Leading2Win 2025 Event Strengthens Military-Civilian Connections Across Texas

The Leading to Win Texas Foundation successfully hosted Leading2Win 2025: Bridging the Gap, a four-day leadership event held September 11-14 across venues in Austin and Round Rock, Texas. The gathering brought together service members, veterans, spouses, employers, military supporters and community leaders to facilitate new connections, shared expertise and strengthened resilience across generations and sectors.

Joseph Kopser, L2W Planning Chair and Leading to Win Texas Foundation Board Chair and Co-Founder, emphasized the event's mission: "Leading to Win is about bridging the gap between military and civilian life, across generations and sectors, so that we can strengthen our communities together." The event's significance lies in addressing the critical need for better integration between military and civilian communities, particularly as veterans transition to civilian careers and communities seek to leverage military leadership experience.

The event featured multiple components that demonstrated its broad impact. Nearly 60 attendees participated in the 9/11 Memorial Reception at American Legion Post 76, while over 250 participants attended the Friday Conference & Resource Fair at Dell Diamond. The conference featured 51 Subject Matter Experts powered by Red Thread X and 25 organizations, including a fireside chat with Navy Seal and former NFL Player Clint Bruce. Additional programming included co-located representatives for the Meet Your Army event from Fort Hood, Texas, Army Futures Command, Army Recruiting Command and US Army ROTC.

More than 75 participants attended the Texas Army ROTC Tailgate at the University of Texas at Austin against UTEP football game, coinciding with US News and World Report naming UT-Austin as the number one university in Texas for veterans. The weekend culminated with more than 600 runners in the Travis Manion Foundation's 9/11 Heroes Run at Camp Mabry, demonstrating the event's ability to mobilize large-scale community participation.

Kopser noted the growing momentum of the foundation's mission, stating: "Leading2Win 2025 proved that when we bring people together across generations and communities, powerful connections are made. From the 9/11 Memorial Reception to the Travis Manion Foundation's 9/11 Heroes Run, every moment reinforced our mission of bridging the gap and building a stronger, more resilient future." The event's success was supported by 20 sponsors and donors, including major partners like IBM, Patriots Hall Dripping Springs, Army Futures Command, JP Morgan Chase, American Legion Post 76, and Combined Arms.

Lauren Postler, Finance Chair, expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort: "We're grateful to the sponsors and partner organizations that made the 4-day series of events so successful. The military connected community in Central Texas continues to prove it's one of the best in the world and we can't wait to continue this momentum!" For more information about future initiatives, visit https://Leading2Win.org.

The event's importance extends beyond the immediate participation numbers, representing a critical model for how communities can better integrate military and civilian leadership. By creating platforms for shared experiences and professional development, such initiatives help address veteran unemployment and underemployment while strengthening community resilience. The collaboration between corporate sponsors, military organizations, and community groups demonstrates the potential for scalable solutions to military-civilian integration challenges that affect communities nationwide.