Commitments

Accenture's Skills to Succeed program will equip 250,000 people, including veterans, around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. As part of their efforts, Accenture is one of several companies underwriting NPower's Technology Services Corp and will work with the non-profit to expand IT training, professional skills and mentoring, internships, and job placement for service members and veterans.

AFCPE (Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education) is a non-profit, international, professional organization dedicated to improving personal financial management education through research, training, and certification of financial counselors, educators, coaches and other related practitioners. Throughout our 30 year history, we have been committed to training and supporting our military through our nationally recognized certification programs (Accredited Financial Counselor^® and Certified Housing Counselor^®). Since 2006, we have offered the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship program, to train corps of military spouses to become certified as AFCs. The primary objective is to increase career opportunities and enhance the lives and well-being of all military families. AFCPE is proud to join the First Lady and Dr. Biden in support of our nation’s service members and families as a contributor to the Joining Forces initiative. To those ends, we are committed to training and certifying 700 service members or military spouses through the end of 2016. Applications for the 2014 fellowships will open between January and February of 2014; please visit our website to learn more.

Ameren is proud of its long history of hiring, supporting and honoring military veterans, who are interested in working for one of the largest utilities in the Midwest and pledges to hiring 200 veterans over the next five years. Ameren has also long supported employees who are called for active duty by providing security and support through continued benefits to employed reservists and their families. The Department of Defense recognized Ameren in September 2011 with the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award - the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government - for its support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.

American Corporate Partners (ACP) offers yearlong one-on-one career guidance mentorships for service members transitioning into the private sector. In addition, ACP has created ACP AdvisorNet, an online "quick question community" to answer service members and veterans' questions regarding employment, career development, and small business. Service members and veterans can log on from anywhere in the world to have their questions answered by some of America's most experienced and knowledgeable corporate professionals. ACP AdvisorNet allows service members to get started on planning their transition and post-transition goals prior to leaving the military -- even while stationed overseas -- and is completely free to use.

American Logistics Association and its 250 member companies heard the First Lady’s and Dr. Jill Biden’s call in October 2011, and leaned forward on the Joining Forces Initiative and pledged to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses. To date our member companies have reported hiring over 15,000 veterans and military spouses, tapping a vast reservoir of high quality training and talent. It’s good for our veterans and military families. It’s good for our companies. And it’s good for America. We enjoy our liberty and prosperity to their sacrifice. This is one way we can reciprocate for their service and we continue to strive to reach our objective. We urge other companies and organizations to muster all they can to heed the call and give back a just a little for so much done in Defense of our great nation. They did their job. Now let’s do ours and give them a hand up we stand committed to hiring more veterans and military family members.

Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. has partnered with hundreds of small businesses owned by veterans and their families to provide customer service and technical support services to its Fortune 500 clients throughout the United States. Arise has pledged to double the number of veteran-owned small businesses within the Arise network over the next two years. Arise is committed to the Joining Forces initiative and working with veterans and military spouses to help their companies succeed and grow.

Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. (ABC), in partnership with national military charity USA Cares, will provide 1,000 jobs to Veterans in 2012 as the initial phase of their Job for Vets Program. ABC will utilize multiple training programs including an Apprenticeship Boot Camp that will reduce time to certification by one year. The program will train and hire veterans in a skilled trade and guarantee employment for a minimum of twelve months. ABC Chapters will work with the State Authorizing Agencies to ensure that the veteran can obtain funding through the New G.I. Bill. The first pilot is starting in Illinois in January. ABC and USA Cares intends to replicate the program nationwide throughout 2012.

AT&T is stepping up its veteran recruiting strategies with the goal of hiring 5,000 veterans into career opportunities over the next five years. AT&T also announced that it plans to lead an initiative with JPMorgan Chase and the 100,000 Jobs Mission to launch a veteran talent exchange later this year. The exchange will enable active-duty military and veteran job candidates to “opt-in” to a talent-sharing database to facilitate the sharing and referral of veteran candidates among participating 100,000 Jobs Mission member companies. In addition, AT&T’s veteran career site, features a military skills translator that matches military skills with AT&T jobs. AT&T also has the Careers for Veterans program where AT&T Veterans provide job search advice to help thousands of newly transitioning veterans optimize their career searches. And AT&T has an award-winning supplier diversity program including initiatives like Operation Hand Salute, a mentoring program that is designed to help disabled veteran business owners to develop the tools and expertise needed to win large corporate contracts.

BAE Systems, Inc., a company presently employing more than 3,000 veterans at more than 200 facilities across the United States, is committed to employing wounded warriors and veterans through the company’s Warrior Integration Services. BAE Systems’ strategic partnerships with government, military, and nonprofit entities help ease the transition from military life to the civilian workforce, ensuring veterans feel confident in their roles. These programs are just one element of BAE Systems’ overall commitment to supporting service members, veterans and their families.

Bank of America is committed to do everything we can to make their financial lives better. Bank of America is helping the thousands of service members returning from active duty to reintegrate into civilian life through financial education, employment, wellness and housing support. We currently employ 6,000 military service members and veterans, and are on pace to hire an additional 2,000 people with military experience this year who will bring leadership ability and operational skills they develop while protecting our country. In addition, we have a program to help employees find a new job within Bank of America when their spouse or dependent has a permanent change of station. We are also donating 1,000 bank-owned properties at no cost to veterans and their families, and provide philanthropic and volunteer support to a wide range of nonprofit agencies that help service members and their families with housing, workforce development, and other critical needs.

Blackstone has committed to hire 50,000 veterans across its portfolio companies over the next 5 years. It is doing this because it is right for America, but also because it is good for business. Blackstone, which owns and operates Hilton, Sea World, The Weather Channel, La Quinta, Extended Stay, Michaels Stores, Nielsen and Allied Barton, has a commitment to hiring military service members and veterans. Blackstone firmly believes that it cannot do its work without talented and dedicated employees and the company is excited to welcome more talented American veterans as they join the Blackstone family.

BNSF Railway has a strong history of supporting and hiring U.S. military personnel. For employees called to active duty, we provide benefit continuation and make-whole pay. We value the discipline, strong safety focus and leadership skills that come from military experience. These are skills that are essential in our challenging, outdoors, round-the-clock railroad business. In recent years, approximately 25% of our annual hires have been military veterans and we now have more than 6,700 self-declared veterans (~15 percent of our workforce) working at BNSF. We are proud to support your initiative and expect to hire approximately 5,000 veterans over the next 5 years

The Boeing Company has become a member of American Corporate Partners, a nationwide mentoring program dedicated to helping veterans transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce. Through mentoring, career counseling and networking, transitioning veterans will interact with senior Boeing professionals to understand and develop career paths and build professional networks. Boeing will also launch an on-line military skills translator tool that will connect military skills and Military Occupation Specialty codes to relevant Boeing job openings.

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), the largest military-focused recruiting firm in the U.S., pledges to deliver free job seeker services to more than 10,000 transitioning military and veterans via nationwide military hiring events and on-base military job fairs, as well as to distribute more than 200,000 military job seeker publications to bases worldwide. In their 22nd year of introducing military talent to civilian jobs, BMI will also continue their efforts as an ESGR Patriotic Employer and as a member of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). For employers, Bradley-Morris, Inc. will coordinate and sponsor HireMilitary.com, a blog that since 2008 has helped hiring managers understand how and why to hire military personnel for their company.

BranchOut is committed to adopting the job posting schema through a feature that allows companies to state a preference for hiring veterans when they post jobs on BranchOut. These special job posts are highlighted for veteran job seekers so they know which companies are looking for their unique skills. BranchOut will also offer jobs posts to veterans who have recently started their own businesses.

Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation recently launched Joining Forces Mentoring Plus™ to help the thousands of women veterans and military wives navigate the civilian workplace by connecting them with volunteer working women mentors committed to providing guidance and support over a sustained period of time. Veteran and civilian mentors of all ages from across the nation are providing insight, advice, encouragement, and resources to help women veterans and military wives find successful careers and provide for themselves and their families.

CACI is proud that 22 percent of its 15,300 employees are veterans. The company has a 50-year history of supporting all our military services and is committed to increase veteran hiring through its Deploying Talent – Creating Careers initiative, which champions the hiring of veterans with disabilities. In Fiscal Year 2012, CACI hired nearly 900 veterans, 224 of whom were veterans with disabilities.

Corporate America Supports You (CASY) and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) were chartered in 2004 as private sector non-profit organizations that provide no-cost employment readiness, training, and employment placement for National Guard, Reserves, transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers of war wounded. CASY-MSCCN and our Alliance partners commit to the direct and successful placement of a minimum of 2,000 military-affiliated job seekers each year through our internal programs and through programs such as the National Guard Employment Network (NGEN) which we provide all of our technologies, resources, time and funding to sustain. 

Cisco Systems, along with Futures, Inc., developed the IT Training and Certification Program that will match Military Occupation Codes (MOCs) with private sector core technology career paths. In an effort to leverage the unique skills, experience, and qualifications that military personnel possess, Cisco also worked with its partners, Global Knowledge and Pearson VUE, to provide ANSI-accredited Cisco training courses that will allow transitioning military personnel to prepare for Cisco CCNA certification exams and other globally recognized industry certifications at no cost to participants. Through the opportunities provided by the training program, participants will receive fast track training and IT certifications that can help address the nation’s workforce gap in IT jobs. Cisco is also one of several IT companies that have agreed to send a letter to its more than 15,000 U.S. channel partners and suppliers encouraging them to hire and train veterans.

Citi has made it a priority to identify, recruit, and retain candidates with valuable military experience. Citi employs more than 2,000 veterans across our businesses, including 800 veterans hired in 2012. We have an ongoing goal to hire 1,000 veterans every year. We attended 60 job fairs in 2012 and recently launched with NBC Publishing, in collaboration with IAVA and Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) a free eBook entitled Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview for veteran job-seekers.

Code for America is creating the Veterans Employment Platform, which will offer an online military skills translator for employers across the country. Working with private sector partners such as Direct Employers and Futures Inc., and Federal agencies including Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, the platform will become an essential resource for both veterans and employers.

Comcast was founded by World War II U.S. Navy veteran Ralph J. Roberts nearly 50 years ago. We are proud of the veterans who safeguarded and defended our freedoms and we honor and thank them for their service to our country. In gratitude for our country's veterans, Comcast and NBCUniversal have made a commitment to hire 1,000 veterans over the next three years across our entire organization. We will partner with Hiring our Heroes and other worthwhile programs and organizations to meet, and hopefully exceed, this terrific goal. 

Command Security Corporation is a leading, national physical security company with 5,500 dedicated employees across the United States. This veteran-led company is committed to hiring 1500 veterans by the end of 2013, including service-related disabled veterans. Command Security Corporation is looking for career-oriented individuals with integrity, energy and commitment.

CompTIA, the IT association, continues to support our military making the transition to the private sector, by connecting IT trainers, certification and employers with veterans. Through our Troops to Tech program,www.troopstotechcareers.org, and our overall certification efforts, nearly 12,000 veterans have received IT certification from CompTIA in the last 18 months. Thirty-two nationwide employers signed up through Troops to Tech have made a commitment to prioritize the hiring of IT certified veterans. Eight in 10 HR professionals say IT certifications will grow in importance over the next two years, according to CompTIA Market Research. But what might prove the effectiveness of the program best, is the feedback from the veterans now landing jobs after going through Troops to Tech. “After obtaining my CompTIA certifications, I was set up with excellent employment opportunities,” commented Samuel Davis, U.S. Army veteran, based in Orlando, Fla.

Convergys Corporation recognizes the value military veterans and their families bring to our business. We’re committed to hiring veterans and military spouses in the communities in which we live and work. We reinforce our commitment through partnerships with Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) and Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and participation in Veteran Recruiting virtual career fairs, US Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” Career Fairs, and CompTIA’s Troops to Tech Careers partnership. Convergys' home agent program offers a portable employment opportunity for military spouses. Convergys hired more than 2,600 veterans/spouses in 2012.

Corporate America Supports You (CASY) and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) were chartered in 2004 as private sector non-profit organizations that provide no-cost employment readiness, training, and employment placement for National Guard, Reserves, transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers of war wounded. CASY-MSCCN and our Alliance partners commit to the direct and successful placement of a minimum of 2,000 military-affiliated job seekers each year through our internal programs and through programs such as the National Guard Employment Network (NGEN) which we provide all of our technologies, resources, time and funding to sustain. 

CVS Caremark has a long tradition of hiring the uniformed women and men who have served our country and the spouses who play critical roles in support of them. We share the belief that no veteran should have to fight for a job at home after they fight for our nation overseas. We are proud to further build upon our commitment by announcing Operation: Career Connections, our four year goal of filling 25 percent of all open positions each year across our nationwide Logistics and Distribution Center network with veterans and military spouses. This network consists of 18 distribution centers serving more than 7,400 retail pharmacies, all located in states with major military facilities.

The diverse range of roles needed to support our national footprint offers a wide variety of career paths, from entry level to leadership roles including, but not limited to: Operations Managers, Distribution Center Supervisors, Industrial Engineers, Systems Administrators, Stock Handlers, Order Selectors, Drivers, Maintenance, Equipment Operators and General Warehouse.

Darden Restaurants is proud to employ and serve our country’s veterans and their families. With eight brands in our portfolio and over 2000 locations across the United States, we continue to strive to be a significant part of the lives of our veterans and the communities where they live. As we continue to grow in the years to come, our brands, including Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse, will work even harder to make opportunities available to America’s service men and women and their families. 

DataDoctors has adopted the job posting schema into its job postings that are now available in the Veterans Job Bank.

Deloitte LLP is committed to making America stronger and we are proud that many military heroes find a home at Deloitte. We are excited to take our commitment a step further and double our veteran hiring over three years. Leading from the front, Deloitte also recognizes a commitment to prepare our military heroes in translating their military skills and experiences into business context. We intend to meet this objective by continuing to sponsor events and programs such as the Warrior Games and the 100,000 Jobs Mission, by increasing the number of transition assistance workshops and Deloitte Day Open Houses, and through a new education series at Deloitte University, The Leadership Center, focused on assessment, mentoring, networking, personal branding, and career coaching. We are also expanding our social networking outreach to veterans by establishing talent communities and networks. We believe veterans have the proven ability, through their education and experiences, to do exceptionally well in our culture, where leaders thrive. 

DialAmerica is committed to increasing the number of its military-affiliated employees to make up 20 percent of its workforce by 2014. By making military-affiliated employees the cornerstone of its talent acquisition strategy, DialAmerica gains highly qualified and motivated employees that are prepared for the 21st century workplace. In return, DialAmerica provides military families with financial security and support through family friendly scheduling, maintaining service accrual records, a seamless transfer from one contact center to another in the event of relocation, as well as extensive training and immense growth opportunities from agents to supervisors. 

Doximity will enable returning veteran medical personnel (including MDs, NPs, RNs, EMTs) to incorporate the Veterans Job Bank markup to make job searches easier. By connecting returning veteran medical professionals with the larger US medical community, Doximity provides access to former medical school classmates and co-residents, and allows veterans to securely discuss difficult patient cases.

DuPont is proud to support the First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Biden in their Joining Forces initiative, highlighting the importance of companies hiring U.S. military veterans. As the company that invented Kevlar® and Nomex®, materials which are utilized every day to keep our troops safe in harms way, we understand the sacrifice, commitment and service to America that military service represents. DuPont is currently hiring 2,000 - 3,000 employees each year in the U.S., and has an active focus on hiring veterans. DuPont actively recruits veterans and has an employee Veteran's Network to assist veterans as they integrate into DuPont. On August 22, DuPont announced a commitment that veterans will constitute ten percent of all of U.S. hires for 2012 and 2013.

DynCorp International Accomplishments Overview values the veterans in our workforce. Veterans compromise more than 60 percent of the personnel working on the company’s programs around the world. The experience and dedication veterans bring to the job help the company provide its customers with top performance on missions of global importance. In calendar year 2012, DI hired more than 4,080 veterans, exceeding the company’s Joining Forces goal of 4,000 veteran hires. This year the company’s goal is to hire 2,500 veterans. Since DI became involved in the Joining Forces initiative in 2011, the company has hired more than 7,330 veterans. For more information on DynCorp International’s commitment to veterans, please visit the following link: http://www.dyn-intl.com/about-us/commitment-to-veterans.aspx

EADS North America is expanding its veteran recruitment program by creating a dedicated online employment portal to increase EADS North America outreach to current and former service members. EADS North America recruitment efforts already have resulted in over 50 percent veteran employment at its U.S. Army Light Utility Helicopter production center located in Columbus, Mississippi. In addition, EADS North America has committed over $500,000 to a number of veterans and family support endeavors. 

Eastman remains committed to hiring veterans and military spouses in the coming years.

Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates the Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental brands, has a commitment to hiring military service members and veterans and is an active participant in several coalitions including the Joining Forces Travel Industry Coalition and the 100,000 Jobs Mission. Named after a military icon – the USS Enterprise, the ship that founder Jack Taylor served on as a decorated fighter pilot – Enterprise hired more than 1,500 veterans and members of the guard and reserves in 2012 with nearly 6,000 of the approximately 63,000 Enterprise Holdings employees who currently serve or have served in the armed forces. Enterprise has hired more than 450 military service members and veterans in Q1 of 2013. Enterprise has received recognition from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR) for their ongoing support for guard and reservists, including the prestigious Patriot Award. Enterprise pays the salary differential between their military pay and Enterprise pay for all employees while on active duty. Enterprise has also been recognized by GIJobs.com with the designation as a Military Friendly Employer. Enterprise continues to remain committed to hiring veterans and spouses and supporting our nation’s heroes.To find our more about opportunities at Enterprise, please visit www.go.enterpriseholdings.com .

Exelon Corporation commits to employ 10 percent of new hires over the next two years with military personnel. We value their leadership, teamwork, integrity, and commitment to excellence. Each year, Exelon participates in several military recruiting fairs, attends Transition Assistance Program (TAP) employer panels, and advertises and posts our career opportunities in military specific publications all in an effort to help support the hiring of our military veterans and wounded warriors. Exelon is proud to support the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s initiative to help service members, veterans and their families find employment at home. To that end, we committed in August 2012 that veterans would make up 10 percent of new hires over the next two years. As of March 2013, Exelon is exceeding its goal as over 13 percent of new hires have been veterans. Since the beginning of 2013, Exelon has attended 12 military-specific hiring events as we continue to actively recruit military veterans to our team. Exelon understands that military veterans are uniquely qualified for the work we do, and we value their leadership, teamwork, integrity and commitment to excellence.

Frontier Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: FTR) continues to hire military veterans and reservists at every level of our organization. These men and women were there for us; we are proud to be here for them. We all benefit by hiring those with a military background: they have a well-earned reputation for leadership, teamwork, accountability and discipline; many have served in roles that complement skill sets that Frontier needs. Recognizing that a strong defense depends upon a solid home front, Frontier is pleased to expand its hiring program to include spouses and partners of those on active military duty and National Guard/Reserves.

Futures, Inc. has committed to launch a pilot web-based platform, US Veterans Pipeline, to help veterans connect with career exploration resources, mentors, education, and direct employment opportunities. This collaboration represents a cross section of Fortune 500 companies, education leaders, entrepreneurs, and veteran service organizations.

G4S Secure Solutions (USA) initially committed to hire 3,000 veterans by the end of 2013. Between August 2011 and April 2012, the company hired 2,650 veterans. As a result of their success in veteran hiring, G4S Secure Solutions (USA) committed to double their original commitment - and hire 6,000 veterans by the end of 2013. The company started with 21 percent of its workforce being veterans and as of 30 June 2012, the veteran population has grown to over 23 percent.

General Electric (GE) has committed to hire 1000 veterans a year for 5 years, from 2012 through 2016. We met our goal in 2012 and are currently on track for 2013. We also continue to support American Corporate Partners with funding and supplying mentors, along with being a Chairman Sponsor of the Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes initiative. In partnership with HoH, we performed 50 Transition Workshops in 50 cities from March 2012- March 2013, and we are continuing the program through March 2014. These workshops reached over 3700 veterans in the first year with resume assistance, practice interviewing and coaching one-on-one from GE veterans on the overall transition process. We have also launched Get Skills to Work, a coalition project that we lead with the Manufacturing Institute’s assistance to bring veterans into American manufacturing, bolstering American competitiveness.

Goodwill welcomes the proven talent of veterans and military family members to its workforce. As Goodwill expands its social enterprise and life-changing mission services, America’s heroes and their families are helping us strengthen communities. Goodwill is uniquely positioned to connect veterans and military family members with their next careers. Goodwill links veterans and their families with a broad array of career and financial fitness services as they transition from the military into hometowns and careers across the country. Services included but are not limited to financial education, housing assistance, primary health care, meal service, transportation, and connection to rehabilitation services.

In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden implemented the Joining Forces initiative to connect service men and women, veterans and spouses with the resources they need to find jobs. In April of that year, Goodwill launched a new initiative, Goodwill for America’s Heroes and Their Families, to expand its face-to-face career and family strengthening services. From April 2011 through March 2013, Goodwill has employed 1,856 veterans and their families, and provided services to 99,386 veterans and their families. And our commitment continues.

With the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Goodwill launched Vested in Veterans in the communities of Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles and San Antonio to help military veterans and their families connect with the education, training and support services they need to succeed on the homefront. Goodwill also launched an initiative known as Operation: GoodJobs, as funded by the Walmart Foundation, which provides a complete career assessment and an individualized development plan that include a range of family needs, from basic needs like nutrition, shelter and child care, to specific job training identified in the assessment process for participants and their families. The initiative currently exists in Austin, Houston and Tacoma, and will add additional markets in 2014.

Google launched “Google for Veterans and Families,” on Veterans Day 11.11.11 as a single interface that brings together Google products and platforms for service members and their families. It was created by veterans, and family and friends of veterans, who work at Google. This collection of tools was built for the entire community, whether veterans and their families who are still in the service, transitioning out, or on a new path in their civilian lives. The site includes new tools like “VetConnect” and the “Google Veterans Channel on YouTube,” which allows service members to connect, communicate and share their experiences with each other and those who have not served. Google also recently launched "Chrome for Wounded, Ill and Injured Warriors" with the American Red Cross at five polytrauma hospitals; this pilot will help these hospitalized service members stay in touch with their loved ones during recovery. Finally, Google recently helped to launch The Veterans Job Bank, a job search engine in the National Resource Directory (NRD), which is powered by Google Custom Search technology that crawls the web to identify veteran-committed job openings. Google helped design the job posting schema and is supporting the Veterans Job Bank through its custom search engine.

Health Net Federal Services is honored to celebrate and mark the two year anniversary of Joining Forces. Joining Forces, a White House initiative, advocates for and recognizes the extraordinary stress endured by families of active duty military, veterans and reservists– a practice Health Net has been proudly committed to for 25 years. During the past two years, Health Net has increased its veteran population to 7.7 percent, has participated in over a dozen job fairs across the nation that are specifically focused on the hiring of Military and veterans, and used numerous Veteran-specific websites for posting job openings. In 2012, Health Net Federal Services was selected by the U.S. Department of Defense as a partner in the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a program designed to support the educational and career goals of military spouses.

Hewlett Packard is expanding on its original $50,000 commitment to the American Corporate Partners (ACP), a nationwide mentoring program dedicated to helping veterans transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce through mentoring, career counseling, and networking during a yearlong mentorship. As a participating institution, HP has helped recruit executives, employees and retirees to be mentors in this program and is now expanding its mentoring program to California.

Home Depot, with more than 1,500 of our associates serving on military leave at any given time, supporting our military and veterans is an issue that’s very personal to The Home Depot. We’ve made a commitment to increase our hiring of military and veterans by 10 percent each year over the next five years, thereby committing to hire approximately 55,000 veterans over the next five years.

Honeywell believes that Joining Forces has been a terrific catalyst for speeding the transition of highly skilled vets into the commercial workforce. We are proud to have been an early supporter of the effort, andHoneywell has seen the benefits these well trained and disciplined employees can bring to our businesses. We’ve hired about 600 vets in each of the last two years and we plan to continue on this path, identifying additional opportunities this year across our enterprise subject to end market demand and specific hiring needs. We enthusiastically encourage other companies, large and small, to join the Joining Forces initiative.

Hospital Corporation of America, one of the country’s leading healthcare providers with 163 hospitals and 113 ambulatory surgery centers in 20 states and London, is proud to support our military veterans and their families. It is because of our veterans, their commitment and sacrifices, that we enjoy the freedoms we have today, and we are honored to partner with Joining Forces to help returning veterans transition into the workforce. HCA employs more than 4,400 veterans and their spouses in a variety of positions at our affiliates across the country, and we are committed to hiring an additional 5,000 veterans and their spouses over the next five years. Veterans interested in learning more about opportunities with HCA can click here.

Humana has had such great success in their veteran-hiring effort (1,179 veterans hired Aug. 2011-Mar. 2011 fulfilling our commitment early), that the company committed to hire an additional 1,000 military veterans and/or their spouses by year end 2014, showcasing Humana’s ongoing commitment to supporting the men and women of the U.S. military. With continued focus on the importance of career mobility, licensure portability, and mentoring, Humana has dedicated resources to leverage partnerships and raise awareness to these unique challenges and ensure that our workplace and culture is sustainable to meet these challenging needs.

The International Franchise Association (IFA) and its more than 1,200 affiliate companies are committing to hiring 80,000 veterans and military spouses through 2014. This commitment is an expansion IFA’s VetFran strategic initiative, launched in 1991 to help veterans of the first Gulf War, adding a hiring component in addition to its original franchise owner development mission, to address the immediate needs of returning veterans. Over 64,000 veterans, military spouses and wounded warriors have started careers in franchising, including 4,314 who have become veteran franchise business owners, since 2011.

Inventis Group Ltd. and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announce the launch of a pilot program entitled the "Veterans Entrepreneurship & Technology Incubator" or VET INC. The program brings together game changing technologies, the talent pool of highly skilled veterans and the venture capital community to establish high-tech start-up companies. The technologies involved will reflect the diversity of the research and development conducted at AFRL. Talent will be supported by organizations such as the American Legion War Memorial Commission (ALWMC) in San Francisco. The VET INC goal is to enable and empower veterans to not only build businesses, but to also create jobs for other veterans. 

The Joining Forces Travel Industry Coalition, harnessing the hiring power of leading travel industry firms, has committed to hiring nearly 3000 veterans and military spouses by 2014. Coalition launch partners include Amadeus North America, American Express Consumer Travel Network, Avis Budget Group, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Enterprise Holdings, Hertz Corp., and Orbitz Worldwide. The Coalition, managed by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), serves as an information source and proud supporter of the White House Veterans Hiring Initiative. 

JPMorgan Chase has a comprehensive military and veteran’s strategy focused on employment, homeownership and education. The company has hired more than 5,300 veterans in two years and actively recruits transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. JPMorgan Chase also leads the 100,000 Jobs Mission, a coalition of private sector companies committed to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020. In two years, the 100,000 Jobs Mission has grown from 11 companies to 101 companies that have collectively hired 64,628 veterans through the first quarter of 2013. JPMorgan Chase also co-founded Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first national center in higher education focused on the social, economic, education and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service.

Johnson & Johnson are proud to join the First Lady in her Joining Forces initiative. Our Company has served the needs of our armed forces and U.S. military veterans for our entire 127-year history. J&J was the first health care company to partner with American Corporate Partners, and we continue to provide mentors to men and women returning from military service. We are partners with the U.S. Chamber’s Hiring Our Heroes program, with the GI Go Fund and NCOA to identify talented future leaders transitioning from the military to civilian life. Over the next three years, Johnson & Johnson strives to hire 1000 veterans to our family of companies. We realize the unparalleled work ethic, inherent leadership qualities and commitment to teamwork that members of our Armed Services bring to their business careers, and we are proud to honor these heroes with opportunities to make their mark in the health care industry.

LinkedIn is committed to adopting the job posting schema and developing an easy to use tagging method to help facilitate the identification of veteran hiring commitments posted on their web site. Additionally, LinkedIn is developing innovative applications to support veteran employment and developing a microsite to help veterans find jobs.

Lockheed Martin is expanding its targeted series of Wounded Warrior-focused hiring events, where veterans with disabilities are invited for face-to-face interviews with hiring managers. Additionally, veterans can connect with Lockheed Martin recruiters through new, monthly Wounded Warrior employment virtual chat room sessions.

McDonald’s believes in giving back to those who have given so much to us. Veterans have and continue to take care of our nation’s families, and now the McDonald’s system wants to take care of them. We have a great track record of promoting from within and a strong training and development culture. We also know that veterans' skill sets and leadership ability match up nicely with the skills needed to run our business and our restaurants. McDonald's USA and our independent owner operators want to recognize the tremendous sacrifices our Veterans have made in the following ways:

• As we continue to grow our business, we expect our system to create more than 100,000 career opportunities for Veterans over the next three years. To achieve this, we plan to hold hiring events dedicated to Veterans at restaurants across the country. Additionally, we have partnered with Recruit Military to establish a relationship with bases nationwide and plan to attend more than 30 Veteran Job Fairs in 2013.
• We will continue to build upon existing training and development programs to help Veterans obtain management positions in an accelerated time frame.
• In 2013, we are launching a Veteran Spouse recruitment program, and we continue to support our current Veterans with the introduction of a Veteran Employee Resource Group as well as explore and discuss other initiatives that would aid veterans.

If you are interested in continuing your career with a company that was recognized by GI Jobs as a 2013 Military Friendly Employer and that values the skills and training that Veterans have received, please visit our Veteran hiring site to learn more. 

Microsoft will offer 10,000 technology training and certification packages to U.S. military veterans over a two year period, through a partnership with the Department of Labor. The technology training and certification will be available at intermediate and advanced levels and will be delivered through e-learning, with additional in person support. This partnership is an extension of the overall Microsoft Elevate America veteran's initiative, which demonstrates a total investment of $12 million cash, product and related support for U.S. veterans.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) continues to expand the number of employers who are working to reduce military spouse unemployment rates and wage gaps, and improve employment continuity and career advancement opportunities as spouses support their servicemembers in a mobile military lifestyle. MSEP's partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce "Hiring Our Heroes" military spouse program and the "Hiring Our Heroes" Military Spouse Business Alliance has maximized military spouse participation in over 400 "Hiring Our Heroes" Job Fairs across the country and over 40 special events designed to meet the specific needs of military spouse job seekers. 

Since the MSEP program launch on June 29, 2011, 161 Fortune 500 "Plus" Partner Employers have joined the MSEP Partnership ("Plus" indicates employers from multiple sectors in addition to the Fortune 500: government, non-profit, academic, healthcare, small business, etc). MSEP has also posted more than 900,000 jobs, with more than 200,000 jobs available on the MSEPJobs Career Portal on a daily basis. More than 43,000 military spouses have been hired by MSEP Partners, connecting Military Services' installation Employment Readiness Service Providers with MSEP Partners to facilitate job connections, hot leads and participation in hiring events in their communities.

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network were chartered in 2004 as private sector non-profit organization that provides no-cost employment readiness, training, and employment placement for Nationals Guard, Reserves, transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers of war wounded. CASY-MSCCN and its 10 Alliance partners commit to the successful placement of a minimum of 300 military-affiliated job seekers during the twelve-month period from March 1, 2012 until March 1, 2013.

Monster and Military.com are committed to adopting the job posting schema and developing an easy to use tagging method to help facilitate the identification of veteran hiring commitments posted on their web site.

NatLabs, Inc. is committing to expand its number of veterans in the workforce from 40 percent to 75 percent over the next 36 months. Partnered with 3M, NatLabs is leading a revolution in dental prosthetics through digitization and advanced manufacturing processes. These technology advances will enable NatLabs to expand and relocate the bulk of their medical manufacturing process back to the U.S. from overseas. As part of this major expansion, NatLabs is breaking ground on a new facility in Nassau County, Florida near Mayport Naval Station north of Jacksonville, taking advantage of the North Florida’s heavy veteran population while leveraging public sector workforce development and financing support. The company plans to add 400 new high tech manufacturing positions in the expansion.

The National Military Family Association announces MiMapp, a simple online application that delivers topic specific information from nearly 800 military related websites and resources to military families when they need it. Developed in partnership with Appcelerator and with the guidance of ConvergeUS and members of the Association’s Technology Advisory Council, the application harnesses the technical power of the IT industry with the expertise of the leading authority on military family issues. The first module of the application will connect military spouses with resources providing short- and long-term employment guidance. The tool can also help the more than 350,000 working military spouses keep their career intact when they move. MiMapp will be piloted in the Spring of 2012. 

Navistar, Inc., a provider of state-of-the-art armored vehicles that protect our troops on the battlefield, is committed to supporting organizations that benefit deployed and wounded service members as well as their families. Navistar pledges that at least 6 percent of employees hired from August 2011 through December 2013 will be veterans.

Norfolk Southern has been hiring veterans to work on the railroad for nearly a century, and currently 15 percent of Norfolk Southern’s 30,000 employees have served in the military. In 2012, Norfolk Southern plans to hire a minimum of 300 additional veterans.

Northrop Grumman currently employs more than 13,000 Veterans (approximately 18 percent of the total workforce) and is committed to increasing its outreach to Veterans and their families in 2012 and beyond. Launched in 2005, Operation IMPACT, Northrop Grumman’s career transition assistance program for Wounded Warriors, continues to provide employment opportunities and training for hundreds of severely injured Veterans annually. In 2012, the company will increase its resources and investments to strengthen and expand Veteran outreach and recruitment. Northrop Grumman is also a proud partner of the Military Spouse Employment Program (MSEP) and is committed to providing training and employment opportunities for the military spouse community.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation will continue to employ veterans across all levels of the organization. In 2012, approximately 8 percent of Oxy’s external hires for U.S. positions were veterans. In addition, as part of Oxy’s partnership with American Corporate Partners (ACP), 60 Oxy employees currently serve as mentors in ACP’s nationwide veteran mentoring program to help veterans make the transition to business life. Mentors are paired with recently returned veterans and meet with them monthly for a year for career counseling and development.

Oracle is proud to work with the White House, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and community colleges across the United States to help service members transition their skills for integration into the civilian IT workforce. Through its Oracle Academy and Oracle University Workforce Development programs, Oracle is committed to delivering technology, courseware, career-readiness and computer science resources for Database Design, SQL, and Java. Service members may participate in these Oracle education programs in a variety of formats, including online and in-class training, as standalone classes or as part of degree-granting programs. For transitioning military, Oracle University is also providing support for its industry-recognized certifications and career pathways. In partnership with Cisco and Futures, Oracle is contacting its more than 20,000 U.S. channel partners and suppliers encouraging them to hire and train veterans.

Orion International’s total commitment for 2012 was 2,000 veteran hires, and we exceeded 3,000. Based on our work in 2012, and what we currently have planned for 2013, Orion International is proud to once again publically commit that we will provide new careers to more than 2,000 transitioning and former military service members during this calendar year. Furthermore, Orion International is also committing to provide new careers to more than 10,000 transitioning and former military veterans and support for military spouses during years 2013–2018.

Orkin recognizes the hard work and dedication military personnel make in protecting our nation, so the company is committed to hiring at least 1,000 veterans over the next five years. Orkin maintains a culture of discipline, professionalism and dedication similar to the culture promoted in the armed forces because we feel that the attitude and character displayed by the brave people who serve our country is a winning formula. Veterans can apply the skills developed in the service and build a successful future with Orkin.

Oshkosh Corporation is committed to hiring veterans and helping them and their families. For more than 90 years, Oshkosh has been supporting the U.S. military with vehicles and technologies to help accomplish their missions. In addition to actively recruiting those who have served in the military for employment opportunities, Oshkosh’s military-leave program is focused on helping employees and their families stay in touch with deployed loved ones. Employees receive a paid differential when called for active military duty or when time off is needed for Reservists’ yearly training.

PG Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has a rich tradition of supporting veterans which continues today: they have committed to increasing their veteran hiring and placement program in 2013 by 10 percent. They are also providing onboarding assistance and mentoring to newly hired and incumbent veterans through their employee resource group staffed by military veterans within the company. PG&E’s PowerPathway program trains and provides employment assistance to veterans interested in working in the energy industry at no cost to veterans. Since its inception over 3-years ago PG&E has trained over 150 veterans in the program and plans to train an additional 100 veterans through 2013. In addition, in 2013 PG&E will be partnering with American River Community College in Sacramento to develop a new welding certificate and Bridge to Utility Worker program specifically for veterans.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is proud to support our military veterans and is dedicating 10,000 hours through PwC's Veterans Affinity Network to drive initiatives supporting military veterans and their families. We will target the hiring of more than 250 veterans and spouses into management consulting, mergers & acquisitions, technology and financial statement audit careers over the next three years. PwC will also make practices from our initiatives available to other companies to make veteran recruiting a more active and reliable source of business talent. Additionally, PwC is developing a program to be led by Medal of Honor winner Ron Ray to provide business and financial literacy training for veterans to enhance their professional skills and overall marketability.

Prosperity America was founded in 2009 with the specific dual mission of returning call center jobs to America and providing employment to veterans, active duty dependents and the community that supports Fort Benning, Georgia. Since its inception, they have been successful in returning over 100 jobs from overseas and providing employment to over 50 veterans. Prosperity America, Inc. is planning to hire 50 more veterans and military spouses over the next 2 years.

Prudential commits to sharing best practices for veteran employment with the business community and sponsoring independent research of veteran employment challenges, such as the efforts undertaken by both the White House's Joining Forces Initiative and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring our Heroes program. In addition, Prudential has thus far committed $2.7 million to VETalent, an innovative program that prepares transitioning veterans for new careers and employment run by Workforce Opportunity Services (WOS), a nonprofit 501©(3) organization. Prudential also commits to expanding its support through an enhanced Grants Program which includes support to select nonprofit organizations that address veteran employment related needs, as well as the needs of family members who support them.

QCSS, Inc., is committed to the mission of giving back – both in our community and our country. As our services and strategies continuously improve, our team does too. Since the introduction of the Joining Forces initiative in 2011, QCSS has kept its’ promise of employing a minimum 10 percent veterans/veteran families. We are proud to have these incredible individuals as part of our team and look forward to providing a work place for our armed forces now, and in the future.

Quality Contact Solutions, a women-owned business, is creating as many as 150 work-at home business-to-business marketing and communication jobs for military spouses over the next 2 years. These jobs will be in the healthcare and telecommunications industries.

The Railway Industry and 500 companies lead by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is committed to hire 5,000 veterans in 2012. Key commitments and opportunities in the Rail Industry include Freight and Passenger railroads, as well as Rail Supply Companies. Freight Railroads, the nation's freight railroads, including the country's major Class I and shortline railroads, will hire at least 4,700 veterans in 2012. This year's aggressive hiring target is in line with the industry's sizable hiring trend kicked off in 2011 in the face of a significant wave of retirements. Passenger Railroads, the nation's inter-city passenger and commuter railroads, will hire approximately 500 veterans in 2012, based on the significant need to fill positions being made vacant through retirements as well as through typical attrition. Passenger railroads also estimate 12 to 14 percent of new hires will be veterans. Rail Supply Companies, dozens of the nation's rail supply companies represented by AAR, have committed to hire at least 200 veterans in 2012. These companies are responsible for supplying materials and equipment, including rail components, cars and locomotives and cutting edge technology.

Raytheon, a company that presently has a workforce comprised of more than 17 percent veterans, has committed a five-year, $2.5 million grant to support the Wounded Warrior Project’s (WWP) Economic Empowerment Programs to expand WWP's Transition Training Academies, educate more wounded warriors and caregivers, engage employees in volunteerism and fundraising and empower wounded warriors to compete for 21st Century technology jobs. All initiatives are aimed at providing returning injured service members with the tools needed to successfully transition to new careers. The company also supports veteran training and hiring with its Operation Phoenix: Warrior Transition Program, a special program to attract, hire and retain military veterans, as well as provide resume, interviewing and career fair support to veterans transitioning into the private sector. 

Rockwell Collins remains deeply committed to helping America's veterans find and sustain meaningful employment in the private sector. By leveraging strategic partners in the marketplace and implementing vital programming in the workplace, the company continues to exceed its goal - whereas, veterans comprise at least 10 percent of all new hires in its workforce.

Ryder System, Inc., with a current U.S. workforce comprised of nearly 10 percent Veterans, expects to hire more than 550 Veterans constituting 13 percent of new hires in 2011. With the benefit of new alliances focused on hiring Veterans and assuming continuation of current business trends, Ryder commits to hiring at least 1,000 additional veterans by the end of 2013.

Safeway, Inc. is one of the most successful food and drug retailers in North America and continues to honor its unwavering commitment of hiring veterans and military spouses at our more than 1,600 locations across the United States and Canada. In 2012, Safeway committed to hiring 1,000 veterans and exceeded that goal by 498. For 2013, we’ve continued that commitment by pledging to hire 1,500 veterans. In June 2010, Safeway created its Junior Military Officer (JMO) Leadership Development Program and has since grown this program to include Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs). To date, we’ve hired 153 JMOs and NCOs through our Leadership Development Program. Additionally, we’ve employed 2,033 veterans and military spouses to work in our grocery stores, manufacturing plants, and distribution warehouses. 

SAP’s Veterans to Work Program recognizes the tremendous contributions US military personnel make in protecting our nation. To acknowledge the sacrifice of our servicemen and women, SAP has launched the “Veterans to Work” initiative to help our country’s veterans acquire the skills and training they need to be successful in today’s information technology workforce.

SAP is committed to building a world class workforce in America. In fact, over the next five years the company expects to hire as many as 5000 workers in a variety of positions. SAP commits to ensuring that not only will we reserve opportunities for veterans in our Early Talent Program, but that we will also proactively solicit applications in our wider veteran outreach, interview all qualified veterans and leverage our SAP Veterans To Work program for all our career opportunities.

Schneider National’s commitment to hiring current and former military personnel dates back to the founding of the company in 1935. Schneider originally committed to hiring 1,300 current and former military personnel by the end of 2013 and has already far exceeded its goal with 1,622 military hires in 2012 alone. Aggressive recruiting continues in 2013 with opportunities across the U.S. for professional truck drivers (and driving school graduates), diesel mechanics and office associates. The company is committed to maximize VA benefits and provide tuition reimbursement for professional truck driver training. In addition, Schneider offers a Military Apprenticeship program that provides on-the-job training and up to $1,275 per month through the VA (in addition to Schneider’s pay package) during the first year of employment.

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) launched an initiative to hire 1,500 military veterans in 2012. The company currently employs more than 10,000 military veterans, comprising nearly 25 percent of SAIC’s workforce. SAIC has an active Military Alliance Group (MAG), with a mission of serving as an advocate and resource for former military service personnel employees and active duty personnel and their families.

SCORE will provide an array of free and discounted offers to help veterans and their family members with their business needs. These offers span from discounted incorporation services to free software and free assistance by certified accountants. They also will offer scholarships for their "Simple Steps for Starting Your Business" workshop series or an equivalent workshop available through any of their 350 chapters nationwide.

Sears Holdings presently employs more than 30,000 veterans and military spouses, and has hired 6,002 veterans since the launch of Joining Forces in August 2011. Some 1,500 Sears associates are still serving in the National Guard and Reserve and for them, Sears Holdings will match the difference between their civilian and military pay. Within the past decade, almost $6 million has been paid to associates deployed or called up. Sears Holdings offers continued employment to service members and families with launch of the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Promise. The “PCS Promise” was created to support Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's Joining Forces initiative, which raises awareness around the challenges that military personnel and their spouses endure when moving from one community to another. In many cases, military spouses move from one community to another when their spouses are reassigned. On top of the stress of uprooting children and relocating to a new community, military spouses are often faced with the difficulty of continuing their careers or finding a new job in their new location. With the PCS Promise, Sears Holdings will do everything in its power to give military spouses who are employed by the retailer a job at a Sears, Kmart or Lands' End store convenient to their new location.

Siemens participated in the launch of Joining Forces, a White House initiative to support and honor America's service members and their families, in April 2011, and pledged to reserve 10 percent of its 3,000 open positions for veterans. Siemens exceeded this goal in three months and due to the successful integration of these employees into the workforce, Siemens increased its commitment. The company has hired over 1,000 veterans in the last two years. Veterans at Siemens, including both enlisted and Junior Military Officers (JMO), are hired for positions in the Energy, Infrastructure and Cities, Industry and Healthcare sectors in job categories ranging from Field Engineers to Service Technicians to Sales and Marketing roles with highly competitive salaries. Siemens has hired veterans with skills in aviation and mechanics to serve as wind service technicians at wind farms in Texas. At a new distribution center opening in Oklahoma, more than 50 percent of hires are military veterans with skills in logistics and materials handling. Siemens Energy in Orlando has hired veterans for their Sales and Marketing Development Program, investing more than $200,000 per veteran for the 14-month training program.

Siemens has also been named a “2013 Best for Vets” employer by Military Times. Ranked 29th out of 1,000 major companies, Military Times recognized Siemens for its demonstrated commitment to recruit, hire and retain qualified veterans, and for its comprehensive tools and resources such as the National Veterans Network to help vets succeed in the civilian workplace.

Simply Hired has adopted the job posting schema and has tagged over 500,000 jobs from veteran-committed employers discoverable on the Veterans Job Bank. In addition, Simply Hired will educate veteran-committed companies on getting their jobs posted and visible to veterans nationally.

Sodexo, Inc. pledges to maintain its leadership position as a top employer for veterans, military service members and spouses. Sodexo will dedicate resources to maximize hiring efforts for veterans, provide tools for veteran employees to engage in networking and mentoring once on board, and offer job transfer and flexible work options beneficial to military family members. Along with its pledge to Joining Forces, Sodexo will continue to foster the education and well-being of military families through its support of programs like the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Marine Corps Community Services Youth Sports Association, and the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run and Healthy School Award program.

SP Data, a provider of contact center solutions and social media services to Fortune 1000 companies, is committing to adding more than 150 jobs for military spouses and veterans over the next 2 years.

SRA International, a company who presently has a workforce comprised of 19 percent veterans, is committed to increasing its outreach to veterans, wounded warriors and in 2013 launched our new program to include military spouses. SRA established the wounded warrior recruiting program in 2011 with a dedicated Program Management Officer (himself an experienced recruiter and wounded warrior) to partner with government agencies and non-profit organizations that support the wounded warrior community to target and recruit for SRA. SRA’s career transition assistance program for Wounded Warriors continues to provide employment opportunities and a team approach to supporting severely injured veterans in the workplace.

The Student Veterans of America and MentorNet are combining the power and reach of their two programs to help student veterans studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at the postsecondary level on campuses across the U.S. to graduate and enter the workforce. Their joint effort will create a large-scale Web-based mentoring program that can match thousands of students to working professionals in STEM fields, guiding the mentors to help student vets overcome hurdles and prepare for realities and opportunities in the workforce.

Taleo is committed to adopting the job posting schema and providing a Quick Start guide to its more than 5,000 member customers to facilitate tagging of veteran commitment positions. Posted jobs appear on the customer’s websites, Taleo’s candidate market place, and other social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 

Target is committed to supporting veterans and military members as they serve our nation and our communities. Through community partnerships, team member benefits and resources, Target will contribute $1.5 million in continued support of veterans and their families over the next two years. Target became a partner in the 100,000 Jobs Mission in 2012, joining other top companies in a pledge to hire 100,000 veterans by 2020. With continued expansion of our military recruitment efforts, Target plans to hire 1,000 veterans to salaried leadership positions and 25,000 to field hourly roles by 2018. We'll do this through an enhanced military web presence; online tools to help veterans translate military experience to Target positions; attending and sponsoring more than 40 military recruitment events over the next four years; and adding military recruiting resources to our team.

Teach For America launched the You Served For America, Now Teach For America initiative to bring more veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces in to the fight against educational inequity. The initiative aims to put the power of transitioning military professionals and veterans to work in our nation’s highest-need schools, which will greatly benefit from veterans’ depth of experience, strength in leadership and desire to continue to serve their country. The primary goal of the initiative is to place over 800 corps members by August 2016 that identify as veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or military spouses.

TJX is committed to helping our soldiers to better transition from military to civilian life; at The TJX Companies, Inc., we support our brave men and women by acting as a key resource for employment by hiring 3000-5000 veterans over the next four years and beyond. We are proud of our Veterans, Reserve and Active duty Military Personnel who make it possible for each of us to experience the freedoms we enjoy every day.

TriWest Healthcare Alliance and its owners, who will also be working with its customers and suppliers (including hospitals who deliver services) has committed to hire at least 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2014.

TweetMyJobs is developing a check box that allows employers posting jobs to indicate if the job is specifically targeted to veterans. TweetMyJobs will distribute these jobs for free for the next 12 months. TweetMyJobs is also launching a suite of tools for veterans to find jobs on Twitter, including establishing veteran-specific job channels on Twitter for every state and major metropolitan area, a special landing page for veterans to find and follow these job channels, custom notification alerts for veteran committed jobs and a channel for veterans to distribute their resume on Twitter.

Unilever – Consumer packaged goods giant Unilever, through Advantage Sales and Marketing (ASM), a leading consumer packaged goods sales and marketing agency, announced it will invest $70 million incrementally over the next three years to expand its retail coverage. A significant portion of the incremental investment is for training military veterans employed by ASM to provide services for the Unilever network. Under a customized training program, Unilever is leveraging its industry leadership to help veterans gain the tools and opportunities they need to perform services for the Unilever Customer Development organization. This initiative will grow the number of veterans active in the Unilever/ASM partnership by at least 30 percent by 2015.

Union Pacific began building nearly 150 years ago with significant contributions of Civil War Veterans, as a result of President Abraham Lincoln’s vision for a transcontinental railroad. Today, Union Pacific still proudly employs roughly 10,000 veterans. Union Pacific plans to continue to hire veterans at a rate of 25 percent of all hires. During 2012, Union Pacific anticipated hiring over 1,000 veterans, which is roughly one veteran hired every 8 hours.

USAA – an organization created by the military exclusively for the military – is committed to providing career opportunities at all levels to members of the military community as they transition to civilian life. At USAA, one out of every four new employees we hire is a veteran or military spouse. Going forward, USAA has set an even higher internal hiring goal of 30 percent. Our experience at USAA proves that veterans and military spouses are precisely the kinds of employees companies should want to hire. They know how to lead – and to be led. In or out of uniform, they know how to get the job done. USAA hopes that more companies and public agencies will make it a priority to hire those who have given so much in service to our country – not from a sense of obligation, but because their skills are highly valuable. Since 2005, USAA has hired more than 6,000 military veterans and spouses. That track record has earned USAA the title of the No. 1 Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs magazine and – for five consecutive years – the top military spouse-friendly employer by Military Spouse Magazine.

U.S. Bank committed to doubling veteran hiring during 2012 and 2013. To accomplish this, we launched Bankers in Boots, a company-wide veteran-hiring initiative. Employees are encouraged to refer friends and relatives who are veterans, and each of our business lines has committed to veteran-hiring goals. Thanks to strong employees and leadership support, we're proud to report that we're well on our way toward reaching our goals. In addition, we launched a Military Leader Development Program (MLDP) in several consumer-banking markets. This program recruits and trains transitioning veterans for branch management positions. Many MLDP graduates have been placed in full-time positions, and we're planning to expand this successful program.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes in March 2011 as a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's vast network of state and local chambers and other strategic partners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, they have hosted more than 500 hiring fairs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Through December 31, 2012, more than 18,400 veterans and military spouses had obtained jobs as a result of these fairs.

As the program enters its third year, Hiring Our Heroes, in an effort to address the systemic employment challenges facing veterans, transitioning servicemembers and military spouses, has launched several online programs to complement the hiring fairs. They include: the Personal Branding Resume Engine, an online tool to help translate military service into a strong resume; Fast Track, a job search tool that allows job-seekers to seek employment opportunities in the fastest growing job markets and industries in America; and VetNet, a one-stop online career resource shop that allows users to network and connect with employers. These online tools will be integrated into employment workshops that will take place at hundreds of Hiring Our Heroes fairs over the next year.

U.S. Manufacturing Pipeline (USMP), created by Futures, Inc. in partnership with The Manufacturing Institute and ACT, is a comprehensive, on-line talent exchange where military personnel who are transitioning back from overseas service and into the civilian workforce are matched with manufacturers seeking skilled labor to fill open positions. During a pilot at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over 650 individuals voluntarily signed up to create digital portfolios on USMP while 176 of those people chose to pursue a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) through Fayetteville Technical Community College near Fort Bragg. Future partnerships will be conducted with National Guard units in Minnesota and active duty units at Fort Sill and Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

UPS sustains outward and visible support of the men and women that serve in the military.As a partner in the initiative, UPS has made a commitment to hire more than 25,000 veterans over the next five years, as well as committing to serve more than 25,000 employee volunteer hours helping veterans and veterans Service Organizations (VSO). Veteran’s commitment to service reflects strong ethics, integrity and work discipline that transfers well and is aligned to values for which UPS employees are so well-known. We rely on the talents and skills of our veterans to deliver unmatched logistics capabilities to our customers. UPS has always supported veterans, who through their service, honored their nation, and should know that UPS can and wants their talents and skills to be recognized and valued. Veterans, employees that serve in the National Guard and Reservists make up 7.5 percent of UPS’s domestic workforce.

Veteran Call Center, LLC has set a goal of creating an additional 1,000 jobs for military spouses and veterans over the next 2 years—at least 500 per year. VCC was formed to promote the financial well-being and economic independence of US Service Veterans, primarily those with physically debilitating injuries and to utilize the leadership, discipline and skills engrained by their training and service.

Veteran Recruiting Services, in partnership with more than 50 leading employers have committed to hiring at least 50,000 veterans by the end of 2018. VRS provides a fully interactive, virtual career fair environment that is always accessible, and throughout the year, they host live days where employers, active duty service members, veterans, and military spouses can meet and interact in real time. Since 2011, the VRS virtual career fairs have resulted in more than 21,000 veterans and military spouses being hired. VRS has also developed a free veteran friendly employer index by industry that business can list on at no charge www.vetfriendly.com

Visa is transforming the way the world pays and creating new possibilities for people everywhere. It takes talent, innovative thinking and dedication to be a part of this global success story, and we know our veterans and their spouses have the skills and perseverance to be an effective part of the Visa family. We are committed to hiring military personnel and their families, as well as supporting and retaining our own employees already serving in the military. We plan to hire 100 former military personnel over the next three years by working with multiple military employer partnership offices. Visa also encourages supporting military families through employee volunteerism and our financial literacy programming.

Volt Workforce Solutions has committed to 2,000 veteran and military spouse hires in 2013, with plans to increase that number by 15% each year. Volt is one of America’s leading staffing firms, and our Volt Military Heroes Program (VMHP) was created to extend Volt’s ability to provide the most qualified employees to our clients. VMHP’s proactive, direct-contact approach to veteran employment focuses on building relationships with military bases, transition centers, veteran communities (including combat-wounded veterans), and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership. VMHP’s resource mapping cross-references the core functions of each military base and transition center with clients in that region who require those skills, enabling VMHP to provide the trained, experienced people each client needs while placing veterans and military spouses in career opportunities where they will shine.

Walmart will offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran within his or her first 12 months off active duty, beginning this Memorial Day. Every veteran may not want a job in retail, but if they, do they have a place at Walmart. The company is already the largest private employer of veterans, and projects they will hire more than 100,000 veterans over the next five years.

The Walmart Foundation has committed to a two-year $750,000 grant to Veterans Green Jobs. The funding will support three key programs that focus on job training, recruitment and placement with the goal of the programs becoming self-sufficient by the end of the two-year grant. With this funding, Veterans Green Jobs will connect with 1,000 veterans and place many of those veterans into full-time green sector jobs. The grant is the latest commitment under the Walmart Foundation’s recently announced five-year, $20 million giving initiative aimed at combating the high veteran unemployment rate. Since 2009, Walmart has donated more than $1 million to Veterans Green Jobs, resulting in training and jobs for more than 350 veterans.

The Walt Disney Company launched a company-wide initiative to hire, train and support returning veterans called Heroes Work Here. The program continues Disney’s long history of respect and appreciation for the U.S. Armed Forces by expanding the company’s commitment to recognize and honor the sacrifice and service of these men and women. As part of Heroes Work Here, Disney will provide at least 1,000 jobs and career opportunities for returning U.S. veterans over the next three years, support military families and veterans during their transition into civilian life, and launch a national public awareness campaign to encourage all employers across the U.S. to hire veterans. Click here for more information.

Waste Management, Inc. is North America’s leading provider of integrated environmental solutions and employs 3,500 veterans. For the past four years, the company has averaged hiring at least one veteran every day. Waste Management, Inc. is committed to hiring 750 veterans and their spouses in the period August 2011 to August 2013.

Wells Fargo is dedicated to serving active duty military and veterans through three key areas: housing, hiring, and financial education. In 2012, the company announced a three-year, $35 million commitment to supporting military service members and veterans, which includes real estate owned property donations and support to qualifying nonprofits, hiring and mentoring initiatives, customized financial education efforts, and funds for philanthropic donations and sponsorships. Wells Fargo believes each team member offers something extraordinary and recognizes the impact military experience can make in the company’s work environment. Currently, the company employs nearly 7,500 service members and veterans and is focused on increasing this number through strategic military recruitment outreach efforts.

Werner Enterprises Inc. is a premier global transportation and logistics company where veterans account for over 20 percent of the workforce. For new professional truck drivers, Werner Enterprises Inc. offers a Department of Labor approved Apprenticeship Program, which allows eligible veterans to earn their GI Bill benefits for one year, in addition to their normal pay. Werner Enterprises Inc. continues to support our military by pledging to hire 775 military veterans by the end of 2012.

Xerox is passionate about hiring veterans! Because we recognize and appreciate the sacrifices veterans have made and understand the value they bring to our company, we have a focused program to provide employment opportunities for veterans here at Xerox. We hired 1757 veterans in 2012, surpassing our goal. With a pledge to hire 7500 veterans in the next five years, we have various programs in place to support our veteran hiring efforts. “Heroes@Home” is our newest offering for veterans, giving them opportunities to work from the comfort of their own home. Our continued participation in monthly virtual career fairs gives transitioning servicemen and women direct contact with Xerox recruiters from anywhere in the world. We provide a military skills translator tool on our military page and partner with all US military installations directly where we provide tools for transitioning candidates. Xerox also proudly supports our current military men and women by gathering items to send care packages, and writing letters to show our true appreciation for those serving our country. Current military members, veterans and everyone can learn more about what Xerox has to offer as an employer.