Walmart's groundbreaking plan to hire 100,000 veterans

"There is a seriousness and sense of purpose that the military instills, and we need it today more than ever"

A U.S. Navy honor guard salutes
(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

In a burst of patriotic activity, Walmart on Tuesday announced that it would hire any veteran who wanted a job, provided that the veteran had left the military in the last year with an honorable discharge. Furthermore, the retail behemoth launched a new initiative to purchase an additional $50 billion in American-made goods over the next 10 years, part of an effort to push back against criticism that the company relies too heavily on many foreign-made products.

Walmart says its new employment program is the largest-ever corporate commitment to hiring veterans. The company expects to bring on as many as 100,000 veterans over the next five years. The initiative has been embraced by First Lady Michelle Obama, who along with Jill Biden runs the White House's Joining Forces program, which focuses on finding work for unemployed veterans. "We all believe that no one who serves our country should have to fight for a job once they return home," Obama said in a statement. "Walmart is setting a groundbreaking example for the private sector to follow."

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Ryu Spaeth

Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.