American Airlines Joins With American Corporate Partners to Help Mentor Veterans Returning From Iraq, Afghanistan

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines is joining forces with American Corporate Partners (ACP) as part of a nationwide career mentoring program for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

ACP, a New York-based nonprofit organization, provides a unique career development opportunity for veterans. The program is open to those who have served on active duty since 2001, including National Guardsmen and Reservists. ACP gives priority to those with service-connected disabilities and welcomes applications from spouses of severely wounded service members or those killed in action.

"This is an exceptional opportunity to help our nation's veterans as they make their way back home," said Lauri Curtis, American's Vice President – Diversity, Leadership and Engagement. "Giving back to our veterans and service members is deeply engrained in our culture at American Airlines. Our employees will be able to share their professional experiences and practical advice to help ease the transition these heroes make from the armed forces to civilian life."

About 50 American Airlines employees will be matched for a yearlong mentorship with the veterans. This is not a jobs program, but rather allows American employees to provide one-on-one assistance to veterans.

"ACP is a one-of-a-kind program that reaches out to corporate employees and connects them to the veteran community," said Sid Goodfriend, Founder and Chairman of ACP. "With so many veterans returning to a tough job market, the need for guidance and advice on career issues is very real. Our program enables veterans to gain access to the expertise of experienced business leaders. We look forward to a long-standing relationship between American Corporate Partners and American Airlines."

Key elements of the American Airlines mentorship program include:

• Mentors are more than 35 years old and have significant corporate experience. Mentors and proteges are matched one-on-one by city and according to their mentoring preferences.
• Time spent with the proteges can include offering guidance, community service or social activities.
• Mentors commit to the program for one year, with both parties encouraged to maintain the relationship for a considerably greater period of time.
• Once matched, ACP staff will be in contact regularly to track the progress of the relationship.

American Airlines has a long history of supporting the military and veterans. More than 60 percent of American's pilots and approximately 10 percent of all American Airlines employees are active military service members or veterans. American supports members of the military, veterans and their families in their communities as well as when they travel, including special military airfares, support of non-profit organizations, and employee engagement in a wide variety of events and activities.

To learn more about American's Veterans and Military Initiatives, visit AA.com/JoinUs. ACP is currently accepting applications from qualified veterans in participating cities. Those interested may apply on-line: www.acp-usa.org.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® carrier serve 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members and members-elect serve more than 900 destinations with more than 10,000 daily flights to 149 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR).

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SOURCE American Airlines