Military man embraces an exciting new service mission

From an adventurous Air Force career to a role in opening a new Whataburger location in Tennessee, Tom Kovach knows a thing or two about service.

As a kid in Victoria, Texas, Tom was never far from a Whataburger. When his family dined out, it was their go-to spot.

“I ate my first Whataburger right after I grew teeth,” Tom said.

That changed when, during high school, Tom moved from Victoria to live with relatives in upstate New York. None of his classmates had ever heard of Whataburger, so he wound up spreading the word about what he considered the best burger around.

After high school, Tom joined the Air Force and built a fascinating career that spanned law enforcement, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence work.

“I got to do some fun stuff while I was in the military,” Tom said. “Jump out of helicopters, scuba dive, rappel down the side of buildings—stuff that not everybody gets to do.”

And although his service started in Texas, it took him to Michigan and then back to New York, putting him far away from Whataburger country.

Familiar flavors bring back memories

Tom spent a total of 16 years in the Air Force before settling down near Nashville, Tennessee, where he got the opportunity to work on several television productions as an actor, military technical advisor, and fight scene coordinator.

When Whataburger came back to Tennessee in 2022, Tom got his first taste after decades apart.

“As I opened that wrapper and I smelled that smell, it was like BAM,” Tom said. “I was back in the family car with my parents—my sister and I jumping up and down in the back seat.”

But being in the same metro area wasn’t quite close enough for Tom. He decided to apply for a job at the new location, and started working there a few weeks later.

Soon after, another location opened closer to home and he got the chance to be part of its opening—once again helping to spread the love for Whataburger.