Military Officers Association of America Recognizes Starbucks with its Distinguished Service Award
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) announced today that it will present its 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, in recognition of the company’s contributions in support of the military community.
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) announced today that it will present its 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, in recognition of the company’s contributions in support of the military community. The award will be presented at an April event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
MOAA’s Distinguished Service award recognizes organizations or individuals who have greatly aided people who served in the U.S. armed forces. Johnson is being recognized for Starbucks continued commitment to hiring veterans and military spouses. In 2013 the company announced a commitment to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses in five years. The company met that goal early with more than 12,000 to date, and now aims to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses by 2025.
Starbucks commitment extends beyond hiring with plans to dedicate 100 more Military Family Stores near bases across the U.S. by 2022. Each store catalyzes hiring efforts through relationships with the local military base and with Veterans service organizations. The stores also honor Starbucks partners and customers with design components, such as special murals, patriotic green aprons and merchandise that reflects the company’s appreciation for military service. In addition, Starbucks offers veteran and military spouse partners expanded benefits like Military Leave Pay and the opportunity to extend the Starbucks College Achievement Plan tuition reimbursement benefit to a spouse or child. The company also creates volunteer opportunities through partnerships with organizations like Team Red, White and Blue, Hiring our Heroes, and Team Rubicon.
Starbucks Armed Forces Network (AFN), which was founded in 2007, plays a key role in bringing partners who served in the military together to bond over their shared experiences, provide guidance for newly hired partners transitioning from military to civilian life and advise Starbucks on how to create a veteran-friendly workforce. AFN members were instrumental in helping the company launch its original commitment to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses in 2013 and the group continues to partner with senior leadership to grow the company’s hiring commitments and programs.
MOAA’s awards ceremony also will recognize Tim Barone, president and CEO of Vantage Mobility International Inc., for Vantage’s work helping thousands of disabled veterans achieve independence and mobility. Additionally, MOAA will present its 2018 Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award to U.S. Reps. Martha McSally (R) and Kyrsten Sinema (D), both of Arizona. Jorge Rueda, formerly with the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Samantha Gonzalez, with the House Veterans Affairs Committee, will receive MOAA’s 2018 Colonel Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service Award.
MOAA has awarded the Marix and Distinguished Service awards since 1997. Past recipients of the Marix Award include Sens. Lindsay Graham, John McCain, and Jim Webb; past recipients of the Distinguished Service Award include Tom Brokaw, Toby Keith, and retired Army Gen. Colin Powell.
About MOAA
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is the nation’s largest military officers’ association with more than 350,000 members from every branch of uniformed service, including active duty, retired, National Guard, Reserve, and former officers and their families and survivors. MOAA is a nonprofit and politically nonpartisan organization and an influential force in promoting a strong national defense. MOAA represents the interests of service members and their families in every stage of their lives and careers, and for those who are not eligible to join MOAA, Voices for America’s Troops is a nonprofit MOAA affiliate that supports a strong national defense. For more information, visit www.moaa.org or www.voicesfortroops.org/.