First Lady Announces Success of Joining Forces Initiative

First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the success of the Joining Forces White House initiative August 22 with a crowd of veterans and active military service personnel at Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida, as she announced that 125,000 veterans and military spouses had been hired by over 2,000 U.S. companies. The initiative, formally announced by President Obama in 2011, challenged for-profit businesses to bring on 100,000 veterans or military spouses by 2013. “I want to send a very clear message to the men and women who are wearing – or who have worn – our country’s uniform and to their spouses: when you have finished your service to our nation, you’ve got 2,000 great American companies ready and waiting to bring you on board,” First Lady Michelle Obama announced. Franchisors played a key role in the success of the initiative as International Franchise Association CEO Steve Caldeira made jobs for veterans a priority at the 2012 IFA convention. According to the IFA, nearly one out of seven franchise businesses is now owned or operated by a veteran.