Publicity aside, vets in Congress will decline in 2007

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Subject: Publicity aside, vets in Congress will decline in ’07

 
http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2356297.php

Publicity aside, vets in Congress will decline in ’07

By Rick Maze
Navy Timesstaff writer
14 November 2006

Despite heavy media attention on Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans running for office this year, the number of veterans in Congress actually has declined in the wake of the recent midterm elections. The House of Representatives will have eight fewer veterans and the Senate one fewer after winning, losing and retiring lawmakers are all counted, said Shawn Olds, executive director of the Veterans for National Service Foundation.

“Veterans did not do well,” Olds said. “Prior to the election, 25.3 percent of members of Congress had worn the uniform at some point in their life. When the new Congress sits, that number will be down to 23.5 percent.” Hundreds of veterans talked about running for office in 2006 and more than 100 filed, Olds said.

But in the end, 20 made it through the primaries and only a handful won. Three veterans ran for governor, including combat veteran Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., a retired Air National Guard colonel who won his race bid. Seven veterans were elected to Congress — six to the House and one to the Senate. But 16 other veterans retired, resigned or lost their re-election bids, Olds said.

Three veterans ran for governor, including combat veteran Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., a retired Air National Guard colonel who won his race bid. The seven retirements include Navy combat veterans Reps. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., and Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., both former officers with active and reserve service. One combat veteran, Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-Calif., resigned earlier this year after being convicted of bribery charges.

Cunningham is a retired Navy commander and Vietnam War fighter pilot. Five veterans were defeated in their re-election bids. Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Mich., a Navy combat veteran who served in the 1960s, lost in the primary. Four others were defeated in the general election, including Marine veteran Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., a combat veteran and retired Army Reserve colonel. The only female veteran in Congress, Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., appears to have narrowly won her re-election bid.

The number of veterans in Congress has been declining since 1994, largely as a result of the retirements and deaths of World War II veterans. That year, 44 percent of members of Congress had served in the armed forces. Olds said veterans, especially military retirees, have problems running for the House.

“They may not have spent much time in the district because their military duties have taken them around the world,” he said. “They do not know the political game, and they don’t have resources.” The Veterans for National Service Foundation helps teach candidates about local politics, fundraising and other aspects of running for office, Olds said.“ This is not going to be a fast process, as this election has shown,” he said.

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Contributed,
YNCS Don Harribine, USN(ret)