Here are the 172 veterans running for Congress in November
Regardless of which party they are a member of, I am glad to see veterans running for office.
A total of 172 veterans won primaries this year and will appear on midterm ballots across the country. Their military service spans from the 1950s to today, and includes time spent in the active-duty ranks, reserves and the Coast Guard.
Experts say more veterans are running credible campaigns for congressional seats this year than ever before.
On election night, Military Times will track the status of each veteran’s race — 62 Democrats, 109 Republicans and one independent — across the country and update the results here. Readers can sort the candidates by clicking on the column headers below, or search for specific names using the search bar.
Veterans running for Congress in 2018This list includes all candidates with military experience who won a primary election and will appear on the fall ballot.
In Office Now Branch Era Combat Tours AL 1 Dem Robert Kennedy Jr. No Male Navy 1990s none Naval Academy grad is not related to the famous political family. AK (House) GOP Don Young Yes Male Army 1950s none 23-term congressman is the dean of the U.S. House. AZ 1 GOP Wendy Rogers No Female Air Force 1980s-1990s none 5th-generation military officer piloted C-21s, C-141s. AZ 3 GOP Nicolas Pierson No Male Army Reserve 1960s Vietnam Son of Mexican immigrants served eight years in Army Reserve. AZ 7 Dem Ruben Gallego Yes Male Marine Corps 2000s OIF One of three Democratic Iraq War vets serving on HASC. AZ 9 GOP Steve Ferrara No Male Navy 2000s OEF Served as a combat surgeon and the Navy’s Chief Medical Officer. AZ Senate GOP Martha McSally No Female Air Force 1990s-2010s OIF, OEF Former combat pilot currently sits on HASC. AR 1 GOP Rick Crawford Yes Male Army 1980s-1990s none Former EOD technician also worked as a news anchor AR 3 GOP Steve Womack Yes Male Army NG 1980s-2000s none Retired colonel spent 30 years in the Army National Guard. CA 2 GOP Dale Mensing No Male Navy 1970s-1980s none Was a neuro-psychiatric technician in the Navy’s Hospital Corps. CA 3 GOP Charlie Schaupp No Male Marine Corps 1990s-2000s Desert Storm, OIF Reitred colonel has attempted several election bids in recent years. CA 5 Dem Mike Thompson Yes Male Army 1960s-1970s Vietnam The first Vietnam veteran ever elected to the California State Senate CA 7 GOP Andrew Grant No Male Marine Corps 2000s OEF Extensive experience on Asia/Pacific issues. CA 8 GOP Paul Cook Yes Male Marine Corps 1960s-1980s Vietnam War Has a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts from fighting in Vietnam. CA 10 GOP Jeff Denham Yes Male Air Force 1980s-1990s Desert Storm Also served in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. CA 15 GOP Rudy Peters No Male Navy 1980s-1990s none Unstable man attempted to stab him on the campaign trail in September. CA 20 Dem Jimmy Panetta Yes Male Navy Reserve 2000s OEF Son of former Defense Secertary Leon Panetta. CA 20 Indy Ron Kabat No Male Army 1970s Vietnam Independent candidate who placed second in the district primary. CA 24 Dem Salud Carbajal Yes Male MC Reserve 1990s Desert Storm Mexican immigrant sits on HASC. CA 25 GOP Stephen Knight Yes Male Army 1980s none Also worked as a Los Angeles police officer. CA 27 Dem Bryan Witt No Male Marine Corps 1980s none Amtrak employee who served four years in the Marine Corps. CA 33 Dem Ted Lieu Yes Male Air Force 1990s-2010s none Current reservist is a leader on the Asian Pacific American Caucus. CA 35 GOP Christian Valiente No Male Army 2000s none Served as a Parachute Rigger with the Airborne Paratroopers. CA 39 Dem Gil Cisneros No Male Navy 1990s-2000s none Won a $226 million lottery jackpot in 2010. CA 41 GOP Aja Smith No Female Air Force Res 2000s-2010s none Current reservist was deployed in Qatar during OEF. CA 46 GOP Russell Lambert No Male Marine Corps 1980s-1990s none Also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary CA 50 GOP Duncan Hunter Yes Male Marine Corps 2000s-2010s OIF, OEF Under indictment for misuse of campaign funds. CA 51 GOP Juan Hidalgo Jr. No Male Marine Corps 1980s-2010s OIF Spent time as the senior enlisted leader at Guantanamo Bay. CA 52 GOP Omar Qudrat No Male Army 2000s-2010s OEF Son of Afghani immigrants who worked as a military prosecutor. CO 1 GOP Casper Stockham No Male Air Force 1980s-1990s none Uber driver and motivational speaker lost bid for this seat in 2016. CO 6 Dem Jason Crow No Male Army 1990s-2000s OIF, OEF Spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. CO 6 GOP Mike Coffman Yes Male Army, USMC 1970s-1990s OIF HASC personnel subcommittee chair. CT 2 GOP Dan Postemski No Male Marine Corps 2000s-2010s OIF Fought in the battle of Fallujah. CT 3 GOP Angel Cadena No Male Marine Corps 2000s OIF, OEF Tied himself to President Trump in a heavily Democratic district. CT 5 Dem Manny Santos No Male Marine Corps 1990s Desert Storm Portugeuse immigrant who served as mayor of Meriden. CT Senate GOP Matthew Corey No Male Navy 1980s none Has worked as a window washer for the last 29 years. DE Senate Dem Thomas Carper Yes Male Navy Res 1960s-1990s Vietnam Ranking member of the Senate Environment Committee. DE Senate GOP Rob Arlett No Male Navy Res 2000s none Former Trump state campaign chairman. FL 2 Dem Bob Rackleff No Male Navy 1960s-1980s none Was a Soviet analyst and editor of Naval Intelligence Quarterly. FL 2 GOP Neal Dunn Yes Male Army 1980s none Completed his medical internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. FL 6 GOP Michael Waltz No Male Army 1990s-2010s OEF Green Beret has become a regular Fox News contributor. FL 9 GOP Wayne Liebnitzky No Male Navy 1970s none Unsucessfully ran for the same seat in 2016. FL 13 GOP George Buck No Male Army, AFRes 1980s-1990s none Post-military career includes work as a professor of terrorism studies. FL 16 GOP Vern Buchanan Yes Male AirNG 1970s none Sits on the House Ways and Means committee. FL 17 GOP Greg Steube No Male Army 2000s OIF His Democratic opponent, April Freeman, died suddenly on Sept. 23. FL 18 GOP Brian Mast Yes Male Army 2000s-2010s OEF Lost both legs in an IED attack in Afghanistan. FL Senate Dem Bill Nelson Yes Male Army 1960s-1970s none Key national race that could determine which party controls the Senate. FL Senate GOP Rick Scott No Male Navy 1970s none Key national race that could determine which party controls the Senate. GA 2 Dem Sanford Bishop Jr. Yes Male Army 1960s none One of only four Congressional Black Caucus members to back the Iraq War. GA 2 GOP Herman West Jr. No Male Marine Corps 1960s Vietnam Wounded while serving in Vietnam. GA 3 Dem Chuck Enderlin No Male Marine Corps 2000s-2010s OEF Fighter pilot who currently serves in the reserve. GA 9 GOP Doug Collins Yes Male AF Reserve 2000s-2010s OIF Serves as a chaplain with the 94th Airlift Wing. GA 11 Dem Flynn Broady Jr. No Male Army 2000s OIF Works as a Veterans Treatment Court coordinator. GA 11 GOP Barry Loudermilk Yes Male Air Force 1980s-1990s Desert Storm Remains an officer in the Civil Air Patrol. HI 1 GOP Cam Cavasso No Male Army 1970s none Well-known figure in local Hawaii politics. HI 2 Dem Tulsi Gabbard Yes Female Army NG 2000s-2010s OIF Current guardsman and member of HASC. IL 1 Dem Bobby Rush Yes Male Army 1960s none Civil rights leader who is influential in Illinois politics. IL 3 GOP Arthur Jones No Male Army 1970s Vietnam Nazi sympathizer has been disowned by GOP. IL 12 Dem Brendan Kelly No Male Navy 2000s none Served as an observer at terrorist trials at Guantanamo Bay. IL 12 GOP Mike Bost Yes Male Marine Corps 1970s-1980s none Also worked as a firefighter before entering politics 26 years ago. IL 15 GOP John Shimkus Yes Male Army 1980s-2000s none Served overseas with the 54th Infantry Regiment in West Germany. IL 16 GOP Adam Kinzinger Yes Male Air Force 2000s-2010s OIF Former KC-135 Stratotanker pilot flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. IN 3 GOP Jim Banks Yes Male Navy Reserve 2010s OEF Took a leave from the state senate to deploy to Afghanistan. IN 4 Dem Tobi Beck No Female Army 1990s none Military police soldier who transitioned to a civilian cyber security expert. IN 4 GOP Jim Baird No Male Army 1960s-1970s Vietnam Surprise primary winner is heavily favored in the fall election. IN 6 GOP Greg Pence No Male Marine Corps 1970s-1980s none Brother of VP Mike Pence. IN 7 GOP Wayne Harmon No Male Marine Corps 1980s none Has stumped for wider use of medical marijuana by veterans. IN 8 GOP Larry Bucshon Yes Male Navy Reserve 1980s-1990s none Heart surgeon who trained at the Milwaukee VA hosptial. IA 2 GOP Chris Peters No Male Army 1980s-1990s none Thoracic surgeon who attended medical school on an Army scholarship. KS 1 Dem Alan LaPolice No Male Army 1990s Desert Storm Bradley Gunner who served in the largest tank battle of the first Gulf War. KS 1 GOP Roger Marshall Yes Male Army Res 2010s none An OB-GYN who has delivered more than 5,000 babies. KS 2 GOP Steve Watkins No Male Army 2000s-2010s OEF Controversy surrouns his work with a Middle East defense contractor. KS 4 Dem James Thompson No Male Army 1980s-1990s none Was a member of the Presidential Honor Guard. KY 2 GOP Brett Guthrie Yes Male Army 1980s-1990s none Sits on the House Education and Workforce Committee. KY 5 Dem Kenneth Stepp No Male Navy 1960s-1970s none Was involved in Florida politics for two decades before moving to Kentucky. KY 5 GOP Hal Rogers Yes Male Army NG 1950s-1960s none The longest serving Kentucky Republican ever elected to federal office. KY 6 Dem Amy McGrath No Female Marine Corps 2000s-2010s OIF, OEF FA-18 pilot flew 89 combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. LA 1 Dem Tammy Savoie No Female Air Force 1970s-2010s OEF Served in several senior roles related to troops’ mental helath care. LA 3 Dem Larry Rader No Male Air Force 1970s No Failed to finish in the top two during his 2016 bid for this seat. LA 3 Dem Verone Thomas No Male Navy 1980s-1990s No Long-shot candidate has a crinimal record in Texas, California LA 3 GOP Josh Guillory No Male Army 2000s OIF One of five candidates vying for the House seat. LA 3 GOP Clay Higgins Yes Male Army 1970s-1980s none Sits on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. LA 5 GOP Ralph Abraham Yes Male Coast Guard, ANG 1980s-2010s none Still flies reconnaissance missions for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. ME 2 Dem Jared Golden No Male Marine Corps 2000s OIF, OEF Fomer staffer for the Senate Homeland Security Committee. MD 1 Dem Jesse Colvin No Male Army 2000s-2010s OEF Army Ranger lived in Syria after college. MD 1 GOP Andy Harris Yes Male Navy Reserve 1980s-2010s Desert Storm Was commanding officer for the Johns Hopkins Naval Reserve Medical Unit. MD 3 GOP Charles Anthony No Male Army 1970s-1980s none Worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. MD 4 Dem Anthony Brown Yes Male Army Reserve 1980s-2010s OIF Former Maryland Lt. Gov. is still in the Army Reserve. MA 6 Dem Seth Moulton Yes Male Marine Corps 2000s OIF HASC member has been a party leader on national security issues. MA 6 GOP Joseph Schneider No Male Army 1960s none Running against fellow veteran, incumbent Rep. Seth Moulton. MI 1 Dem Matthew Morgan No Male Marine Corps 1990s-2010s OIF Write-in primary campaign winner has ties to filmmaker Michael Moore. MI 1 GOP Jack Bergman Yes Male Marine Corps 1970s-2000s Vietnam Served as commanding general of Marine Forces Reserve. MI Senate GOP John James No Male Army 2000s OIF Logged 753.8 flight hours in Iraq during his deployment. MI 5 GOP Travis Wines No Male Navy 2000s-2010s none Works for the Genesee County Drain Commission. MN 1 Dem Dan Feehan No Male Army 2000s OIF Former acting Assistant Secretary of Defense under Obama. MN 6 Dem Ian Todd No Male Air Force 2000s none Arkansas native served in Germany with AF before moving to Minnesota. MN 7 Dem Collin Peterson Yes Male Army 1960s none Nine-term congressman is the most senior represenative from Minnesota. MN 7 GOP Dave Hughes No Male Air Force 1990s-2010s OIF Military pilot still works as a drone pilot instructor. MS 1 GOP Trent Kelly Yes Male Army NG 1990s-2010s Desert Storm, OIF Currently a Brig. Gen. in the Army National Guard. MS 4 GOP Steven Palazzo Yes Male USMC/Army 1980s-2010s Desert Storm, OIF Still serves in the Mississippi National Guard. MS Senate GOP Roger Wicker Yes Male Air Force 1970s-1990s none Was a judge advocate in the Air Force and reserve. MO 5 GOP Jacob Turk No Male Marine Corps 1970s none Ran as an independent in a state Senate race last year. MO 6 Dem Henry Martin No Male Army 1980s-1990s Desert Storm Left the Army to become a teacher. NE 2 GOP Don Bacon Yes Male Air Force 1980s-2010s OIF Served as a wing commander at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. NV 2 GOP Mark Amodei Yes Male Army 1980s none Serves on the House Appropriations Committee. NH 1 GOP Eddie Edwards No Male Navy 1980s none Also served in the FBI and as a local police chief. NH 2 GOP Steve Negron No Male Air Force 1980s-1990s none Former Intercontinental Ballistic Missile combat crew member. NJ 4 Dem Josh Welle No Male Navy 2000s-2010s OEF President of his Naval Academy class, the first to graduate after 9/11. NJ 6 GOP Rich Pezzullo No Male Army Reserve 1980s-2000s none Frequest third-party candidate in New Jersey political races. NJ 9 Dem Bill Pascrell Yes Male Army 1960s none Served on the House Ways and Means Committee for the last decade. NJ 11 Dem Mikie Sherrill No Female Navy 1990s-2000s none Sea King helicopter pilot flew missions throughout the Middle East. NJ Senate GOP Bob Hugin No Male Marine Corps 1970s-1980s none Key national race that could determine which party controls the Senate. NY 1 GOP Lee Zeldin Yes Male Army 2000s OIF Currently a major in the Army Reserve. NY 2 GOP Peter King Yes Male Army NG 1960s-1970s none Frequent cable TV guest who sits on the Homeland Security committee. NY 3 GOP Dan DeBono No Male Navy 1990s Desert Storm Former Navy SEAL who specialized in submarine operations. NY 11 GOP Max Rose No Male Army 2010s OEF Survived an IED attack in Afghanistan in 2013. NY 12 GOP Eliot Rabin No Male Army, Air Force 1960s-1970s none Ran clothing boutiques in New York City after leaving the military. NY 15 Dem Jose Serrano Yes Male Army 1960s none Puerto Rican immigrant served in the Army medical corps. NY 20 GOP Francis Vitollo No Male Air Force 1970s none Works as an emergency room nurse. NC 1 Dem G.K. Butterfield Yes Male Army 1960s none Former NC Supreme Court justice. NC 3 GOP Walter Jones Yes Male Army 1960s-1970s none 12-term congressman is a longtime member of HASC. NC 9 Dem Dan McCready No Male Marine Corps 2000s OIF Baptised in the Euphrates River as a Christian during Iraq deployment. OH 2 GOP Brad Wenstrup Yes Male Army Reserve 1990s-2010s OIF Given Soldier’s Medal for his response at Congressional softball shooting. OH 6 GOP Bill Johnson Yes Male Air Force 1970s-1990s none Was a director of at U.S. Special Operations Command. OH 7 Dem Ken Harbaugh No Male Navy 1990s-2000s none Former COO at Team Rubicon. OH 8 GOP Warren Davidson Yes Male Army 1980s-1990s none Replaced former House Speaker John Boehner. OH 9 GOP Steven Kraus No Male Air Force 1970s none Forced to resign from the Ohio House after a theft conviction. OH 15 GOP Steve Stivers Yes Male Army NG 1980s-2010s OIF A Brig. Gen. in the Ohio Army National Guard. OK 5 GOP Steve Russell Yes Male Army 1980s-2000s OIF, OEF Commanded the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry in combat in Iraq. OR 4 Dem Peter DeFazio Yes Male Air Force 1960s-1970s none Founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. PA 6 Dem Chrissy Houlahan No Female Air Force 1980s none Daughter and grandaughter of career naval officers. PA 10 Dem George Scott No Male Army 1990s-2000s Desert Storm, OEF Transitioned from the military to become a Lutheran pastor. PA 10 GOP Scott Perry Yes Male ANG 1980s-2010s OIF A Brig. Gen. in the Pennsylvania National Guard. PA 14 GOP Guy Reschenthaler No Male Navy 2000s-2010s OIF Served in the state senate for the last three years. PA 16 Dem Ronald DiNicola No Male Marine Corps 1970s none Won the All-Marine boxing title while serving. PA 17 Dem Conor Lamb Yes Male Marine Corps 2000s-2010s none Won a special election for the PA congressional seat earlier this year. RI 2 GOP Salvatore Caiozzo No Male Army 1980s none Has been campaigning with his daughter, a state legislator hopeful. SC 2 Dem Sean Carrigan No Male Army 1990s-2010s none Worked in Walter Reed’s Neo-Natal Intensive Care unit. SC 2 GOP Joe Wilson Yes Male Army 1970s-1990s none Made headlines in 2009 shouting at Obama during his SOTU address. SC 6 GOP Gerhard Gressmann No Male Army 1960s-1970s Vietnam German immigrant who followed his stepfather into the Army. SC 7 Dem Robert Williams No Male Army NG 1990s-2000s OIF Called to active duty while campaigning for a state House seat. TN 1 GOP Phil Roe Yes Male Army 1970s none Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. TN 7 GOP Mark Green No Male Army 1980s-2000s OIF, OEF Trump Army Secretary nominee who dropped out of confirmation process. TX 1 Dem Shirley McKellar No Female Army 2000s-2010s OIF Retired Army nurse was injured in Iraq. TX 1 GOP Louie Gohmert Yes Male Army 1970s-1980s none Outspoken member of the House Freedom Caucus. TX 2 GOP Daniel Crenshaw No Male Navy 2000s-2010s OIF, OEF Navy SEAL lost an eye in an IED blast in Afghansitan. TX 3 GOP Van Taylor No Male Marine Corps 1990s-2000s OIF State lawmaker has deep ties to Tea Party activists. TX 11 GOP Mike Conaway Yes Male Army 1970s none Has close ties to fellow Texan George W. Bush. TX 13 Dem Greg Sagan No Male Navy 1970s-1980s Vietnam Former nuclear power consultant and weekly newspaper columnist. TX 15 GOP Tim Westley No Male Army 1990s none Also worked as a mail carrier and public school teacher. TX 21 Dem Joseph Kopser No Male Army 1990s-2010s OIF Returned to West Point after his military service as an instructor. TX 22 GOP Pete Olson Yes Male Navy 1990s Desert Storm Forme Navy liaison to the U.S. Senate. TX 23 Dem Gina Ortiz Jones No Female Air Force 2000s OIF Now outspoken LGBT advocate served under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. TX 29 GOP Phillip Aronoff No Male AirNG 1960s-1970s none Served as a co-chair for George W. Bush’s 1994 gubernatorial campaign. TX 31 Dem M.J. Hegar No Female Air Force 1990s-2000s OEF Served as a helicopter rescue pilot in Afghanistan. TX 33 GOP Willie Billups No Male USMC, Army 1990s-2010s none Colon cancer survivor who served during his illness. TX 36 GOP Brian Babin Yes Male Air Force 1970s none Earned his dental degree while in the service. UT 2 GOP Chris Stewart Yes Male Air Force 1980s-1990s none Holds the world record for the fastest non-stop flight around the world. VA 2 Dem Elaine Luria No Female Navy 1990s-2010s none Former Surface Warfare Officer founded a “Mermaid Factory” craft business. VA 2 GOP Scott Taylor Yes Male Navy 1990s-2000s OIF Former Navy SEAL has come under fire for possibly skirting campaign laws. VA 3 Dem Bobby Scott Yes Male Army 1970s none Only the second African-American elected to Congress by Virginia. VA 5 GOP Denver Riggleman No Male Air Force 1990s none Accused by his opponent of promoting Bigfoot erotica. VA 8 GOP Thomas Oh No Male Army 2010s none 25-year-old candidate is still in the Army Reserve. VA 11 GOP Jeff Dove No Male Army 2000s OIF Served as a chemical operations specialist. WV 3 Dem Richard Ojeda No Male Army 1990s-2010s OIF, OEF Assualted and severely injured during a campaign event in 2016. WI 1 Dem Randy Bryce No Male Army 1980s none Running for the seat being vacated by House Speaker Paul Ryan. WI 3 GOP Steve Toft No Male Army 1990s-2010s none 32-year career from private to colonel. WI 5 Dem Tom Palzewicz No Male Navy 1980s none Served on a nuclear submarine before entering the financial industry. WI 7 Dem Margaret Engebretson No Female Navy, AirNG 1980s-2000s none Worked as an electrician’s mate, a locomotive mechanic and deputy sheriff. WI 8 Dem Beau Liegeois No Male Army 2010s none JAG officer previously worked in the Green Bay Packers Pro Shop. WI 8 GOP Mike Gallagher Yes Male Marine Corps 2000s-2010s OIF One of the main advocates for a GWOT memorial. NJ 2 GOP Seth Grossman No Male Army NG 1970s none Lost party support over sharing a white supremacist article this summer.
Source: Here are the 172 veterans running for Congress in November
Category: Politics
We’ve got a veteran here in MN that’s running for Gov. as a Dem. He wants to turn MN into a sanctuary state. Plus he is down with the whole Dimicrat socialist BS. He had a career in the National Guard. He’s about my age and dollars to donuts he signed up for the Guard to get out of going to Vietnam.
brian mast GOP,(Fl.) gets an F rating from the NRA. Amazing how these dem peeps served in the Military as a dem or changed over. I was under the impression that dems were anti Military. /Sarc.
Which part is sarcasm?
Having Military Service does not mean that you have or don’t have the ability to be a Congress Critter or any other type of politician. How many professional pols have used their service to scam their way to election and then violate the oath they took as a Service Member. How many joined the Military, purposely, to use said Service as a stepping stone for office. Any particular scumbags/assholes come to mind?
Besides John Kerry, Dick Blumenthal, Randy Cunningham, and Duncan Hunter, to name a few?
Yeah, I get pissed off when veterans pull this kind of shit, regardless of which party they represent. But IMHO, one party seems far more willing to turn a blind eye to shitbaggery than the other.
Hey, don’t forget Jonn’s favorite, Senator Tammy Duckworth, about whom he wrote, “Anyone who expected Duckworth to give a rat’s ass about veterans should look at her record.” I loved the way Jonn sugarcoated everything.
Randy “Duke” Cunningham served seven years in the slammer: “…after pleading guilty in November 2005 to charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Cunningham, who was 64 when he was sentenced in March 2006, had used his positions on the House Appropriations and Intelligence committees to steer lucrative contracts to those who would help him finance an extravagant lifestyle featuring 19th-century French antiques, yachts, Persian rugs, hunting trips, a Rolls Royce, and a $2.55 million home in an exclusive community in San Diego County.”
He has the distinction of being the most corrupt member of Congress ever, if measured by the number of bribes he admitted accepting.
Hey, don’t forget John Murtha. He worked hard to be a shitbag, and his efforts should not be overlooked.
Don’t forget Al Gore. He came home as soon as his daddy’s election was over.
I can’t get there from here. I saw the name Ojeda and was intrigued by the assault story captioned. He is a state senator, retired Army, out as a major. Looks tough. But, like all Democrats, he’s a Lefty. Supported Bernie and even appeared in a Michael “Fat Ass” Moore film. I could go through most, if not all of the Veterans with D beside their ballots and say the same. That said, I will add that no politicians can be trusted and all politicians lie. Veteran status doesn’t change that.
Ojeda got his butt beat and, after one term, will be looking for a job. He thinks he found one: he has just announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. F’n nut.
“I could go through most, if not all of the Veterans with D beside their ballots and say the same.” What I meant but did not say was that all Ds are Lefties, not that they supported Bernie or were in a Fat Ass Production.
Salud Carbajal (USMCR)is listed as a Desert Storm Veteran but he never left the US. He was endorsed by President Red Line and, now facing re-election, in a recent debate evaded a simple question THREE TIMES going to whether he supports CA self-proclaimed sanctuary state status. Just another knucklehead.
https://www.votevets.org/candidates/emerging-leaders
There you go. A very useful list provided by the progressive VoteVets gang. It’s helpful to know who they support so that you don’t.
“Unstable man attempted to stab him on the campaign trail in September”
Unstable man – oh, you mean a Democrat?
Meh, instability is not limited to Democrats: Richard Odeja – “Assualted and severely injured during a campaign event in 2016.”
Ojeda was attacked by someone he knew since he was seven years old and the guy was a Democrat. The assault occurred at a fund raising cookout.
You’re right, mea culpa. I read that the attack was politically motivated and assumed he was connected to Ojeda’s opponent. He actually had ties to Ojeda’s predecessor, Art Kirkendoll, who was also a Democrat and had a nice kickback scheme going on from local mining contracts.
Quite the list of characters, if the descriptions are to be believed. These stood out to me:
His Democratic opponent, April Freeman, died suddenly on Sept. 23.
Won a $226 million lottery jackpot in 2010.
Under indictment for misuse of campaign funds.
Uber driver and motivational speaker lost bid for this seat in 2016.
Has worked as a window washer for the last 29 years.
Nazi sympathizer has been disowned by GOP.
Brother of VP Mike Pence.
Has stumped for wider use of medical marijuana by veterans.
Controversy surrouns his work with a Middle East defense contractor.
The longest serving Kentucky Republican ever elected to federal office.
Long-shot candidate has a crinimal record in Texas, California
Forced to resign from the Ohio House after a theft conviction.
Former Navy SEAL has come under fire for possibly skirting campaign laws.
Accused by his opponent of promoting Bigfoot erotica.
Lost party support over sharing a white supremacist article this summer.
Weirdness and criminality has no party affiliation.
I was quite happy not knowing that “Bigfoot erotica” was a thing. Thanks.
Whenever some nitwit on this site claims that veterans/service members are never democrats I know they are posers that never served or served very briefly before being sent home.
Conservatives outnumber liberals by nearly 2-1 but 1/3rd of the force is still huge. And it seems nearly every platoon has a loud mouth liberal that argues with the majority conservative conventional wisdom of his peers…
Or at least every platoon I served in did, 😆
Uh, oh…
I see an Incoming…
Ok, I’ll bite. It was you.
My Platoon didn’t. I had Liberals in it, but they damn sure weren’t loudmouthed. Unlike the majority of Liberals today, the ones in my Platoon acted like adults instead of petulant children.
Buuuuuurrrrrrnnnnnnn…
“Whenever some nitwit on this site claims that veterans/service members are never democrats….”
Who? That guy who goes by the name Strawman?
I wish. My veteran status was questioned immediately because of my liberal views.
Your Veteran status may have been questioned but it does not follow that it was questioned b/c of your “liberal views.” Don’t be so nice to yourself. You came across as a jerk, that’s why you caught shit.
Yeah, I don’t know any assholes or jerks that are veterans. Had to be because I was a jerk. Of course they explicitly questioned my status while quoting specific liberal views.
“Yeah, I don’t know any assholes or jerks that are veterans.” Cripes. You make it so easy sometimes.
I will give her the same advice I have given others who distinguished themselves early on at TAH by being full of shit. First, disappear. Second, after a couple of weeks, reappear under a different tag. Unless you start writing “It should be noted that” (ad nauseum) we’ll all be unaware that you are that jerk Cunthulu and you’ll have a fresh start to screw it up again. Or not.
In an October 11 Book of the Face page, Tobi Beck, Democrat running for the vacant Indiana 4th seat, claims to be a combat veteran. When I asked about it I was told that she served with the 571st MP Co in Somalia, 1993. That company received a MUC for Operation Restore Hope but no Campaign Participation Credit. The 571st wasn’t involved in the Battle of Mogadishu and I’m unaware of any other battles that were fought. Does this rise to the level of stolen valor? Any thoughts from the experts here would be appreciated.
Checked out Toby Beck. Did she used to be a man?
She was a Platoon Leader with the 571st, deployed to Somalia with her unit in support of OPERATION RESTORE HOPE and returned before the Battle of Mogadishu.
She is on page 42 of this yearbook:
https://170thmpcompany.wordpress.com/photos/1994-504th-mp-battalion-book/
Which still begs the question. Without campaign participation credit or apparently being involved in any battle, can she honestly call herself a combat veteran of Somalia?
That is a good question. However, Army Regulation 670-1 does authorize the SSI or ” Combat Patch” for those participating in OPERATION RESTORE HOPE, which she participated.
The term “Combat Veteran” has been addressed and discussed on TAH several times with different perspective on the “definition.”
What is more interesting is that I have ran into Army Soldiers wearing a “Combat Patch” and when I asked them what conflict they participated in, there answer was Bosnia. Serving in Bosnia does not qualify a Soldier to wear the SSI, even though they received Hazardous Duty Pay.
Perhaps one of our TAH Moderators, i.e. Hondo (since he is Army) can create this topic on TAH for discussion again. However, it may not be interesting to our Sister Services for discussion (I am Army and wear a Combat Patch for OEF/OIF). Or maybe this can be discussed on WOT this Friday.
Again, you have brought up an interesting topic for discussion. Some say “Combat Veterans” are those who go outside the wire and directly deal with the enemy one on one. Others say a Combat Veteran is one who is in a Theater of Operations desginated a Combat Zone despite their Army Branch or MOS, i.e. Combat Arms, Combat Support or Combat Service Support.
Don’t have a clue what she did in Somalia during her time there as a LT of an MP Company. Don’t even know if she was collecting Hazardous Duty Pay/Combat Pay during her deployment. But she was there, has a Combat patch and has taken advantage for political purposes of her experience in Somilia to call herself a Combat Veteran.
She is not any different from others who wear the patch, but may have never went outside a wire or were directly exposed to enemy threat.
The 2003 article below stated her team was “ambushed” while in Somalia:
“Such personal cues frequently are absent in e-mail, which the military began using around the time Army Capt. Tobalina Cooley Beck was sent to Somalia in 1991.”
“Such was the case after Beck’s team of military police guards were ambushed when they helped a transportation unit recover a damaged Humvee in Mogadishu. As they began to withdraw, hundreds of people streamed into the streets, some angrily trying to pelt the military trucks with chunks of dirty concrete. Others wielded machetes and AK-47s.”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-war-letters0415-story.html
“has taken advantage for political purposes….” See our postings on that above.
Yes, but was she previously a man?
2/17:
You crack me up.
Pretty sure she was born with XX Chromosomes.
Unless you know something different.😉
Brian Mast is a total and complete RINO!
He is a wounded veteran who claims to be a Republican
He is on record as saying the Americans should not be allowed to own AR 15 rifles.
Talk about breaking your oath to defend the constitution
Since nobody else mentioned it…
I figure about 3.5 to 5% of all persons claiming some sort of military back ground are embellishers, boot camp wash-outs, or never-severed-a-dayers. That means around 6 to 9 are guilty of being less than 100% truthful to just out and out liars.
I’ll provide my 2 cents on MJ Hegar. I served with her on her famous deployment in 2009. She and I were part of the 129 ERQS. She is a liar! Her doors video shows a US Army MEDEVAC, not the armed CSAR aircraft. Second, her door survived because we flew doors off. She was not shot down. Her aircraft absorbed rounds and her Pilot, made a precautionary landing. The aircraft burned to the ground during recovery when the pathfinders accidentally caused sparks to ignite the fuel soaked aircraft when cutting off the main rotor blades. She purposely insulted the chalk 2 aircrew, saying how they lost their nerve. First, she was only a copilot. Chalk 2’s PIC was instructor qualified. Second, chalk 2 defended their helicopter expensing every round of ammunition.
After the event, the ACLU found their poster child to sue DOD for women inclusion in all jobs. Her claim was she wanted to be a Special Tactics Officer. Unfortunately, she could not maintain her flight qualifications due to her injuries. Naturally, the best place for her is Spec Ops, rucking heavy loads on ones back… If she were serious, have her produce her physical fitness qualifying test. She did it to get her name in the spotlight. She is and has always been a self serving individual. It makes sense she is running as a Democrat. Two words for you MJ, from me and the crew you insulted: fuck you!
Sincerely,
Evil
Don’t hold back, Evil. Let us know what you really think of that twatwaffle.
The aircraft commander who “lost his nerve” earned a DFC with Valor on the mission. Furthermore, he became a weapons officer and instructor at the weapons school. The flight engineer who expended every round of his
Mini gun, then picked up his personal M4 to continue suppressing only earned an Air Medal with Valor. Maybe we should ask the awards and decorations officer why that was. Oh MJ…
If she didn’t insult chalk 2 in her book(snippet I read online from it) I’d stay quiet. Here is the hard truth. She deployed three times and never became an aircraft commander. Inept!
So Rep Seth Moulton (MA-6) is “a party leader on national security issues”?
Does anyone realize he believes civilians should not have access to firearms?
I do. And you can keep him.