Civilian dedicates 50 years of service helping women, Hispanics Published Oct. 5, 2011 By Erin Tindell Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs SAN ANTONIO -- Fifty years ago, Mary Alamar Young started her civil service career at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. She was young and surrounded by older co-workers who often teased they were raising her. As the flag was lowered during the closing ceremony for Brooks on Aug. 31, Mary did all she could to fight back tears sitting in the third row from the front. She thought about the people she'd met throughout her career, beginning with Brooks, the base where scientists studied the effects of flight on pilots and developed gold visors for Apollo astronauts at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. President John F. Kennedy dedicated the school on November 21, 1963 while campaigning in Texas for the upcoming 1964 presidential election. It was Kennedy's last official act as president. He was assassinated in Dallas the next day. Yet Young was able to see Kennedy the day before he died, an event she lists as one of the highlights of her 50-year career. "I was there when this picture was taken," she said pointing to an old newspaper photo of Kennedy standing behind a lectern addressing the audience. "There were craftsmen at Brooks who constructed the lectern specifically for Kennedy. That lectern was supposed to go to the (JFK Presidential Library and Museum)." "It's going to remain here in San Antonio," Young said, her face lighting up as she leaned in with her petite body. Brooks has a special place in Young's heart. She grew up southwest of the base and, at a young age, began her career there as an administrative assistant. It's also where she discovered her passion for helping recruit women and minorities into federal service, similar to Kennedy's efforts to promote equal opportunity (EO) during his presidency. Today, Young serves as the Air Force Personnel Center's civilian affirmative employment program operations manager. The program is designed to improve the employment and advancement for women, minorities and individuals with disabilities within the Air Force civilian workforce. For the past 30 years of her career, Young has served her country by helping open the door for others to serve. Finding her passion Young spent nearly 20 years working in administrative positions before cross training into the Air Force personnel career field in the mid-80s. She was working for the School of Aerospace Medicine commander and he recommended she inquire about a new Federal Women's Program volunteer position at Brooks. "It really opened my eyes to women's advocacy," Young said. "I learned about women's issues such as how women weren't being paid the same, even within federal service. I became passionate about women's advocacy. I was young, optimistic and believed I could do anything." Her work with the women's program at Brooks eventually caught the attention of senior personnel officials in D.C. who recommended she apply for a position in Los Angeles to help recruit Hispanics into federal service during the late 1980s. "I went from being an advocate for women to an advocate for Hispanics," said Young, who received the Department of Defense Latina Distinguished Service Award in 2009. "I thought it would be an easy job, but it was very difficult. Nobody wanted to talk to me." L.A. had a high number of Hispanics but many of them weren't citizens. Additionally, many Hispanics were hesitant to join because they either didn't have much knowledge about the U.S. military or previously had a negative experience with the federal government. Despite a budget that allowed her to participate in career job fairs throughout the country and place full-page ads in the L.A. Times, Young's office received very few phone calls. However, once Young's office started using radio spots on local Spanish speaking stations, the calls came pouring in. They received so many calls they had to set up a toll free number. "I often worked weekends to help people fill out the old, cumbersome application form and help with interview skills," the wife and mother of two adult children named Debra and Alan said. Young's recruiting efforts in L.A. led to senior personnel officials again recommending her for a new position. This time it was for an air staff position as the Air Force Hispanic Employment Program (HEP) manager from 1990-2004. She was the longest-serving Air Force and only female HEP manager since the position was created. "It was other people planting the seed throughout my career," Young observed. "I never imagined I'd be working at the Pentagon." She also never imagined the tragic events of 9/11, when hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the fourth and fifth corridors of the Pentagon. Fortunately, Young was working inside the third corridor and was able to escape without injury. However, a good friend named Diana Prado died from the impact. Helping others At the Pentagon, Young advised other HEP managers throughout the Air Force. In the 90s, the Air Force Hispanic civilian workforce was 10.5 percent, mostly due to Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, which accounted for 45 percent of the demographic. When Kelly closed in 2000, the rate decreased to 8 percent and today the rate is 6.3 percent. Yet, Young continued serving the field with a desire to make a difference. "From the first time I met Mary, I was impressed with her passion in wanting to make a difference for the Hispanic community, said Esther Gomez, a former HEP manager and currently the director of manpower and personnel for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. "She was always focused on providing the necessary tools for senior leaders and EO program managers in the field to be able to ensure Hispanics received equitable opportunities for advancement." One tool Young developed was a handbook for the six special emphasis programs (women, Hispanic, Disability, Black, American Indian and Asian Pacific Islander). The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute converted the handbook into the inaugural course for SEP managers. Young also established the first Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities student intern program, giving young Hispanics the intangible tools to succeed in the workplace. "Mary was always interested in motivating Hispanic students to complete their studies and achieve wonderful things in any career they decided to pursue," said Oscar Bocanegra, a human resources specialist with U.S. Africa Command and former Air Force intern. "Her thing was ensuring students knew about all available opportunities and see role models who were doing well. She wanted to show them that anything was possible." Back in San Antonio for the past six years, Young continues to mentor other women and Hispanic students today, both professionally and in her spare time when she's not cooking, reading or staying fit. "Mary was a great mentor to me as I pursued my higher education," said Vivian Moreno, a licensed master social worker in San Antonio whom Young nominated for a scholarship. "I interned at Wilford Hall Medical Center in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (helping) active duty troops who may have issues with substance abuse. Mary helped me adjust to military culture as this was my first military experience. She is always telling me about pursing work with the civil service sector, which I am still (considering)." Many don't believe she's been a civil servant for 50 years, including her. "When I found out I would receive the 50-year service pin (in April), I went home and told my husband, Fernando Rey, and we were both surprised. I lost track of the years," she said. Young has served her country half as long as Brooks had been open before it ceased operations. And when the flag was taken down during the ceremony, it was emotional for her to see. "As the years go by you think about the work you did and the people you've met and how they affect your future." Brooks helped shape Young's equal opportunity career. In turn, Young has helped shape the future of many women, Hispanics and others so they can serve their country just as Young has selflessly served hers.