Our military ties go back to our roots. World War II and U.S. Navy veteran Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast, and since then, we’ve become a leader among veteran and military community employers. But a lot has changed for veterans over the years — and we’re dedicated to addressing these new challenges head-on.
When members of the National Guard and Reserve return to civilian life after extended military service, their employers can make things easier by building a supportive culture with like-minded teammates. Military spouses also face employment challenges, since the potential for relocation often limits their job opportunities, regardless of their qualifications.
This isn’t just lip service. These aren’t just things that we’re doing to meet a number. We’re actually building out an infrastructure to hire, develop, and retain our military community employees.
In 2012, we pledged to hire 2,000 veterans by 2015, and in 2015, we pledged to hire 10,000 members of the military community by the end of 2017. We surpassed both goals, and since 2010 we’ve added more than 15,000 veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses to the Comcast NBCUniversal family. Our success has led us to expand our hiring and outreach efforts.
“This isn’t just lip service. These aren’t just things that we’re doing to meet a number. We’re actually building out an infrastructure to hire, develop, and retain our military community employees,” explains Carol Eggert, retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and Senior Vice President of Military and Veteran Affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal.
We know that supporting our military community takes more than employment alone. We’re using our resources and reach to foster nationwide partnerships that empower the military community, and embracing volunteer service opportunities to support the efforts of many veterans and military-related nonprofit organizations.
Our mission? Following through on our commitment to serve customers, communities, and country.
In Our Ranks
We were honored to receive the 2017 Secretary of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Freedom Award. Nominations of employers can be made only by Guard and Reserve employees or a family member acting on their behalf. In 2017, Comcast NBCUniversal received more than 30 individual nominations.
Many unique service members have joined our ranks at Comcast NBCUniversal. Each military employee brings distinct experiences and skill sets from his or her service. Jeff Tzeng, Sabrina Spirito, and Ernest Easter are just three of the military employees who inspire and lead by example daily.
Jeff Tzeng
Dr. Jeff Tzeng was an Army Major and Preventive Medicine Officer and Surgeon for Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, First Infantry Division, in Bagram, Afghanistan. During this time, Tzeng volunteered to teleconference with students at an Oklahoma middle school about the value of hard work. Tzeng joined our team in May 2017, contributing his talents and impressive work ethic as our Executive Director of Health Services at the Universal offices.
Sabrina Spirito
“With over 25 years in the telecommunications industry, I am happy to be part of a team that strives for excellence in all that they do,” Sabrina Spirito says. Spirito got her start in telecommunications in the Marine Corps. She served four years before switching to the Marine Reserve. A former Captain and current military spouse, Spirito leads a team of technicians committed to ensuring customer satisfaction and delivering high-level service.
Ernest Easter
Ernest Easter sets up radio and network communications for the Army National Guard. He is a Sergeant and Chief Signal Specialist. In his civilian life, Easter provides technical support to Comcast’s business customers. He enjoys the support of the team around him and the comfort of knowing that his family has access to income and benefits during his deployments.
