Events will honor federal employees for public service contributions

Civil servants and military personnel throughout the federal government will be honored over the next several days as part of Public Service Recognition Week.

The experience will be highlighted by a four-day exposition on the National Mall in Washington, according to Adam Bratton, CEO of the Public Employees Roundtable, which is sponsoring the week's event. The Mall event is scheduled to run from May 6 to May 9, adjacent to the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum.

Military and civilian federal agencies will have displays and representatives on the Mall to "interact with the public and help inform them of what their agency does," Bratton said. Organizers expect representatives from all branches of the military and as many as 50 civilian agencies.

The event comes one week after Homeland Security Department Secretary Tom Ridge praised the work of federal employees during a speech at the State Department.

"It is a career that matters," Ridge said during his April 29 speech. "It is a pursuit that motivates."

The Washington-area exposition kicks off May 6 with an opening ceremony on the Mall. Lawmakers and high-ranking agency officials are expected to attend the program, along with the U.S. Armed Forces Color Guard and the Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

The Pentagon is planning to bring selected military vehicles and aircraft to the Washington event for public display. Civilian law enforcement officials -- including border patrol agencies -- are expected showcase vehicles and patrol boats to the Mall as well.

Within the agencies' tents, officials also will push their recruitment efforts. The Office of Personnel Management will give visitors access to its USAJobs Web site.

Civil servants will be lauded at agencies across the United States and around the world. Government officials will hold "festivals, open houses, parades, community cleanup days and fund-raising events to benefit charity," according to the Public Employees Roundtable Web site.

"There are a variety of things that go on around the country," Bratton said. Officials will attempt to "reach out to the public, help better communicate to the people they serve or just recognize the employees that serve."