Military Spouse Writer and Home Front Hearts Volunteer

 

It all began with a question from her oldest daughter. Only three years old at the time, she asked her mother why there weren't any (Disney) princesses who looked like her. Inspired to create this image for her daughter, Raquel Riley Thomas soon entered into her first pageant and was crowned the 2010 Mrs. Maryland America. She also went on to place as first runner up in the 2010-2011 Mrs. America pageant.

 

Following in the footsteps of her grandmother, aunt, and mother (who all served in the military), Raquel proudly served in the United States Army for 9 years. Since separating from the military, she's been passionate about her work with veterans. "The military will always run through my veins. And we are family whether we are serving now or if we are veterans, so we take care of one another," she says. "... I wanted to speak out on how more people should hire veterans. If our military members can fight for you in wars, don't you think they can fight for your company?" The pageant winner and model uses her newfound notoriety to share her platform on veteran activism. "People see the crown and they get excited, which means I have their attention ... And in those moments, I can talk to them about my platform and for most they recognize how passionate I am about it," Raquel explains. As a veteran and a spouse of a veteran, Raquel is also truly appreciative of the work done by Home Front Hearts (HFH) and has signed on to spread the word about the "selfless" mission of HFH without hesitation.

 

As if her pageant pursuits and work with veterans don't keep her busy enough, she has a newly formed company called An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC which has taken over the Mrs. DC America pageant for which Raquel serves as the Executive Producer and Director. She's also created a lifestyle blog called Boots 2 Bikinis (www.Boots2Bikinis.com). Raquel, 38, adds that this virtual space is "dedicated to active-duty military women, veterans, and their families. I created it because I wanted to make a blog for those in the military community who want to keep abreast of the latest beauty products, fashion-style, home-design, travel, and food picks." She also plans to embark upon the adventure of penning a book which will serve as an extension of her blog on the website.

 

Now, life's not all work and no play; family is also an important part of her life. Though they've known each other for 13 years, Raquel and her attorney husband, Ron, have been happily married for five years. Known fondly by their friends as the real-life "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", the former ordnance officers met while serving in the military and went on their first date on Valentine's Day six years after meeting. The couple has two daughters, Maria and Sophia, and a family robot named R2.

 

When asked what comes next, she mentions that she's started a pageant coaching business. "I am happy to announce that one of my clients just won a national pageant," she proudly adds. And the accolades keep coming her way. Aptly scheduled on this upcoming Veteran's Day, Raquel will be receiving an award from the Women Veteran's Rock Organization at a rally in Washington, D.C. (www.womenvetsrock.org).

 

To her fellow veterans, Raquel shares these last words of encouragement: "The military taught us how to be leaders. Prove your leadership skills by being prepared and being open to change in the civilian world. Never let anyone tell you that you can't because you can."

 

For more information about Raquel Riley Thomas, please visit

www.raquelrileythomas.com  or read her blog at www.Boots2Bikinis.com.

  Celebrate Military Family Appreciation Month

 

President Obama declared November as Military Family Appreciation Month:

 

"Just as our troops embody the courage and character that make America's military the finest in the world, their family members embody the resilience and generosity that make our communities strong.  They serve with heroism in their homes and neighborhoods while they are without the comfort of having loved ones nearby.  Day after day, week after week, spouses resolutely accomplish the work of two parents, sons and daughters diligently keep up with homework and activities, and parents and grandparents patiently wait for news of their child and grandchild's safe return.  To these families, and to those whose service members never come home, we bear a debt that can never be fully repaid."

 

For more information, please click here.

 

Randi Cairns, Founder/Executive Director of Home Front Hearts, has been named as a top 5 finalist in the Harlequin More Than Words program, which aims to raise awareness about worthy causes that are of concern to women! But, now we need your help, as only the top 3 in public voting will earn $15,000 for their charity.

 

Please VOTE once a day and spread the word to everyone you know who supports our military families!!  Voting runs through November 11, 2011!

 

Make sure to add this link to your daily calendar:

http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com/vote/randi-cairns/

 

Thank you for voting and spreading the word!

Veterans Day 2011 Discounts