For more than 115 years, Johnson & Johnson has been committed to supporting the heroes in our community: the military service members, the families that welcome them home and the health professionals who provide care. Through the power of our presence and partnerships around the world, we are committed to keeping our heroes healthy and enabling them to bring their unique experiences and strengths home to their communities.
We’re honored to have so many military veterans at Johnson & Johnson and we’d like to see even more vets in our ranks. Military women and men are strategic thinkers, decisive, results-oriented, trustworthy and seasoned team leaders. In other words, they’re just what we need at Johnson & Johnson to help us on our mission to change the course of human health for the better.
— Alex Gorsky, Chairman & CEO, Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson has a long and proud history of caring for the communities in which we live and work, including caring for our U.S. military heroes and their families. We strive to do our very best to provide them a strong network of support that enables them to serve in an exemplary manner for both their military and civilian responsibilities.
— Courtney Billington, Vice President, Janssen Supply Chain, and Executive Sponsor of the Johnson & Johnson Veterans Leadership Council
We partner with organizations around the world to display our commitment to honoring our heroes and their families. Showcasing the strength and resilience they demonstrate every day by participating in activities that commemorate their valor and dedication to the community is the least we can do for those who sacrifice so much to serve.
— Sarah Colamarino, Vice President, Corporate Equity and Partnerships, Johnson & Johnson
Careers With Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson values the leadership skills and special expertise our heroes bring to the workplace.
Johnson & Johnson‘s long and proud history of supporting military servicemembers dates back to the Spanish-American War in 1898, when the company held positions for employees and paid their salaries while they served.
Spanish-American War
During the war, Johnson & Johnson developed a groundbreaking dressings packet for the unique need of soldiers—outfitted with compact, waterproof casing that could fit in a uniform’s pocket. To meet the urgent need, Johnson & Johnson sent additional dressings to the military at no extra charge.
World War I
During World War I, Johnson & Johnson ran round-the-clock shifts to produce sterile dressings, gauze and other medical products to supply the Allied forces, as well as hospitals in the U.S. and Europe.
World War II: General Robert Wood Johnson
In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed General Robert Wood Johnson as the head of the Smaller War Plants Corporation in Washington, D.C. In this role, Johnson managed the wartime contracts for all U.S. factories with fewer than 500 employees.
World War II: Duct Tape
In 1943, the U.S. Army turned to Johnson & Johnson to manufacture “duct tape,” a sturdy, cloth-based, waterproof tape. The idea of Vesta Stoudt, an ordnance plant worker with two sons in the Navy, duct tape was originally used in munitions packaging and then by soldiers to repair just about anything.
World War II: LUMITE®
In 1945, Johnson & Johnson pioneered LUMITE® plastic screen cloths, which reduced soldiers' exposure to disease-carrying insects during World War II.
World War II: Nylon Dental Floss
During World War II, Johnson & Johnson introduced nylon dental floss. Previously, silk had been used to make floss; however, during the conflict, the material was largely allocated for parachute manufacturing.
Korean War
During the Korean War, Johnson & Johnson produced large quantities of surgical dressings, sponges, adhesive tape, splints and other medical supplies for the armed forces and for emergency civilian use, increasing manufacturing shifts to meet the demand.
Vietnam War: No. 1 Supplier of Medical Supplies
In 1967, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army noted that Johnson & Johnson was the No. 1 supplier of medical supplies to the U.S. armed forces.
Vietnam War: United Service Organizations Partnership
In 1968, Johnson & Johnson partnered with the USO to provide care packages containing personal care products to soldiers serving in Vietnam. Today, Johnson & Johnson is the Official Healthcare Partner of the USO.
Vietnam War: Letters
Continuing a long-standing tradition during times of conflict, Johnson & Johnson employees wrote letters to those who served, providing a lifeline to home.
On June 1, 2017, Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced that Johnson & Johnson was awarded the 2017 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for our exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve employees. This award comes on the heels of Johnson & Johnson being recognized as the awardee of the 2017 New Jersey ESGR Pro Patria Award.
As part of our commitment to caring for the well-being of others, Johnson & Johnson supports the wellness of veterans and their families in a number of ways.
