From Combat Boots to a Crown: The Rise of Angel L. Rios

A Crown With a Cause: The Journey of Angel L. Rios

NATIONWIDE - AUGUST 2025 - (USAnews.com) — In 1999, Airman First Class Angel L. Rios's wet hands shook from the cold as she pulled loops through metal eyelets to becket sections of a tent together. It'd been raining for days, and her boots were heavy with mud. She and her team raced to finish the tent before another group arrived at the makeshift city they were building in an empty field. The Civil Engineers said the well would be done, with water flowing by the end of the week. Angel longed for her first shower.

Waterlogged, she slogged to her tent. Her unit had just received mail—care packages from strangers—and one sat on her cot. The contents didn't matter; it was the thought. Years later, as she walks polished fashion runways and speaks at national ceremonies wearing a crown instead of a helmet, she still carries that memory. A care package was more than a box. It was hope.

Angel's story is not one of reinvention—it's one of expansion. From humble beginnings in Los Angeles to two tours in Iraq, a humanitarian mission with the United Nations, and now reigning as the All American Veterans Queen, her path defies expectations. She is proof you can wear combat boots and a crown—and use both to uplift your community.

A Mission Rooted in Service

Born into modest circumstances, Angel learned early the values that shaped her life: kindness, adaptability, and relentless work ethic. Her childhood was marked by frequent moves and challenges, including dyslexia, which made school a daily battle. Yet those struggles forged resilience—the grit that carried her forward.

Straight out of high school, she joined the U.S. Air Force. It wasn't a career choice—it was a calling. Angel served until retiring in 2014, completing multiple deployments, including two to Iraq and a United Nations mission. Her service was decorated with numerous awards, but her proudest moments came not from medals but from the bonds she formed and the lives she touched.

From the Battlefield to the Classroom

When she hung up her uniform, Angel didn't slow down. With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, she enrolled at Eastern Washington University. For someone who struggled to read, a degree in history seemed unlikely—but it was the perfect challenge. Fueled by purpose, Angel earned her Bachelor's, graduating Summa Cum Laude, immediately followed by her Master's in history.

"The GI Bill gave me more than an education," she shares. "It gave me space to heal, grow, and rediscover who I was outside the military."

Her academic success opened doors to work in museums and even led her to Antarctica. Whether managing exhibits or enduring polar cold, Angel approached every chapter with the same tenacity she had in uniform.

Crowning a New Chapter

Photo Credit: Rick Martinez 

Pageantry wasn't part of the plan—until a friend suggested it. Skeptical at first, Angel warmed to the idea when she discovered All American Pageants, an organization with a title for veterans and a platform she already believed in: Operation We Care, a nonprofit sending care packages to deployed troops and first responders.

For Angel, the mission was personal.

"I remember my first deployment—we had nothing but tents and the raining sky above us. Mail was our connection to the outside world. Care Packages reminded us we weren't forgotten."

Crowned All American Veterans Queen, Angel quickly became a national ambassador—not only for the organization, but for countless service members whose stories often go untold. She's used her title to bring visibility to veteran issues, support community events, and continue her lifelong commitment to service. 

Blending Grace and Grit

Pageantry, to Angel, isn't about crowns. It's about the platform. Her public appearances—whether speaking at Memorial Day ceremonies, volunteering with the American Legion, or walking New York Fashion Week—aren't just events. They're opportunities to lead, uplift, and represent veterans.

She has won Ms. Congeniality, the Best Interview Award, and, recently, a Military & Veterans Entertainment Award for her social media presence. Her online following grows steadily, but it's her offline work—building care packages, mentoring veterans, and supporting Gold Star families—that sets her apart.

"My life is about service, in all its forms," she explains. "Whether through a deployment or a community event, I want to show you can always find a way to give back."

A Life Reinvented, Not Replaced

Angel's story isn't just a list of accomplishments. It's a living example of what's possible when you refuse to let circumstances define you. Her path—military veteran, scholar, adventurer, queen—isn't one of opposites, but intersections. She is both battle-tested and pageant-polished, proving beauty and strength are not only compatible but complementary.

In a world that too often puts people in boxes, Angel Rios breaks them wide open.

She now resides with her husband Dan, whom she met while stationed at F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A fellow veteran, Dan has been her anchor throughout this rhinestone-covered chapter. "Instead of asking if I have my hat and badge," she laughs, "he now asks if I have my crown and sash."

Their journey together has been one of travel, shared duty, and constant support. Dan remains her number one fan and steady presence behind the scenes.

Photo Credit: Alyssa Whoaa

Leading by Example

Today, Angel continues her work with Operation We Care, championing its mission to comfort deployed troops and first responders. She serves with honor as part of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Combined Honor Guard of the Miami Valley, never missing a chance to serve those who've served.

"Challenges don't define you—they prepare you," she says. "If my story can show even one person it's never too late to start again, then every obstacle was worth it."

She embodies the notion that leadership doesn't end with rank—it evolves. And true beauty isn't measured by appearance, but by impact.

Follow Angel L. Rios's inspiring journey and support her mission to honor those who serve—on and off the battlefield.

Discover more on Instagram at @all_american_veterans_queen.

Learn more about Operation We Care at OperationWeCare.org