Army veteran, musician Keni Thomas to speak at Hands to Hands event

The Hands to Hands nonprofit will present speaker Keni Thomas at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at Grace Church, 5214 Stone Lake Drive.

As an Army Ranger staff sergeant, Thomas was deployed in 1993 to Mogadishu, where he took part in 18-hour fire fight that inspired the movie, "Black Hawk Down." The battle took the lives of 19 Americans and left 78 wounded in the worst urban combat seen by U.S. troops since WWII.

Thomas aims to inspire others to greatness, noting the importance of outstanding leadership at every level - even if the only person you are leading is yourself.

"Leadership has never been the rank, the position or the title you hold. It's the example you set for the ones you serve. And we all serve somebody. There are people to your left and to your right who are counting on you and it's up to you to deliver. But you will only be as good as you prepared yourself to be," Thomas says.

Thomas will give his personal account of the harrowing experience along with his unique set of leadership lessons and mindset of a purpose-filled life.

Since leaving the military he has pursued a career as an award-winning country musician, writer and television producer. He is a national spokesman for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Thomas will also share stories from the Grand Ole Opry, overseas concerts for active soldiers and his eagerness to encourage people who give their best when answering God's call for whatever is in their lives.

For more information about Keni Thomas visit his website, www.kenithomas.com.

Tickets are $25 and are available at the door, or at www.hthcf.org and at any Hands to Hands agency.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Army veteran, musician Keni Thomas to speak at Hands to Hands event