Labor Department gives 14 Goldbelt companies federal award for hiring veterans

The U.S. Department of Labor has named 14 Goldbelt companies winners of its 2026 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, the Juneau-based Alaska Native corporation announced Thursday.

The award program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers who recruit, hire and retain veterans, according to Goldbelt.

Awards are split by employer size: large (500 or more employees), medium (51 to 499) and small (50 or fewer). Each comes in two tiers, platinum and gold.

Twelve of the Goldbelt companies earned Medium Platinum, including CP Marine, Goldbelt Apex, Goldbelt Glacier Health Services and Taku Health Services. Nisga'a MOSTT and Peregrine Technical Solutions earned Small Platinum.

"This recognition reflects our commitment to helping veterans build lasting careers," President and CEO McHugh Pierre said in the release. He said Goldbelt's values attract retiring military members and that the company is proud to offer them opportunities "to continue serving our country through our work with the government."

Goldbelt was established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 and is owned by more than 4,300 Alaska Native shareholders, the direct descendants of Southeast Alaska's original Tlingit peoples.

Goldbelt said its companies join 772 other companies from 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in receiving 2026 awards. Nearly 2,300 employers have earned a total of 6,143 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards since 2019.

Applications for the 2027 awards open Jan. 31, 2027, at HIREVets.gov.