With things like healthcare, the economy, and the Olympics bombarding our senses 24/7, it isn’t all that hard to forget that there are two foreign wars going on where Americans are putting their lives on the line. No, today isn’t Veteran’s Day or the Fourth of July, it’s just a random Thursday in March—but this is something worth remembering every day.
Certainly, the ultimate reward for the hard work and sacrifice shown by these brave men and women is a speedy end to the conflicts and a permanent return home. But what are retailers doing to honor these soldiers and their families here at home? They may be small gestures, and there may be some self-interest behind offering things like military discounts. But it is the right thing to do, and it is a gesture of goodwill.
Indeed, the programs range from simple merchandise discounts, to massive support for wounded veterans, to jobs programs. For instance, Nike offers a 10% discount to all active/retired/reservist military personnel and their families at its US retail brick and mortar stores.
As far as discounts go, there are some great Web sites that point military members in the right direction. One site is 4militaryfamilies.com, which has lists of small business and major chains offering military discounts. Another is afcrossroads.com; it links to automotive, electronics, hotels, sports, theme parks, travel, and miscellaneous offers available to military members, such as 6% off the online price and free standard ground shipping from Barnes & Noble.com.
One of the best examples has to be the Sears Heroes at Home program. It is a truly awe-inspiring program that takes many forms. It helps wounded soldiers by fixing their homes to make them livable; it had an online wish registry during the holidays that brought in millions of dollars to support military families; and Sears also has a military recruitment program and connection with MyVetwork and The American Legion to help veterans find work.
“This is our chance to both provide our brave and dedicated veterans with employment opportunities, and attract and hire more qualified veterans to our ranks,” said Don Hamblen, Sears' chief marketing officer, when the program was announced. Recently, Sears and the Heroes at Home program was honored with the Peter Glen Award presented at the 2010 Racie Awards.
With two wars ongoing, it is important to remember America’s soldiers, despite the mass distractions before us. Sure, a token military discount program may not seem like much, but every retailer should be doing something to pay their respects to our military men and women. Whatever benefits retailers get back in terms of sales or community goodwill aren’t the point. The point is simply this—they’ve earned whatever you can give.
