In 1993, Staff Sergeant Keni Thomas deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, with the 3rd Ranger Battalion as part of Task Force Ranger. Their mission: capture warlord Mohammed Farrah Aidid. On October 3rd, Keni and his fellow Rangers fought in an intense 18-hour battle later recounted in Black Hawk Down. Nineteen Americans died, and seventy-eight were wounded in the worst urban combat since WWII. After Mogadishu, he became an elite reconnaissance team leader, earning his Master Parachutist rating and completing the Special Forces Combat Diver Course.

Leaving the Army to pursue music, Keni became an award-winning country artist, military analyst, and Emmy-winning producer. He has been honored by Congress and the President for his work with veterans and serves as a spokesperson for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. A University of Florida graduate and Bronze Star recipient, Keni remains dedicated to honoring those who serve.