Does Walmart Give Veteran Discounts?
Walmart does not offer a discount for military veterans. In an experiment conducted in four Walmart stores in Southern California, shoppers with military identification were denied a discount in 48 out of 48 attempts.
A Walmart customer service representative explained in a follow-up email to GruntRoll, the sponsor of the experiment, that Walmart does not offer a military discount, but that the store supports the military in a variety of other ways. In 2010, Walmart donated $10 million to the veteran community, with a goal of addressing unemployment rates and supporting higher education. Walmart doubled this amount to $20 million in 2011.
Walmart pledged to hire 100,000 veterans by 2018. The Walmart distribution center in Hopkinsville, Ky., employs more than 200 veterans. The company donated $1.5 million to Operation Homefront in 2013, providing 25,000 toys and more than 17,000 meals to military families nationwide.
The retailer is a premier sponsor of the SCORE Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, which helps transitioning military veterans start small businesses. It honors fallen heroes through Wreaths Across America, an organization that coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies on the graves of fallen soldiers.
The Walmart Foundation donated $3.6 million to help military personnel earn college degrees. The company’s founder, Sam Walton, served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
