Home / Meet Harley Brown and Claire
CACI’s Master Sergeant (Ret.) Harley Brown knows what it means to navigate life after service, and how a single turning point can redefine that journey. After retiring from a 20-year career with the U.S. Army, Brown was paired with his service dog through America’s VetDogs, and the partnership has transformed his day‑to‑day independence in ways he never imagined.
“Her name is Claire, but around the house she’s Claire Bear,” said Brown. “America’s VetDogs paired us in December 2023, and she’s been part of the family ever since.”
Over his Army career, Brown supported high impact intelligence and special operations missions during six deployments across Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. After leaving service, he struggled to stay grounded and navigate daily tasks that most people rarely think about. Since being paired with Claire, the difference, he says, has been “night and day.”
“Living with PTSD, she helps me stay present, calm, and aware of my surroundings, especially in public,” Brown said. “She also supports my mobility challenges. She's trained to hit handicap door buttons, pick things up off the floor — anything from a cane to a credit card — and she steadies me on stairs.”
America’s VetDogs trains and places service dogs with veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders living with physical disabilities, post-traumatic stress, hearing and vision loss, and other daily challenges.
Claire is a powerful example of what that support can mean. Over time, Claire has become much more than a service dog; she's a trusted companion and teammate who is part of every aspect of Brown's life.
“You spend more time with your service dog than with anybody else,” said Brown. “Claire sees all of it — work, home, good days, bad ones, everything in between. That's why the bond is so deep. She's not a pet I go home to at night; she's a teammate.”
Harley’s story is exactly why CACI launched Good Dogs for Great Americans, a program built in partnership with the NHL’s Washington Capitals and America’s VetDogs to help provide specially trained service dogs for veterans in need. Supporting military communities has been part of CACI’s culture for more than 60 years, and this program builds on that legacy with impact rooted in service and independence.
Throughout this NHL season, CACI will donate $250 to America’s VetDogs for every Capitals blocked shot. With roughly 1,300 blocked shots in a typical season, the partnership has the potential to fund training for up to eight service dogs annually.
“The Good Dogs for Great Americans mission is so personal to me,” said Brown. “Seeing my own company put its name behind this initiative, and in partnership with the Capitals, reaffirms that CACI means it when we talk about veteran support.”
Brown says joining a company where veterans comprise nearly 40 percent of the workforce reinforced the sense of community he'd already found through America's VetDogs. Brown compares the support he’s received from America’s VetDogs to the support he’s felt at CACI – two communities that understand what veterans need to thrive.
“The best teams take care of their own,” said Brown. “That's the Caps on the ice; that's America's VetDogs off of it; and, after a year here, I know that's CACI.”
As CACI embarks on its Good Dogs for Great Americans program, Brown is eager to see how many lives will be changed.
“If the program helps more people like me find their Claire, it will be worth it,” Brown shared.
Copyright © CACI International Inc
All rights reserved