SourceAmerica and the Military return to fundamentals with new service uniform | State

VIENNA, Va., February 3, 2021 / PRNewswire / – SourceAmerica® has a long history of serving the country’s service members in a variety of ways. From making uniforms to providing food services in military facilities to making personal protective equipment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, SourceAmerica, people with disabilities, and the military have worked together to provide critical products and services for the nation’s defense.

“SourceAmerica is honored to be part of the Army Green Service Uniform Project,” he said Jill Johnson, VP, Products.

In 2018, the US Army announced that the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) would become the new uniform for all soldiers. The AGSU’s design would resemble that of World War II and recall the days of bravery and courage produced by soldiers of the “greatest generation”.

After the decision was made to change the uniform, the question of how to bring it to life came to the fore. The Army eventually decided that the AbilityOne® program was positioned to provide the best quality and value for the project. The AbilityOne program is one of the largest sources of employment in the country for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. The AbilityOne program employs almost 45,000 people nationwide, including around 3,000 veterans.

“SourceAmerica is honored to be part of the Army Green Service Uniform Project,” he said Jill Johnson, Vice President, Products. “Our goal is to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities. We are proud to partner with the Army to accomplish our mission through this work.”

SourceAmerica and National Industries for the Blind (NIB) are key nonprofit organizations named by the United States AbilityOne Board to facilitate the participation of nonprofits in the program. As an AbilityOne Authorized Company, SourceAmerica connects its network of approximately 700 local nonprofits with job postings made available through AbilityOne.

With the decision that SourceAmerica and the AbilityOne program would manufacture and implement the AGSU, it emerged that SourceAmerica’s manufacturing and development program was the ideal solution for creatively testing, manufacturing, and shipping the uniform. Two non-profit organizations within the SourceAmerica network, Goodwill Industries of South Floridaand Puerto Rico Industries for the Blind were selected for participation because of their expertise in uniform manufacturing and their ability to provide expert equipment and shipping schedules. Their commitment enabled people with disabilities to play a central role in the AGSU project. There were also two nonprofits within the NIB network – Alabama Industries for the Blind and Travis Association for the Blind – on board.

The AGSU team spent nearly nine months designing and testing multiple versions of the new uniform. This process involved the disabled people who made several of the test pieces, including shirts, jackets, belts, pants, and hats. After the Army selected a final design, full production began at AGSU. Today, the non-profit organizations share different tasks in the manufacture, packaging and delivery of the uniforms.

“Our team is proud to be part of this landmark project through the AbilityOne program,” said Goodwill Industries, President and CEO of South Florida David Landsberg. “People with disabilities make an impact every day, and it is very helpful for those who are part of this effort to see how the new Army Green Service uniform is being worn by our soldiers.”

Walter Anderson works on the AGSU project for Goodwill Industries by South Florida. “I’m proud of what I do. I love my job. I love society. I love the military; that I do it for the military. I can’t go into the field and fight for them, but I can post Make sure you wear your uniform, “he said.

The U.S. Army received its first shipments of the uniform at a number of its facilities across the country and will continue to receive them through the end of the year February 2021. Because of the hard work and dedication of people with disabilities who have used their expertise and skills to meet the demands of the Army, the Army is given a uniform that they will be proud to wear for years to come.

About SourceAmerica

SourceAmerica connects government and corporate customers with a national network of approximately 700 nonprofits that hire a talented segment of the workforce – people with disabilities. Founded in 1974, SourceAmerica is committed to greater economic and social inclusion and a more accessible future of work for people with diverse skills. SourceAmerica is a leading job maker in the disability community and is recognized as an AbilityOne® Authorized Company. It uses the dynamics and increases the efficiency of its network and its customers. To learn more, visit SourceAmerica.org and follow the organization on Facebook (@SourceAmerica), Twitter (@SourceAmerica), and LinkedIn (@SourceAmerica).

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