Walmart nears an important hiring goal

5/23/2018
Walmart has nearly reached its goal of hiring 250,000 veterans by 2020.

The discounter announced it has hired more than 200,000 veterans and promoted more than 28,000 to roles of greater responsibility since launching its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment initiative in May 2013. Walmart said it is now more than 80% of the way to reaching its goal of hiring 250,000 veterans by 2020.

The Veterans Welcome Home Commitment guarantees a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran who is within 12 months of active duty. Walmart’s initial goal was to hire 100,000 veterans by the end of 2018.

In May 2015, Walmart revised its goal to hire 250,000 veterans, including veterans hired within the Welcome Home Commitment as well as other veterans hired by Walmart, by the end of 2020. The company also changed the eligibility under the program from within 12 months of active duty, to any veteran who has been honorably discharged since the announcement of the commitment in May 2013.

“At Walmart, we recognize our veteran associates and leaders as tremendous resources across the company,” said Retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, senior director of military programs for Walmart. “Our veterans bring dedication and value to our workforce, and we feel a great sense of duty to ensuring our men and women in uniform can find not just a job, but a fulfilling career, here at Walmart and beyond.”

In addition to its commitment to hire veterans, Walmart’s Military Family Promise guarantees a job at a nearby Walmart or Sam’s Club for all military personnel and military spouses employed by the company who move to a different part of the country because they or their spouse have been transferred by the U.S. military.

Building on an existing $469,000 grant to Boston University, Women Veterans Network (WoVeN), the Walmart Foundation brings its total commitment to nearly $720,000 with an additional $250,000 grant to the program to continue strengthening the initiative. WoVeN is a nationwide system of peer support groups that connects women veterans from all conflict eras and Service branches and provides them with information, education and resources to improve their quality of life.

Over the past 40 years, the number of women serving in active duty military has grown rapidly, with women currently representing about 15% of the armed forces.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have a long history of supporting veterans, service members and their families. In 2011, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation committed $20 million by 2015 to support veterans and their families with assistance for programs that provide job training, transition help and education. The two entities have renewed the commitment, announcing an additional $20 million through 2019 to support job training, education and innovative public/private community-based initiatives that address challenges many veterans face when returning to civilian life.

 
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