Congressman Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas is a U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate and a former Army officer. His rich military history has given him an appreciation for veterans and their contributions to our country that is unrivaled by his non-military counterparts in Congress. Pompeo knows excellence when he sees it, which is why he has made it a goal of his to staff his office with as many veterans as possible.
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Rep. Pompeo graduated first in his class from West Point in 1986. From there he continued an impressive military career by patrolling the Iron Curtain and serving with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the Fourth Infantry Division. Pompeo used the skills and knowledge he picked up throughout his military career to graduate from Harvard Law School, start his own company where he would serve as CEO for more than 10 years, become elected to represent Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and serve on the Energy and Commerce and House Intelligence Committees. His list of accomplishments goes on.
Rep. Pompeo hasn’t let his success go to his head. Instead he remains humble and points to his military training as a catalyst for his success. He truly values the skills and character traits that can only be developed through tough love administered by serving in the United States military. He is living proof that embracing the core values of the U.S. military can lead you down a path of success. He is so confident in the military’s training that he is actively looking to staff his office with people who have shared the same military experiences.
Rep. Pompeo told AmericanMilitaryNews.com,
“As a West Point graduate and Army veteran, I have seen first-hand the way military training transforms your life. The skills and attributes you develop are not duplicated anywhere else. Veterans make top-flight employees in any industry; they are entrepreneurial, hard-working and nimble-minded, and I am proud to have so many working on my congressional staff.”
Pompeo pictured with veterans and current staff members: Scott Bishop (United States Navy), Aaron Ringel (United States Marine Corps),Greg Baker (United States Army) and Matthias Struble (United States Army Reserves).
Unlike most politicians Pompeo isn’t just paying lip service when he talks about standing up for the rights of veterans. He has backed up his claim by fighting for programs that ensure veterans get the help they need to reintegrate into society by providing health care services and supporting programs such as the VA Choice Program. He has taken it a step further by making sure to employ veterans that personify important core values of the U.S. military such as loyalty, respect, integrity and personal courage.
The Congressman’s knowledge of military discipline isn’t lost on him as he has filled key roles with veterans. Scott Bishop, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate is his District Director. Bishop served as the Director for Anti-Submarine Warfare Mission Area on the USS Kidd from 2008-2010, was the director fellow for Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group in Newport Rhode Island from 2011-2012. During this time he also attended Naval Post Graduate School and received his masters in Electrical Engineering. Additionally he was the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Liaison to in Bagram, Afghanistan from 2014-2015.
Aaron Ringel serves as the Congressman’s Legislative Director, having previously deploying to Ramadi, Iraq in 2005 for Operation Iraqi Freedom and was the senior enlisted leader of his reserve unit in Washington, D.C. until the end of his enlistment in 2008.
Rep. Pompeo’s Veteran Affairs Legislative Assistant is Greg Baker, who left college because he felt compelled to serve and do his part. He joined as a Military Police officer in the Army Reserve. Baker was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and then, as he told American Military News, “I wouldn’t sleep in my own bed at home until Christmas Eve night 2008”. Baker deployed again, this time to Afghanistan, in 2013 after finishing college. On both tours Baker worked in prisons that held people that the U.S. military captured on the battlefield as well as trained Iraqi and Afghani counterparts to eventual assume control of the prisons.
Matthia Struble who also works for Rep. Pompeo was a Cadet in Western Michigan’s ROTC Program. While a Cadet, Matthias eventually graduated with distinguished Military Honors that placed him in the top 25% of the 2016, nationwide graduating ROTC class. Matthias branched Military Intelligence and was commissioned this past May as a new 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Pompeo told AmericanMilitaryNews.com,
“I’m honored to have Scott Bishop (United States Navy), Aaron Ringel (United States Marine Corps), Greg Baker (United States Army) and Matthias Struble (United States Army Reserves) on my staff, and I urge fellow members of Congress, along with private sector employers, to hire veterans as well.”
Pompeo hopes to lead by example and hopes he will inspire other congressmen to staff their offices with veterans. Pompeo has always strived for excellence and hopes that the performance of his veteran-based team will show that military training and values can successfully be applied to civilian sector jobs.
