Gual Wins Federal Employee of Year Service to the Community Award

Congratulations to Operations Support Specialist Angel Gual (above) who was a winner in the Service to the Community category of the South Florida Federal Executive Board's "Federal Employee of the Year" Awards Program.

Gual served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a C130 Engine Mechanic in Special Ops Logistics at Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, TX; Hurlburt Field, Okaloosa County, FL; Pope Air Force Base, Cumberland County, NC; and Yokota Air Base, Fussa, Japan. He also provided support  to Missing In Action (MIA) searches in Vietnam.

In civilian life, Gual continues to report for duty through a non-profit organization, “The Mission Continues,” which empowers veterans who are facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. Founded in 2007, the organization "redeploys veterans in their communities, so that their shared legacy will be one of service and success.”

In June 2017, The Mission Continues deployed more than 70 veteran volunteers, including Gual, to Atlanta’s Westside for a week-long service mission to tackle some of the community’s toughest challenges. Using their skills, leadership and experience, veterans worked alongside families and community partners to deliver a week of revitalization. 

 

Gual, along with other veterans from across the nation, participated in “Operation Westside Surge” in Mattie Freeland Park. Freeland was a longtime resident in a neighborhood that suffered greatly during and after the drug epidemic of the 1980s. Freeland was considered to be a grandmother to all in her community, and envisioned a peaceful and beautiful gathering place in her neighborhood. After her death in 2008 at age 93, the community rallied to create Mattie Freeland Park.

From October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, Gual led a Miami Platoon of 600 veterans who participated in various community service projects. They collected school supplies and gave away 300 backpacks to children in Hollywood and Miami, as well as to children of Post 92 American Legion members.

In December 2016, his platoon visited disabled veterans at the Miami VA Hospital and landscaped a garden area and planted some trees.

In January 2017, Gual participated in a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. community project that included cleaning and landscaping an historic Black cemetery in Miami.

 

In February 2017, Gual landscaped small city parks in Miami. 

 

In July 2017, Gual and his platoon packaged thousands of packets of seeds which were sent to Haiti for residents to grow their own food and to become more independent.

 

In August 2017, veterans planted 300 trees in Key Biscayne to reduce erosion.

 

Following Hurricane Irma, under Gual’s leadership, veterans traveled to Big Pine Key and Summerland Key to help clean up veterans’ homes. Gual’s team camped out at a local church and distributed water and cleaned trees and debris.

Gual successfully completed required postal training modules that included Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), a federal law that establishes rights and responsibilities for uniformed Service members and their civilian employers. To be part of Team Rubicon (see below), Gual completed several Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) courses.

The U.S. Postal Service participates in many community events and stamp programs that require an Honor Guard. Gual presented to postal management, his idea to form an Honor Guard of veterans in the postal workforce. His suggestion was well received.

 
Gual is a member of “Team Rubicon,” which is a non-profit organization that is deployed to natural disasters. Gual was involved in “mucking out” homes from mud and mold. After Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston, area, Gual manned a telephone bank from South Florida and input information into a database and referred that information to on-the-ground Team Rubicon members.

Job knowledge includes understanding of postal programs, policies and procedures related to delivery, collection and retail services and operations, including safety, budget and work hours, schemes and routes, retail analysis programs, and delivery points; analyzes quality improvement and operational performance data and prepares test sampling plans; conducts/oversees unit reviews, route inspections, and operational reviews; implements, monitors, and evaluates quality and operational improvement programs and procedures to ensure they meet established specifications; prepares and maintains an operating budget; communicates orally and in writing to maintain records and prepares reports, gives technical guidance and makes recommendations; provides training and instruction, and consults with customers; communicates orally and writing with customers, contractors and major mailers and  prepares information related to operational programs; oversees and coordinates the work of employees assigned to projects.