In Honor Of Veterans Day, Here Are 101 Veterans Currently In Congress

Townhall.com ^ | November 11, 2016 | Erika Haas

[Kaslin]

In light of Veterans Day, let us honor those who have not only served in our military, but in the 114th Congress. There are currently 101 members - 18.7 percent of Congress - who have served, or are serving, in the military. More specifically, there are 81 veterans in the House of Representatives, and 20 veterans in the Senate. According to the Congressional Research Service, these Congressional members have served in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, as well as during times of peace.

Current members of the House of Representatives who have served, or are serving, in the military:

Ralph Abraham (R-LA 5th District) | Mississippi National Guard

Mark Amodei (R-NV 2nd District) | Army (1984-1987)

Brian Babin (R-TX 36th District) | Air Force (1975-1979)

Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-GA 2nd District)| Army (1969-1971)

John A. Boehner (R-OH 8 District) | Navy

Mike Bost (R-IL 12 District) | Marine Corps (1972-1982)

Jim Bridenstine (R-OH 1st District) | Navy (1998-2007)

Vern Buchanan (R-FL 16th District) | Michigan Air National Guard (1969-1975)

Larry Bucshon (R-IN 8 District) | Navy Reserve Medical Corps (1989-1998)

G. K. Butterfield (D-NC 1st District) | Army (1968-1970)

Mike Coffman (R-CO 6th District) | Army (1972-1974), Army Reserve (1975-1978), Marine Corps (1979-1982) | Marine Corps Reserve (1983-1994, 2005-2006)

Doug Collins (R-GA 9th District) | Air Force Reserve

Michael K. Conaway (R-TX 11th District) | Army (1970-1972)

John Conyers Jr. (D-MI 13th District) | National Guard (1948-1950), Army (1950-1954), Army Reserve (1954-1957)

Paul Cook (R-CA 8th District) | Marine Corps (1966-1992)

Eric A. Crawford “Rick” (R-AR 1st District) | Army (1985-1989)

Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR 4th District) | Air Force (1967 - 1971)

Jeff Denham (R-CA 10th District) |  Air Force (1984-1988), Air Force Reserve (1988-2000)

Ron Desantis (R-FL 6th District) | Navy (2004-2010)

John J. Duncan Jr. (R-TN 2nd District) | Army National Guard (1970-1987)

Tammy Duckworth (D-IL 8th District) | Army National Guard (1992-2014)

John Fleming (R-LA 4th District) | Navy Medical Corps (1976-1982)

Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ 11th District) | Army (1969-1971)

Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI 2nd District) | Hawaii National Guard (2003-present)

Ruben Gallego (D-AZ 7th District) | Marine Corps (2002-2006)

Christopher P. Gibson (R-NY 10th District) | Army (1986-2010)

Louie Gohmert (R-TX 1st District) | Army (1978-1982)

Brett Guthrie (R-KY 2nd District) | Army (1987-1990), Army Reserve (1990-2002)

Andy Harris (R-MD 1st District) | Navy Reserve (1988-2010)

Joseph J. Heck (R-NV 3rd District) | Army Reserve (1991-present)

Duncan Hunter (R-CA 50th District) | Marine Corps (2002-2005), Marine Corps Reserve (2005-present)

Darrell E. Issa (R-CA 49th District) | Army (1970-1980)

Bill Johnson (R-OH 6th District) | Air Force (1973-1999)

Sam Johnson (R-TX 3rd District) | Air Force (1950-1979)

Walter B. Jones (R-NC 3rd District) | North Carolina National Guard (1967-1971)

Peter T. King (R-NY- 2nd District) | New York National Guard (1968-1973)

Adam Kinzinger (R-IL 11th District) | Air Force, Air National Guard (2003-2010)

John Kline (R-MN 2nd District) | Marine Corps (1969-1994)

Steve Knight (R-CA 25th District) | Army

Ted Lieu (D-CA 33rd District) | Air Force (1995-1999), Air Force Reserve (2000-present)

Barry Loudermilk (R-GA 11th District) | Air Force (1984-1992)

Jim McDermott (D-WA 7th District) | Navy Medical Corps (1968-1970)

Martha McSally (R-AZ 2nd District) | Air Force (1988-2010)

Seth Moulton (D-MA 6th District) | Marine Corps (2001-2008)

Tim Murphy (R-PA 18 District) | Navy Reserve Medical Corps (2009-present)

Richard B. Nugent (R-FL 11th District) | Illinois Air National Guard (1969-1975)

Pete Olson (R-TX 22nd District) | Navy (1988-1997)

Steven M. Palazzo (R-MS 4th District) | Marine Corps Reserve (1988-1995), Mississippi National Guard (2007-present)

Bill Jr. Pascrell (R-NJ 9th District) | Army (1961-1962), Army Reserve (1962-1967)

Stevan Pearce (R-NM 2nd District) | Air Force (1970-1976)

Scott Perry (R-PA 4th District) | Pennsylvania National Guard (1980-present)

Collin C. Peterson (D-MN 7th District) | National Guard (1963-1969)

Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA 16th District) | Air Force (1963-1969)

Ted R. Poe (R-TX 2nd District) | Air Force Reserve (1970-1976)

Mike Pompeo (R-KS 4th District) | Army (1986-1991)

Charles B. Rangel (D-NY 13th District) | Army (1948-1952)

David G. Reichert (R-WA 8th District) | Air Force Reserve (1971-1976)

E. Scott Rigell (R-VA 2nd District) | Marine Corps Reserve (1978-1984)

David P. Roe (R-TN 1st District) | Army Medical Corps (1973-1974)

Harold Rogers (R-KY 5th District) | Kentucky National Guard & North Carolina National Guard (1956-1963)

Thomas J. Rooney (R-FL 17th District) | Army (2000-2004)

Bobby L .Rush (D-IL 1st District) | Army (1963-1968)

Steve Russell (R-OK 5th District) | Army (1985-2006)

Gregorio Kilili Sablan (D-NMI Delegate) | Camacho Army

Mark Sanford (R-SC 1st) | Air Force Reserve (2002-2011)

Robert ”Bobby” C. Scott (D-VA 3rd District) | Army Reserve (1970-1974), Massachusetts National Guard

José E. Serrano (D-NY 15th District) | Army Medical Corps (1964-1966)

John Shimkus (R-IL 15th District) |  Army (1980-1986), Army Reserve (1986-2008)

Chris Stewart (R-UT 2nd District) | Air Force (1984-1998)

Steve Stivers (R-OH 15th District) | Ohio Army National Guard (1988-2008)

Mike Thompson (D-CA 5th District) | Army (1969-19720

Timothy J. Walz (D-MN 1st District) | Nebraska Army National Guard (1981-1996), Minnesota Army National Guard (1996-2005)

Brad Wenstrup (R-OH 2nd District) | Army Reserve (1998-2011)

Ed Whitfield (R-KY 1st District) | Army Reserve

Joe Wilson (R-SC 2nd District) | Army Reserve (1972-1975), South Carolina National Guard (1975-2003)

Steve Womack (R-AR 3rd District) | Arkansas National Guard (1979-2009)

Mark Takai (D-HI 1st District) | Hawaii National Guard

Don Young (R-At Large AL) | Army

Todd C. Young (R-IN 9th District) | Marine Corps (1995-2000)

Ryan Zinke (R-At Large MT) | Navy (1985-2008)

Lee Zeldin (R-NY 1st District) | Army Reserve (2007-Present)

Current members of the Senate who have served, or are serving, in the military:

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) | Marine Corps Reserve (1970-1976)

Tom Carper (D-DE) | Navy (1968-1991)

Dan Coats (R-IN) | Army (1966-1968)

Thad Cochran (R-MS) | Navy (1959-1961)

Tom Cotton (R-AR) | Army (2004-2009)

Joni Ernst (R- IA) | Army Reserve (2003-2004)

Mike Enzi (R-WY) | National Guard (1967-1973)

Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Air Force (1982-1988), South Carolina Air National Guard (1989-1995), Air Force Reserve (1995-2015)

Mark Kirk (R-IL) | Navy (1989-2013)

Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | Army (1957-1958)

Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | Georgia Air National Guard (1966-1972)

Ed Markey (D-MA) | Army Reserve (1968-1973)

John McCain (R-AZ) | Navy (1958-1981)

Bill Nelson (D-FL) | Army (1965-1971)

Gary Peters (D-MI) | Navy Reserve (1993-2000, 2001-2005)

Jack Reed (D-RI) | Army (1967-1979)

Pat Roberts (R-KA) | Marine Corps (1958-1962)

Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Army Reserve (1973-1986)

Daniel S. Sullivan (R- AK) | Marine Corps (1993-1997), Marine Corps Active Reserves (1997-present)

Roger Wicker (R-MS) | Air Force Reserve (1976-2003)

To these men and women, their families - and to all of our nation’s veterans and their families - thank you.

[RummyChick]

I thought that guy who was on a reality show that is now a House Member from Wisconsin was a veteran.

I guess not. I like him even though I can’t remember his name.

[NEMDF]

I thought Boehner was gone?

On the bright side, Nebraska District 2 just elected Brig Gen Don Bacon (USAF) to represent us in the House.

[RummyChick]

Sean Duffy is the guy I am thinking about and no- he wasn’t a veteran. He was a lumberjack.

But I like him anyway

[Nuc 1.1]

No wonder congress is so screwed up. Not enough vets in it!

[stylin19a]

I found Mike Coffman (R-CO 6th District) story fascinating

https://coffman.house.gov/about/full-biography

[Salvation]

BTTT!

[YOMO]

Maybe I am wrong (as usual) but I counted 17 Congress Critters as Dem and 6 in the Sen. The last time I added that is 23 total out of 101. Approx 25 percent. of the 18 percent total. Way to go Dems. However THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE SERVED!!!

[ConsCA]

>No wonder congress is so screwed up. Not enough vets in it!

I agree 100%. . This is a reason why society is screwed up too.

[NKP_Vet]

After a couple years on active duty as a JAG, Miss Linda Graham spent 30 years as a JAG in the Air Force Reserve. In otherwords he did the the same thing in the military he’s done in the Senate, and that’s nothing. He wouldn’t know the barrel of an M-16 from the stock.

[DoodleDawg]

Only 101 out of 535. That’s less that 19%. Sad.

[nuconvert]

Let me guess...3/4 of them are Republicans?

[Kaslin]

Correct, and is this any surprise? I don’t think so.

[Svartalfiar]

Hmm.. I don’t know about this list. That number is way higher than I would think, and looking through the list I may have some questions on several of these:

- Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-GA 2nd District)| Army (1969-1971)
- G. K. Butterfield (D-NC 1st District) | Army (1968-1970)
- Michael K. Conaway (R-TX 11th District) | Army (1970-1972)
- Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ 11th District) | Army (1969-1971)
- Jim McDermott (D-WA 7th District) | Navy Medical Corps (1968-1970)
- David P. Roe (R-TN 1st District) | Army Medical Corps (1973-1974)
- José E. Serrano (D-NY 15th District) | Army Medical Corps (1964-1966)
- Dan Coats (R-IN) | Army (1966-1968)
- Thad Cochran (R-MS) | Navy (1959-1961)
- Joni Ernst (R- IA) | Army Reserve (2003-2004) (Huh? I remember something from a couple years ago, hasn’t she been in Guard or Reserve way longer than one year?)
- Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | Army (1957-1958)

How do all these people have 2 years (or less!) of TiS? That’s enough time to go to basic training, and do nothing else. But even looking through the entire list, I see a huge majority of these people have less than five years in.. That’s pretty sad.

[Kaslin]

maybe they were drafted and only stayed as long they had do, and did not reenlist?

[jjotto]

Ernst: 1992 - 2015, Army Reserve and National Guard; 2003-2004 active duty for Iraq war in Kuwait. Also ROTC in college.

[Kaslin]

Here is a list of the reps from Wisconsin

Paul Ryan, Mark Pocan, Ron Kind, Gen Moore, James F. Sensenbrenner, Glen Grothman, Sean P. Duffy, Reid Ribble

[RummyChick]

Sean Duffy. I like him. Hope he moves up

[Svartalfiar]

maybe they were drafted and only stayed as long they had do, and did not reenlist?

Yea, that's probably it. Looking closer at my list, it's almost all 60s/VietNam. Seems odd it would only be a two year term though, I would think it would be a three or four year at minimum.

[Kaslin]

My husband served two tours in Vietnam 1967-68 and 1971 for which he both volunteered. He was never drafted, he enlisted in 1954. He did his first overseas tour in S.Korea, right after the war.