Coming Together to Honor All Who Have Served

November is a special month for us as Co-Leads of Citi Salutes, our company's affinity group committed to supporting military veterans and their families within our firm and in the communities we serve. On the 11^th, we celebrate Veterans Day in the United States, recognizing those who have bravely served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and observe Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, commemorating those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Veterans Month provides an opportunity to come together to honor and express gratitude for all who have served.

In this spirit, Citi will be undertaking a series of special activities over the course of the month to recognize our veterans. Our 16 Citi Salutes chapters in the U.S. and U.K. will be hosting breakfasts for their members throughout the month. These chapters are the driving force behind our affinity's priorities to hire, promote and retain more veterans, engage in the community, and support economic opportunity. Citi Salutes members act as representatives for our firm's efforts to support veterans, and their work has tangible impacts at their sites and in their local communities.

Our colleagues from New York City and Atlanta have lent their personal experiences in the military and at Citi to creating "Day in the Life" videos that are helping us expand our veteran recruiting efforts to social media. We've also onboarded the eighth class of Citi's Military Officer Leadership Program (MOLP), which supports military veteran employees that have high potential for future leadership roles at the firm. This cohort includes colleagues from Florence, KY, Jacksonville, FL, Tampa, FL and Irving, TX.

Led by our Citi Salutes chapter, Citi colleagues in Dallas volunteered over 2,400 hours throughout the past 18 months to help build an eco-friendly home for homeless female veterans in the surrounding area. And most recently, the American Bankers Association Foundation recognized Citi for supporting military families through our Bring Them HOMES initiative, which is increasing affordable and supportive housing for low-income, homeless and at-risk veterans.

Later this month, Citi Salutes will host Kirstie Ennis, former Marine Sergeant, extreme athlete and founder of the Kirstie Ennis Foundation, Mary Beth Bruggeman, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and President of The Mission Continues, and our Citi colleague Jono Peters, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, for a panel discussion at our Global Headquarters. The conversation, which will be moderated by our colleague and U.S. Army veteran Tara Carlidge, will focus on their military service, transitioning from the military to the civilian sector and the important skills that veterans bring to the workplace and their communities.

Throughout our sites in the U.S., local Citi Salutes chapters will also be recognizing Veterans Month in their own unique ways, including volunteering with the Veterans Affairs hospital in Tampa, assisting with the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery's annual Veterans Day ceremony and sponsoring the City of Jacksonville's Veterans Day Parade.

We're deeply appreciative of the time and energy that each of our Citi Salutes chapters and members have committed to advancing the affinity's priorities. This Veterans Month, we are grateful for the contributions of those who have served and are confident that – through our colleagues' stewardship of our Citi Salutes chapters – we will continue to make meaningful contributions to our veteran communities at Citi and beyond.

Ed Skyler is Citi's Head of Global Public Affairs and John Tien is a Managing Director within Citi Retail Services.