General Motors has supported the military for nearly a century, starting before WWI
Nearly 60,000 GM employees have served in the US military, including 28 who are deployed right now Today GM employs nearly 5000 veterans including Chairman and CEO, Dan Akerson In June of this year, GM and the GM Foundation announced our contribution of $250,000 to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program, a national grassroots effort to find jobs for returning veterans and their spouses, many of whom have put their own careers on hold because of long separations and overseas deployments due to military service
In addition to veteran job fairs, we support several military causes including signature programs: Cell Phones For Soldiers and the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
GM sponsoring Michigan Technological Institute to design a ‘better’ hand cycle for Achilles racers, prototype unveiled at 2012 Army Navy Game
The GM Military Discount is the best discount offered by any automaker to active, reserve, and retired military and their spouses and is the best military discount offered by any automaker
GM Foundation and corporate giving have contributed nearly $3M to organizations such as: Travis Manion Foundation, Marine Corps. Scholarship Foundation, Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America, American GI Forum, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, Army Historical Foundation, Fort Miles Historical Association (FMHA), Untied States Navy Memorial Foundation, Yankee Air Force Museum, and Navy SEAL Foundation
General Motors Support
Marine Corps. Scholarship Foundation
A $100,000 grant was presented to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation at their annual Leatherneck Ball in April 2012, to support their annual scholarship program. The scholarships are provided to Marine children, all from families of modest circumstances, who could not complete their education without financial help. Many of the scholarships benefit sons and daughters who have lost a parent in the current wars.
In 2006, GM donated $250,000 to National Museum of the Marine Corps
Buick Achievers Scholarship Program
Launched in 2011, this program was designed to support students pursuing higher education in science, technology, engineering, math, and certain business degrees. One hundred scholarships of up to $25,000 per year for up to four years and one thousand $2000 scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding students from across the country who demonstrate excellence in the classroom and community but lack the financial resources to attend college.
So far, there are 55 students who are dependents of military, including TWELVE of the National ($25,000/year) awards. There were 2 veterans who were selected to receive the $2K per year scholarship. Altogether, that represents up to $1.6M in scholarship support to military families over their college careers. A new round of recipients are in the process of being selected and candidates who are from military families receive special consideration.
GM Ongoing Signature Military Programs (current)
All Year: GM Military Discount
The GM Military Discount is considered the most generous military discount offered by any OEM to military
Available to active-duty, reserve and retired service members and their spouses
Other OEM’s offer $500/vehicle or a discount on a limited number of vehicles whereas GM offers GM Preferred Pricing (same price GM Suppliers get)
Military Discount sponsors Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, Cell Phone for Soldiers, and Army Concert Series, GM Military Discount Tour, and much much more
All Year: Cell Phones for Soldiers
May 2012 Military Month Honor Badge program; for each honor badge purchased using military discount, $100 to Cell Phones for Soldiers
From June 2010 through Feb 2012, GM has donated 103,416 devices to Cell Phones for Soldiers. This equates to approximately the same number of calling cards or 6,204,960 minutes of talk time so that troops serving overseas can stay connected with their families
GM was a MAJOR supporter of the 2012 Women Marines Association 27th Biennial Convention in Philadelphia
All Year: Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans helps wounded veterans of all services overcome their injuries through athletics, including marathons
Program participants receive training as well as use of specialized adaptive devices, such as hand-crank wheelchairs. While the goal is to enter and complete a marathon, the program stresses “achievable accomplishment.” This allows the soldiers to experience success and build confidence
2010: GM begins affiliation with Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
2012 MI Tech engineering seniors, sponsored and mentored by GM/Terry Woychowski, with input from Achilles team, challenged to design a better hand cycle for handicap racers. We will document progress and reveal prototype at 2012 Army-Navy game
In December, 2011, at 112th Army-Navy game Chevrolet donated ‘Military Tribute’
‘Military Tribute’ Camaro was auctioned January 22, 2012 at Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, and raised $185,000 with proceeds going to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans
Before heading to Scottsdale, the car toured 30 military bases across the country, as well as the Pentagon
In 2011, GM donated 30 hand crank bicycles to the Achilles Team
At 2010 Army-Navy game, Chevrolet donated a Silverado HD to the team
GM Military Discount hosts Achilles members at the annual Service Member of the Year gala in DC (mid-July)