Words by Smiley Team
Call of Duty is one of the most recognizable names in the gaming world. First released in 2003, the franchise has gone on to sell 450 million copies of different games and has made over $27 billion.
Famous for its depictions of war and combat, the company behind Call of Duty has worked to help provide for those that have seen war firsthand.
For the last 12 years – through the Call of Duty Endowment – the company has worked to place 100,000 veterans in meaningful work in the US and the UK.
To follow, marking Military Appreciation Month in May, the game’s publisher Activision Blizzard has pledged $30 million to the initiative.
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“We have invested over $60 million in support of veterans employment initiatives to secure 100,000 job placements,” Bobby Kotick, Co-Founder of the Call of Duty Endowment, said.
“Today, we are committing an additional $30 million of funding for new veteran employment initiatives. With our even more efficient programs we expect to generate another 50,000 job placements through Call of Duty Endowment grants.”
The Endowment was hoping to reach 100,000 job placements by 2024. They’ve hit that mark with two years to spare.
“To put 100,000 placements in perspective, the entire active-duty Marine Corps is made up of more than 178,000 people,” said General James Jones, USMC (retired), 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, and Co-Chair of the Call of Duty Endowment.
“While reaching 100,000 placements two years earlier than our goal is an accomplishment to be proud of, there is much, much more we can and should be doing to support our veteran community as they transition to civilian employment.”
At their 100,000 mark, they also released a paper highlighting veteran employment over the organization’s 12-year history. “Lessons Learned for the Future of Veteran Employment” contains recommendations for anyone interested in veteran affairs like donors, policymakers, or other veterans.
SUPPORT: The Call of Duty Endowment identifies and funds the most efficient and effective organizations that get unemployed veterans back to work. Find out ways to support.
