Posted on 11/10/2010 4:09:06 AM PST by lovesdogs
U.S. Rep.-elect Allen West, R-Plantation, is going with an outsider critic of Washington, D.C., as his top staffer and an insider who knows how the Capitol works as his No. 2 aide.
West tapped one of South Florida's most prominent conservative voices, radio talk show host Joyce Kaufman, as his chief of staff.
“Joyce gets South Florida politics better than most people,” said Josh Grodin, who managed West’s successful election campaign and will become deputy chief of staff.
Grodin said the two jobs are the only hiring decisions West has made so far. He was elected one week ago, defeating U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton.
Kaufman was an early, tireless supporter of West on her radio program, which is heard afternoons on WFTL, 850 AM. She also worked on his behalf on the campaign trail as a warm up speaker.
(Excerpt) Read more at weblogs.sun-sentinel.com ...
Dear Lord, make it happen!
West is a strategic genius.
He has the hutzpa to get the roll back done.
It should make for some interesting times in the halls of Congress.
Hiring outside the beltway is the best decision any newcomer can make.
There are staffers available who will infect you with swamp fever before you know it!
Good for the Col.
Or as Obamao would say.......collonell.
I’m not saying he’s not, as I don’t know, but I’m curious as to on what you base your take that he’s a strategic genius.
I’m not saying he’s not, as I don’t know, but I’m curious as to on what you base your take that he’s a strategic genius.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
His military rank and record. He could run administrative rings around anyone in Congress.And he has guts. lots of ‘em.
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West is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and obtained his master’s degree in political science at Kansas State University. He also holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College in political theory and military history and operations.[citation needed]
[edit] Awards and decorations
West’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal; (two Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Commendation Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters, one Valor Device); Army Achievement Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster); Valorous Unit Award; Air Assault Badge and the Parachutist Badge.[citation needed]
In addition, West has been awarded the following service medals and ribbons: National Defense Service Medal (with bronze star device); Southwest Asia Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Army Overseas Service Ribbon (multiple awards); Saudi Arabia Kuwait Liberation Medal W/Palm Tree and Kuwait Liberation Medal[citation needed]
In January 2004, the conservative FrontPage Magazine named West its Man of the Year.[3]
[edit] Military career
West entered active duty service in the U.S. Army on November 1, 1983 at Fort Sill to attend the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course. He later attended airborne training at Fort Benning. West’s first assignment was as an airborne infantry company fire support team leader and battalion training officer in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. In 1987, he was promoted to Captain and attended the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course.
His next assignment was to the 1st Infantry Division, where West commanded Bravo Battery, 6th Field Artillery Regiment and was a Battalion Task Force fire support officer for 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. While with the 1st Infantry Division, he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
After redeployment from Kuwait, West served as an ROTC instructor at Kansas State University from 1991 to 1994. In January 1995, he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division Support Command as the Assistant Operations/Combat Plans Officer. During that time, West was promoted to Major and selected for attendance to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and graduated in 1997. Afterwards, he became the Operations Officer of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade. That was followed by assignment as the Executive Officer of the 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment. Upon completion of these positions, West was assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, selected to serve as an Army exchange officer to this headquarters from 1999 to 2002.
West’s culminating assignment to his career was as Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He assumed command of this unit on June 6, 2002.[4]
Iraq interrogation incident and retirement
While serving in Taji, Iraq, on August 20, 2003, as commander of the 2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel West was in charge of an interrogation of a civilian Iraqi police officer who was suspected of having pertinent information regarding attacks on American soldiers in the area. Interrogators had learned that the detainee had information about a planned ambush. When the interrogators were unable to extract the needed important information for some time, LTC West was asked to come try to obtain the important information. As the detainee continued to hold back the information, LTC West fired his pistol past the detainee’s head into a clearing barrel, frightening (but not physically harming) the detainee and getting him to finally give the information. According to Lt. Col. West’s sworn statement,[5] the detainee informed West that:
“ [The attack] was to occur Friday morning in Saba al Boor vicinity of the police station by positioned snipers supposedly being brought in from Fallujah. [The detainee] was to ID my vehicle and myself for these rooftop firers. We took this information and the following day established flask CPs and used AH-64s overhead. There was no attack and no further attacks have emanated from the town since the apprehension of [the detainee] and his named associates. ”
At least one man was apprehended as a result of the information obtained through the detainee’s interrogation. His home was searched, but no plans for attacks on Americans or weapons were found. Colonel West testified that he did not know whether “any corroboration” of a plot was ever found, adding: “At the time I had to base my decision on the intelligence I received. It’s possible that I was wrong about [the detainee,] Mr. Hamoodi.”[6]
West, who at the time was just short of having 20 years of service, was charged with violating articles 128 (assault) and 134 (general article) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. West was processed through an Article 32 hearing in November 2003, where he admitted wrongdoing, was fined $5,000 over two months for misconduct and assault. He then submitted his resignation, and was allowed to retire with full benefits in the summer of 2004.[7]
At a hearing, West was asked by his defense attorney if he would do it again. “If it’s about the lives of my men and their safety, I’d go through hell with a gasoline can,” he said.[7] Apparently not knowing West’s gun was aimed into a barrel, “Hamoodi cracked and gave information about the planned ambush on West’s convoy, thwarting the attack.” West said there were no further ambushes on U.S. forces in Taji until he was relieved of his leadership post on October 4.”[7] “After West’s resignation was brought to public attention the next fall, he received over two thousand letters and e-mails from the American public offering him moral support. In addition, a letter was drafted to the Secretary of the Army, its signatories being ninety-five members of Congress in West’s support.[6]
West spoke in September 2010 in defense of a group of US military personnel convicted of war crimes known as the “Leavenworth 10.”[8]
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_West_(politician)
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SEE WHAT I MEAN? HE ALSO DOESN’T GIVE A SWEET EFF ABOUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS..... GETS THE JOB DONE! The left will find him a very dangerous man. This is the kind of speaker we need for the guerrilla warfare to come in the House.
And I am not kidding.
This man may very well save our nation.
I was doing something in another room with the T.V. on - background noise ... and then I heard him speak. I had to stop what I was doing and SEE who this person is. It gave me hope that there are some very good black people out there that GET IT! He is one to watch.
Guess West had other plans than to accept the Boehner assigned staffers.
http://www.850wftl.com/
“”Joyce Kaufman becomes a Washington Insider!
WFTL is proud of their midday drive talk host as she goes into the belly of the beast to report to us live from DC! While Joyce has accepted a position on the staff of Congressman-Elect Allen West, CD 22’, she has been retained as our Washington correspondent, with details on her new exciting schedule to be announced soon...keep listening for details!””
You are so right. Rush warned us a couple weeks ago about the freshmen Congressmen and Senators retaining the same staffs as their predecessors. THanks but no thanks.
We need to clean house at those staff positions as well as the members. Let him and others hire their own staff. Change is coming, I can feel it.
the DC revolving employment staffers just had a collective heart attack!
Who is next!
Other congress freshman should do the same!
Defy DC insiders!
Now we’re talk’n!
Good sign.
Col. West is not the kind of man to take any s**t from ANYBODY!!He will definitely not be a back-bencher.
He will be a part of the GOP's governing majority. "Back-benchers" are the minority party's (Dem) members of Congress.
I can tell you this: the men in charge of the Republican House leadership OUGHT to use Michelle Bachmann and Allen West extensively...as public faces and spokespersons.
They are two reps—not “traditional” Republican faces—who are TRUE patriots and Constitutionalists. And neither one of them is afraid to take on the liberals.
This is a very GOOD sign.
Do you suppose the GOP house is about to get a Conservative Caucus????
Hell, we got every other kind of caucus there is!
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