5 Ways We Support the Military and Veteran Community

Four people standing outside in a cemetary holding holiday wreaths.

By Joseph Cohen

Central to Northrop Grumman’s culture is a commitment to supporting our communities and delivering on our philanthropic commitments. With nearly 20% of our workforce self-identifying as veterans and our primary customers being part of the U.S. Department of Defense, our employees have a deep understanding of and respect for the military and veteran community. In just the past year, we contributed more than $2.5 million to programs that serve active-duty military and veterans.

Here Are 5 Ways We Support the Military and Veteran Community

Fortifying the military-to-civilian transition. The transition from military to civilian life can be challenging to navigate. We help ease the transition through organizations like the USO and its Pathfinder Transition Program, as well as American Corporate Partners (ACP).

Through our partnership with ACP, 302 employees have provided professional development guidance and career networking opportunities for 834 service members and families as they transition to civilian employment.

In addition, Northrop Grumman’s Operation IMPACT (Injured Military Pursuing Assisted Career Transition) is an award-winning diversity program that has helped hire more than 600 veterans while assisting another 20,000 as they transition to private-sector careers.
Championing mental health programs. It’s been reported that 1 in 5 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD or major depression.3 We support more than a dozen organizations that provide mental health counseling, animal therapy, depression screenings and recreation for veterans.

Through our partnership with the Headstrong Project, our employees have made company-matched donations for depression screenings and mental health awareness. In addition, our grants to organizations like America's VetDogs, K9s for Warriors and Semper K9 help provide animal therapy to countless veterans nationally.
Helping with housing. More than 33,000 U.S. veterans face homelessness each day while countless others struggle with accessibility issues due to in-service injuries.1 We help through direct giving, partnerships and volunteer engagements, such as with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. For example, employees from our Melbourne, Florida, site recently volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to help with the construction of the Female Veterans Village in Brevard County, Florida. The facility provides new homes for women military veterans and their families.

Northrop Grumman also supports the National Equity Fund’s “Bring Them HOMES” initiative. We have helped provide more than 2,300 affordable housing units for veterans and their families nationally since 2013.
Fighting poverty and food insecurity. About 1 in 9 working age veterans has insufficient access to food, according to the Department of Agriculture.2 Northrop Grumman provides grants to local community organizations nationwide, like Operation Warm Heart — helping families living on Hill Air Force Base in Utah with holiday meals — and the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation, which offers financial assistance to veteran families, along with Department of Veterans Affairs claims assistance, transportation to medical facilities, medical vouchers and assistance with food, rent, utilities and shelter.
Honoring the military community’s sacrifices. We partner annually with the USO for a Military Appreciation Month t-shirt fundraiser. Contributions provided comforts like Wi-Fi, meals and care packages for service members overseas in 2023, which was also the first year Northrop Grumman matched employee contributions.

In addition to supporting active and retired service members, we are committed to honoring our fallen heroes. Through a partnership with Wreaths Across America, employees contributed more than 7,200 wreaths for veteran memorial sites last year and have raised money to provide 24,000 wreaths in the past five years.

Our support of the military and veteran community continues through countless partnerships and engagements. Learn about our employee resource group VERITAS (Veterans, Employees and Reservists Inspired to Act and Serve) and read more about how we give back in the ‘Corporate Citizenship’ section of our 2022 ESG Report.

Inset Image Caption: Northrop Grumman volunteers during a Wreaths Across America event.

https://www.va.gov/homeless/pit_count.asp
https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=101268
https://www.rand.org/news/press/2008/04/17.html#:~:text=Nearly%2020%20percent%20of%20military,a%20new%20RAND%20Corporation%20study.