Southwest Airlines Gives Back To The Brave Who Safeguard Our
Country With Third Annual Military Heroes Month In November
DALLAS, Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest
Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is demonstrating how deep patriotism runs in
the Company and Employees' hearts with its third annual month-long
celebration dubbed "Military Heroes Month." To show support for
Veterans, service members, and their families across the nation,
Southwest will host an array of activities with nonprofit
organizations focused on those who sacrifice so much. To read
a blog post about Military Heroes Month, visit the NUTS About
Southwest blog.
"With nearly 5,800 Employees currently serving in the National
Guard and Reserves and our Employee Veterans at Southwest Airlines,
we are proud to support men and women in uniform all year long and
recognize our nation's heroes," said Mike
Van de Ven, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest
Airlines. "It's important for us to give back to our service
men and women and their families, and Military Heroes Month is an
opportunity for us to demonstrate our appreciation and honor to
those who fight for our Freedoms."
Southwest says thank you during Military Heroes Month:
Nov. 1 | Armed Forces
Foundation "Busch-Whacked" Event, Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track,
Fort Worth, Texas
Southwest
will join the Armed Forces Foundation and supply volunteers at the
"Busch-Whacked" mud run event at Texas Motor Speedway's Dirt Track
to raise money for military families.
Nov. 5 | Military Appreciation
Luncheon, Jacksonville,
Fla.
Southwest is supporting the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce's Military
Appreciation Luncheon to honor military for their outstanding
commitment to the country. It's a way Southwest can show gratitude
for the area's active duty and retired men and women of the U.S
Armed Forces. Southwest will host 200 military personnel and
their spouses.
Nov. 5-9 | Operation Caring
Classroom/Armed Forces Foundation, Nationwide
Senior Chief
Pilot and former Top Gun Pilot Terry Gleason is featured in the
Armed Forces Foundation classroom video themed, "Military
Transitioning to Civilian Life," which will be incorporated into
elementary school curriculum in military connected communities in
all 50 states reaching more than 100 classrooms nationwide.
Nov. 7-8 | Continuing the Legacy in Aviation,
Dallas, Texas
Southwest
Airlines will host its fifth annual "Continuing the Legacy in
Aviation" program where students and their chaperones tour a number
of Southwest Airlines' facilities where students can learn about
the airline's operation. The students also have the opportunity to
interact with and learn from the amazing experiences of the
National Tuskegee Airmen.
Nov. 9-11 | A Million Thanks,
We LUV Our Troops Customer Card Campaign, Nationwide
In
honor of Veterans Day, Southwest is
distributing Support Our Troops cards and patriotic heart decor to
all Inflight bases for Flight Attendants to share with Customers
and give them the opportunity to say thanks as they travel to their
destination. These cards will be sent to the nonprofit
organization, "A Million Thanks," who will distribute them to
Troops serving across the world.
Nov. 9-12 | Operation Freedom Bird, Welcome Home
Celebration, Washington,
D.C.
This year marks the 25th anniversary
of Operation Freedom Bird (OFB), which provides a unique healing
journey to Arizona's combat
Veterans of all wars. Approximately 50 Veterans have been
selected to participate in a four-day healing journey on
Veterans Day and visit the War
Memorials in Washington, D.C.
Southwest Airlines has supported OFB with travel and a
celebration of their return home for more than a decade.
Nov. 11 | Veterans Day Parade, New York City
Southwest Airlines is
honoring nine Navajo Code Talkers for their heroic work during
World War II by providing complimentary travel to attend the New
York City Veterans Day Parade.
Nov. 12 | Veterans Day Parade, Dallas, Texas
Southwest Airlines is
sponsoring and volunteering at the Dallas Veterans Day Parade to celebrate those who
safeguard our country and say thank you to those who served or are
serving.
Nov. 14-15 | Veterans Day Tour with the Texas Rangers Baseball
Club, Washington,
D.C.
Southwest Airlines and the Texas Rangers
Baseball Club will take recent Military Veterans and their families
to Washington, D.C., for a
Veterans Day tour.
November | Honor Flight Network, Nationwide
For the
past four years, Southwest Airlines has been lucky enough to be a
part of making Veterans' dreams come true as the official
commercial airline of the Honor Flight network and to date has
connected more than 4,500 World War II Veterans with their memorial
in Washington, D.C. This year,
Southwest Airlines renewed its support of Honor Flight travel over
the next three years.
Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways are committed to giving
back to the communities in which the carrier's Employees work and
live. In 2011, Southwest Employees volunteered more than 114,000
hours, which is enough time to fly from Baltimore/Washington to Los Angeles 24,516 times.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 42nd
year of service, Dallas-based
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate
itself from other low-fare carriers by providing a reliable
product with exemplary Customer Service. Including wholly
owned subsidiary AirTran Airways, the Company now employs 46,000
People and serves 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, six
near-international countries.
Visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest
Airlines One Reportâ„¢ and see how Southwest is doing its part to be
a good citizen while underscoring a commitment to the triple bottom
line of Performance, People, and Planet, distinguishing itself in
support of men and women in uniform. The airline has been
recognized numerous times by the Employer Support of the Guard and
Reserve (ESGR) for its commitment and support of the airline's
Employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve; been named a
Top Military Employer by GI Jobs Magazine; and received recognition
for naming the month of November as "Military Heroes Month" and
celebrating its partnerships with nonprofits focused on active duty
military, Veterans, and families of military members.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines, one of the most honored airlines in the world,
is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic
passengers boarded. With the addition of Des Moines (DSM), Southwest will operate more
than 3,200 flights a day and serve the communities around 77
airports in Southwest's network of domestic destinations. To book a
flight, visit southwest.com.
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines
Co., has been ranked the top airline in the Airline Quality Rating
study three times in the past five years. AirTran offers
coast-to-coast and near-international service with nearly 600
flights a day on North America's
newest all-Boeing fleet. The airline's low-cost, high-quality
product also includes assigned seating and Business Class. To book
a flight, visit airtran.com.
www.southwest.com
SOURCE Southwest Airlines