Achievements

Since 2009 BRAVE has worked to better the lives of veterans and their families.

Government Representation

  • MA Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Services

  • Massachusetts Post-Deployment Council

New Law in Massachusetts

  • BRAVE Commision to Research and Improve Veterans’ Quality of Life in the Commonwealth - 2024 MA Research Commission for Veterans named after BRAVE, in recognition of our work.

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

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.

Leadership and Influence

  • In 2024, BRAVE President, Leroy Ashwood, was one of three awarded Brandeis University’s highest honor, the Alumni Achievement Award.

  • 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.

Veterans Job Placement 

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

    • Initiated collaboration in 2010 with the MA Department of Labor’s Workforce Development System and the Disabled Veterans Outreach Coordinator for Norwood, MA. The partnership has served 1.5 veterans per day over 15 years, for an estimated total of 5,850 veterans to date.

  • Participated in statewide public and private employment fairs for Veterans.

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 Mouth Mobile’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.

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!