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OUR TEAM
Ron Millward | Founder, Chairman of the Board
Ron Millward is a United States Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and their families. Ron enlisted in the Air Force at 17 and served seven and a half years as a combat vehicle operator and aerospace flight medic. During his service, he relocated more than 20 times and deployed to Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.
After service, Ron faced the realities of combat-related PTSD and the loss of fellow veterans to suicide. These experiences became the driving force behind his commitment to veteran wellness, advocacy, and community-centered solutions. In 2018, he founded Balanced Veterans alongside a board of fellow veterans, which later evolved into the Balanced Veterans Network through the integration of Operation 1620 with BVN Co- Founder Caleb Masoner.
As Founder and Chairman of the Board, Ron provides strategic leadership rooted in lived experience, accountability, and service. His work centers on education, advocacy, and access to whole-person wellness resources, guided by the belief that balance after service is built intentionally through action, connection, and community.
Caleb Masoner | Co-Founder, Secretary and Treasurer of the Board
Caleb Masoner was raised across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Seeking a way out of a difficult environment, he enlisted in the Alabama Army National Guard in 2006 at the age of 21. Caleb served nine years as a Human Resources Sergeant and deployed to Sharana, Afghanistan in 2009, where he supported Personal Security Detachment operations and drove MRAPs.
After returning stateside, Caleb completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Alabama while continuing his service. During this time, he began experiencing debilitating back pain and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. He was medically discharged in 2015, which marked the beginning of a new chapter focused on healing and recovery. Through reintroduction to natural medicine as a therapeutic tool, Caleb found meaningful relief and a renewed sense of balance.
In 2017, a conversation with a fellow soldier about cannabis and PTSD sparked the creation of Operation 1620 as a nonprofit initiative. In 2020, Operation 1620 formally aligned with Balanced Veterans to expand impact and advance veteran wellness through education, advocacy, and community. Caleb has since become a passionate advocate for natural and plant-based modalities, crediting them with helping him regain stability and purpose.
Caleb earned a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University Global in 2022. He now serves as a Board Director and supporting leader within Balanced Veterans Network, contributing strategic insight, lived experience, and continued advocacy for veterans seeking balance after service.
Mike Williams | Board Director
Helping people has long shaped Mike’s path, and he believes meaningful change requires both compassion and structure.
Following high school, Mike served six years in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard as a Security Forces member. In the aftermath of 9/11, his unit was recalled to active duty, during which time he deployed twice overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was later activated again in response to Hurricane Katrina, supporting security and relief efforts in Louisiana.
After his service, Mike completed a degree in Political Science – International Relations from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he moved through a series of temporary and contract roles in records management and security work before retraining as an electrician, seeking a fresh start in the skilled trades. That path was cut short by an injury that led to renewed health challenges and a period of rebuilding. That experience, including both physical and mental health challenges, deepened his understanding of the layered realities many veterans quietly navigate after service and strengthened his resolve to build steadier systems for others.
Mike followed Balanced Veterans Network (BVN) for several years before choosing to volunteer in 2021. What began as a search for stability evolved into a deliberate commitment to building the infrastructure veterans need to access consistent, sustained support. He applied the systems-oriented approach he developed through his professional experience to strengthen BVN’s operational foundation.
Today, Mike serves as a Board Director and leads BVN’s Medical Marijuana Program, overseeing day-to-day operations, program development, and systems design. He contributes to governance, strategic planning, and organizational accountability, helping ensure that the structures supporting veterans are dependable, transparent, and built to last. He believes nonprofit leadership is ultimately about stewardship, ensuring that today’s work strengthens the organization for those it will serve tomorrow.
Outside of BVN, Mike is a stay-at-home father who values time with his family, long walks, and lifelong learning.
Other Leadership
Eric Jansen – Government Affairs & Policy coordinatorÂ
Robert Sanchez – Outreach & Event coordinator