About this response & our editorial approach
About this candidate response
DutyStation contacts candidates to ask whether and how they support service members, military families and veterans, and invites them to share their thoughts and priorities. We share their replies here in the candidate’s or campaign’s own words, with minor formatting for readability and correction of obvious spelling mistakes.
No endorsement in either direction. Publishing a reply does not mean DutyStation endorses the candidate. Replying does not mean the candidate or campaign endorses DutyStation.
DutyStation’s website summaries and policy assessments are labeled separately.
Organized by topic. Email greetings and sign-offs are omitted; campaign contact details appear alongside.
Government shutdown and cooperation
- I oppose government shutdowns. I was raised in a military family, and all of my immediate family served. They signed up knowing they could die for our country; they did not sign up to become unwilling participants in a congressional political dispute. That was not part of the deal! They already put their lives on the line and made enormous sacrifices for this country. Having their pay cut off while Congress engages in the negotiating gridlock of uncompromising politicians is unacceptable. OUTRAGEOUS.
- Congress must serve the American people, which means keeping the government functioning. If they walk away from that duty, they should be removed from office. Our military cannot just shut down and walk away from its responsibilities when things get tough. Neither can Congress.
- As a Libertarian, I can approach issues objectively rather than as part of either political side and can work across the aisle and bridge the gap between parties. I put cooperation ahead of party politics and will work with anyone to find common ground. We must be willing to compromise and meet halfway to keep the government open. And if we can't find common ground at the negotiating table, we can take it to the golf course! Long hours won't be a problem. I'm willing to get ’er done.
- To protect service members, military families, and veterans from interruptions in pay, benefits, and care, I would:
- Sponsor a Pay Our Military Act of 2027, providing continuing appropriations for military pay whenever regular appropriations lapse.
- Sponsor a bill creating automatic military-pay funding whenever regular appropriations lapse, so service members don't have to wait for Congress to resolve the shutdown.
- Sponsor a bill guaranteeing timely retroactive pay for personnel required to work during a funding lapse without receiving their normal paycheck.
Quality of life
- Pay: Junior-ranking service members aren't paid enough, and some military families are relying on food assistance to make ends meet: this is OUTRAGEOUS. We need to significantly increase base pay for lower-ranking troops.
- Military spouse employment: Military families move frequently, and spouses can lose months of income waiting for professional licenses to transfer to a new state. Military spouses should be able to take their professional licenses with them when they move across state lines.
- Healthcare: Military families face long waits for care through military clinics. They should have better access to timely healthcare, including the ability to use local civilian providers through TRICARE.
- Childcare: Military parents need affordable childcare. Rather than creating another large federal bureaucracy, we should provide direct financial assistance, such as tax credits or vouchers, so military parents can choose their own childcare providers.
- Frequent moves: Military families shouldn't lose income, healthcare access, or employment opportunities simply because the military requires them to move.
- Military war spending & wars: I have noticed that as we take on more foreign wars and overseas conflicts, our military members, their families, and especially our veterans receive less attention and support. Food stamps for the military, really? In my view, this raises serious questions about how we are managing our defense spending. Stretching our military by entering wars for which we are not equipped, let alone even approved by Congress or the American people, is a very bad idea and a reckless use of our military.
- Food stamps for the military, really? In my view, this raises serious questions about how we are managing our defense spending. Stretching our military by entering wars for which we are not equipped, let alone even approved by Congress or the American people, is a very bad idea and a reckless use of our military for all the above reasons.
Veterans’ care
- America First means Veterans First. Ensure veterans are given priority and not left homeless, jobless, toothless, or hopeless without care while the government provides housing and other benefits to non-Americans.
- I will push for legislation to:
- Medical vouchers: Sponsor legislation providing veterans with medical vouchers so they can see any private doctor they want, bypassing slow VA waitlists.
- Disability claims: Sponsor legislation allowing veterans’ military medical records to be accepted to reduce delays in benefits.
- Job licenses: Sponsor legislation making it easier for veterans to turn their military training into civilian professional licenses so they can start civilian careers right away.
- Mental health: Direct resources toward local crisis counseling and substance-abuse support run by other vets who understand combat trauma.
- Veteran funding: End multi-billion-dollar subsidies for foreign nations and bring our troops home, directing those savings toward veteran medical vouchers and health savings accounts.
- Full retirement and disability pay: Sponsor legislation ensuring veterans receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation.
- Veterans’ bills: Vote against massive bills that combine veteran benefits with unrelated provisions or benefit cuts.
- VA home loans: Vote against legislation that increases VA home-loan refinancing or assumption fees on veterans to fund unrelated federal spending.
- Modernize the VA: Streamline technology and make sure the VA uses modern technology instead of lagging years behind the private sector. This will help reduce waiting times for the problems outlined in all of the above.
Family housing
- I will consult what the military, vets, and military advocates say, and I will push for legislation to directly implement their solutions.
- Abolish Corporate Monopolies: Sponsor legislation allowing the government to sever ties with private companies that have exclusive 50-year housing contracts but fail to properly maintain military housing, including problems like mold and unsafe conditions.
- Increase competition for base housing: Sponsor legislation offering military family-housing contracts to more local private contractors instead of relying on the same large companies.
- Rent withholding: Sponsor legislation allowing service members to stop paying rent directly to a landlord when serious problems such as mold, unsafe electrical issues, plumbing problems, or other health and safety concerns are not fixed. The rent would be placed in escrow until the problem is fixed.
- Off-base housing: Sponsor legislation to increase housing allowances to keep up with local housing costs so junior-ranking military families can afford safe housing off-base if they choose.
- I would prioritize rent withholding legislature, and then legislature to increase housing allowances to keep up with local housing costs. These priorities are informed by living in military housing both on and off base for 10 years. We experienced repeated maintenance issues with housing, including plumbing problems that took months to resolve.
ELECTION REFLECTIONS · IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Looking ahead to Election Day
Brief answers to DutyStation’s questions about hope, America’s future, unity, the next generation and a closing message. The earlier policy answers and their received date remain above.
Hope heading into the election
- Seeing more candidates step forward who recognize the need to bring some sanity back to Washington, vote NO on endless foreign wars and foreign aid packages, invest in America first, and bring our troops home.
Vision for America
- Peace. Liberty. Prosperity.
Bringing Americans together
- Our love of country and our shared responsibility to its future. Regardless of who wins, we must come together to serve our communities, recognize those who sacrifice to help others, and continue building a better future for the next generation.
The next generation
- That wonderful American spirit of independence, resilience, hard work, ambition, and community service, along with a renewed sense of brotherhood and a strong drive to change course, correct our mistakes and misplaced priorities, and pursue peace through diplomacy.
Closing message to voters
- George Washington said twenty years of peace will transform America and build such a strong economy that we could stand against any power on earth. He also warned us to “steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” Listen to those words of wisdom. He ought to know—he’s the father of our country!