Originally published on Comcast.com
As our country recognizes Veterans Day and continues to celebrate National Veterans and Military Families Month this November, Comcast NBCUniversal [No. 7 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2020] is recognizing those who swore an oath to defend our nation. So far, nearly 50,000 National Guard and reserve service members have been mobilized to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them are more than two dozen Comcast NBCUniversal employees who have been called up to complete thousands of missions such as manning testing and screening centers, delivering food and essential equipment to those in need, and building critical infrastructure.
As a military-ready company, we are committed to ensuring that our military teammates have the resources and support they need to answer the call to service.
“Service runs in my family,” said Leriqua Jackson, an Xfinity retail sales associate and specialist in the Texas Army National Guard. Jackson grew up watching her father proudly serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. This motivated her and her siblings to join the military too.
“I always did community service during my free time at school,” Jackson said. “I was looking for more, so being able to dig in my heels and uplift the people of Texas during this time is an honor.”
Jackson is part of a headquarters unit overseeing administrative tasks, such as coordinating lodging, pay, and logistics, for units working in the field.
As many Americans drew back to the security of our homes, the U.S. military instead quickly moved out to the front lines to work side-by-side with other essential workers to help combat the spread of the virus.
Whether it’s for disaster relief, helping to provide security and safety to communities impacted by protests and social unrest, or other events that prompt calls for National Guard assistance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Comcast provides support and care to help make the transition from civilian to service member overnight. In 2016, the company established a Military Concierge Service team that acts as a central resource for employees and their supervisors to help balance working for Comcast NBCUniversal while serving in the National Guard. Staffed by human resource professionals, the team provides administrative support and knowledge about the company’s Military Policies and Benefits, including offering paid leave for military duty, a military pay supplement, and continued health benefits for employees and their families.
“The system has proven to work in situations like this,” said Andrew Furlong, a member of the Military Concierge Service team. “It alleviates a lot of stress having one place to go to for employees who are transitioning back and forth from military service.”
Military service members also help bring a sense of comfort to communities as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. This part of the military’s mission fits perfectly for Deeva Williams. As an Xfinity retail sales representative and specialist in the Washington Army National Guard, Deeva and her unit are supporting mobile food distribution sites throughout the Tacoma, Washington area. “It feels humbling and amazing to be able to see the smiles and the sigh of relief on people’s faces when you take away some stress during a time like this,” Williams said.
Williams credits the U.S. Army for strengthening her work discipline after joining three years ago to create a better life for her and her younger brother. Along with her self-described “bubbly” personality, Williams said she values being able to work directly with customers and her Xfinity retail colleagues. “My store has remained open during all of this and my teammates are working hard to support customers,” Williams said. “We constantly text each other while we’re both serving our community in different ways.”
Employees like Leriqua and Deeva embody our company’s values in action and how our employees continue to step up and do more, especially in times of trouble.
Comcast NBCUniversal is proud of the military community helping to fight against COVID-19. As a military-ready company, we are committed to ensuring that our military teammates have the resources and support they need to answer the call to service.
