TAMPA, Fla. — Seven years after setting a goal to hire thousands of veterans at its stores, Walmart announced it achieved that goal.
Since 2013, Walmart said it has hired more than 265,000 veterans nationwide, including more than 16,700 in Florida alone.
The hires were part of the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment the company started on Memorial Day in 2013.
On Wednesday, Walmart shared the story of Tampa man Kenneth Santiago, who spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force before joining the Walmart team. He was hired at the company in 2017 and within three years he was promoted to the management team. He's not an assistant manager at the store on West Gandy Boulevard in Tampa.
"It's very important for veterans to have a place to fall back on after retiring from the military," Santiago said. "If you can transition to a place where you fit in and find your second family, it gives veterans an opportunity to prosper."
"We're proud of our ability to present opportunities to the talented service members who've honorably served our country," Brynt Parmeter, senior director for Walmart Military Programs, said.
Walmart also said it started the Military Spouses Career Connection program on Veterans Day in 2018. Now, it's hired more than 31,000 associates.
- New coronavirus numbers: Florida adds another 6,093 new cases
- What new Florida laws go into effect on July 1
- Growing number of children in Hillsborough, Pinellas counties test positive for COVID-19
- Human remains found during search for missing solder Vanessa Guillen
- Where can I get a COVID-19 test on Tampa Bay?
- Tampa family finds gator with missing limbs on their front porch
- Zip codes with the most coronavirus cases
- Coronavirus in Florida: Hospitalizations, deaths, new cases
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
