Celebrating National Military Appreciation Month at National Vision

Red white and blue cupcakes with american flagEvery May at National Vision we celebrate National Military Appreciation Month – a chance to pay tribute to those currently serving in our military, our veterans and their families. We are thrilled to once again have the opportunity to recognize these brave men and women.

Throughout this month, there are several days set aside for celebrating and commemorating our military’s achievements. From Military Spouse Appreciation Day to Memorial Day, we will be thanking and honoring the memory of those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

To those service members, veterans and their families who are part of our NVI family – we thank you for the sacrifices you have made for our country.  It is an honor to you call you one of our own.

Our Veteran Inclusion and Partnership Program

The White HouseIn October 2014, we made a commitment to hire 500 veterans and/or veteran spouses over the next five years across all of our retail brands. Within those 500 positions, we have committed to hiring a minimum of 100 veterans and/or veteran spouses in technology-focused positions as part of the Joining Forces initiative. Founded in 2011, Joining Forces was established to help the military community with their post-service careers while utilizing the unique skills learned during service.

Last May, we had the privilege of participating in a press conference at the White House with Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden celebrating the first five years of Joining Forces and announcing the commitment of organizations like ours for the next five years.

National Vision President Bruce Steffey, Dr. Janine Toucet-Pacheco, affiliated with our Humble, Texas America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses store, and Forrest Tennant, the manager of our veteran inclusion and partnership program, represented us at the event. Both Steffey and Dr. Toucet-Pacheco are military veterans who served our country in the U.S. Army.

We are proud to announce that we now have 370 self-identified veterans as part of our NVI family.

American flagsWhat’s in Store for the Future?

In order to continue to attract, retain and develop veteran and veteran spouse talent within the organization, we continue to form partnerships with organizations who share a common goal in support of the hiring and retention of America’s veterans.

In the last year we have participated in the Veterans Initiative Summit and the Value of a Veteran Conference, among other recruiting and community events.

In 2017, we will continue to expand our presence within the veteran community so that we can continue to learn from our men and women in uniform, and those that support them. We are excited for the coming months!

 

Jessica Altamirano

Jessica Altamirano

Communications Specialist at National Vision
Jessica Altamirano is a proud Veteran spouse who has worked for NVI since 2014. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. Jessica is passionate about corporate-nonprofit partnerships, philanthropic efforts in developing countries, Veteran recruitment, and creating a culture of health and wellness in the workplace.
Jessica Altamirano