A local journalist conducted an interview with a survivor of the 9/11 Pentagon attacks. She turned it into a Who’s Who in Florida type of Bio piece. The person interviewed is a well-spoken and educated individual from what is presented in the interview. His dedication through military service is unquestionable. He makes a very salient suggestion that prior military carry within them an understanding of putting the mission before self. The reasoning for this idea is support for his theory that Veterans make better elected public servants than do civilian.

I could not agree more with the statement that as Veterans we do understand mission before self. I will add also that a military Veteran has already taken a lifelong pledge to be the guardian of liberty and the Constitution of the United States of America, death before dishonor.

There are variables in the suggested equation however that are not brought out or highlighted in the piece. One of those variables being that unless you have a discussion with the Veteran about the Constitution, you can only assume they see it as a Constitutional American would. Not all do. Progressives can serve in the armed forces too. Take Representative Brian Mast for example. No really, please take him.

Brian lost limb and paid a heavy price for service. That however does not automatically qualify him for office. It does qualify him though as a combat Veteran and for that he should be given the full respect and honor due him and other Veterans. Much like others I supported Brian on his inaugural run for CD18 in Florida. A mistake I did not make the second time around. Second being the key word, as in Second Amendment.

I will let Brian tell you in his own words: “I’m Republican. I Appreciate Assault Weapons. And I Support a Ban.” – N.Y. Times Op-ed author – Congressman Brian Mast – Republican Florida CD18

Please be careful, do not place all Veterans in the same political jacket.

Militarily it is one thing to have a mission and tight cohesive operational training and execution for the purpose of destruction.  It is important to put mission before self. It is important to act and not react, to lead and not follow. They are strong traits, all of them.

The discovery of self and the discipline earned are character traits no one can take from you once you have earned them. They do also give you advantage in a political arena.

That however is where the similarity to your governance and your protection end.  A Veteran has taken a lifelong oath to protect preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. So again it seems like a simple fit from there to elected office. Not so, simply because Veterans like Mast, McCain, Kerry and others have a revisionist view of the Constitution. They now are able to take that same discipline earned in the Armed Forces and apply it to their mission in government.

Make sure you see their mission papers before you vote for them. Not all of my fellow Veterans are Constitutionalists that put country before party or revisionist legislation. If we had a political party that cared more about outcome than they do income we would be a lot better off.