Walmart, Sam's Club and Operation Homefront Host Saluting Heroes Together Event in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Walmart's launch on Memorial Day to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years, the company is hosting its Saluting Heroes Together event with Operation Homefront on Saturday, June 1 in Fayetteville. This event is part of a nationwide series to help honor the brave men and women who have or are currently serving in our military and their families.

This event will take place from 11 am to 2 pm at the Walmart supercenter located at 7701 S. Raeford Road. Lunch and giveaways will be provided by Walmart and Sam's Club suppliers, including Johnsonville's World's Largest Grill.

In January, Walmart announced that beginning Memorial Day, the company will offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran within his or her first 12 months off active duty through its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment, and plans to hire more than 100,000 veterans over the next five years. Members from the Walmart People Division department will be on hand at the event to answer questions about the commitment.

"Walmart and the military are very similar when you look at the emphasis on teamwork and service as essential elements to success," said Samuel Adams, a Raeford Walmart assistant manager and former member of the Army National Guard. "Those similarities made the transition easy for me, and as a former member of the military, I utilize the skills I learned in the service every day in my new role and know that other veterans do as well," he added. "I'm grateful for the veterans' hiring commitment because I believe it's a win-win for our veterans and our company."

"Operation Homefront is committed to supporting the families of our service members and wounded warriors in North and South Carolina and throughout the country," said Holly Cummings, executive director, Operation Homefront - Carolinas.  "We are proud to continue our partnership with Walmart and Sam's Club, and are honored to take part in the Saluting Heroes Together events that will help strengthen community support for those who have served and sacrificed to provide opportunity for us."

The company's focus on supporting veterans extends beyond its hiring initiative. The Walmart Foundation has committed $20 million through 2015 to helping veterans and their families transition from the military into the civilian workforce through programs that provide job training, transition support and education. In North Carolina, the foundation recently contributed $25,000 to Support Military Spouses' Shoeboxes for Military Spouses Program and $40,000 to StepUp Ministries' Well-Fed Families and Veterans Programs.

To learn more, drop by Saturday's event in Fayetteville or visit www.walmartcareerswithamission.com.   

About Walmart 

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 245 million customers and members visit or more than 10,800 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately $466 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmartnewsroom. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com. 

SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.