Top Broadcast and Cable Networks, Studios, Talent Agencies, and Guilds Join Unprecedented Campaign to Help Veterans Succeed in Return to Civilian Life
LOS ANGELES, CA—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program announced today it is joining with the entertainment industry as part of the new veterans initiative, Got Your 6™. The campaign brings together an unprecedented group of supporters, including nearly every major studio, broadcast and cable network, talent agency, and guild in the entertainment industry. Hiring Our Heroes will serve as the lead non-profit partner for the jobs pillar of the campaign.
“It is an honor for Hiring Our Heroes to be a part of an effort that carries such a powerful and influential voice,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Schmiegel (Ret.), executive director of the U.S. Chamber’s Hiring Our Heroes program. “To see virtually every major player in Hollywood come together on this initiative is a clear indicator they recognize the importance of our mission – to help the men and women who serve our country. We look forward to working with Got Your 6 to reach millions of Americans and demonstrate the value that veterans and military spouses bring to the table.”
As part of the initiative, Got Your 6 will work with Hiring Our Heroes to facilitate commitments toward the “Hiring 500,000 Heroes” campaign. The U.S. Chamber, National Chamber Foundation, and Capital One launched “Hiring 500,000 Heroes” on March 28, 2012, with a goal of engaging the business community in committing to hire 500,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014.
“Got your six” is a military expression that means “I’ve got your back, and you’ve got mine.” The six o’clock position or “six” is the designation of the rear of a military formation. Initially conceived as an entertainment industry commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative America convening in Chicago in June 2011, Got Your 6 launches today with tremendous strength. The campaign will mobilize the assets, expertise and talent of the entertainment industry, spanning film, television, gaming, print, radio, outdoor media, and social platforms to build awareness around this important issue.
“Over the next five years, more than one million service members will return to civilian life,” said Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6 and director of Civilian-Military Partnerships for ServiceNation. “It is imperative that Americans see this as an opportunity. As we welcome this generation of veterans home, it is crucial that we view them and their families as leaders and civic assets. With the full support of so many outstanding organizations like Hiring Our Heroes, Got Your 6 is a clear call to action for all Americans to join with our veterans in reinvigorating our communities.”
In March 2011, the Chamber, in conjunction with the National Chamber Foundation, launched its Hiring Our Heroes program, a nationwide effort to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. The Chamber started the program to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities, where veterans and their families are returning every day. To date, Hiring Our Heroes has hosted 162 hiring fairs in 48 states and the District of Columbia, helping more than 9,000 veterans and military spouses find employment.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
