Celebrating Military Appreciation Month: Spotlight on Walmart Associates Putting Country First

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May is National Military Appreciation Month – and a special time where we come together to appreciate those currently serving in our military. As a retired Army Major, I want to end the month by acknowledging several of the many active service women and men at Walmart.

I’d like to recognize First Lieutenant Jonathan Williams. As an Intelligence Officer, First Lieutenant Williams contributes to the safety of our country while also working as a Senior Manager for Walmart in our Real Estate department. Lt. Williams serves alongside a group of highly trained Airmen at the 188th wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard headquartered at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Ark. The 188th Wing is renowned for its five primary mission areas: Remotely Piloted Aircraft (MQ-9 Reaper), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, All-Source Targeting, Mission Support Group functions, Medical Group's expeditionary medicine.

The 188th Wing is composed of dedicated, loyal and highly-trained Airmen who take immense pride in fulfilling their roles and obligations as National Guardsmen and Airmen. I applaud the sacrifice of those willing to give their time away from family and friends to keep our country safe from harm.

Staff Sergeant Isabella Ixim will reach nine years with the Army reserves in December. She has taken on many roles inside Walmart, and is now a Continuous Skills Development trainer at Walmart DC 7030 in Pottsville, PA. She served in Jordan and most recently Kuwait, where she helped build up bases, roadways and worked on specific construction projects as a supervisor. Staff Sergeant Ixim says there are similarities between how Walmart associates and the Army reserves take care of one another, and likes the career flexibility working at Walmart provides. “I feel like there are other positions I can take at Walmart, and if I want to do something, I can.”

Specialist Rashad Davis-Gladney

Serving his country is in Specialist. Davis-Gladney’s blood. “From my grandfather and my dad serving, to my mom being part of a military family. It’s something I’ve always felt called to do,” he said.

Spc. Davis-Gladney started in JROTC in high school, then joined the Virginia Defense Force – an all-volunteer reserve of the Virginia National Guard - before joining the Army years later. In 2019, Davis-Gladney moved to Indiana and now serves through Camp Atterbury, Indiana with the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade. Davis-Gladney is currently attached to a deploying unit in Indianapolis, where his training ensures they have the proper tools to support whatever mission comes their way. When not fulfilling a mission, Davis-Gladney has worked for Walmart for 11 years and currently is an HR Business Partner in Reverse Logistics in Mount Comfort, Indiana. I love this story from Spc. Davis-Gladney. He said a previous store manager used to say, “No one of us is smarter than all of us.” And that’s as true at Walmart as it is the Army. Just as an associate can have an idea that sparks something big, a service member can have one that changes the world or saves a life.? Thank you, Spc. Davis-Gladney for your commitment to country.

Senior Master Sergeant Stephanie Tracy-Smith

It’s a unique balance - serving ones country and maintaining a civilian life. “There is strong alignment between Walmart’s core values and the Air Force core values,” said SMSgt Stephanie Tracy-Smith. “This makes moving between both commitments’ much easier because the things we strive to do are so similar.” As a Senior Manager for Walmart on the Strategic Partnerships & Negotiation Strategy team, SMSgt Tracy-Smith is responsible for assisting internal stakeholders in their negotiations. This involves understanding their unique needs and constraints, and providing tailored support to help them succeed. This career fits Stephanie well, as she also promotes and implements professional development initiatives in her role in the 188th Wing in Fort Smith. Her time with the Guard has taken her to Bangor, Maine, Fort Worth, Texas and Houston. She’s a member of the Associate Resource Group (ARG) at Walmart – SERVES. This ARG supports the military community from offering resources to military families to giving insights to the business. We’re proud of our associates who have served and continue to serve their communities and country.

As our founder, Sam Walton once said, “our people make the difference.” I appreciate this group of individuals who not only are associates, but also respond to the call of serving others. As we celebrate National Military Appreciation Month, let us honor the sacrifice and contributions of servicemen and women and let their dedication both in and out of uniform serve as a testament to the spirit of this special month. Their sacrifice is the epitome of the best our nation have to offer.

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