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LTC Keith Wilson and BRAVE CEO Leroy Ashwood
Leroy Ashwood and Elizabeth Dole
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LTC Ingrid Centurion, US Army (ret.) and candidate for Congress from South Carolina’s District 1 and Leroy Ashwood
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Leroy Ashwood and General Patton’s grandson, Ben.
Where Soldier's for Life and BRAVE began. Boston Fire Department prospect
Leroy being presented with Town Award, Braintree
Fenway Park Military Event
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99-year-old Jim Magellas, highest decorated 82nd Airborne Vet in history and Leroy Ashwood.
DOD officials, Northeastern University

Past Achievements

Massachusetts Veterans’ Services Ecosystem

Created design schematic for the Massachusetts Veterans’ Service Ecosystem, encompassing the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth, now being upgraded by the new Executive Office of Veterans Services Secretariat for 2024. See original Veterans’ Ecosystem below!

Government Representation

MA Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Services

Massachusetts Post-Deployment Council

Sponsored New Law in Massachusetts

Sponsored MA Valor Act I law enacted in 2012, featuring Prior Learning Credit recognition in state funded higher education.

Created Social Interventions for Veterans

Pioneered the “whole-person concept” leading to “wraparound services” used for Veterans and their families today.

Developed post-deployment resiliency concepts to address Veteran suicides, now in place nationwide.

Served in Positions of Leadership and Influence

BRAVE president, Leroy Ashwood, served on the Steering Committee and is a Core Team Alumnus for the Veterans Collaborative, Boston.

Hosted “Better Together”, the first MA statewide Collaborative of Collaboratives at Brandeis University.

Hosted first Greater Boston Veterans Caregiver Conference at Brandeis University.

Sponsored Events

Sponsored Veterans cultural and educational events in Massachusetts.

Hosted MA tours for New England regional leadership of the US Army Soldier for Life program.

Assisted with Veterans Job Placement 

Assisted with the implementation of MA Department of Labor’s federal and state mandates for Veterans employment.

Participated in statewide public and private employment fairs for Veterans.

Volunteered to Help Provide Health Solutions to Veterans 

Day of Healthy Mouths for Veterans: On June 27, 2015, 23 MA Aspen Dental affiliates provided free dental care for 457 MA Veterans. BRAVE participated as one of Aspen Dental MouthMobile’s local partners and provided assistance in getting appointments for 85 of the 457 patients, amounting to $102K in dental services over a four day period. This led to a “Veterans Smile Brightly” proposal to the state legislature for the enhancement of Veterans oral care.