CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Flanked by veterans and members of the uniformed services, United Airlines Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek today signed a Statement of Support affirming the company's commitment to the National Guard and Reserves. More than 150 United employees, many of whom are veterans or currently serve in a Guard or Reserve unit, were on hand for the signing ceremony at the airline's headquarters in Chicago.

To download a high-resolution copy of the photo, visit United's Newsroom at http://newsroom.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/statementofsupport.

"At United, we are honored to have thousands of brave men and women throughout our company who served or are currently serving in the military," said Smisek. "We take great pride in the training and professionalism they bring to the job every day and are forever grateful for their contributions to our nation."

By signing the Statement of Support, United pledged to:

• Appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring to the workforce while encouraging opportunities to hire Guardsmen, Reservists and veterans.
• Fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act.
• Provide managers and supervisors the tools they need to effectively manage employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
• Continually recognize and support our country's service members and their families in peace, crises and war.

"Today, supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's Guard and Reserve units," said Tom Bullock, chief of employer outreach for the U.S. Department of Defense's office of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). "United is setting a high standard for all employers to follow by providing above and beyond support of veterans, Guardsmen and Reservists."

United and Veterans

United is proud to partner with several organizations dedicated to improving the lives of our nation's veterans, active service members and their families. The airline and its employees provide financial support, travel benefits, job training and hundreds of volunteer hours to prominent national and regional nonprofits including the Fisher House Foundation, Ride 2 Recovery, the Wounded Warrior Project, the USO and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The airline is also a member of the 100,000 Jobs Mission Coalition – a group of leading companies committed to hiring veterans as they return to civilian life.

United offers a wide range of policies and programs designed to support employees who served in the military. Last year, for instance, United launched an internal Business Resource Group – United for Veterans – comprised of employee volunteers who provide additional resources and growth opportunities to veterans across the airline.

United also recently unveiled a new onboard video thanking veterans for their service and highlighting their importance to the company. The video, which appears on United aircraft over the next few weeks, features several employees who ascended to leadership roles at the airline thanks, in part, to the skills and training they received through the military.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,100 flights a day to 374 airports across six continents. In 2013, United and United Express operated nearly two million flights carrying 139 million customers. With U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates more than 700 mainline aircraft. This year, the airline is taking delivery of 35 new Boeing aircraft, including the 787-9 as the North American launch customer, and is welcoming 32 new Embraer 175 aircraft to United Express. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

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SOURCE United Airlines