Thanksgiving takes on many traditions for people across the nation, but at its core, the holiday reminds us all of something greater: to express gratitude for what we have, and to give others something to be thankful for. At Raytheon Professional Services, we especially give thanks during this time of year to those in the armed forces who bravely serve to protect us. While the Friday after Thanksgiving is a day of family togetherness and the official start of the holiday shopping season, this Friday, and every Friday afterwards, Raytheon employees will be recognizing our servicemen and women through our RED Shirt Fridays initiative.
Our employees across the nation support the “Remember Everyone Deployed” (RED) grassroots movement by wearing red T-shirts to recognize the sacrifices our troops make every day across the globe for our freedoms. At Raytheon, we have long recognized military veterans as part of our core (they currently make up over 10,000 of our employees) and realize the importance of supporting the successful integration of veterans back into civilian life. Through the Shifting Gears automotive technician training program, a multi-year partnership between Raytheon, the U.S. Army and GM, eligible soldiers can train to become certified service technicians at GM dealerships nationwide. Participating soldiers are able to take with them technical and business skills needed to transition into new careers. Since its launch in the summer of 2014, the Shifting Gears program has graduated five classes of soldiers, bringing the total number of soldiers trained to 117. We are grateful for those – such as GM dealerships – that continue to help our Shifting Gears graduates successfully enter the next chapter of their lives.
Below, you can read more about our Shifting Gears program and RED Shirt Fridays:
- ‘We Need to Remember Them’ – Red Shirt Fridays a Weekly Tribute to Deployed Military Veterans
- Shifting Gears: Transitioning from Soldier to Civilian
- Shifting Gears Program Celebrates Milestone With More Than 100 Soldiers Trained
How will you express your gratitude this holiday season? We look forward to hearing from you on Twitter or LinkedIn.