Allen B. West

Contact Your Elected Officials

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Allen B. West is a Christian constitutional conservative, combat veteran, and former Member of the US Congress. His life has been defined as one of service, sacrifice, and commitment to this Republic, the United States of America. He believes it will be conservative, free market policies, not politics that secures a sound economic future for Americans โ€“ with growth, opportunity and returning the promise of the American dream for this generation and those to come.

Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the same neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen, all combat veterans, in his family.

West was commissioned through ROTC at the University of Tennessee as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) on July 31, 1982. He 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 and jumpmaster training at Fort Benning. Westโ€™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.

He was then assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, where he 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. Afterward, he became the Operations Officer of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade (Airborne), followed by assignment as the Executive Officer of the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment. Upon completion of these positions, West was assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, and selected to serve as an Army exchange officer to this headquarters from 1999 to 2002.

Westโ€™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. He deployed with his unit during the Iraq War in 2003 and continued to command his battalion until his retirement from the Army in 2004 after 22 years of honorable service in defense of the Republic.

Westโ€™s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters); Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters, one Valor Device); Army Achievement Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters); Valorous Unit Award; Air Assault Badge; and the Master Parachutist Badge. Lt Col West proudly wears the Army Master Parachutist Badge, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Navy/Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia, the Italian Parachutist Wings, and the German Proficiency Badge, bronze award.

After his retirement from the Army in 2004, Allen taught high school in South Florida for a year before volunteering and deploying to Afghanistan as a civilian military adviser to the Afghan army, an assignment he finished in November 2007.

In November of 2010, Allen was honored to continue his oath of service to his country when he was elected to the United States Congress, representing Floridaโ€™s 22nd District. As a member of the 112th Congress, West introduced seven major pieces of legislation, and was the original sponsor of H. R. 1246 which reduces costs at the Department of Defense, was passed unanimously (393-0), and signed into law by President Obama as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman West voted for the Balanced Budget Amendment, and voted for over 30 different bills designed to empower small businesses, reduce government barriers to job creation, boost American competitiveness, encourage entrepreneurship and growth, and maximize American energy production.

West holds a bachelorโ€™s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and two Masters, one from Kansas State University and another from the US Army Command and General Staff Officers College.

He is a Fox News Contributor, Senior Fellow of the Media Research Center, contributing columnist for Townhall.com, and author of Guardian of the Republic: An American Roninโ€™s Journey to Family, Faith and Freedom.

He is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas Texas.

West is an avid distance runner, a Master SCUBA diver, a motorcyclist, and in his spare time he enjoys cheering his beloved Tennessee Volunteers.

Lt. Col. West is a legacy life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, life member of the American Legion, life member of the Association of the United States Army and the Society of the First Infantry Division, Patriot Life Member (Benefactor) and Board of Directors member of the National Rifle Association. Lieutenant Colonel West is an inductee into the University of Tennessee Army ROTC Hall of Fame. He is on the Board of Advisors of Amegy Bank, Dallas Region. In 2016, Lt. Col. West was appointed by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. He is married to Dr. Angela Graham-West, a financial adviser, and they have two daughters, Aubrey, who recently graduated with her Masters from Southern Methodist University, now attending Physician Assistant school in West Virginia, and youngest daughter, Austen. 

Source: Young Americans Foundation

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Earned vs. Owed

Not since the Donner Party has a group of people so badly misinterpreted the circumstances of their situation like the players of the WNBA.

Just How American are Americaโ€™s Elite Schools?

Their exteriors may be ivy clad, but that faรงade on Americaโ€™s elite universities cloaks secrecy, power politics and globalist attitudes as well.

Multiple Democrats Playing Defense

There is a news situation going on that is...

TOTAL ROT: Consultant Brain and Horserace Politics Have Wrecked Political Discourse

Is feeding at the trough of government graft the goal of politics, or is it the optimal administration of the state? The answer depends on whom you ask.

Media Ignore Trump Successes To Focus On Epstein

Despite President Trump's amazing successes, the media refuse to give credit to the Trump and are continuing to focus on the โ€œEpstein files.โ€

Declassified Durham Report Annex Sheds New Light on Origins of Russia Probe: Grassley

Sen. Grassley released declassified annex to John Durhamโ€™s 2023 report into FBIโ€™s investigation into allegations of Trump campaignโ€“Russia ties.

Appeals Court Hears Arguments Over Whether to Block Trumpโ€™s Tariffs

Multiple judges on an appeals court questioned whether a decades-old law Trump invoked had provided him the authority on tariffs he said it did.

State Department Sanctions Palestinian Authority Officials, PLO Members

US State Dept imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the PLO as U.S. officials arrived in Israel for more cease-fire talks.

Weekly Jobless Claims Remain Near 3-Month Low

According to the Dept of Labor, initial jobless claims rose by 1,000, to 218,000 for the week ended July 26, remaining close to a three-month low.

Bessent Says Trump Accounts for Kids Are Backdoor โ€˜For Privatizing Social Securityโ€™

Treasury Sec Scott Bessent said Trump Accounts are โ€œa back door for privatizing Social Security,โ€ but the admin is committed to protecting Social Security.

Trump Says Canadaโ€™s Backing of Palestinian Statehood Threatens US Trade Deal

President Trump said it would be โ€œvery hardโ€ to reach a trade agreement with Canada after PM Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state.

Trump Imposes 25 Percent Tariff on India Plus Unspecified Penalty

Trump said US to impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods and unspecified penalties, citing India's high trade barriers and reliance on Russian energy and arms.

White House Launches Health Information Sharing Initiative

Making Health Technology Great Again centers on giving patients full access to their own health records and making the data useful for both doctors and patients in managing disease.
spot_img

Related Articles