Organization creates rally point for veterans after service

The Houston-native’s path to leading the impact organization came after his own experience of integrating back into the civilian world. After serving as an infantry platoon sergeant in multiple overseas assignments, he returned to his hometown in Texas. While attending Texas A&M University and participating in ROTC and the reserves, injuries sustained during a combat tour prevented him from continuing in the military.

This obstacle did not stop Boerstler from forging a career in service though. He took advantage of an opportunity to work with a U.S. congressman, where he learned firsthand how policies impacted people and “saw the gaps from the strategic level,” he says.

Then, while attaining a master’s in public administration from University of Houston, he started the practical application of his education. The mayor of Houston asked Boerstler to work with the city on the Returning Veterans Initiative.

“This was after the Walter Reed scandals in 2007 and 2008. We quickly realized that as a municipal entity and government agency we weren’t agile enough to deliver services. So, I developed a thesis on transition — that it should be community-based, not installation-based. Otherwise, you’re not getting the necessary resources,” Boerstler said.

With this insight, Boerstler described the organization’s evolution.

“So, we founded another nonprofit called the Lone Star Veterans Association that became a social net to catch returning veterans and their families.”

Then they developed a third version, known as Combined Arms. Its mission is to accelerate the time it takes military families to transition back into civilian life by helping identify passions, skills, and needs, but also connecting them to resources, such as healthcare or job training.

“Combined Arms is now a backbone organization comprised of a coalition of veteran services holding one another accountable,” Boerstler said. The nonprofit serving thousands has continued progressing with technological advancements and he described results of launching a new system 3 ½ years ago.