Allen B. West (born February 7, 1961) is U.S. Representative-elect for Florida's 22nd congressional district. He is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel elected to represent Florida's 22nd district in Congress in the United States House of Representatives elections, held on November 2, 2010. Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (US Army, Retired) was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and is third of four generations of military servicemen in his family. His parents instilled in him a very basic principle, love of God and country.
In 2004, when it was time to retire from more than twenty years of service in the US Army, he brought his wife and two young daughters to Broward County, Florida, where he taught high school for one year. He then returned to Afghanistan as an advisor to the Afghan army, an assignment he finished in November 2007.
Allen West received his Bachelors degree from University of Tennessee and Masters degree from Kansas State University, both in political science. He also holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the US Army Command and General Staff Officer College in political theory and military operations.
"Education is the great equalizer," he says. "With a good education, any child in America can live his dream."
Allen West knows that for our children to live their dreams, they need to be safe. He has served in several combat zones: in Operation Desert Storm, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was battalion commander for the Army's 4th Infantry Division, and in Afghanistan, where he trained Afghan officers to take on the responsibility of securing their own country.
In his Army career, Col. West has been honored many times, including a Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals (one with Valor), and a Valorous Unit Award. He received his valor award as a Captain in Desert Shield/Storm, was the US Army ROTC Instructor of the Year in 1993, and was a Distinguished HonorGraduate III Corps Assault School.
He proudly wears the Army Master parachutist badge, Air Assault badge, Navy/Marine Corps parachutist insignia, Italian parachutist wings, and German proficiency badge (Bronze award). Allen is an avid distance runner, a PADI Master certified SCUBA diver, motorcyclist, and attends Community Christian Church in Tamarac, Florida.
Excellence is a West family tradition. His wife, Angela, holds an MBA and PhD. and works as a financial planner. His oldest daughter, Aubrey, attends Archbishop McCarthy HS and his youngest daughter, Austen, attends Parkway Christian School.
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. At least one man was apprehended as a result of the information obtained through the detainee's interrogation.
I’m very familiar with his background..and was contributing to his election campaign since I first heard him speak. He’s in my parents’ district.(Lucky stiffs) I was hoping I’d get a chance to stop at his office the last time I visited them but he was in Washington at the time. I cannot wait to shake his hand. Every time he speaks, he says something relevant, from the heart and resonates with me on both a ersonal and fundamental level. Give him time, he will be our President.
I love this man and pray that he will decide to run.