January 2018 Veteran of the Month: From Marine to Valued Associate
Our featured veteran for January is Jason Michael Bleau!
Jason has worked for National Vision since September, 2017. He is a Sales Associate at the Vision Center brought to you by Walmart in Wilmington, North Carolina.
He also served our country in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years as an Ammunition Technician.
Jason is passionate about several things from playing the guitar (has done so for over 25 years!) to human anatomy and physiology, especially the eyes. He plans on attending Optometry school in the next two years.
We recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Jason about his time in the Marine Corps and his post-military career.
Why did you decide to serve our country in the U.S. Marine Corps?
“I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps and joined the United States Marine Corps in 2001, just one month after September 11th. I wanted to serve my country and do my part after the horrible Twin Towers attack. Another reason for my decision to enlist was my desire to attend college with the assistance of the GI Bill.
During my time in the Marine Corps I was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North 
Carolina. My military occupational specialty, or MOS, was 2311 Ammunition Technician. My job was to provide the 6th Marine Regiment with munitions during training and wartime operations.”
What have you done professionally since your time in the military?
“After the military, I attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and optained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. My intention is to use my degree and attend Optometry school in Boston, Massachusetts.”
Why Optometry School?
“I absolutely love to work with the eyes. And it brings me joy to make a positive difference in a patient’s life.”
How has your military experience helped you in your civilian life?
“My military experience has provided me with a sense of self confidence coupled with a diligent work ethic.”
In October 2014, we made a pledge to ensure veteran partnership and inclusion was a priority across all sectors of our organization. As part of the Obama Administration’s Joining Forces initiative, we made a commitment to hire a minimum of 100 military veterans and/or veteran spouses in technology-focused positions. We also set a goal to hire a minimum of 500 veterans and/or veteran spouses across all of our retail brands over the course of 5 years.
Veterans like Jason remind us that we have much to learn from our men and women in uniform, while making us proud that we have top veteran and veteran spouse talent within our organization.
Thank you Jason for your service to our country. It is an honor to have you as part of our National Vision family!
Jessica Altamirano
Latest posts by Jessica Altamirano (see all)
- Meet the 2019 National Vision Scholarship Recipients - October 14, 2019
- America’s Best Honored by Department of Defense for Guard Support - September 18, 2019
- Meet our Summer Interns - August 7, 2019
