In honor of Veterans Day, we’re celebrating our brave service men and women by spotlighting the military members in our orange family. In the coming weeks, former and active-duty military and spouses share their stories and career experiences working at The Home Depot.
Carlos Rodriguez served as a Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps. After 11 years of active duty, he is a recent Home Depot hire bringing his leadership skills to a senior analyst role in Real Estate Operations at the Store Support Center in Atlanta.
As the son of a retired Marine, Carlos was drawn to service by watching his father.
“As a young kid, all I wanted to do was be like my dad when I got older,” he says. “I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better role model growing up. At an early age I always found something special about my father’s character, work ethic and attention to detail.”
A married father of three, Carlos spent his military career in stops at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego, California. He now has fond memories of his own military service.
“Without question, joining the Marine Corps was one of the best decisions of my life. The Marine Corps provided me with an opportunity to learn about myself and develop into an effective leader capable of leading in any environment,” says Carlos. “When I reflect back on my military career, the one thing I will never forget is the camaraderie and bond you build with your fellow Marines.”
He worked with The Home Depot this past spring as part of the Hiring Our Heroes program. Through the program, he worked with the Home Depot Installation Services (HDIS) team before being hired into his current role as a senior analyst in August 2020.
“I think The Home Depot does a phenomenal job of offering opportunities to veterans,” Carlos says. “They mentor you, guide you and put you in a position to succeed. And that’s something I and other veterans really appreciate.”
Carlos admits to having mixed feelings around Veterans Day this year because he no longer is active duty. “I’ve always viewed Veterans Day as a great day because my father and other family members served, and the day was treated with great respect,” he says.
“It will be a little bittersweet because I’m no longer actively serving. But as always, it’s a great time to reflect on looking back at what you’ve done and accomplished. And being with The Home Depot will be special because they do such a great job honoring -- and even making a commitment -- to our veterans.”
The Home Depot is proud to employ more than 35,000 veterans and military spouses throughout the company. Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $350 million in veteran causes and improved more than 48,000 veteran homes and facilities in more than 4,500 cities. To learn more about our veteran initiatives, visit HomeDepotFoundation.org
