Wal-Mart expands commitment to hire veterans

Wal-Mart Stores said it is expanding its veterans hiring promise to provide 250,000 jobs to qualified veterans by 2020. The retailer says it has hired more than 92,000 veterans since the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment was launched two years ago on Memorial Day.

The original plan was to hire 100,000 over five years but given its success Wal-Mart is now expanding its promise by one and a half times. The retailer said another 8,000 veterans have been promoted in the past two years as well.

“We’ve experienced a tremendous response to the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in our first two years, and as more service members transition out of active duty, we know we can do more,” said retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “We believe veterans represent the largest, diverse, talent-rich pool in the world and are an essential segment of the next generation at Walmart.”

The Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff estimates 250,000 service members may separate from the military each year over the next five years.

“Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment assures our nation's veterans that there is an opportunity available for them through a much needed short-term job or the start of a long-term career,” said James Schmeling, co-founder of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families and managing director for programming. “Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation have been strong partners, supporting IVMF’s work building impactful programs, including for veteran and family business ownership, through the educational institutions and communities where veterans and families are preparing for important transitions in their lives."

On May 5, Wal-Mart Stores participated in the launch of the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business, which will work to create opportunities for veteran and military-family owned businesses with American businesses and supply chains. The retailer invites military and veteran-owned businesses to apply for its annual U.S. Manufacturing Summit and Open Call to be held July 7-8 in Bentonville.

The summit and open call will provide an opportunity to meet with Walmart’s buyers and facilitate meetings for current and potential suppliers with key state economic development officials.

In addition to hiring veterans, Wal-Mart and its foundation have also committed $20 million of additional funding to assisting veterans and their families though 2019. This commitment was extended from the $20 million promised in 2011.