Model Soldier
Former ordnance officer trades machine guns for makeup in mission to become Mrs. America.
By Dan Fazio
Photos courtesy of ROY COX Photography

There probably aren’t many professional women in America who know how to expertly fire a heavy machine gun and charm a panel of beauty pageant judges. Raquel Riley Thomas does. The former enlisted photojournalist-turned-Army ordnance officer personifies tough meets beautiful. She has excelled on two very demanding stages: the U.S. military and the Mrs. America pageant, where she was named first runner-up in September 2010.

On the military stage, Riley Thomas rose from an enlisted Army Reservist to a commissioned officer in eight years – an accomplishment she still cites as her proudest military achievement. “I felt as if I was making so many people proud of me,” she recalled. “Their hard work on me had finally paid off.”

Boots to Bikinis
Those proud people include the three women warriors in her family who preceded Riley Thomas: her mother, aunt and grandmother all served in uniform. After spending nine years in uniform herself, Riley Thomas traded her boots for high heels and transitioned into the glamorous world of fashion, where she worked as a model, photographer, TV spokesmodel and reality show contestant.

Two years ago, Riley Thomas decided to serve her country again – this time as a marketing consultant for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She now spends her days helping America’s veterans, but an innocent question from her 4-year-old daughter inspired Riley Thomas to compete for the Mrs. America crown. “She had been looking at cartoons and she asked me why there weren’t any princesses that looked like her … After I won Mrs. Maryland, I gave my daughter my crown and told her, “Now baby, you are the princess.”

G.I. Jobs talked to Riley Thomas about her military service, her fashion career, her passion to help her fellow veterans and her quest for the Mrs. America crown. 

GIJ: You come from a long line of women warriors: Your mother, grandmother and aunt all served in the military. How did this shape your decision to join the military?

Riley Thomas: The line of women I come from are strong, intelligent and beautiful people who have given so much to serve others and protect them. Well, that “serve and protect” blood runs through me. And I realized it as a youngster, the military would be on my path.

GIJ: How difficult was it to express your love for fashion while in uniform?

Riley Thomas: (Laughing) It was not too much of challenge in our uniform because we knew the military standard had to be upheld. I did always want the shiniest boot and pressed uniform, though, which helped me stay out of trouble, especially in basic training. 

GIJ: What did you take away from your military experience?

Riley Thomas: Self discipline. I didn’t realize how much the military influenced my behaviors until after I got out. The military had a certain structure with very traditional core values and I still use a lot of those values in my everyday life. For instance, my 4-year old gets “room inspections,” and my 1-year old is already learning how to wash her clothes. 

GIJ: Your military and fashion careers couldn’t be more different. When and how did your post-military career plan take shape?

Riley Thomas: Within a few weeks after I left the military, a celebrity makeup artist told me I should model and I laughed. Then, as it so happened, I went to a very well-known modeling agency to pitch them my photography services and the agent, Victoria, asked me if I modeled. I said no and she said, “Yes you do now.” Needless to say, I was signed immediately as a commercial model. That’s how the “Boots to Bikinis” tagline and concept came about. 

GIJ: You had a successful post-military career as a fashion model, photographer and TV spokesmodel. Yet two years ago you went to work full time for the Department of Veterans Affairs. What inspired this career move?

Riley Thomas: I started out serving my country in the military and I wanted to continue serving in some form, using all of the skills I had learned over the years. Marketing and communications is a perfect job for me. I also stay connected to the entertainment industry as a fashion and etiquette advice blogger. I go to as many couture fashion shows as time permits. I can never get enough of fashion! 

GIJ: What inspired you to compete in the Mrs. America pageants?

Riley Thomas: My quest started with a question my 4-year old asked me. She had been looking at cartoons and she asked me why there weren’t any princesses that looked like her? Any parent reading this will know that when your child asks a deep question you can’t answer, you go get an answer. And so, my pageant life began. I did some due diligence, found out I could please my daughter, speak out on my platform and wear beautiful clothes, all at the same time. It was a win all the way around! After I won Mrs. Maryland, I gave my daughter my crown and told her, “Now baby, you are the princess.” 

GIJ: Did your military training and experience help you in the Mrs. America competition?

Riley Thomas: Military training definitely helped me in this pageant. My goal was to stay focused on my mission and don’t let anything or anyone stand in my way. 

GIJ: Once you reached the national competition, how did your fellow contestants react when they learned about your military career?

Riley Thomas: They were floored! I get that reaction a lot though. They just don’t believe that at one time or another, I was pulling the trigger on machine guns or trudging muddy waters with rucksacks on my back. It’s pretty funny to see the reactions on people’s faces. 

GIJ: Your platform is “Veterans Employment: Taking Care of Our Heroes and their Families.” Why did you choose this platform?

Riley Thomas: Veterans employment is near and dear to my heart. First, I am one. And I know what it feels like to transition out of the military into the civilian populations. It’s tough. So many people have a negative perception of those who choose to serve. That really bothers me. My goal is to change that perception. Both the Mrs. Maryland America and the Mrs. America organizations have given me the opportunity to do just that. 

GIJ: How did you pitch your platform to the Mrs. America judges?

Riley Thomas: In our interview sessions with the judges, I told them, if military members and their families can serve and protect our country, don’t you think they could do the same for your company?
 
GIJ: What impact do you think your platform had on the Mrs. America judges?

Riley Thomas: I think my passion for my platform had a huge impact on their decision to vote me in to the top three.  There is a quote I like to use: “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.” 

GIJ: You placed in the top three out of 51 contestants. What were your thoughts when they announced your name as first runner up?

Riley Thomas: I was still in shock that I even got that far. It was surreal. All that ran through my head was, “I hope I am making my family and friends proud of me.” 

GIJ: How will you advocate Veterans Employment throughout the rest of your reign as Mrs. Maryland?

Riley Thomas: The great thing is that I have the opportunity daily at my job in marketing. However, as Mrs. Maryland, I do speaking engagements and appearances to spread the word about veterans employment.

GIJ: You’ve remained involved in the fashion world as a blogger, blending “military etiquette with fashion style.” What else would you like to accomplish in the fashion world?

Riley Thomas: In the entertainment world, I would like to produce a “feel-good” reality show that focuses on giving back to veterans and their families. I can’t fix any wounds that military members and their families have endured but I want to at least do my part to put a Band-Aid on them.

• Marketing Consultant, Department of Veterans Affairs (2008-Present)
• Fashion photographer, commercial model and TV spokesmodel (2002-2008)
  

Military

• U.S. Army Reserve (1990-1992)
• U.S. Army (1992-1995; 1998-2002) Highest rank attained: Captain (O-3)
  

Crowns

• 1st Runner-Up, Mrs. America pageant, September 2010
• Pageant platform: “Veterans Employment: Taking Care of Our Heroes and their Families”
• Mrs. Maryland America, June 2010

Education
Bachelor of arts degree in psychology/ROTC program, Hampton University (1995-1998)

Raquel is married to Ron Thomas, a former West Point football star-turned-attorney. Like Raquel, Ron served as an Army ordnance officer. Raquel’s children include Maria, left, and Sophia, right, and stepdaughters Danielle, center left, and Kennedy, center right.

• Start early in defining career goals
• Identify skills necessary to meet those goals
• Research resources available and last but not least,
• Network
  

Fun Facts
Hobbies? Reading, yoga and dancing with my daughters. We have a dance session in the evenings while my husband plays DJ.

Favorite sports team? The Army team, but of course. My husband use to play and may I add he was on the most winning team in Army football!

What do you do to relax? My husband and I run away, for a weekend, every few months. We also have date night several times a month.

Favorite TV show? “The Cosby Show.” That show will always be funny to me, especially now that I have children.

What CD is playing in your vehicle? A mix of electronica music. I use to play the drums in a band when I was a teenager, so I have a love for beats!

Are you a good shot? If you mean in weapons, yes. One shot … one kill was our motto! To me it means: get it right the first time. I incorporate that catchphrase in my day to day.

What’s in your refrigerator? There are a variety of juices and several Sippy cups that are half-full of juices. My kids never seem to like just one type and are constantly getting my husband and me to get them. Maybe we should get our robot to get the juices for them. 

Volunteer Work

• Delta Sigma Theta Inc., sorority
• Jack and Jill of America Inc., an organization committed to nurturing and guiding children to become future leaders
• Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce