Of the many reasons I’m proud to be a part of the cable industry, perhaps the biggest is our role in improving the communities we touch. Over the past 20 years, we’ve created millions of local jobs and contributed billions of dollars to charities and non-profits. Not to mention, the infrastructure that we’ve built across most of America has added innumerably to the lives of millions who have been able to grow their businesses, access healthcare, and educate themselves, among other things.
But perhaps closest to my heart is the contribution cable is making to American veterans. As a veteran, I deeply understand the challenges of returning to civilian society. I know how difficult it is to dramatically shift both career and life trajectories after an unexpected event while in the service of country. And I know how hard it can be to find a job after returning home, especially in an uncertain economic climate. It is for these reasons that I am proud to share a new veterans initiative that will not only help to continue our commitment to American technology, but to the lives of those who gave themselves so selflessly to our country.
It is my honor as the chair of the Veterans Advisory Council to announce Mission Media, an initiative that will implement a systematic approach to hiring and retaining veterans within the cable industry. Through this program, guided by the Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association, we will create structures and practices to recruit, train, and place great leaders – leaders who put themselves in the line of duty for our country – into fulfilling, important careers throughout the cable family. Through Mission Media we will have a bigger impact by harnessing the collective effort of all our companies. At a ceremony earlier today in New York City, with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an office of the Department of Defense, we affirmed cable’s commitment to provide supportive work environments for those currently serving in the reserves and the National Guard.
Sadly, employment rates among veterans, particularly among 9/11 veterans, are dismally low. We know that nearly one million service members are due to leave the military over the next five years. Among this pool are women and men who learned the values of teamwork and integrity in intense and difficult environments. One of the most important goals of this new program is to provide the support and leadership for those in positions to hire veterans, from how to identify and recruit veteran talent to developing their skills so they can make the best contributions possible.
Serving this country was one of the most transformational experiences of my life. I know I would not be where I am today without the knowledge, wisdom, and personal strength that I gained during my time in the U.S. Army. We will benefit enormously from the leadership of our veterans, who have so much to offer our industry as we navigate the future of the digital era and move into unchartered territory. It is both our moral obligation and in our business interest to give them the tools to succeed. Mission Media will do just that.