I
ManyWaysToSayThanks
Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman and CEO American Airlines
©CHET SNEDDEN
WINTER 2011
celebratedliving.com
6
FROM
THE CEO
I would like to devote this column to
thanking themen and women of the
United States armed forces. The peo-
pleofAmericanAirlineshavealways
appreciated that countless people
have borne heavy burdens and sacri-
ficedgreatly—many, in fact,making
the ultimate sacrifice — so that we
would have the opportunity to do the
workwe love to do and live the kinds
of liveswechoose.Our ties to themil-
itary are strong, and go back several
generations. More than 60 percent of
our pilots, and 10 percent of all
AA employees, are either veterans or
still in active military service. Our
VeteranMilitaryEmployeeResource
Group is devoted to supporting our
veteran and active military colleagues as well as their
families, and time after time, our people leap at the
chance tohelp thosewhohave servedon theirbehalf.
Every year, hundreds of AAers donate their time to
host anevent calledSkyBall at ouraircraftmaintenance
base in FortWorth, Texas. Sky Ball is a fundraiser that
supports the families ofmilitarypersonnel inNorthTex-
as. In our view, there is an unfortunate disconnect be-
tween the courageous service of our armed forces
overseas and the level of support they and their families
receive at home. Sky Ball is an attempt to address that
disconnect. Among other things, themoneywe raise at
Sky Ball helpsmake suremilitary families have food on
the table, assists withmortgage and car payments, and
helps fund welcome-home events for soldiers returning
fromwar.
Our people are also deeply involved in Snowball
Express, avolunteerorganization thatprovidesa fun, all-
expenses-paid holiday for the children and spouses of
fallenmilitary heroes. Hundreds of American Airlines
volunteers give their time to help get the families to the
event andmake sure they have awonderful experience.
We are proud to be the official airline of Snowball Ex-
press, which each year reminds hundreds of military
families that they are neither alone nor forgotten. I hope
youwill visit SnowballExpress.org and consider contrib-
uting to thisprogram.
In 2010 we launched a partnership
withMercyMedicalAirlift, anorganiza-
tion that helps active military service
members,veterans,and their immediate
families travel formedical and rehabili-
tation services through itsAir Compas-
sion for Veterans program. To raise
funds for this worthy cause, we have
tappedoneofourgreatest strengths, the
ingenuity of our people. Through this
partnership, a portion (well over a
million dollars so far) of themoneywe
are saving through our ongoing fuel-
conservation efforts is now contributed
toAirCompassion forVeterans.
We are always on the lookout for
ways to leverage thesizeandpopularity
of the AAdvantage program— and the
natural generosity of our customers— tomake a differ-
ence in theworld. One of themanyworthy organizations
weareproud tosupport is theUSO.TheUSO, asyouprob-
ably know, lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their
families in a variety of ways. AA is the official airline of
theUSO, andwe arehoping to enlist you in supporting it
as well. One way you can contribute is by buying an
AmericanAirlines gift card.When you do so, and select
theUSOgiftcardoption,wewilldonate$5 forevery$50of
travel purchased. Another good option is to support our
Miles in Support of All Who Serve campaign, in which
AAdvantagemembers receive 10 miles for every dollar
donated ($25 minimum). Please visit AA.com/JoinUs to
learnmore.
Theseare justa fewof thewaysweare trying to letour
men andwomen inuniform and their families knowhow
muchweappreciate them.Asyoumayhaveseen,wehave
also expressed our appreciation through two recent
television commercials, entitled “Thank You” and “Put-
tingThemFirst.”
Aswe count our blessings, especially during the holi-
dayseason, let’sgive thanks for the thousandsofmenand
women all over theworld— connected to us only by the
fact that they, too, areAmericans—whokeepussafe, day
afterday. Let’sresolve to live livesworthyof theirservice
and sacrifice.We cannot give them all they deserve, but
let’smake surewe’regiving themall the supportwe can.
