Background on First Lady & Dr. Biden’s Sunday Visit to NASCAR Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Companies Making Commitments to Hire 10,000 Veterans & Military Spouses

Companies will Commit a Portion of Jobs to Miami Area Veterans and Military Families

Tomorrow First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden visit Homestead-Miami Speedway for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup finale to honor America’s troops and military families and highlight new commitments by American companies to hire and train veterans and military spouses. In support of Joining Forces, representatives from companies committing to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013 will volunteer at a special barbeque lunch for military families in Homestead-Miami Speedway’s Nationwide Garage. This employment commitment includes a first-of-its-kind dedicated local employment effort in South Florida led by the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s economic development leader, to hire veterans and military spouses.

The following companies will commit a portion of their jobs to veterans and military spouses in the Miami area:

• The Beacon Council and their 274 companies will strive to hire 4,000 veterans by the end of 2013;
• G4S Secure Solutions (USA) whose workforce is 21% veterans already will hire 3,000 veterans by 2013;
• Ryder System, Inc. whose workforce is 10% veterans already expects to hire more than 550 veterans in 2011 and 1,000 additional veterans by the end of 2013; and
• BAE Systems, Inc. which already employs more than 3,000 veterans is committed to employing wounded warriors and veterans through their Warrior Integration services.

Representatives from the following companies will also be on hand at the barbeque: The Beacon Council, G4S Secure Solutions (USA), Ryder System, Inc., Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., Google, The National Military Family Association, The Boeing Company, Raytheon, Inventis Group Ltd. and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.