This Veteran’s Day, JCPenney would like to thank all active-duty and former service members for their devoted service to our country and the sacrifices they have made to protect the United States and our freedom. From our commitment to associates and customers to giving back in the community, JCPenney is showing our gratitude to all the veterans in our lives.
Coming Together to Serve those Who Served
Just in time for Veteran’s Day, JCPenney is honored and thrilled to be part of Lifetime’s “Military Makeover with Montel,” that helps transform the lives of veterans and their families through home renovations. As part of an episode this season, JCPenney will make a special appearance highlighting our donation of Fieldcrest® bedding and bath products to Joey and Joy Pryor and their family, who both served in the Army and Air Force for a combined 19 years of service.
The show’s 28th season will premiere on Nov. 12 at 7:30 a.m. (EST), with episode 4 featuring JCPenney and the Pryor family on Dec. 3 and Dec. 9. Tune in as Stylist Jennifer Bertrand visits JCPenney for all their bedding and bath needs while highlighting the Fieldcrest® brand for the home makeover.
A Military Friendly Employer
JCPenney proudly employs many active-duty and former service members in our stores, distribution centers, support centers, and the Home Office. In fact, the JCPenney associate family currently consists of 538 veterans, 509 military spouses, and 165 active reservists or National Guard members.
Strengthening our long-standing commitment to veterans, JCPenney is honored to have been designated a Military Friendly® Employer and Military Spouse Friendly Employer® for 2022 by Viqtory, Inc., for the sixth year since 2016. This ranking recognizes our Inclusion & Diversity programs and policies that support veterans and their spouses and lets job-seeking veterans know that they can look forward to a positive career experience with JCPenney.
Inspiring Words from Our Veterans
In honor of Veteran’s Day, the HEROES Veterans and First Responders Business Resource Team (BRT) invited associates to hear from JCPenney leaders who are also veterans about lessons learned from their military service and offer tips for aspiring leaders in a virtual panel event. Read quotes from the event below.
Steve Gray, district asset protection manager, a sergeant first class in the Army from 1984-2004, shared, “Military leadership was always providing purpose, direction, and motivation for an individual to accomplish any task beyond the limits they set for themselves. As a retail leader now, I molded this skill to fit our retail environment by setting goals beyond what my team said they could accomplish. I knew from experience that they could do more than they thought. In setting high goals, they did accomplish them and learned how they can do more than they think they can.”
Brandon Flores, vice president, e-commerce, a lieutenant in the Navy from 2003-2009, said, “The more we can do to delegate to our teams, the more we can empower each other, and the faster we can enable the organization to operate effectively, we’ll see better, quicker results.”
Danny Rojas senior corporate recruiting manager, a staff sergeant in the Army from 2011-2021, added, “In the military, you are constantly going through adversity. As a leader in the military, you are teaching your teams how to be resilient and overcome that same adversity. In a corporate environment, we overcome adversity by thinking positively and hunting for the things that will help us be successful in our jobs and as an organization.”
Brandon Churchill, senior manager, supply chain operations, a captain in the Army National Guard from 2011 to present, said, “The biggest skill to have in teambuilding is trust in your team and your team in you as the leader. The leader must be an expert and execute their part of the plan while each team member performs their part. With the entire team completing each part of the plan, they will be successful.”
Brandi Gary, general manager for Store 2984 in Richmond, Ky., a private first class in the Army from 1991-1995, shared, “Communication and setting expectations with the team is key to being successful. That way everyone knows how to contribute to achieve the final result.”
From active-duty service members and veterans to their families and caregivers, we are committed to supporting the military community and enabling them to bring their unique experiences and strengths to JCPenney.
This Veteran’s Day, JCPenney is giving veterans an additional 10% off in stores today when they show their military I.D.
