Gulfport, Miss. – Mississippi Power and its employees remember the 70th anniversary of D-Day and thank the Gulf Coast region’s service men and women for their service to the country. Mississippi Power’s parent, Southern Company, was just recently named by three leading military surveys as a top employer for both active duty and veteran military.

“The veterans of World War II earned the distinction of “the greatest generation” and their actions on D-Day exemplified the incredible determination of a great nation,” said Mississippi Power President and CEO Ed Holland. “All of our nation’s veterans and current service members are a tremendous part of the past, present and future of our country and region.”

Three Mississippi Power employees – John Ellard, John Pittman and Lash Rushing – died while serving in the U.S. military during World War II. Before he was a Mississippi Power employee, Harry Bell spent 6 months as a prisoner of war after his capture at the Battle of the Bulge.

A longstanding leader in military recruitment, Southern Company is the top-ranked energy company and No. 3 overall in the 2014 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Veterans. In addition, the company is the top-ranked energy company and No. 13 overall in the Military Times EDGE Best for Vets: Employers 2014 survey and has been named to the Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military® winners by CivilianJobs.com for the fifth consecutive year.

Veterans and reservists are a natural fit for Southern Company and Mississippi Power because the cultures of both the military and the utility industry exemplify dedication, commitment to safety, teamwork and excellence in all they do. Currently, 10 percent of the Southern Company system's 26,000 employees are veterans or serve in the National Guard or Reserve. Veterans account for 14 percent of the system's new hires this year.

Southern Company's ongoing support of military personnel has earned broad recognition, including the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award – the highest honor given by the Department of Defense for support of employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve – and the Pro Patria Award for leadership in providing benefits to military employees. G.I. Jobs has named Southern Company the nation's highest-ranked utility in its Top 100 Military Friendly Employers® listing for seven consecutive years.

In its second year, the DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Veterans ranking showcases companies that initiate a variety of veteran-focused workplace practices including recruiting and promoting veterans, offering employee resource groups and providing accommodations for spouses of veterans.

Military Times EDGE surveyed companies across the country with a detailed questionnaire about their recruiting and hiring policies, training opportunities for veterans and pay and benefits for veterans, reservists and their families.

Open to all U.S.-based companies, CivilianJobs.com selected the 2014 MVEs for Military® winners based on surveys in which employers outlined their recruiting, training and retention plans that best serve military service members and veterans.

As part of its commitment to veterans, Southern Company is a founding partner of the Troops to Energy Jobs program, a recruiting source that links veterans to job openings in the energy industry. The company actively recruits members of the Navy as a Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program partner and has pledged to support the Joining Forces initiative. In addition, Southern Company annually participates in more than 30 military recruitment events and partners with military transition centers across the country.

Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy for more than 186,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Recognized throughout the utility industry for excellence in storm restoration and recovery efforts, is the 2013 winner of the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Assistance Award. As a leader in safety, Mississippi Power ranked first in the 2013 Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE) Safety Performance Reports. Visit our website at www.mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.