KENTUCKY — Health care company Humana is committed to hiring 600 veterans and 150 military spouses in Kentucky over the next four years, the company announced Tuesday.

In a press release, Gov. Andy Beshear called the commitment "a welcome addition to state’s goal of being the most military and veteran friendly state in America." He joined Humana executives and Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs (KDVA) Commissioner Lt. Col. (Retired) Keith Jackson for the virtual announcement.

“Thank you to every veteran for your commitment and sacrifice to our great country and commonwealth,” Beshear added. “Each of you, as well as your spouse and family members, are invaluable members of Team Kentucky and through commitments like those announced today by Humana we are continuing to build that brighter, better Kentucky for our military personnel and community.”

Headquartered in Louisville, Humana is Kentucky's top defense contractor, primarily through its TRICARE support to the Department of Defense (DoD) community. The company has over 12,000 employees based in Kentucky, 800 of which work directly for Humana Military on TRICARE.

“We’ve built a culture of excellence when it comes to serving our members, which enables us to serve the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Humana's Retail Segment President Alan Wheatley. “Humana is fully invested in providing health care services and experiences our nation’s veterans deserve and we commend Gov. Beshear’s focus on supporting veterans and their families as we commit to expand our company’s veteran-hiring initiative. It’s important to us to hire veterans and/or their spouses, as they bring such an important and valued perspective to our company.”

Jackson congratulated Humana from Fort Knox, where he was participating in a ceremony that marked the Partnership for Youth Success Program (PaYS), between the United States Army and the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs.

“This collaborative effort between Humana, the United States Recruiting Command and the KDVA is a prime example of the Commonwealth of Kentucky moving forward,” said Jackson. “We are focusing on keeping talented veterans and their families within the state. We are creating pathways to grow our workforce and economy.”