OREANDA-NEWS. November 12, 2015. General Motors reaffirmed its commitment to employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve during a Veterans Day celebration Tuesday where the company was recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense for more than four decades of exemplary support.

“General Motors is setting a high standard for all automobile manufacturers to follow by providing above and beyond support of veterans, many of whom currently serve in the Guard and Reserve,” said Tom Bullock, chief of employer outreach, DoD Office of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

GM was the first company to sign a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) pledge in 1972, promising to continually recognize and support U.S. service members and their families in peacetime and in times of crisis and war.  

Hundreds of employees and representatives from the U.S. Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), Selfridge Air National Guard Base and UAW Local 160 Veterans Council gathered at the Vehicle Engineering Center on GM’s Technical Center campus to honor the more than 100,000 GM workers who have served.  

“Our veterans embody the values we believe in, and I thank the U.S. Department of Defense for the opportunity to formalize this commitment and express our sincere gratitude,” said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.    

Following the signature ceremony, Reuss accepted the ESGR Extraordinary Employer Support Award on behalf of GM. The award recognizes sustained commitment of companies for employees in the National Guard and Reserve.

The GM Veterans Day ceremony concluded with the launch of a new GMC campaign to help the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its Building for America’s Bravest program raise awareness and funds to help the foundation build custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely injured veterans. To learn more, visit www.ourbravest.org/enlistme.