My name is Deborah Omsby Dixon and I am a 60% rated female, disabled veteran. I would like to apply for the Feldman Law Firm, PLLC Disabled Veteran Scholarship for 2016. I receive no financial assistance for my graduate studies, so your award would help me to accomplish my career goal as I excel in my studies and later graduate. I am pursuing an M.S. in Operations & Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). My goal is to work for the federal government, at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, Integrated Systems Support Center (ILSC), located in Natick, Massachusetts or the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), located in East Hartford, Connecticut as a Contract Specialist or a Project Manager, respectively.
After being discharged in 1992 from the military, I tried to work when I could,but due to the randomness of my symptoms, I was unable to return to full-time work until 2012. Unfortunately, in 2015, I was sidelined again by health complications.My disability causes unpredictable symptoms that come on without warning. My symptoms may change in severity or altogether. I experience periods of remission and periods where my condition “flares-up”. I’ve been hospitalized, have had multiple surgeries and have had to resign from past positions due to the severity of my disability.
I have since focused my attention on my career goals and increasing my level of education. I decided to finally pick a specialized major, one that I had already had some experience with, as I had volunteered through the Department of Veterans Affairs Non-Paid Federal Work Program as an Inventory Management Specialist. I worked for the Branch Chief of Aerial Delivery & Soldier Protective Equipment at the TACOM Integrated Logistics Support Center (ILSC) at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts.This rather long title means that the Soldier Center serves active duty soldiers in the field. They supply them with everything from equipment, vehicles, food, shelter and clothing and it was an honor to serve our active duty soldiers, as the VA has served me. I was blessed to have an exceptional Branch Chief, who not only taught me additional analytic skills, but an exceptional work ethic. I learned not to look at just the norms, to question, to investigate and to analyze when making a management decisions and how other departments were affected by those decisions. After completing my assignment, I was forever changed by these hard working and dedicated federal employees, who worked through layoffs, the government shutdown and uncertainty about their job security. These federal government employees, the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation program, as well as my VA Representative were all instrumental in helping me redefine my career focus. Another rung in my career stepladder is my SNHU Advisor, who has helped me to realize not only my potential, but that I should reach beyond my potential to achieve excellence.Because I’m disabled and from an older age group, it is easy to question yourself, to believe that you don’t measure up to others in your field or that you will never work again. By keeping in contact with my Advisor, I’m kept grounded and I’m able to accept my limitations, as well as consider the possibilities.
I am a self-sufficient student – no financial aid is available for graduate studies, nor do I wish to incur debt from a student loan. It has been difficult treating my disability, which isboth chronic and constant. I’ve been used a guinea pig, scanned, tested, my treatments changed and adjusted, with minimal successes. But I have faith, support from my family, friends, advisor/professors and my doctors. I believe in myself and in my goals, which in turn, drives me to exceed and to excel. But without help from the people I’ve mentioned and people like you, who are willing to invest in disabled veterans, none of this would have been possible.
It is with this in mind, that I have participated in a panel discussion held at UMass University Medical School for the last three years entitled “Employing Veterans with Disabilities”, sponsored by the Veteran Employee Resource Group and the CEOD Disabilities Sub-Committee on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
I speak about various barriers to employment for veterans, one issue being that there are almost no part-time federal government positions for disabled veterans. By participating in events like these, I don’t give in, I don’t quit and I am not defeated by my disability. Living up to the Army values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage is the foundation for all my success. Also, my adherence to the “The Soldier’s Creed” will never change and is what keeps me studying hard and surpassing my own expectations as a student. I will forever be an American Soldier.
I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
