We need a local Chamber commitment that matches this national one announced yesterday by First Lady Michelle Obama. The Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and our local city and county governments, as well as ECUA and the School District, should adopt the Hiring Our Heroes program.
Mrs. Obama announced that the American Logistics Association (ALA) and their 270 affiliate companies have committed to hiring 25,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013. This commitment is part of the First Lady’s and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative to support veterans and military families.
The ALA includes major manufacturers such as Tysons Foods, Coca Cola, Unilever and ConAgra along with a multitude of specialty suppliers to the on-base military consumer channel, which includes military commissaries, exchanges, and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation sales and services. To achieve its goal, the Association will be teaming up with several on-going employment programs including the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) and the Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program.
Pres. Obama has challenged the private sector to hire or train 100,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013. Will the Pensacola area, with its long military history, answer the challenge?