFB eight years ago."
He quickly made his mark, Mahon said.
"Everybody took to him," he said. "He picked up and ran right with everything."
For instance, he was supposed to have an interpreter for the first two weeks of his Sheppard assignment as a way to introduce him to everyone and help him get an idea about his new job. After a week, Moore decided he didn't need an interpreter because he could communicate well enough using pen and paper. He's quick on the uptake, Mahon said. Just Tuesday morning, Mahon needed Moore to redo a job that took another worker a day to complete.
"I gave it to him and within an hour and a half" Moore was done, Mahon said.
Moore even taught beginning sign language classes to office personnel during his lunch hour to break down communication barriers while increasing flight personnel sign language capabilities and understandability.
The base has also been a big help in moving beyond his disability, Moore said. For instance, Sheppard has installed a laptop with voice recognition and a flashing light on his phone.
"Over the years, Joe Mahon and I have become knowledgeable of each other's role. We know what the expectations of this job are," he said. "It's a great pleasure to work with Joe, Esther Gilkerson and Don Kraft because they understand my abilities at work and trust me with my job performance."
Modernity has also helped, he said.
"Today's technology has helped me more on doing the work," he said. "I effectively communicate at my work, a lot by e-mails and notes from the computers. Also, (the fact that) I cannot hear helped me focus on my work performance better, rather than being distracted by noises or background conversation. I adjusted very well with my job and technologies surrounded me."
Don't be fooled, though: he's not afraid to be a little goofy, Mahon said.
"He's a clown," he said and laughed. "He laughs and tells jokes."
He's lent that enthusiasm outside of the base as well.
He's been lead instructor for beginning/intermediate sign language at Vernon College and Midwestern State University since 2002. He also volunteers for sign language classes in Wichita Falls and mentors students to begin feeling comfortable using sign. He's a former president and vice president of Texoma's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.
Already honored on base for many accomplishments, Moore said the DoD award was appreciated.
"I felt more proud for that," he said. "And really thank our entire workers in the office and shop."