Honoring the Fallen, Supporting Those Still Standing
To many, Memorial Day means the start of summer, the end of the school year, and a long weekend to spend grilling with friends and family. But too often we forget that Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those we’ve lost in service to our country.
Samsung feels a deep sense of gratitude for those American servicemen and women and their families. As a company that only exists today because of the dedication and sacrifice of American allies during the Korean War, Samsung is deeply committed to honoring the memory of those who’ve served and, especially, those we’ve lost.
This year, Samsung employees organized an annual relay march across America to honor our nation’s heroes and restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. The “Carry the Load” relay will culminate in a 24-hour Memorial March in Dallas, Texas on May 27th to celebrate heroes, remember the fallen, and educate in respectful observance.
The effort is led jointly by Samsung employees John Hendrickson and Matt Thomas, both veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Already, our employees have raised thousands of dollars from friends and family; and Samsung was proud to contribute tablets and 65” UHD TV’s to top walkers and fundraisers across the country, not just to our employees.
And while Memorial Day is a day to show appreciation for those no longer with us, Samsung has spent years doing just that by supporting and celebrating those who have made it home from serving overseas or transitioning away from military life. Just last month, Samsung hosted a FourBlock career readiness and networking class in New York City. For veterans making the transition to corporate careers, readiness is everything, so Samsung Electronics America’s Human Resources team and the Samsung Vet Community welcomed more than 40 student veterans to network, connect with mentors, and see how veterans’ skill sets can translate into a rewarding career after military life.
In 2016, Samsung provided scholarships to more than 50 veterans through the Vets in Tech program, giving them the opportunity to receive training in coding and web development and helping them to transition into successful careers in technology. As a result, Samsung was awarded with the 2017 Vets in Tech Education Award, in recognition of their commitment to education for our Veterans. Through the legacy Joining Forces military hiring initiative begun in 2016, Samsung participated in over a dozen Veteran Career events in the past year to identify relevant employment opportunities for both veterans and military spouses.
This Memorial Day, we continue to be humbled by the incredible sacrifices of our servicemen and women here in the U.S. And at Samsung, we’re proud that our employees are doing all that they can to help carry the load, honor those memories, and show support for those who’ve come home the best way we know how.
