--- title: "Hilton wants a staff full of US military veterans" description: "Working in a hotel is no joke – those jobs are hard. Think about how hard you worked in basic training under the latrine queen, using a dirty sock to dust the day room, and how clean the barracks had…" date: "2020-04-29" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/hilton-veterans/" categories: - "Employment" - "Military News" - "Veterans" --- # Hilton wants a staff full of US military veterans ![]() Working in a hotel is no joke – those jobs are hard. Think about how hard you worked in basic training under the latrine queen, using a dirty sock to dust the day room, and how clean the barracks had to be to pass a drill sergeant's inspection. Even if you're looking to work in management, Hilton hotels host hundreds of thousands of event every year. It's suddenly your job to manage that. Wherever you're working in a hotel, it takes grit, organization, and attention to detail. Do those traits sound familiar? They do to Hilton Hotels. --- ![]() And to Hilton founder Conrad Hilton, a World War I veteran who served in France. This might be part of the reason Hilton is all aboard with the mission of hiring 20,000 veterans by 2020. That is a good chunk of the hotel brand's overall employees. As a matter of fact, when Hilton completes its most current mission, hires from the military-veteran community will comprise more than 17 percent of the company's overall workforce. It first launched the initiative to hire 10,000 vets and spouses by 2020 but upon completing that mission two years early, Hilton set the goal to hire *an additional 20,000* in the same time frame. That's an astonishing dedication to the community of veterans. It's part of an initiative named Operation: Opportunity. The company and its CEO Chris Nassetta believes in what they call "the military skill set." The hotel chain believes veterans bring incredible assets to their team and are affecting the company culture for the better as a result. So it makes sense for Hilton to hire as many veterans as possible. These skills include discipline, organization, problem solving, and teamwork. ![]() Yeah, vets might know a little something about all that. The company says hiring veterans is not only the right thing, but is also helping the company achieve its own goals. "Operation: Opportunity is a shining example of the convergence of doing something that is good for society, good for our business, and good for our culture," says CEO Chris Nassetta. Hilton has a long history of supporting veterans, dating back to founder and Army vet Conrad Hilton's postwar years. The elder Hilton had a knack for hiring vets after World War II, giving Korean War veterans and their families free nights (and spending money!) at some of his most popular hotels. Even during Vietnam, troops could get a free RR stay at the Hiltons in Hawaii. The decision to hire veterans picks up where Conrad's legacy left off, ensuring veterans have sustainable employment in a growing industry with one of the world's top hospitality brands. Hilton is even supporting a number of veteran-related non-profits, no more appropriate than [the Military Influencer Conference](). These days, Hilton may not be able to give veterans their own Hilton to run, but they do provide opportunity and training to run their own businesses through donating to events like the Military Influencer Conference. If you're interested in starting your own business and don't know where to begin, the Military Influencer Conferences are the perfect place to start. There, you can network with other veteran entrepreneurs while listening to the best speakers and panels the military-veteran community of entrepreneurs can muster. Visit the [Military Influencer Conference website ]()for more information. To learn more about a job with Hilton, [check out Hilton's job search website]() – and don't forget to list your veteran status. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()