Lee Company joins U.S. Army’s Partnership for Youth Success Program

Lee Company will officially become the newest member of the U.S. Army’s Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program during a Jan. 24 ceremony.

Lee Company will officially be one of more than 500 civilian employers to join the program since its inception in 2000. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. It will be held at the company’s headquarters at 4057 Rural Plains Circle in Franklin.

Presiding over the ceremony will be Lt. Col. Rick Frank, commander, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Nashville, and Stuart L. Price, Senior Vice President of Operations for Lee Company. Soldiers from Nashville U.S. Army Recruiting Company will help open the ceremony.

“Lee Company holds great respect and appreciation for those who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces,” Price said. “We consider this opportunity to contribute to the success of our service members through the PaYS program a privilege.

“We know that when many young candidates are called to serve, they may not necessarily have lifetime career commitment in mind. We want these talented individuals to be encouraged knowing they will have opportunities to launch a second career when they are ready.

“We are incredibly thankful to the Army for this program, but most of all we are grateful for the sacrifices made every day by our service members.”

“The U.S. Army is excited to welcome Lee Company into the ranks of employers nationwide who support the PaYS program,” Frank said. “Not only will their participation help offer opportunities to today’s young men and women, but it will also accentuate the company’s outstanding record of supporting veterans.”

The Army’s PaYS program matches new enlistees with companies that hire employees with specific military skills, so that the soldier has a potential employment opportunity once he or she leaves the service with an honorable discharge. Each soldier enlisting into the Army paired with a PaYS partner is guaranteed a job interview once they honorably leave the Army’s ranks.

Other area PaYs partners include Tennessee Valley Association, Eastman Chemical, Kentucky State Police and the Knoxville Police Department.