‘My disability is part of who I am as a person and as an employee’
Little Rock Air Force Base Exchange office assistant Petra Eick was named the Exchange’s 2023 Outstanding Associate with a Disability. She was among 23 civilian employees and service members who were honored at the 43rd Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards at the Pentagon on Oct. 26, the first in-person ceremony since 2019.
“I was so stunned when I found out. I just kept staring at the email,” said Eick, who lives with severe asthma. “It’s such an honor.”
In addition to her office assistant duties, Eick, who has worked at the Exchange for a decade, also serves as the BX’s MILITARY STAR® ambassador, public affairs representative and social media administrator. She says she’s in the “family business” of serving the military community: Her husband served 27 years in the Army, while her two sons also served in the Army and her daughter served in the Coast Guard.
She’s also known for her service to her teammates at the BX.
“Petra’s amazing. She spearheads all our events—from the planning to the announcement to taking care of any VIP guests. She takes care of everything without having to be asked,” said Barbara Commons, general manager of the Little Rock BX. “She’s got great work ethic and is friendly and encouraging to everybody.”
A hospitalization due to her asthma led her to quit the Little Rock Exchange after about a year to focus on her health. She then followed her husband to his next assignment in Minnesota. He retired three years later, and the family returned to Little Rock. When she stopped by the Exchange, several former colleagues urged her to apply for a position that had just opened.
That persistence is part of her work ethic that has allowed her to thrive despite challenges. COVID has made her asthma significantly worse, as well as Arkansas heat this summer.
“I’ve had to slow down, but I keep pushing,” Eick said.
She encourages other Exchange associates to keep open communication with their supervisors and voice their needs to find accommodations that work.
“This is a company that supports anybody, no matter what their disability is,” she said. “Never be ashamed of your disability. My disability is part of who I am as a person and as an employee.”
Eick has the support of her managers and teammates.
“If I have trouble breathing, all my coworkers know what to do,” she said. “We are a family, and they take care of me.”
Associates with disabilities account for more than 16% of the Exchange workforce, which exceeds the goal of 12% established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Four percent of the Exchange’s employees have targeted disabilities—double the DoD goal of 2% for its agencies. The Exchange leads all DoD non-appropriated-fund agencies in these categories.
The Exchange’s regional winners of Outstanding Associate with a Disability Awards include:
- Western: Kristy Saeturn, Travis AFB Exchange
- Eastern: Richard Briot, Fort Drum Exchange
- Europe: Wesley Johnson, Ramstein AB Exchange
- Pacific: Vincent Lesesne, Yokota AB Exchange
- Logistics: Alison Parramore, HQ
The Exchange, the DoD’s largest retailer, works to recruit, retain and advance people with targeted disabilities. Non-competitive hiring for entry-level positions, providing reasonable accommodations, active community outreach and retaining interns from the Workforce Recruitment Program are all tools available to Exchange managers in hiring those with disabilities.
Thank you! What a beautiful and inspiring story!