Helping fellow veterans win the battle to adjust to civilian life

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine, we meet Joshua Leach-Aslam – founder of Two Chevrons Group.

Two Chevrons is a social enterprise, which supports armed forces veterans and the blue light community transition to civilian life.

Joshua himself is an armed forces veteran. After joining the British Army in 2009, he became a sniper at the tender age of 17.

By the time he was 18 he had already served in Afghanistan. He became a full corporal (hence the two chevrons name) at just 20 years old.

But his burgeoning career in the military was cut short at 23 years old when he was given a medical discharge.

He was passionate about giving something back, particularly to the veteran and blue light community, which is where Two Chevrons Group comes in.

In his interview with Innovate, Joshua shares the battle people like himself face to adjust back to civilian life.

Two Chevrons was established to provide routes into education, mentoring and general support … the kinds of help that were so badly missing when Joshua was medically discharged by the army.

He told Innovate: “As a veteran, I have a first-hand understanding of the challenges you face when you leave the armed forces.

“At this moment, there are 5,000 ex-armed forces personnel who are currently homeless and one-in-five of those leaving the blue light community will turn to drugs, alcohol or attempt to take their own lives.”

In the interview, Joshua talks candidly about his experiences in the army – and the impact it had on his mental health further down the line, particularly after he left.

Although he has managed, ultimately, to achieve a successful transition from army to civilian life, he knows that many others are struggling to do the same.

Two Chevrons, which is Marketing Derby’s Rising Star for 2024, has been formed in two parts.

The first is a business, offering consultancy, property and project management and media services, with money raised from its operations helping to fund the second, a community interest company, providing mentoring and support and lobbying for policy change.

Joshua, who recently won the Volunteering & Charitable Impact Award at East Midlands Chamber’s Generation Next Awards, told Innovate: “Two Chevrons is me. It’s my journey and it’s how I can help other people not to struggle like I struggled.”

To read the feature in full, visit https://heyzine.com/flip-book/ea5784cecc.html#page/40 .