Last month Walmart launched a vetted showcase where customers can shop to salute the nation’s military, veterans and their families. Walmart.com/usmilitary features an assortment of officially licensed products across all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces — U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard. The showcase launched with an initial assortment of nearly 3,000 products offered across a variety of categories.

“As a 31-year U.S. Army veteran I’m proud to wear my Army gear, and I’m thrilled that Walmart is providing a way for all of us to shop for officially licensed military merchandise with confidence and convenience,” said retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “It’s a privilege to be part of such important efforts to remember our service members, veterans and their families every day.”

Since Memorial Day 2013, Walmart has hired more than 188,000 veterans and promoted more than 26,000 to roles of greater responsibility. The company is well on its way to reach its hiring goal of 250,000 veterans by 2020. Interested veterans can contact their local Walmart store or visit https://corporate.walmart.com/global-responsibility/opportunity/veterans-and-military-families for details.

“The trademark licensing program leverages the importance of pride, performance and personal development to build brand awareness and create multiple touch points for Americans to show support to the U.S. Army,” says Paul Jensen, director of U.S. Army trademark licensing.

Each military branch independently determines which quality products and vetted suppliers are deserving of their respective licenses. These official licensees may then apply to be included in Walmart’s Online Military Showcase.  As more suppliers join this program offered through Walmart Marketplace, a broader range of assortment will provide shoppers even more choices.

When asked what the inspiration was for the showcase, BG (Ret.) Gary Profit said, “The Walmart.com Marketplace team, which includes a few veterans, one an Army captain and one a PO2, saw an opportunity to provide an online destination where our customers could shop with confidence and convenience for officially-licensed products.”

The curated products for sale through the Walmart.com showcase are sold by individual sellers authorized by each U.S. military branch. Walmart worked directly with representatives from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to gather input on top categories and popular products that our customers shop for and purchase to include in this showcase.

The online Military Showcase is specifically designed as a single destination for customers eager to show their support for the U.S. Armed Forces through products that represent each branch, and even specific units. These products are officially licensed so that customers hoping to purchase items benefitting the military can do so with ease. Walmart.com/usmilitary is filled with officially licensed merchandise with the goal to continuously expand the assortment to meet customer demand, and be a place where customers come to discover those hard to find items.

While many of these licensed products are for sale in Walmart stores, they are organized and shelved differently due to Walmart’s effort to have stores reflect the needs of the community. On Walmart.com/usmilitary Walmart is able to offer a much larger assortment of officially licensed military merchandise. While Walmart stores near U.S. military installations tend to have more military-specific products, the curated digital space for officially-licensed merchandise is an online concept at this time.

Many of the suppliers of products in the Military Showcase are veterans or have a personal connection to the military community through a family member. Walmart is eager to support service members, veterans and military families during all stages of their service journey, including through potential supplier partnerships.

In fact, Walmart recently hosted and sponsored VetSource, a first-of-its-kind event created by the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business (CVOB) supporting the success of veteran and military spouse-owned businesses by connecting them to Fortune 500 procurement opportunities.

Walmart’s Military Showcase is special for other reasons as well. The military branches are authorized to expend the excess of the licensing fees after expenses to morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) activities. The MWR program provides military members and their families quality of life programs and services aimed to boost morale and resiliency, with benefits such as fitness centers, libraries, parks and picnic areas, restaurants, family child care and youth and school-aged services.

BG (Ret.) Gary Profit shared, “In 31 years of military service, my family and I have personally experienced the value MWR programs bring to military communities, enriching the lives of all they touch. I believe that MWR programs are essential to the long term viability of the all-volunteer force.  That’s why I am excited that Walmart is able to provide a way for all of us to shop for officially-licensed military merchandise with confidence and convenience.”

And talk about commitment!  To help address challenges many veterans face when returning to everyday life, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have pledged a total of $40 million for veteran reintegration programs through 2019. The funding supports job training, education and innovative public/private community-based initiatives.

In addition to supporting veterans, Walmart assists active service members and their families through collaborations with organizations dedicated to providing support and services in times of need. Recently, the Walmart Foundation granted $500,000 to Operation Homefront’s Critical Financial Assistance program to help meet the unique and urgent needs of military families affected by the 2017 hurricane season. The funding supported financial needs for military family members struggling to make ends meet in areas impacted by disaster, including hotel costs for those displaced from their homes, car repairs, utility bills, housing costs and groceries. The grant will also help those service members who deployed to help with recovery efforts that may have a shortfall in income due to their time away from work.

During Memorial Day 2017, Walmart announced major changes to its military leave of absence policy. The enhanced policy now offers differential pay to associates for ANY military assignment, including basic training, allowing associates who are considering enlisting in the armed forces to do so without fear of losing wages.

Lastly, Profit says, “Through our Military Family Promise, Walmart guarantees a job at a nearby store or club for all military personnel and military spouses employed by the company who move to a different part of the country because they or their spouse have been transferred by the U.S. military.”

Please visit Walmart.com Help Center at https://help.walmart.com/

For assortment recommendations: USMilitaryProducts@Walmart.com

To apply as a Marketplace Seller: marketplace.walmart.com