Veterans Day and Every Day: Supporting Those Who Serve

For some employees, service extends beyond the railroad. Members of the National Guard and Reserve may be called away from their Union Pacific careers for months at a time to serve overseas.

Through Operation Deployment Support, UPVETS helps those employees stay connected to their Union Pacific team during deployment, providing encouragement, resources and a direct link back to the railroad.

The program reflects Union Pacific's longstanding commitment to the military community. Veterans make up 17% of the company's workforce, bringing the leadership, teamwork and accountability developed through military service to roles across one of America's largest freight rail networks.

UPVETS, one of Union Pacific's largest employee resource groups, supports veterans, service members and their allies through networking, professional development and initiatives such as Operation Deployment Support.

A Connection Back to Union Pacific

Preparing for deployment means more than reporting for military duty. It also means preparing family members for months apart and stepping away from daily life at Union Pacific.

To make that transition easier, employees who opt into Operation Deployment Support are connected with a UPVETS deployment coordinator and a local deployment buddy who helps coordinate support.

Employees receive emails, letters, notes of encouragement and care packages, while their UPVETS connection serves as a trusted resource for questions or concerns that arise during their time away.

"We want them to have someone they can reach out to and know that we've got their back," said Army veteran Dave Newman, senior counsel on Union Pacific’s Law team and UPVETS member.

That support can be especially valuable during extended deployments.

"The military has its own language, and so does the railroad," Newman said. "Sometimes it helps to have someone who understands both."

Built from Experience

Newman understands that challenge firsthand. A longtime UPVETS member, he served in both the active-duty U.S. Army and Army Reserve before retiring after 27 years of military service.

In 2022-2023, Newman and UPVETS vice president Jesse Miller, senior manager-Logistics with Union Pacific subsidiary Loup Logistics, mobilized for a yearlong military assignment in Texas. When they returned, they saw an opportunity to create a stronger support network for Union Pacific employees before, during and after deployment.

Their experience helped inspire Operation Deployment Support.

The program also gives employees across the railroad an opportunity to show their appreciation. Senior leaders, UPVETS members, local teams and co-workers can contribute letters, notes and care packages that remind deployed employees they're not serving alone.

Supporting Service Beyond Veterans Day

Veterans have been part of Union Pacific's story since its earliest days. Civil War veterans helped lay the railroad's first tracks, and generations of service members have continued to help build and strengthen the company.

Operation Deployment Support reflects UPVETS' commitment to employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve, helping them stay connected to their Union Pacific team and transition back to their railroad careers.

Veterans Day provides an opportunity to recognize their service, but the message remains the same year-round: wherever duty takes them, they're never serving alone.