In honor of National Veterans and Military Families Month, Comcast said it will install free WiFi at up to 100 facilities focused on veterans, part of its Lift  Zones program.   

The Lift Zone program, initiated in 2020, brings WiFi connections outside the home to neighborhood community centers and complements Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides low-cost broadband to eligible consumers inside the home. Both are part of Comcast’s Project UP, a 10-year, $1 billion commitment to reach 50 million people with the tools, resources and skills needed for success in the digital world.

“The Internet is a fundamental tool to participate in today’s increasingly digital economy,” Comcast NBCUniversal senior VP of Military and Veterans Affairs Carol Eggert said in a statement. “Today’s announcement will provide even more Internet access for veterans and military families. Doing so will enable them to participate in workforce development programs, access their well-deserved healthcare benefits, and foster meaningful connections with friends, family, and their fellow veterans.”

Comcast said it has already installed about 25 Lift Zones inside veteran-serving organizations and will continue to work with members of the military community to identify additional locations over the next several months.

Among the veteran  organizations that will receive free WiFi via the Lift Zone program are:

• Veterans Leadership Program, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: helps veterans in 30 counties across Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio with housing, career development, wellness and supportive services. 

• Do Good Multnomah, Portland, Oregon: provides permanent, supportive housing and low-barrier emergency shelter to houseless veterans, as well as one-on-one engagement and supportive services for veterans in need.

• Alpha Omega Veterans Services Inc., Memphis, Tennessee: helps military veterans reintegrate into society, often after achieving recovery and rehabilitation from debilitating mental and physical conditions.

“As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, having access to the Internet to take advantage of career development searches and support services has grown increasingly important for not only the veteran in need, but their families as well,” Veterans Leadership Program chief development officer Toshua Jarret said in a press release. “We are proud to partner with Comcast through this Lift Zone to help provide the tools needed to help the veteran community succeed during this difficult time and beyond.”

Do Good Multnomah director of permanent supportive housing Jess Gibly added the program is especially important in the COVID-era, where access to internet service is crucial.    

“These Lift Zones give our Veterans in Permanent Supportive Housing, many of whom cannot afford Internet themselves, the chance to get their wellness needs met and participate in online communities that have given people much needed support and connection during COVID,” Gibly said in a statement. ■

Fox Nation is offering one year of free access to all active U.S. military members and veterans. From May 24 to May 31, military personnel can sign up for the streaming service. Fox Nation calls the promotion Grateful Nation. (Click this link for more information.)

Starting May 25, Fox Nation offers themed programming that pays tribute to the military, including Hero Dogs and USA Ink. 

Also Read: Fox News Prime Time Shows Go On Demand Via Fox Nation

“We are honored to celebrate our service men and women by contributing in a small way to those who have sacrificed so much on behalf of our nation,” said Jason Klarman, Fox Nation president. 

Shannon Bream narrates Hero Dogs, about canines who save lives on the battlefield and on the homefront. Season three starts May 25. 

Also Read: Fox News Channel Names Rachel Campos-Duffy 'Fox & Friends Weekend' Co-Host

Three-part documentary series America’s Top Ranger follows elite U.S. soldiers as they compete in the 2021 “Best Ranger” competition. Two-man teams compete in obstacles and range events for 62 non-stop hours. That begins May 27. 

Modern Warriors, hosted by Pete Hegseth, features a conversation that honors the Americans in uniform who sacrificed their lives. That premieres May 28. 

USA Ink is hosted by Johnny “Joey” Jones and examines the history of tattooing, including military personnel getting tattoos after battles. That starts May 28. 

On Veterans Day, Comcast honored the nearly 50,000 National Guard and reserve service personnel that have been called up to battle the pandemic in recent months, including more than two dozen cable company workers.

As the nation celebrates Veterans Day and National Veterans and Military Families Month, Comcast said that more than two dozen of its employees in the National Guard and reserve services have been called up to complete thousands of missions such as manning testing and screening centers, delivering food and essential equipment to those in need, and building critical infrastructure. 

In a blog post Wednesday, Comcast pointed out two of its workers who have stepped up to the challenge: Leriqua Jackson, an Xfinity retail sales associate and specialist in the Texas Army National Guard, and Deeva Williams, a retail sales representative and specialist in the Washington Army National Guard. 

Jackson is from a military family -- her father served in the U.S. Marine Corps and her siblings are in the military, too. She is part of a headquarters unit overseeing administrative tasks, such as coordinating lodging, pay, and logistics, for units working in the field.

“I always did community service during my free time at school,” Jackson said in the blog post. “I was looking for more, so being able to dig in my heels and uplift the people of Texas during this time is an honor.”

Williams and her unit are supporting mobile food distribution sites throughout the Tacoma, Washington area.

 “It feels humbling and amazing to be able to see the smiles and the sigh of relief on people’s faces when you take away some stress during a time like this,” Williams said in the blog post.

In August, Comcast NBCUniversal was named the No. 1 employer for veterans by The Military Times in its Best For Vets: Employers 2020 list. 

“As a military-ready company, we are committed to ensuring that our military teammates have the resources and support they need to answer the call to service,” Comcast said in the blog posting. 

 At its NBCUniversal content unit, Comcast , as part of its BOLD Veterans Day celebration, launched a new Veterans Residency Program, designed for mid-to-senior level veterans who often face challenges locating opportunity in the civilian workforce. Beginning next year, the new partnership will allow two members of the military community exposure to all aspects of NBCU’s Advertising & Partnerships business, with the opportunity to become a full-time member of its team. 

Comcast is among several cable companies that have actively recruited military personnel to its employment ranks. About 10% of Charter Communications’ workforce are former military and the company has said it makes it a priority to hire veterans as they possess many highly-valued skills.  

Charter participates in military-focused career fairs that put job seekers in direct contact with Charter recruiters and also has established partnerships with military bases and organizations such as Centurion Military Alliance, Hiring our Heroes, Military Spouse Employment Partnership, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Wounded Warrior Project, to help recruit veterans to its workforce throughout its 41-state footprint.

Netflix has renewed its latest Marvel Comics-based series The Punisher for a second season, the streaming service said Tuesday. 

Netflix, which announced the renewal of the series via social media, did not provide a launch date for the sophomore campaign of the series, which stars Jon Bernthal as crime fighting vigilante Frank Castle.

After exacting revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife and children, Castle in the second season uncovers a conspiracy that runs far deeper than New York’s criminal underworld, according to the streaming service.

Netflix launched the freshman season of Marvel's The Punisher on Nov. 17.

Time to reload. #ThePunisher Season 2 is coming. pic.twitter.com/J76ksLfDqx

— The Punisher (@ThePunisher) December 12, 2017

History has greenlit its military-themed drama series Six for a second sesaon, the network said Thursday. 

The series, which follows a team of Navy Seals tasked with rescuing a fellow seal captured behind enemy lines, is averaging 2.9 million total viewers in Live+3 Nielsen ratings over its four weeks, making it the most watched new scripted series of the season, according to History.

The season one finale of the series debuts March 8. Six is produced by A+E Studios in association with Weinstein Television and created by William and David Broyles.

“Six is a captivating drama series that embraces our recent history, while being immensely relevant in the climate of today’s culture,” said Jana Bennett, president and general manager of History in a statement. “It has struck a genuine chord with our audience and we’re proud to continue to tell the courageous stories, both on and off the battlefield, of the complex lives of this elite military group.”

MTV will profile several millennial military veterans in a new documentary MTV’s Got Your 6 debuting on Veteran’s Day, the network said Thursday.

The special, developed in partnership with leading veteran empowerment campaign "Got Your 6” will follow the individual stories of four young soldiers and Marines from across the country as they return from Afghanistan and settle back into their communities and lives away from the front lines, said the network.

In addition, MTV will recognize and cover Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11) from a unique millennial perspective across its editorial and social platform in an effort to leverage attention to post-911 servicemen and women.

Karga Seven Pictures will produce MTV’s Got Your 6, with Dave Sirulnick and Jackie Phillips serving as executive producers for MTV.