By Mona Lisa Faris, President & Publisher, U.S. Veterans Magazine
Trying to reach veterans? The biggest platform right now isn’t a base or a community center—it’s TikTok. With over 19 million veterans, service members and their families active on the app, TikTok has become a thriving digital hub for the military community. This year alone, military and veteran content has drawn more than 42 billion views—proving it’s far more than just entertainment. It’s a space for connection, storytelling and purpose.
At the Military Influencer Conference (MIC) in Atlanta, TikTok’s presence was impossible to miss. The platform’s booth buzzed with creators, nonprofits and entrepreneurs—all leveraging social media to serve and celebrate the military community. There, I sat down with four voices making an impact: Jim Lorraine, Kagan Dunlap, Tiffany Jones Lewis and Johnny Vargas.
Jim Lorraine: Building Bridges
For Lorraine, President and CEO of America’s Warrior Partnership and an Air Force veteran, TikTok has become a vital tool for outreach. “We started from scratch, so we had zero views,” Lorraine explained. “Within two months, we had 14,000 followers, with a viewership of about 211 million.” The results went beyond likes—website traffic increased by more than 400%, translating into real-world support for veterans in need.
His secret? Collaboration. Lorraine’s team partnered with War Hamster, an Air Force medic turned influencer with more than half a million followers. “She promotes America’s Warrior Partnership,” he said. “Our biggest limiting factor is, I can’t serve anybody I don’t know. TikTok is the connection.”
Lorraine encourages nonprofits to see the platform as more than just a marketing tool. “If you’re a nonprofit, you need to use it as a platform of messaging,” he said. “It’s a way of keeping your current clients aware of what’s happening and building relationships that last.”
Kagan Dunlap: Digital Storytelling
Dunlap, a veteran content creator with 1.2 million TikTok followers, takes a more journalistic approach. Through his daily videos, Dunlap raises awareness about issues affecting the military community—from policy changes to global events. “It’s a way to inform people and teach people things,” he said. “I cover issues the mainstream media wouldn’t typically cover.”
Dunlap’s consistency is his cornerstone. “When I first started, I was posting 20 times a day,” he laughed. “Now I make five videos every morning. I get up at 4:30, shave, have coffee, go into my office and record. Then I schedule them to post throughout the day.”
It’s a grind, but one that’s paid off. “It’s an everyday thing, day in and day out,” Dunlap said. “Most people don’t just post one video and go viral. It doesn’t happen that way. You have to feed the beast.”
Beyond the numbers, Dunlap sees storytelling as central to military culture. “Storytelling is a big part of our experience,” he shared. “I want to be a conduit to relay these stories. There are a lot of incredible voices out there that deserve to be heard.”
Tiffany Jones Lewis: Service into Style
For Navy veteran and entrepreneur Lewis, TikTok became the bridge between two worlds—military service and fashion. Standing at six-foot-one, she launched a brand for tall women and used TikTok to find her community. “I got on there to find my tribe,” she said. “And I found all the girls who are tall and love talking about it.”
But beyond connecting with customers, Lewis says the platform gave her space to be authentic. “It allows me to be human,” she explained. “I don’t have to be aesthetically perfect every day. If today was a rough day, I can say that too.”
Her journey took off after joining SOAR, an eight-week virtual program TikTok created for veteran entrepreneurs. “It really allows you to get a one-on-one breakdown of the app,” Lewis said. “It focuses on storytelling, finding creators to help you sell and setting up your shop.”
Today, Lewis has 10,000 followers, and she credits TikTok for empowering her to merge entrepreneurship with authenticity. “When you’re in [the military], there’s so much camaraderie,” she said. “When you get out, you can feel like a loner again. Having a community of veterans on TikTok is amazing.”
Johnny Vargas: Authentic Connection
For Vargas—known online as Viva La Vargas—authenticity is everything. With 110,000 followers and a monthly reach of 30 million, he’s built his platform on honesty, humor and heart. “There’s a big difference between TikTok and other social media,” he said. “TikTok focuses on people who want to know things in real time. When news breaks or something’s trending, it hits TikTok first—and people expect transparency.”
His approach is simple but disciplined. “You have to treat TikTok like a relationship,” he explained. “If you only give it attention once a month, it won’t grow. But if you keep showing up and engaging, it will.”
Vargas’s content rests on three pillars: make them laugh, make them learn, make them cry. Through veteran news, skits and personal stories, he connects through openness. “I’ve shared hard parts of my life because I want others to know they’re not alone,” he said.
That honesty has earned him recognition beyond the screen—this year, Vargas was named one of the We Are The Mighty’s Mighty 25, honoring those making a difference for veterans and military families. “TikTok changed my life,” he said. “It gave me a platform to amplify smaller voices.”
Digital Formation
TikTok has evolved into an unexpected but powerful community space for veterans—one where service, storytelling and entrepreneurship converge.
From Lorraine’s advocacy outreach to Dunlap’s global commentary, Lewis’s fashion entrepreneurship and Vargas’s digital mentorship, each creator demonstrates how online platforms can amplify military voices and bridge the gap between service and civilian life.
As Lorraine put it, “Connections start with a connection. TikTok is the connection.”
We hope these stories resonate and encourage you to start your own journey on TikTok. Whether you’re looking to share your story, market your business or build a new network, there are endless ways to make your mark. TikTok is the way to go.
Read more articles for the Veteran Community here.
