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New hire and internal initiatives build on the CU’s long commitment to veterans.
In September, $24 billion PenFed Credit Union, McLean, Virginia, launched its Military Employment Program and announced the hiring of its new director of military employment programs, Charlie Miles. This builds on the CU’s long heritage and commitment to hiring and supporting veterans.
The Military Employment Program will develop internal initiatives to support every phase of the employment lifecycle for all members of the military community, including veterans, military and surviving spouses, wounded warriors and their caregivers, reservists, and National Guardsmen. Career readiness training, internships, outreach, recruiting, hiring, onboarding, professional development, mentoring and retention will be some of the features of the program.
“For more than 83 years, PenFed has been committed to serving our nation’s defenders and those who support them,” says PenFed CU President/CEO James Schenck, CCD, a CUES member. “Through our Military Employment Program, we will actively seek out members of the military community to join our team and work to ensure they have long and successful careers with PenFed. We greatly value their skills, experience, leadership, and perhaps most of all, their passion for service. These qualities make them invaluable additions to our team. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and successful corporate business leader, Charlie is the perfect person to lead our military employment initiative and we are excited to welcome him to the PenFed team.”
Miles has led award-winning and nationally recognized military employment programs at ManTech, DXC, and most recently at Perspecta. Prior to his corporate career, Miles served as an officer and KC-130 pilot for 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His military career included combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq in addition to two rotations in military officer recruiting. During his combat deployments, Miles flew 45 combat missions and was awarded three Air Medals. Miles received his Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Tech and a Master of Arts from American Military University.
“It is an honor for me to be selected to lead the Military Employment Program at PenFed,” Miles says. “Whether it’s serving the financial needs of our members or through charitable endeavors, PenFed has built a tremendous legacy of serving our national defense community. I am proud to be a part of a company so committed to serving our military. By adding an effort focused on providing rewarding careers to our already great services and support, PenFed is really demonstrating an unparalleled commitment to serving the military community and becoming a top military-friendly employer.”
PenFed has a strong legacy of being a military-friendly company:
- Each year, PenFed CU donates 2 percent of its annual net income to charitable organizations, with the majority going to military charities.
- The PenFed Foundation was created in 2001 and, since then, has provided more than $30 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, families and caregivers.
- Through its Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program, PenFed Foundation leverages its capital and influential networks to provide veteran-owned start-ups with seed capital to launch and the network to succeed. Since it was launched in April of this year, VEIP has raised $1.4 million that will be invested in veteran-owned start-ups.
- The PenFed Foundation also raised $11 million to fund construction of the Lee and Penny Anderson Defenders Lodge at the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Completed in 2014, the Lodge has provided over 100,000 free nights for veterans receiving out-patient care and saved them over $30 million.
- PenFed CU collaborates with dozens of veteran employment organizations, as well as dozens of installation Transition Assistance Program offices, to enhance military employment efforts.
