SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - USAA announced today that it has earned the 2016 Military Friendly® Employer designation from Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs® magazine. For the 13th year, USAA is one of the Top 10 companies on the list and earned the #3 spot this year.

"USAA's strength is built on the same core values embodied by the U.S. military, and we proudly make hiring veterans and members of the military transitioning to civilian life a priority," said Mike Kelly, assistant vice president for Military Advocacy. "We believe that by offering veterans and military spouses opportunities for meaningful employment, we're doing our part to give back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country and whose talent makes them valued USAA employees."

Companies competed for the elite Military Friendly® Employer title by completing a data-driven survey, with data independently tested by EY (Ernst & Young) based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media and its Advisory Board. Criteria for the survey included a benchmark score across key programs and policies such as the strength of company military recruiting efforts, percentage of new hires with prior military service, retention programs for veterans, and company policies on National Guard and Reserve service.

Now in its 13th year, Military Friendly® Employers is the premier resource for transitioning service members and spouses seeking civilian employment. Each year, companies taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria, and weightings developed with the assistance of an Advisory Board consisting of leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. A full list of board members can be found at MilitaryFriendly.com/advisory-board.

"Companies that have earned the 2016 Military Friendly® Employer award have exceptionally strong hiring programs and meaningful careers for transitioning service members and spouses," said Daniel Nichols, Chief Product Officer of Victory Media and Navy Reserve veteran. "Our Military Friendly® Employers are moving the needle beyond answering 'why hire military'--they are truly aligning their jobs and recruiting efforts with Military Friendly® educators to translate military competencies into civilian jobs."

USAA will be showcased along with other 2016 Military Friendly® Employers in the December issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and the January 2016 issue of Military Spouse Magazine, as well as on MilitaryFriendly.com.

About USAA

The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to 11.2 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving our nation in the U.S. military or have received a discharge type of Honorable – and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

About Military Friendly® Employers

The Military Friendly® Employers designation process includes extensive research and a data-driven survey of companies with annual revenue over $100 million nationwide; the Top 100 Military Friendly® Employers list includes companies with annual revenue over $500 million. The survey, methodology, criteria and weightings are developed with the assistance of an independent Advisory Board comprised of higher education, recruiting, HR and diversity professionals from across the country. The survey is administered for free and open to companies meeting the eligibility criteria. The methodology and more information about the program, along with the complete list of employers, can be found on MilitaryFriendly.com.

About Victory Media

Based in Pittsburgh, Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects classrooms to careers for the nation's next generation of professionals. Our data-driven ratings are published in G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur® and STEM JobsSM media, and featured in national media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, FORTUNE, Bloomberg, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, Fox News and others. Learn more about our Media, Training and Ratings solutions at victorymedia.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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