An 800mg ibuprofen wasn’t going to heal the injuries Thom Tran sustained in Iraq. Not only was Tran shot in the head just four days after crossing the border (and notably stayed through the deployment in order to continue leading his team), he left the country with invisible wounds that took years to address. Tran’s therapy looked a little different than most: stand-up comedy.
Tran started out wanting to be Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) from “Good Morning, Vietnam.” The Army had other plans for him, but when he left the service, he headed down the path of radio. While working at a station, a friend who owned a comedy club asked him to host a comedy show.
“I thought it would be an easy transition from radio. I was terrible at first,” Tran told We Are The Mighty. “But I kept doing it. Somewhere along the way, I found healing in comedy.”
Tran tells jokes all over the country, partnering with organizations like MilSpouseFest and the Wounded Warrior Project. WWP is one of the many organizations USAA is investing in with its Honor Through Action movement.
Announced on Nov. 7, 2025, Honor Through Action is a $500 million commitment over five years to champion and strengthen the military community. Building on the success of Face the Fight, a nationwide veteran suicide-prevention initiative founded by USAA, Honor Through Action will expand efforts to include mental and physical health, caregiver support, community connection, and the prevention of veteran homelessness.
“If we do it right, we will see our military families thrive,” USAA CEO Juan Andrade said of the new campaign. “Helping veterans and military spouses find their new tribe—a place where they belong after they leave the military, with a quality employer and a meaningful career—is essential. The second aspect is financial security. If we can help families be more proactive, better manage their finances, and carry less debt at the end of the day, we reduce stress and strengthen overall well-being. That’s why we’re doing all this together. USAA has a powerful brand and a powerful voice. We need to use that brand and that voice to advocate more proactively for the military community across careers, financial security, and well-being, including caregiver and childcare support.”
USAA’s commitment to the military is something Tran has carried with him.
“There was a time I fell out of love with the Army because I thought it wasn’t a part of my life anymore,” said Tran. “I called USAA to ask if I could still keep my account after I got out. They said, ‘Of course. Thank you for your service.’ It sounds small, but it reminded me that I’ll always be part of this community.”
Watch this video to hear more about Tran’s journey, the Wounded Warrior Project, and Honor Through Action:
Learn more about the Honor Through Action campaign at usaa.com/veteransday and follow the conversation using #HonorThroughAction.
