Companies across the country are showing their appreciation for our veterans through strong military recruitment programs. Victory Media has been conducting thorough research since 2003 to identify these companies and recognize their commitment to providing meaningful job opportunities to veterans. Below are three companies making a difference in the veteran community.

 

USAA

For the second consecutive year, USAA claims the title of the nation's top Military Friendly Employer by making veteran hiring a top priority. The company has hired over 7,800 veterans and their spouses since 2005, and in a recent press release “announced [that] it had increased its internal [veteran] hiring goal from 25 to 30 percent…understanding that military experience is a preferred qualification.” USAA hires veterans and their spouses for a variety of positions, from customer service to executive management, making it an ideal employer for transitioning service members.

 

Southern Company

Like Hire Heroes USA, Southern Company is an Atlanta-based operation serving the military community nationwide. The utility company boasts a 26,000 person workforce with over 11% being current or former military members. Southern Company is a founding member of the Troops to Energy Jobs program and is committed to linking transitioning service members to careers in the energy industry where their military skills will be utilized.

 

Amazon

Amazon has been a leader in the military recruiting field for years. In fact, few other companies can say that 25% of new employees are former military. Aamzon CEO, Jeff Bezos, explains to Fortune Magazine Online, “We actively seek leaders who can invent, think big, have a bias for action, and deliver results…these principles look very familiar to men and women who served our country in the armed forces.”

 

Civilian businesses are making a collective effort to understand and utilize military skills in response to the startling unemployment rates that our veterans face. Take time to learn more about the 97 other companies that made Military Friendly's list this year, and share the information with veterans and spouses looking for a new career.