Servicemen and -women now have a guide to employers most likely to hire military veterans, thanks to results of a corporate survey assembled by a Coraopolis magazine publisher.
The "Top 25 Military-Friendly Employers" list is the brain-child of G.I. Jobs, a monthly magazine that launched the survey in 2003. The list contains corporations nationwide that are most prone to recruit and hire veterans and servicemen and -women, as well as hold open their jobs when they return from active duty.
Home Depot emerged as this year's most military-friendly company, says the magazine in its December issue. The home-improvement titan, which employs about 300,000, stood out for hiring almost 10,000 veterans and spouses last year, G.I. Jobs said.
"We understood the market, and saw there was a niche, veterans employment, that was underserved," said publisher Rich McCormack. "So, we took a shot at it."
He and partner Chris Hale are both former U.S. Navy officers. They met and clicked in Pittsburgh while working together at Stars & Stripes Omnimedia, which ceased publishing in mid-2001.
"The war in Iraq has brought the professionalism of our troops to the forefront," said McCormack. "(Companies) recognize that the military training veterans live every day is a huge asset."
The top-25 list was culled from 75 corporations that responded to G.I. Jobs' survey of Fortune 500 companies. None of the 25 are based in Western Pennsylvania.
G.I. Jobs began publishing in 2001 and currently posts a circulation of 60,000 worldwide.
"The list was an idea that came out of focus groups of people who had just come out of the service," said McCormack. He hopes other employers will note, if not emulate, the military-friendly companies listed.
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