Graham, who now is a colonel, has long been the and obligation to fi ght this war, just like so many other
only U.S. senator currently serving in a reserve com- young Americans at that time.”
ponent. He is assigned as a senior instructor at the Air Hunter comes from a family with a rich military heri-
Force JAG School, Maxwell AFB, S.C. tage. His paternal grandfather was an artillery offi cer in
Graham’s father was a World War II veteran, and World War II, and his maternal grandfather also served.
Graham shares his dad’s devotion to service, noting, In addition, Hunter’s father — whose seat he now occu-
“Wearing the uniform and serving my nation is the most pies in the House — was a member of the 173rd Airborne
rewarding experience I’ve had.” Division in Vietnam. “Military service has always been
Graham was elected to the House of Representatives in a cornerstone of our family, probably dating back to the
1994 and to his fi rst term in the Senate in 2002. “It’s one Civil War,” Hunter observes.
thing to study the law, and it’s another to make the law,” he Hunter says being a Marine Corps offi cer helped prepare
says of his decision to seek public offi ce. “I wanted to have him for public service. However, he laughs when asked
a say about how my state and my country embrace the fu- about the challenges of transitioning from military service
ture, and one of the best ways to do that is political service.” to public offi ce. “I’ve been deployed three times, I’ve been
According to Graham, Congress’ most important shot at, I’ve been bombed and rocketed — nothing that
responsibilities toward the military are to make sure could happen during this transition could be as diffi cult
young people will always want to join and to honor as that,” he says. “Everything else pales in comparison.”
those who have served. Hunter sees his service in Congress as an opportu-
“I’m a big fan of the all-volunteer force, and the only nity to represent not only the men and women in his
way we can maintain such a force is to make sure those home district but also those currently serving in the
who decide to volunteer are appreciated,” he explains. armed forces. “We need to make sure that no one slips
“We have the best military [of ] any time in our history, through the cracks as they come home from combat
and if we don’t take care of it, we’ll break it. So Congress’ duty in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he states. “One of the
job is to make sure it’s well taken care of.” things I’m going to work on is making sure that our
folks coming back get taken care of, especially the
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) younger members, and that we don’t treat them as vic-
Hunter serves California’s 52nd District and is the fi rst tims but as heroes who have accomplished what their
Marine Corps combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and country has asked them to do over there.”
Afghanistan to be elected to Congress. He currently is
a captain in the Individual Ready Reserve. Rep. Gabrielle
Hunter joined the Marine Corps’ Offi cer Candidate Giffords (D-Ariz.)
School the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack Giffords serves the 8th
and graduated as a lieu- District of Arizona and
tenant in March 2002. is a member of the
He served in the 1st House Armed Services
Marine Division in Iraq Committee and the
in 2003 and completed subcommittees on Air
his second tour in Fal- and Land Forces and
lujah, Iraq, in 2004, Military Readiness.
serving in Battery A, 1st Her husband, Mark
Battalion, 11th Marines. Kelly, is a captain in
He was honorably dis- the Navy and an astro-
charged in 2005 but naut who has fl own three space shuttle missions.
was recalled to active Giffords was elected to the Arizona House of Rep-
duty in 2007 for a tour resentatives in 2000 and to the Senate two years later.
in Afghanistan — at the “I was dissatisfi ed with the direction I saw the govern-
beginning of his campaign for Congress. Hunter’s family ment going,” she says. “What I realized is, you can com-
continued his campaign in his absence. plain about something or you can try to fi x it.” In 2006,
“The events of [Sept. 11, 2001, were] my generation’s she entered the national spotlight by winning her race
Pearl Harbor,” explains Hunter. “I felt it was my duty for Congress. [CONTINUES ON PAGE 76]
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