Comcast recently partnered with community organizations at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) to create two special events recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of service members and military families.

On July 22, more than 700 attendees gathered at Carey Theater for a complimentary “Minions & Monsters” movie event. One week later, nearly 300 service members and their families came together at the Camp Lewis USO Center for a Hunt.Fish.Feed. Heroes Lunch.

“Service members and military families give so much, often in ways most people never see,” said Mona Dexter, Vice President of Military and Veteran Affairs at Comcast. “Support can take many forms—from major initiatives to simple opportunities to enjoy a movie, share a meal, and spend time together. What matters is making sure those who serve, along with their families, know that their community recognizes their contributions, values their sacrifices, and supports them.”

An Afternoon of Free Entertainment
Comcast organized the “Minions & Monsters” Watch Party in collaboration with the Armed Services YMCA and Lollipop Theater Network. Families were treated to three complimentary movie screenings, along with refreshments, giveaways, and photo opportunities.

Volunteers representing all three organizations helped welcome attendees, manage registration, and assist families throughout the event, ensuring a welcoming experience from arrival through the end of the screenings.

For one military spouse, bringing the event directly to JBLM made it possible for her family to enjoy a movie together despite circumstances that would normally make a theater visit difficult.

“I don’t drive, my husband is deployed, and with three kids, taking the whole family to a movie theater is impossible,” she said. “Thank you for bringing this movie here and letting us in for free.”

A Meal Served With Gratitude
On July 29, Comcast joined forces with Sportsman Channel and USO Northwest to introduce the Hunt.Fish.Feed. program to JBLM for the first time.

Founded by Sportsman Channel, Hunt.Fish.Feed. brings communities together through meals prepared with wild game and fish. The initiative combines outdoor heritage, food, and volunteer service to support communities throughout the country.

At JBLM, Chef Paul Comes and the Hunt.Fish.Feed. culinary team worked with Comcast employee volunteers to prepare and serve a menu that included venison tacos, street corn salad, Southwest coleslaw, and fresh fruit salad.

“As a U.S. Marine Veteran, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our employee volunteers for stepping up to support service members and military families at Joint Base Lewis-McChord,” said Roy Novosel, Vice President of Engineering & Technical Operations at Comcast Pacific Northwest. “Events like the Hunt.Fish.Feed. Heroes Lunch demonstrate that service can take many forms, whether someone is wearing a uniform or volunteering their time to help others.”

Novosel also recognized USO Northwest and Sportsman Channel for their partnership and dedication to supporting the military community.

“Together, we created an event that brought people together, strengthened community connections, and showed our appreciation for the sacrifices made by service members and military families every day,” he added.

Supporting the Military Community Year-Round
Comcast’s connection to the military community dates back to company founder Ralph Roberts, a U.S. Navy veteran. Today, the company continues to support active-duty service members, veterans, and military families throughout the year.

Its efforts include exclusive Xfinity benefits for eligible members, employment opportunities for military-connected professionals, support for nonprofit organizations serving the military community, and employee-led volunteer initiatives across the country.

Click here to know more.

Bernadette Rhoades travelled to Australia and Japan as an avionics technician and instructor in the United States Marine Corps. After nine years, she was ready to return to civilian life, though she wasn't sure how she'd apply her training and talents in the private sector.

Rhoades quickly found a solution after hiring Our Heroes. The non-profit connects service members, military spouses, and veterans with American businesses for job training and other career opportunities. Rhoades landed an internship with US Bank to prepare for a career as a mainframe software engineer, allowing her to apply her military experience to her new role through hands-on training. She also meets with an assigned mentor twice a week and a manager once a week to discuss her growth and development plan.

“My experience has been amazing,” said Rhoades . “The instructors ensure we work with real-world applications and create programs we may encounter once we join our teams.”

One of her mainframe software engineer program instructors, who is also a veteran, went above and beyond to connect Rhoades and her husband to several community programs in Milwaukee so they could feel more at home in their new hometown.

 “He made my transition to civilian life much smoother,” said Rhoades.

U.S. Bank was named one of Military Times' "Best for Vets" employers this week, an honor it has received every year since 2010. The strength of the company's Proud to Serve employee-led group, which has more than 5,000 members across the company and helps to shape how U.S. Bank supports military and veteran employees, customers, and community members, is one of the reasons cited by the publication. The group also gives feedback on the bank's specialized products and services for veteran and military customers, as well as community initiatives such as donating off-lease vehicles and mortgage-free homes to wounded veterans.

 “We are passionate about hiring, developing and promoting veterans,” said Scott Lippert, U.S. Bank Executive Vice President for Payments Operations, leader of the company’s Proud to Serve Business Resource Group (BRG) and a third-generation U.S. Navy veteran.

“Through the course of their military career, servicemen and women develop many in-demand and unique skills – leadership, problem solving and teamwork – and we all benefit from their experience and expertise.”

Frankie Kelley was hired by US Bank after attending a virtual job fair hosted by Hiring Our Heroes. Two tours in Iraq were completed by the Army Signal Support Communications Specialist, who ran cable and raised antennas to improve communication between operating bases. Kelley is now a gateway support technician with Elavon, a wholly owned subsidiary of US Bank, after several weeks of shadowing and training.

“In this program, you feel like you are really a part of something special,” said Kelley . “I feel like I am just beginning my next journey after the military, and I look forward to where I can grow from here.”

U.S. Bank is honored to serve those who have served in our military. To explore open jobs that match your skills, go to careers.usbank.com and enter your MOS (military occupation specialty code) into the search bar.