The Home Depot Pays Tribute to Military Service With 10 Percent Memorial Day Weekend Discount

ATLANTA, May 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Home Depot(R), the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced that the Company is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Memorial Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 between May 25 and May 29, 2006, at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Floor Stores(R), The Home Depot Landscape Supply(R) stores and EXPO Design Center(R) locations.

"The Memorial Day discount is one way our company can show appreciation for the heroic Americans who serve in our armed forces," said Bob Nardelli, chairman, president & CEO of The Home Depot. "This holiday honors the brave efforts of military men and women and the sacrifices they make to protect our nation, and The Home Depot is proud to say thank you."

To qualify, individuals must present proof of military service to the Special Services desk at any The Home Depot store, where they will receive a coupon that is redeemable at any cashier's checkout register. Discount coupons are valid on a single receipt, in-store purchase only. Details and exceptions are printed on the coupon.

The discount offer extends the Company's overall commitment to supporting the military community. The Home Depot is the largest retailer with a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule contract and is one of the largest suppliers of building, repair and maintenance products available to the military and all federal agencies through GSA's Hardware SuperStore Multiple Award Schedule program. In effect since July 1, 2003, the GSA Schedule contract makes it easier for The Home Depot and the military to do business together by offering federal procurement customers a more streamlined procurement process.

Other examples of The Home Depot's commitment to the U.S. military include the launch of Project Homefront in 2003, through which The Home Depot donated $1 million and 1 million volunteer hours to help military families with home repairs while their loved ones were deployed. In July 2004, a $1 million donation in tools and supplies was made to support U.S. troops in the rebuilding effort in Iraq.

In September 2004, The Home Depot joined forces with the U.S. departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs to launch Operation Career Front(SM), an unprecedented program designed to provide career opportunities for America's military personnel interested in transferring their unique skills, knowledge and abilities into a successful second career. In 2005, The Home Depot hired 17,000 former military personnel.

Since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, The Home Depot has had as many as 1,800 of its associates called to active duty. Beyond making sure these associates have a meaningful job when they return home, The Home Depot equalizes pay between associates' military salary and their potential salary at The Home Depot. Health benefits are also extended to all deployed associates and members of their families.

In 2005, The Home Depot received several commendations for the Company's military programs, including a Distinguished Service Award from the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); a USO Patriot Award from the United Services Organization (USO) Council of Georgia; a Most Distinguished American Award from the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation; a Most Supportive Employer Award for The Home Depot Canada from the Canadian Forces Liaison Council; and a commendation for support of active duty, national guard and reserve military personnel through the Project Homefront initiative from The American Legion.

The Home Depot(R) is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,060 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. Through its HD Supply(SM) businesses, The Home Depot is also one of the largest diversified wholesale distributors in the United States, with more than 900 locations in the United States and Canada offering products and services for building, improving and maintaining homes, businesses and municipal infrastructures. In fiscal 2005, The Home Depot had sales of $81.5 billion and earnings of $5.8 billion. The Company employs approximately 355,000 associates and has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as the No. 1 Most Admired Specialty Retailer and the No. 13 Most Admired Corporation in America for 2006. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index. HDG