PEORIA, Ill., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: [ CAT ]) today announced it is joining forces with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to create job opportunities for veterans. The company will invest $100,000 in the Chamber's Hiring our Heroes program, a nationwide, grass-roots effort to help veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment.

Since the program's launch in March 2011, Hiring Our Heroes has hosted more than 200 hiring fairs across the country, resulting in more than 10,000 veterans and military spouses landing jobs. With a goal of hosting a total of 400 hiring fairs in 2012, Hiring Our Heroes is making a difference in the lives of the approximately one million unemployed veterans in America.

"We are proud of our ongoing commitment to veterans and employees serving in the military and are pleased to take our support to the next level with Hiring Our Heroes," said Stu Levenick, Caterpillar group president with responsibility for Customer & Dealer Support. "We have more than 2,500 employees who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces. They bring maturity, discipline and a strong work ethic to their jobs that were honed during their time in the military. They are just the type of employees U.S. companies need to succeed in our increasingly competitive world. We're proud to support Hiring Our Heroes to help veterans and their families connect with companies who can use their skills and experience," added Levenick.

Caterpillar's investment will help fund at least 10 hiring fairs throughout the United States. Combined, Caterpillar and its dealers have a presence in every state. Hiring Our Heroes presents an exciting opportunity for Caterpillar, its dealers and other companies to recruit talented individuals possessing a unique skill-set. In conjunction with today's announcement, the company is sponsoring a booth at a hiring fair today in its hometown of Peoria, Ill.

Caterpillar has long supported service men and women and has strong policies in place to support those in the Guard and Reserves. Its corporate affinity group, the Caterpillar Armed Forces Support Network, plays an important role in helping military veterans transition to corporate life and also supports those who are called back to active duty. The company was also recently selected as a finalist for the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the Department of Defense's highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees.

About Caterpillar:
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2011 sales and revenues of $60.138 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: [ http://www.caterpillar.com ].

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

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Caterpillar Announces Investment in U.S. Chamber's Hiring Our Heroes Program

Caterpillar Announces Investment in U.S. Chamber's Hiring Our Heroes Program