Beyond the Uniform Ministries Beyond the UniformMinistries

About Beyond the Uniform Ministries

The mission didn't end when the uniform came off.

We equip local churches to walk with veterans and their families — offering community, care, and practical support for life beyond the uniform.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."Psalm 147:3

Our Mission

Serving veterans. Strengthening families. Honoring Christ.

We mobilize and equip local churches to build Christ-centered ministries that walk with veterans and their families — offering spiritual care, authentic community, and practical support for life beyond the uniform.

Guided by the love of Jesus, we strengthen marriages, families, and faith while helping veterans thrive in purpose, wellness, and work.

The National Opportunity

Churches want to serve veterans. Most don't know how.

More than 18 million veterans live in the United States — many facing isolation, moral injury, family strain, and disconnection from faith communities after service. Churches long to help, but most lack the specialized understanding, structure, and resources to do it well.

We exist to close that gap. Rather than building isolated programs, we serve as a national hub that hands churches a proven ministry framework, training, and ongoing support — so they can lead locally while drawing on shared tools, national leadership, and trusted oversight. Veterans are cared for inside trusted faith communities, not standalone programs. And the whole family — veteran, spouse, and children — is supported together.

How We Serve

Six pillars of care

The framework we equip every partner church to deliver.

I

Spiritual Care & Formation

Christ-centered shepherding and discipleship for veterans and families.

II

Authentic Community

Small groups, peer cohorts, and family nights that turn isolation into belonging.

III

Family Strength & Resilience

Marriage and parenting support, plus crisis-response pathways when it matters most.

IV

Practical Support

Benefits navigation, career coaching, mentorship, and trusted local referrals.

V

Church Activation & Training

Toolkits, leader training, volunteer onboarding, and ongoing coaching.

VI

Accountability & Outcomes

We track participation, wellness, family stability, and job placement — care you can measure.

Why It Works

A model built to scale — faithfully.

  • ✦Church-centered model. Veterans are supported within trusted faith communities, not standalone programs that come and go.
  • ✦Replicable framework. A standardized, church-ready toolkit enables rapid national adoption without reinventing the wheel.
  • ✦Whole-family focus. Veterans, spouses, and children are supported together — because service is a family calling.
  • ✦National credibility. Strategic leadership across veterans ministry, finance, law, banking, and national Christian media.

Our Promise

What we commit to — and to whom.

To Veterans & Families

You won't walk alone. Find community, counseling, and practical help for the next mission — at home, in health, and at work.

To Churches

We equip your team to launch a sustainable veteran ministry — training, tools, and ongoing support included.

To Sponsors

Your support strengthens veteran wellness, family stability, and workforce readiness — measured with real outcomes and scalable through local churches nationwide.

Governance & Leadership

Board of Directors

A governing board carrying experience across veterans ministry, finance, law, banking, faith leadership, and national Christian media — united by one conviction: no one who served should walk alone.

U.S. Army Veteran

Blair Thomas

Founder, Chairman & Executive Director

Blair Thomas is a seasoned financial professional, U.S. Army Veteran, and mission-driven leader dedicated to serving those who have served. As Executive Director of a national 501(c)(3), he leads initiatives that support the veteran community through partnerships with local churches — leveraging faith-based networks to deliver meaningful, grassroots support where it's needed most.

A Certified Mortgage Advisor with extensive experience in housing and financial services, Blair understands firsthand the challenges veterans face. His vision is a nationwide network of empowered local congregations offering not only spiritual support, but practical guidance in housing, financial literacy, and transition.

Paul Whitley

Financial Strategy · Fractional CFO

A Fractional CFO with 30+ years in executive roles — CFO, COO, CAO, and board member. Paul has completed 31 M&A transactions totaling $465M+, raised $336M+ in capital, and once scaled a business from $6M to $181M in revenue. He brings financial discipline and the operational systems that let a mission scale responsibly.

U.S. Army Veteran

Sheila Rondeau

Marketing & Brand Strategy

A driven executive who has architected partnerships with brands including Toyota, PepsiCo, Walmart, and State Farm. A #1 bestselling author of The Art of Experiential Marketing, she leads BTUM's brand awareness, partnerships, and growth strategy.

U.S. Marine Veteran

Judge John Roach

Presiding Judge, North Texas Veterans Court

Judge Roach has spent his life's work making a difference — as a United States Marine, Plano City Councilman, adjunct professor at SMU and UNT College of Law, co-author of Divorce in Peace, and in his current role as Judge, serving country, community, and the legal profession.

U.S. Army Veteran

Lt. Col. Allen West

Strategic Leadership

A combat veteran and nationally recognized faith-and-values leader, Lt. Col. Allen West brings strategic clarity, public credibility, and a lifetime of principled leadership — anchoring the mission's voice on the national stage.

U.S. Navy Veteran

Troy Miller

President & CEO, National Religious Broadcasters

As leader of National Religious Broadcasters, Troy Miller brings national Christian-media reach, ministry credibility, and strategic relationship support — helping BTUM extend its message and partnerships across the country.

Ron Kelley

Executive Director, Prestonwood Foundation

After a 19-year business career — last serving as a Fujitsu VP responsible for $1.2B in annual revenue — Ron answered a call to full-time ministry in 2004. He now leads the Prestonwood Foundation, providing biblical guidance in personal finance, career transition, and marketplace ministry. He holds a Master's in Theological Studies and was ordained in 2007.

Ted Lane

EVP of Commercial Banking, PlainsCapital Bank

A senior commercial banking executive with 35+ years leading growth and strategic initiatives across national and regional institutions. A Certified Treasury Professional with executive studies through Thunderbird School of Global Management, Ted has served numerous nonprofits, including as past Chairman of Career Path Services.

Guidance & Field Experience

Advisory Board

Advisors strengthen BTUM's church partnerships, veteran outreach, ministry training, and community impact — bringing field-tested wisdom to the work of equipping the local church.

Brandt Edmonston

Chief of Staff, NRB

Advocacy nonprofit leader experienced in coalition building, strategic partnerships, and launching veteran ministry initiatives.

USAF Ret.

David Young

Director, First Dallas Veterans Ministry

Retired U.S. Air Force officer with command experience and ministry leadership through First Baptist Dallas.

U.S. Army Veteran

Zack Knight

Founder & CEO, ATLVets

Bronze Star recipient and veteran leadership authority focused on helping veterans transition, build organizations, and thrive after service.

Dr. Jason Snyder

Senior Associate Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church

Provides leadership in discipleship, teaching, and pastoral ministry at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. He holds a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and brings deep pastoral and church-partnership expertise to the mission.

Jim Cote

President & CEO, Master's Men

Founder and president of Master's Men, a Christian ministry equipping men to follow Christ. An ordained minister and longtime corporate and sports chaplain, Jim has served teams across NASCAR, the NFL, and MLB, and is the author of several books on discipleship and leadership.

RB

Ricky Bonczek

Veterans Ministry Leader

A dedicated Christian and proud veteran serving both his country and his fellow veterans through faith-centered leadership. Ricky brings heartfelt compassion and practical experience to the mission, committed to ensuring that no veteran walks alone.

JM
USAF Veteran

Joel Mabry

Veteran & Former Boys & Girls Club Executive

A U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve veteran who served 45 years with Boys & Girls Clubs of America as Director of Organizational Development. Joel brings decades of youth-development and community-service leadership, and a lifelong commitment to service, to the advisory board.

Our Standing

A faith-based nonprofit ministry

Beyond the Uniform Ministries is a faith-centered, national nonprofit equipping local churches to care for veterans and their families through Christ-centered ministry, discipleship, and practical support.