A Time to Remember and Give Thanks

Military Appreciation Month is a time to recognize and honor the service and sacrifices of military members, their families, veterans, and lost loved ones. During the month of May, we have the chance to acknowledge the contribution of our military members across all branches.

As a member of the Appreciation Marketing team, I have been able to gain perspective, conduct research, and interact with veteran and active duty military members. This has provided me and the team valuable knowledge in understanding our military population. We have heard firsthand feedback on what is important to military members, how they would like to be recognized, and what they are grateful for.

I would like to share some of the feedback we heard from our recent focus groups:

  • A strong sense of patriotism and love of their country was a reason to join the military.
  • Many came from military families, others joined for the opportunity of free education or learning of a skill.
  • Have a strong sense of camaraderie with other military members and veterans experiencing difficult circumstances.
  • They are proud of their military experience and are grateful for what they learned.
  • Many do not see themselves as “heroes.”

“I’m proud of my service and the things I did when I was there. I did my Job.” – Focus Group Participant

Most times, a simple “thank you” will go a long way when we are in the presence of a military member or their family. Memorial Day is more somber, however, as it is meant to remember those that have fallen. In my interactions, many military members have said they cringe when “Happy Memorial Day” is said as this is not a happy time for them.

At AT&T, we express our appreciation in many ways. We work with programs like the SkillBridge Fellowship Program, which matches civilian opportunities to a service member’s training and experience. We participate in events such as Carry the Load, hold numerous in-store events to show our appreciation, and have a dedicated employee group for our military members and veterans.

As an employee, I have gained greater insight into recognizing the value of supporting military members, veterans, and their families. It goes far beyond the special offers we provide. My hope is that by sharing my experience, others can gain a better understanding of the importance of this month and why we celebrate. As a team, we can create a culture of appreciation and support for our military community not just in May, but all year round.

Learn more about our military community