People
September 13, 2023
Thanking Union Pacific's Military Veterans
Every day, Union Pacific employees Build America by safely and efficiently hauling the nation’s goods across 23 states. A special segment of this team – numbering 6,073 employees in 2022 – proudly served the country as a member of the military.
UPVETS, one of Union Pacific’s largest Employee Resource Groups, aims to help attract, develop and retain these veteran employees. Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena spoke with group leaders gathered Sept. 13 at the railroad’s Omaha headquarters.
“I thank you for your service and am proud to be here,” Vena said. “I love having 6,000 veterans on our team, and we want to hire more – the skills learned in the military can be brought to the railroad.”
Union Pacific has helped thousands of servicemembers transition to civilian life. Approximately 18% of employees have military experience, with some still active in the National Guard or Reserves.
UPVETS leaders representing field chapters in Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth, Texas; North Platte, Nebraska; North Little Rock, Arkansas; and St. Louis and De Soto, Missouri, met with a focus on leadership, engagement, and training on the latest research on post-traumatic stress treatment and prevention.