WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark Corp. was among several national companies represented at an event hosted today by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as part of the Joining Forces initiative.
CVS said Tuesday that at the event, the administration asked companies participating in the Joining Forces effort to hire and train 435,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years, after nearly tripling its initial goal of hiring 100,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013.
As part of Joining Forces, CVS said it has committed to hire veterans and military spouses for 25% of its new hires in logistics and distribution centers over the next four years.
David Casey, vice president and chief diversity officer at CVS Caremark and a former U.S. Marine, and Alfredo Ruiz, a supervisor in CVS Caremark’s Vero Beach, Fla., Distribution Center and a retired U.S. Army soldier, attended the event on behalf of the company.
"With millions of service members transitioning out of the military over the next several years, CVS Caremark is poised and ready to hire and train qualified veterans and military spouses," Larry Merlo, president and chief executive officer of CVS Caremark, said in a statement. "We recognize and appreciate the values, experience and skills service members have, and know hiring veterans and military spouses not only strengthens our business, it also enhances our existing workforce."
CVS added that it was recently recognized by DiversityInc as one of the Top 10 Companies for Veterans. The company said it also received the Pro Patria Award from the Rhode Island Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).
