OREANDA-NEWS. Southwest Airlines® (NYSE: LUV) announced today it has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Military Friendly Employers by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs® and Military Spouse. This is Southwest's seventh consecutive year on the list (2010-2016).

"We are proud to be recognized as a Top Military Friendly Employer for the seventh year in a row," said Julie Weber, Vice President People at Southwest Airlines. "We're committed to hiring and retaining veterans, who currently make up 13 percent of our Southwest Family. We value the traits veterans typically bring to the workforce, including leadership skills, a hardworking attitude, and a warrior spirit."

This award recognizes Southwest's continuous efforts to hire and retain the nation's military members. Southwest actively seeks military talent through various recruitment efforts such as career fairs and military job boards. The airline partners with many organizations to help veterans transition from the military and find meaningful employment.

Military Friendly Employers is in its 13th year of providing employment information for transitioning military service members and spouses. Criteria for the survey included a benchmark score across key programs and policies, such as the strength of company military recruiting efforts, percentage of new hires with prior military service, retention programs for veterans, and company policies on National Guard and Reserve service.