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This year, G.I. Jobs magazine’s annual list of America’s top 50 military-friendly employers includes four Class Is — including two in the top 3 — and two intermodal service providers.

BNSF Railway Co. is No. 2, Union Pacific Railroad is No. 3, CSX Transportation is No. 8, Schneider National Inc. is No. 13, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. is No. 14 and Norfolk Southern Corp. is No. 30. In addition, General Electric Co. is No. 16 and trucking firm Werner Enterprises is No. 23.

Johnson Controls tops the list, which is based on responses to the magazine’s annual survey. Among 2,500 companies considered for the honor, only 2 percent made the list.

G.I. Jobs compiles the list to recognize companies’ military recruiting efforts; percentage of new hires during the past two years with prior military service; policies toward National Guard and reserve service; internal military and veteran recruiting/training/promotional/community programs; and assets dedicated to military hiring.

For example, BNSF — which was ranked No. 1 in 2007 — has a hiring program aimed at recruiting people who are transitioning from military to civilian life. About 22 percent of the Class I’s new hires in 2008 are veterans. In addition, more than 100 BNSF employees are serving on active duty.

BNSF also offers enhanced and extended benefits for employees called to active duty, and provides 15 days of make-whole pay for annual training and drill duty.