Robinson has provided safety and security services for various organizations for more than three decades. For 13 of those years, he has served the Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) in the crime prevention, emergency management and antiterrorism spaces. Robinson’s first mission is to protect some of the U.S. Army’s most valuable assets as a physical security specialist in the Center’s Risk/Surety & Protection branch. His second mission is to champion education and youth in his community. As president of the Harford County Board of Education, he serves as chief advocate to 38,000 students, 5,000 employees and thousands of parents in Harford County. Robinson sets agendas and policies, passes the operating and capital budget, creates the strategic plan for the direction of the Harford County Public School (HCPS) system and more. “Balancing both roles during this pandemic was different and somewhat challenging, but it provided me with the opportunity to be creative as I discovered new ways to accomplish both missions,” Robinson said.

Despite the uncertainty that comes with the COVID-19 pandemic, he has found a silver lining. He’s finding ways to stay productive in his work at the Center while continuing to engage with the workforce and community. As an essential employee at the Center, Robinson has been balancing on-site work with telework. He attends more virtual meetings than usual these days and he recognizes the need to be flexible and creative in times of adversity. He is excited about the new opportunities to virtually engage and learn from colleagues and to become proficient in evolving technology that he wouldn’t typically utilize.

When he’s not fulfilling his duties at the Center, he’s hard at work to ensure that Harford County’s children have access to safe learning environments. The HCPS system has had its own challenges during the pandemic. Among those are “food service for kids who rely on schools for food, distance learning challenges, an impatient community and all of the expected human reactions,” Robinson said. Additionally, many parents are trying to balance working from home with teaching their children unfamiliar subject matter, all while spending more time together than any of them are used to. Robinson has dedicated his life to improving education and keeping community youth safe. As the first person in his family to complete college, he knows the value of education. His parents demonstrated how powerful it was to be educated by taking him to marches, demonstrations and meetings regarding improvement in their community’s schools, housing, jobs and food markets. It was those experiences that made him decide he wanted to make a difference. “I have tried not to forget where I came from. I can remember my father saying to me one day as we were walking home from his job, that if we want things to be different, then we have to do something about it,” Robinson reflected.

Harford County has 54 schools representing diverse communities. Those schools need partnerships with individuals and organizations who can devote their time, services and knowledge throughout the year by mentoring and developing relationships with school officials and students. “I would like to encourage the APG community to consider getting involved in the community outside the gate,” Robinson said. “The security of APG does not start at the gate but rather in the communities where the workforce resides.”

Robinson doesn’t just talk about getting involved — he sets the standard. He’s on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club and Harford County Library Foundation; he serves as Edgewood Community Advisory Board President; and he’s an auditor for the National Federation of Federal Employees.

This grandfather of two, Vietnam-era veteran, church deacon and public servant is dedicated to making a difference, multiple missions at a time. “I believe that as an African American male, I have certain obligations and responsibilities,” he said. “They include serving the God of my choice; being a role model for my family; serving my country and investing my skills, talent and time to improve the quality of life for residents of my community.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is informational and intended to highlight the contributions of a DEVCOM CBC employee to the community. No endorsement of Harford County Public Schools, the Harford County Board of Education, or any other non-Federal entity is stated or implied in this article. The employee’s activities as discussed in this article are conducted in a personal capacity and are permitted under the Federal ethics rules, the DOD Joint Ethics Regulation (DOD 5500.07-R), and the Hatch Act.