Another Company That Stands By Its Soldiers

You and I know it as Flying J, those big gas-and-diesel-and-something-to-eat establishments that crop up along our interstates.  They cater to big rigs, which gives me a certain comfort level, and I’ve always favored them…rest areas, you can watch the ball game and take a break.  You know, real America.

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Turns out the full name is Pilot Flying J, and a guy from the company, prompted by my post about how well Sears treats its guys in uniform, sent this to Glenn Reynolds, who has thereby earned yet another tip of the derby:

Pilot Flying J also offers full differential pay and benefits for anyone who leaves employment for active/reserve military service.  Here is the background story, which I think says a LOT about the family who owns Pilot.
I walked into the office of the CEO, Jimmy Haslam, on September 12th, 2001 and told him we would likely have a number of employees called to service in the light of the attacks of the prior day.  (I was/am in the HR department for Pilot and am also a veteran so I was looking at this with dual interests.)   I told him about our obligations under USERRA RE holding positions, etc., but that in some cases the military pay and benefits would fall short of Pilot pay.  Jimmy said, without hesitation, “Make anyone like that whole.”  This sounds reflexively patriotic, and it is.  More remarkable to the people who know well our CEO, is that he did not ask for one byte of data, not one report on numbers of EEs it would impact, possible financial effect, etc.  If you know our CEO, the fact that he would make such an immediate decision reflects upon his regard for the military and his instinct to do, as we say in Pilot “The right thing.”
We need to publicize employers who are so civic minded.
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ME:  Indeed.  And so we are.

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