After the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week, Washington, D.C., is beefing up security measures ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Up to 20,000 armed National Guard troops are set to be deployed to the Washington area to prevent further violence. Images on Wednesday showed troops resting with their guns on the marble floors of congressional hallways after the attack that left five people dead.
Rep. Brian Mast, a wounded military veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan, was seen giving a history lesson to the troops deployed to the Capitol on Wednesday.
And Mast showing members of the National Guard around is a reminder that he is just one of many members of Congress with combat experience who have found themselves in a tight spot on more than one occasion prior to Jan. 6.
Though the 117th Congress has fewer members with a military background than previous cycles, the current class still has 91 veterans, according to the Military Times. And many of them have faced America’s foreign enemies head-on.
Among the veterans in Congress, 17 serve in the Senate, 74 serve in the House, 28 are Democrats, 63 are Republicans, and 45 have served in a foreign war.
We broke down which members of the House and Senate have a history of combat experience.
U.S. Army
Rep. Anthony Brown, a Democrat from Maryland, was deployed to Iraq in 2004, where he earned a Bronze Star and became one of the highest-ranking elected officials to serve a tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brown is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and has a military record more than 25 years long, according to the Congressional Veterans Caucus.
Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, served in the Army after 9/11, leading a platoon of paratroopers during the invasion of Iraq. He earned a Bronze Star. Upon returning from Iraq, he served two additional tours in Afghanistan as part of the Joint Special Operations Task Force, according to his campaign website. On his military experience, Crow said, “I’ve just always been someone who goes where the fight is.”
Rep. Mike Thompson, a Democrat from California, is a Vietnam veteran who served in combat with the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, where he was wounded and earned a Purple Heart.
Rep. Peter Meijer, a newly elected Michigan Republican who replaced Rep. Justin Amash, deployed to Iraq in 2010, where he conducted intelligence operations to protect U.S. and allied forces. According to his campaign website, Meijer led soldiers and missions that ended in the detention of enemy operatives responsible for killing U.S. soldiers.
Rep. Troy Nehls, a newly elected Texas Republican, has 21 years’ worth of experience in the National Guard and Army reserve, including tours in the combat zones of Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, retiring as a major. Nehls also served eight years as the Fort Bend County Sheriff and has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup, an Ohio Republican, deployed to Iraq in 2005, where he served as a combat surgeon and the chief of surgery with the 344th Combat Support Hospital. Wenstrup was awarded the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge for his time overseas. According to his campaign website, Wenstrup continues his service in the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel and serves at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Rep. Brian Mast, a Florida Republican, served in the U.S. Army for more than 12 years, earning several honors, including the Bronze Star Medal. While deployed in Afghanistan, Mast worked as a bomb disposal expert under the Joint Special Operations Command, according to his congressional biography. The last improvised explosive device that he found resulted in the loss of both of his legs.
Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, enlisted to serve in the war on terror after 9/11 shortly after he graduated from the University of Florida, receiving both undergraduate and law degrees. Serving in the Army, Steube served with distinction from 2004 to 2008 as an Airborne Infantry Officer and a JAG Corps Officer.
Rep. Jim Baird, an Indiana Republican, served as a 1st lieutenant in the Army while in Vietnam. He received a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and other awards for his valor in the face of combat. His unit was the first unit from Vietnam to be chosen for the U.S. Army Hall of Fame because of the effectiveness of their performance and the courage that the soldiers displayed abroad.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, a New York Republican, served in a variety of different military capacities, including as a military intelligence officer, a prosecutor, and a military magistrate. He was deployed to Iraq in 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, after his active duty, Zeldin transitioned to the Army Reserve, where he currently serves as a lieutenant colonel.
Rep. Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican, attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and is a former officer in the Army, according to the Tennessean. He was deployed three times overseas, serving one time in Afghanistan and two tours in Iraq. He was given a number of honors, including the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, and the Air Medal with a “V” device for valor under heavy enemy fire, as well as numerous other medals for service.
Regarding the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Green touched on his experience, saying he had never seen anything like the breach in the United States before.
“Not in America,” Green said. “I’ve seen it in foreign countries; I’ve seen it in Iraq but nothing like this in America.”
Rep. Mike Waltz is the first Green Beret to serve in Congress. The Florida Republican has served more than 20 years in the Army and has served all over the world as a decorated Special Forces officer with multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa.
Rep. Scott Perry, a Pennsylvania Republican, began his military career in 1980, enlisting in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. While deployed to Iraq, Perry flew 44 combat missions and was promoted to the rank of colonel in 2011.
Rep. Steve Stivers has had over 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, often citing his military background as an asset to help him serve in Congress. The Ohio Republican served overseas in the Iraq War as a battalion commander and was put in charge of 400 soldiers, sailors, Marines, and contractors in combat. He currently has the rank of colonel.
Rep. Trent Kelly, a Mississippi Republican, last month became the highest-ranking currently serving military member in Congress. Kelly was promoted to the rank of major general for the Mississippi National Guard. Kelly served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and deployed to Iraq in 2005 as an operations officer for the 150th Engineer Battalion. He went back to Iraq in 2009 as a battalion commander for Task Force Knight, 155th Brigade Combat Team.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth was deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard in 2004. While in combat, the Illinois Democrat lost her legs and the partial use of her right arm, spending the next year recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In Congress, Duckworth has often touched on her military experience.
Sen. Joni Ernst’s combat status has come into question by her political opponents, but the Iowa Republican has stood her ground that she should be considered one. Ernst spent 12 months in Kuwait as the company commander of the 1168th Transportation Company of the Iowa National Guard.
“It was only by luck and the blessings of God that my soldiers did not encounter an assault,” Ernst said, regarding the skepticism of her status. “Just because I’m not an infantryman and I wasn’t kicking in doors, I don’t believe I’m less of a player.”
Sen. Tom Cotton served in Iraq and Afghanistan, receiving a number of military decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Ranger Tab. The Arkansas Republican served with the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery between his two combat tours.
Air Force
Rep. Kai Kahele is an 18-year veteran and pilot, logging over 2,000 hours of military flight time while serving in Iraq. The Hawaii Democrat has been deployed many times in the Middle East, flying C-17 jets in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican, has over 300 hours of direct action against the Islamic State and over 20 years of experience as a fighter pilot in the Air Force.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger has made a name for himself as a Republican who has often distanced himself from President Trump, especially in the aftermath of the 2020 election. But before he started making national headlines, he had been on the front lines since 2003, when he first joined the U.S. Air Force. After becoming a pilot, Kinzinger flew missions in South America, Guam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He continues to serve as a pilot in the Air National Guard, even while serving in Congress.
Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, is a decorated Air Force veteran, specializing in electronic warfare, intelligence, reconnaissance, and public affairs. In total, Bacon served 16 assignments, including four deployments across the globe, three of which were in the Middle East. He served one assignment in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Rep. Lindsey Graham may be known as a conservative firebrand in the Senate, but he also had a distinguished military career, having served 33 years in uniform. Graham was called to active duty during the first Gulf War in the 1990s and served stateside at McEntire Air National Guard Base as a Staff Judge Advocate, where he helped soldiers prepare for deployment. Graham retired from the Air Force Reserves at the rank of colonel in 2015.
Marine Corps
Rep. Jake Auchincloss helped lead patrols through villages contested by the Taliban while in Afghanistan in 2012. The Massachusetts Democrat vowed when he entered Congress that he would work to end the wars in the Middle East. He later joined the Marines’ reconnaissance branch and helped train local units to stop the drug trade in Panama in 2014.
Rep. Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat, enlisted in the Marines after 9/11, deploying overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan. During his brief time in Congress, Golden has served as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Ruben Gallego‘s experience fighting overseas has made national security one of his top concerns while serving in the House. The Arizona Democrat was deployed to Iraq in 2005 as an infantryman, where his company saw the tragic effects of war. His company lost 22 Marines and Navy Corpsmen to enemy action in eight months.
Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat who had a brief 2020 presidential bid, served four tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer, including two tours as a platoon commander. In 2003, Moulton was part of the first company of Marines to enter Baghdad.
Rep. Jack Bergman is a retired lieutenant general and the highest-ranking combat veteran ever elected to Congress. The Michigan Republican was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and has 40 years of experience in the Marine Corps.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, was deployed twice to Iraq as a Marine Corps intelligence officer. In an interview with Today, Gallagher recently compared his time in combat to the Capitol riot.
“I never thought I would be having a conversation with my staff about how to barricade the doors and what weapons to use and whether I could use the Marine Corps sword I have hanging on the walls of my office as a defensive weapon if the mob came, but that’s where we were yesterday, and that’s a sad day for American democracy,” Gallagher said.
Rep. Steven Palazzo is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War, enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserves in 1988. The Mississippi Republican joined his state’s Army National Guard after he completed his tour. He remains an active member.
Rep. Van Taylor, a Republican from Texas, was deployed to Iraq two years after 9/11, where he led the first platoon into Iraq for his brigade and a mission that helped rescue 31 wounded Marines. Taylor earned several honors for his service in Iraq, including the Navy Commendation Medal with “V” for valor.
Sen. Dan Sullivan focused on dismantling terrorist networks and criminalizing the insurgence of the Taliban while serving in Afghanistan in 2013. The Alaska Republican is currently a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Navy
Rep. Mike Garcia, a California Republican who filled the seat of resigned ex-Democratic Rep. Katie Hill, was one of the first F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter pilots in the Navy. While on active duty, Garcia flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom above Baghdad, Fallujah, and Tikrit.
Rep. Scott Franklin has a 26-year Navy career, in which he spent 14 years on active duty and 12 in the reserves. Franklin was deployed to the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf, and the North Atlantic. He took part in combat operations in the Gulf, Bosnia, and Kosovo. After 9/11, the Florida Republican was recalled to active duty with the U.S. Central Command.
Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland, helped fill the need for an anesthesiologist in the Naval Reserve, going on to establish and command the Johns Hopkins Medical Naval Reserve. In 1990, Harris’s unit was called up to active duty in order to assist with Operation Desert Shield at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Harris received the rank of commander before leaving the reserves following a 17-year career.
Rep. Jimmy Panetta volunteered for active duty in 2007, deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He worked with Special Forces units and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in a combat zone. Upon returning home, the California Democrat has focused on reducing veteran homelessness.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Republican from Georgia, spent 28 years of his life in service to the country, including three combat deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. Clyde received multiple honors, including a Defense Meritorious Service Medal and four Commendation Medals.
Rep. Ronny Jackson may be well known as the former White House doctor, but many may not know that he was chosen for the post while he was serving overseas in Iraq. Jackson retired from the military in 2019, after 25 years of active-duty service. He won a seat to Congress in November, where he ran as a Texas Republican.
Rep. Tony Gonzales deployed multiple times in support of several operations, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Texas Republican also helped support regional security operations in Asia.
The freshman legislator also compared the Capitol riot to his time overseas, telling KENS 5 that people should settle their differences through the rule of law and not chaos.
“It was really a moment of fight or flight,” Gonzales said. “And when you fight, you better be ready for a fight. A lot of it to me was standing next to my brothers and sisters is what it felt like — very much like your time in combat.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who often proudly touts his combat experience, deployed overseas as a Navy SEAL five times, including doing a tour of Iraq. On his third deployment, the Texas Republican was hit by an IED blast, losing his right eye and badly damaging his left. Doctors told him that he might never see again and that he would be left completely blind, but eventually, Crenshaw was able to regain sight in his left eye. Crenshaw medically retired in 2016 as a lieutenant commander after serving 10 years in SEAL Teams.
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps before arriving to Congress and helped prosecute terrorists in the Iraqi Court while being deployed in Iraq. The Pennsylvania Republican has championed legislation related to strengthening national security and defense while serving in the House.
Rep. Jim Banks initially took a leave of absence when he was a state lawmaker in Indiana to deploy to Afghanistan between 2014 and 2015. During his absence, Banks’s wife was elected to serve in his place. Since being elected to Congress in 2016, Banks has served on the House Armed Services Committee as well as the House committees on education and labor and Veterans Affairs.
Sen. Mark Kelly, the Democrat who ousted Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally in November’s election, made two deployments as a naval aviator to the First Gulf War and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. Alongside his Navy record, Kelly was later selected to become an astronaut in 1996, flying four missions into space from 2001 to 2011.
Sen. Gary Peters served as a lieutenant commander and a Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist in the Navy Reserve, spending time in the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch. Peters also helped serve overseas during increased military activity post-9/11. The Michigan Democrat received a number of honors, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Sen. Tom Carper is among the handful of Vietnam veterans serving in Congress, having served three tours of duty in Southeast Asia. After 23 years of military service, the Delaware Democrat retired at the rank of captain in 1991. That same year, Carper, a congressman at the time, led a bipartisan, six-member congressional delegation of Vietnam veterans back to Southeast Asia to look for the remains of U.S. soldiers whose remains were never recovered and listed as missing in action.
