NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) has been named one of the nation's Top 100 Military Friendly Employers® by G.I. Jobs magazine in its 11^th annual list recognizing companies with the best military recruiting and hiring practices.

Making its seventh appearance on the list, Norfolk Southern ranked 75^th. The list of 100 companies represents the top 2 percent of more than 5,000 eligible companies with annual revenues exceeding $500 million. Criteria include strength of company military recruiting efforts, percentage of new hires with prior military service, retention programs, and company policies toward National Guard and Reserve service.

"The railroad is an excellent environment for veterans to continue using their training and leadership skills in a second career," said Norfolk Southern President James A. Squires, a U.S. Army veteran. "There are many opportunities for veterans at Norfolk Southern, and we make a special effort to encourage those who have served their country to join the Thoroughbred team."

Norfolk Southern actively recruits people with military backgrounds for careers in railroad operations and management. Over the past seven years, NS has hired 2,400 veterans, and 12 percent of the total NS workforce - some 3,500 employees - are veterans, members of the National Guard, or reservists.

Norfolk Southern recruits veterans through its www.NorfolkSouthern-veterans.jobs website, which allows veterans to search for railroad employment opportunities using their military job titles. Recruiters also attend job fairs on military bases and at the federal government's Transition Assistance Program classes. Service members preparing to leave the military can register with Norfolk Southern indicating their separation date and desired work locations, and recruiters will contact them with current job opportunities.

Additionally, Norfolk Southern provides training to help veterans who have management experience transition into supervisory roles within the company. And if veterans are called to active duty through the Reserves or National Guard while working at Norfolk Southern, they can once again serve their country with the assurance that their jobs will be waiting for them when they return.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation