Youngkin commemorates ‘National Hire A Veteran Day’ in Virginia with Henrico appearance

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin July 25 officially welcomed Walmart as a certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) employer during a National Hire a Veteran Day ceremony and presentation at the Walmart Supercenter at 11400 West Broad Street in Glen Allen.

Youngkin was joined by Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw, Virginia Commissioner of Veterans Services Daniel Gade, and representatives of Walmart to announce the retailer’s commitment to hiring Virginia veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses as a V3 program partner.

“Our commonwealth is home to more than 700,000 men and women who have served in our armed forces and more than 150,000 active duty, Reserve and National Guard members,” Youngkin said. “This makes it vitally important to bring attention to the importance of National Hire a Veteran Day and to partners like Walmart and hundreds of other employers – large and small – to ensure this valuable pipeline of skilled and talented people stay in Virginia.

Walmart has hired veterans at its 149 retail locations and six distribution centers in Virginia.

“Hiring Virginia Veterans is not only the right thing to do – it is the smart thing to do,” Youngkin said.

Since its creation in 2013, the V3 program has trained and certified more than 2,000 Virginia businesses and other employers about how to best recruit, hire and retain Virginia Veterans in their workforces, according to Crenshaw.

“Walmart is proud to partner with the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program to provide opportunities for veterans and military spouses to learn and grow,” said Brynt Parmeter, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “Our partnership will help advance the economic opportunity and well-being of our veterans, building on our focus to help them achieve their goals in education, employment, and entrepreneurship.”

The program also included introductions and remarks from Walmart Regional Senior People Director and veteran Kirsten Frey, as well as veteran and Asset Protection Operations Lead Baron Dixon.

“Welcoming Walmart as a Certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) employer is especially meaningful on this National Hire a Veteran Day,” said DVS Commissioner Daniel Gade. “One of our most important missions at DVS is to assure that our Virginia veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find successful employment in our civilian workforce. This is one reason Virginia continues to be recognized nationally as the No. 1 state for military veterans and retirees. Virginia is for veterans.”