Federal Workers Who Made a Difference

The federal government gets a bad rap: it is constantly described as bloated and clunky, its workers as inefficient and ineffectual. Yet by and large, the men and women who make up the federal workforce rise above the criticism, put one foot in front of the other and do their job. Rarely is the work they do acknowledged, much less praised. But for the past 16 years, the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, or Sammies, have sought to change that by honoring federal employees who have an outsize impact on the country and the world. Below, the 2017 Sammie winners, chosen by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. 1. Flora M. Jordan MARINE CORPS SYSTEMS COMMAND Body armor keeps American troops alive, but it’s also a burden, weighing as much as 150 lb. After interviewing over 600 Marines and spending a week in the desert wearing their gear, Jordan and her team of engineers developed armor vests that are as much as 45% lighter than the current gear. The improved armor is being tested and could be purchased next year, alleviating Marines’ stress and facilitating their mobility. 2. Rory A. Cooper DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS The technologies Cooper and his team invented–they are credited with 25 patents–have made wheelchairs light and comfortable and motorized chairs easier to operate. They’ve added robotic arms to chairs so users can grasp objects and created tech that helps transfer people from a wheelchair to a bed. These advance...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Government Source Type: news