At Comcast, military engagement is deeply rooted in our culture, going back decades to our founder, U.S. Navy veteran Ralph Roberts. Our commitment to supporting veterans in the military reaches every part of our business – from providing a top workplace for veterans to supporting veterans’ organizations in the communities we serve and providing exclusive benefits to military customers.
This Veterans and Military Families Month, we thank servicemembers and their families – our customers, team members and partners. We’re proud to support the military community across the country and here in Greater Philadelphia.
Supporting Veteran’s Organizations in Our Communities
Comcast is deeply committed to advancing digital equity in the communities it serves through Project UP, the company’s $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators.
This includes a special Team UP event with Veterans Multi-Service Center where our volunteers prepared and served lunch to unhoused veterans as part of The Sportsman Channel’s Hunt.Fish.Feed. program. We’ve partnered with the Delaware County Veteran’s Memorial for the past three years on their special Flag Day Ceremony and our Operation Old Glory Flag Retirement Ceremony. Our employees also volunteer yearly with Wreaths Across America, to name a few of the wonderful veterans’ organizations we partner with.
Empowering Our People
An award-winning company for service members and their families, we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for our military teammates. One of the ways we do this is through our Veterans Network (VetNet) Employee Resource Group, which provides networking and community service opportunities.
It was VetNet members who launched Operation Old Glory at the company, a unique initiative to honor our nation’s symbol and people’s individual connections to the American flag in the communities we serve. Through this program, our dedicated teammates work together to replace worn or damaged flags outside homes and businesses at no cost to the property owners.
“To me the flag symbolizes freedom – a way to connect with the past and commemorate it,” said Jeff Tontarski, network maintenance supervisor out of Ivyland, and one of our regions first flag ambassadors. “Operation Old Glory allows us to bring respect and dignity to someone’s connection to the flag, and it’s a great way to give back to the community.”
“As a Navy veteran, I was immediately drawn to Operation Old Glory. This program gave me an outlet to continue to serve, bringing me a sense of duty,” said Lew Hansen, technical operations supervisor out of Sellersville, who has replaced more than 100 flags. “It is an honor to connect with community members whose flags we replace – some of those connections have left a lasting impression on me.”
