A Legacy of Service: Texas Veteran Supports Fellow Vets and Military Members

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tim Stroud. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Tim Stroud’s dad was a hero. He served the country in the Army, just as his father before him. Then, he came home and served his Missouri community as a police officer for 18 months before being killed in the line of duty. Tim was just 5 years old, his sister, 6. His mom, distraught, became adamant that he not follow suit into either profession. Tragically, around two decades later, she also passed unexpectedly.

“That hit me pretty hard, and I went through a period in life that I took more than I gave, and I didn’t like that person,” Tim says, crediting extended family with guiding him to volunteering as a way to heal.

Volunteering made him reevaluate his mom’s request and his decision to continue his family’s military legacy. He enlisted in the Army at age 27 after spending time at the Missouri Veterans’ Home in St. Louis.

“I saw the camaraderie between the men and women who lived there, and I met the first Black pharmacist in Missouri. Mr. Taylor, 103 years young, would tell me stories about World War I,” he recalls. “I needed direction and discipline, and the drill sergeants at Fort Leonard Wood, MO were happy to give it to me.”

Initially stationed in Germany, his subsequent deployments were to Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq. He served as both a combat medic and a member of the Criminal Investigation Division, a plain-clothed division requiring top-secret clearance that he equates to the FBI of the Army. After his deployments, Tim returned to Fort Hood married to a German woman, but they drifted apart when he was deployed for the birth of their second daughter. With neither of their extended families nearby and the military’s Family Readiness Groups unperfected, both became frustrated with the lack of support. Later parting ways, Tim returned to volunteering to heal, getting engaged with mental health initiatives.

From there, he became progressively more involved with veteran support organizations. It was a period when many were appearing, but people didn’t know where they were or how to access them. So, with $1.6 million from the governor of Texas, Tim co-founded TexVet to connect vets with resources.

“You could type your county, and it would show you which resources were available–financial, spiritual or physical. If you were caught in the red tape in the VA and other organizations couldn’t-help you, these organizations would,” he says.

He does the same with Jay Coppock, CEO of SERVE, after meeting at an event 10 years ago. Together, they help catch veterans who fall through the cracks.

“There are over 45,000 nonprofits registered with the IRS for veterans alone.” Jay explains. “There are so many of us in this space, we don’t even know the others exist. By seeking each other out and collaborating, it narrows it down.”

Sometimes, all it takes is someone reaching out to inquire about services or donations. This is Tim’s forte.

“He’s very outgoing. He’s not afraid to be told, no,” Jay notes, praising Tim’s persistence and ability to make things happen. “And he’s very good about thanking people. I go to an event, and when I leave, I get a text or call saying thank you for coming. That makes people want to help him, because he’s truly appreciative.”

Tim serves on the board of SERVE, and Jay returns the favor with an organization Tim founded with his daughter Amber, Stay Tuned for Vets. It’s designed to promote engagement between veterans as well as between them and the community. It’s also meant to be fun.

“We wanted to teach people that life is beautiful. It can be creative,” Tim says.

They offer arts-based mental health and wellness programs like painting, equine therapy and acting classes. After being convinced to try a dance class, one Vietnam vet had such a great time, he signed up for private classes. A year and a half later, he and his wife are doing competitions. He credits Stay Tuned for Vets for igniting his passion for dance as well as reconnecting with his wife.

As CEO, Tim has worked hard to build relationships with the 550 veteran service organizations they collaborate with and often attends other groups’ events to assist and cheer them on. He especially enjoys working with his daughter and training other leaders across his organizations, taking pride in their success.

Another issue Tim tackles is the transition to civilian life. Sometimes that means helping translate skills for a nonmilitary resume. Other times, it’s working with employers.

“They want to see you as an individual leader. And that’s a struggle for some of our military members, because they were trained over the last four to 24 years that it was a shared responsibility with shared accolades,” he explains of job search competition.

In 2024 alone, Tim also volunteered at multiple veteran mobile food banks, helping feed more than 2,000 families experiencing food insecurity. At Combined Arms, he coordinates drive-thru distributions that support 1,000+ veterans and families each month and provides more than 11,000 meals during Thanksgiving with Operation Turkey.

The list of places Tim volunteers is lengthy, but Killeem Police Department Law Enforcement Assistance Fund, founded in honor of his father, is close to his heart. Tim has facilitated the donation of over $1.5 million in emergency support to officers and their families in times of injury, illness or loss. And he spends 10 hours a month fundraising and doing outreach.

Tim has even adopted former service dog Colton with whom he travels the country teaching companies the legalities and social implications of having such animals and how they improve veterans’ lives. Even in Colton’s retirement, they’re a popular duo, making appearances at community events.

“He truly cares,” Jay reiterates. “He knows what it’s like to be in combat. He knows what it’s like to be with other veterans, and he’s seen them struggle.”

With empathy and openness, Tim is continuing his family legacy of saving lives and building community. The path to a happy life is never without challenges. Sometimes, overcoming them requires a helping hand. And Tim Stroud has two.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Tim? Find local volunteer opportunities.