We took on relaunching the Free Press in 2021 with a commitment to creating a space for uncensored conversation, discourse that other local media does not permit. Throughout that time, readers have asked, Do you have a Letters to the Editor section? We didn’t.
And because we require comments under articles to be “on topic”, we found that readers who want to speak to other important issues, events and concerns that our small crew can’t cover don’t have a place for that. We couldn’t accommodate readers who wanted to bring up other topics, post news flashes, announce community events, or express concerns outside of the selected subjects we write about.
In the spirit of offering Letters to the Editor as a traditional platform for lively, wide-ranging conversations in the public square, we invite you to write about whatever is on your mind. As with our issue-specific articles — and unlike print media — this online format supports feedback, exchanges and debate.
How this will work:
For example, if there hadn’t been an article it related to, this post under a recent story would have been an excellent Letter to the Editor, generating its own comments. It would likely have been censored by local newspapers and deleted on NextDoor.
Submit your letter in the white box below CommentGuidelines at the bottom of the page containing the muted prompt “Enter your comment here…” Either provide your own title to the letter as a top line or we will title it for you.
To respond to a post, hit the REPLY button under that specific letter or comment you wish to respond to, as shown in the example above.
[WordPress can be a glitchy platform, and occasionally it does not properly indent comments (as it did correctly above) even though the writer hits the REPLY tab. If this happens, use the CONTACT US tab at the top of the page and let us know. We’ll get back to you ASAP to help sort it out.]
Editors Note: In the Free Press‘s ongoing efforts to expose censorship by local media, we are publishing a letter to the editor written to The Leader by long-time Port Townsend resident Julie Jaman. The letter, printed in full below, was submitted on July 28th following her experience at the Mountain View Pool, a City of Port Townsend facility operated in partnership with the Olympic Peninsula YMCA. The Free Press reported in detail on the episode the letter describes. Other information outlets have since picked up the story, including The Post Millennial, The Distance, and the feminist REDUXX.
Not only did The Leader not publish Jaman’s letter, Jefferson County’s weekly “newspaper of record” provided no coverage of any kind about this significant incident. The violation of a biological woman’s right to privacy and her subsequent banning from the pool led to a police report, protests and counter-protests at the Mountain View Commons, as well as dozens of public comments at the August 1st Port Townsend City Council meeting. Rather than publish Jaman’s letter and/or a news story, however, this week’s Leader featured a public relations article promoting the Y on their front page. A call from Jaman to theeditor was never returned, she says. Once again we see censorship by the legacy media in deference to local institutions and their biases.
Below is the letter The Leader chose not to print. The title was provided by Julie Jaman as part of her submission.
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Men’s Eyes in Women’s Shower Room
Editor, The Leader
Showering after my swim at Mt. View Pool, I heard a man’s voice. Peeking out I saw a man in a woman’s bathing suit watching little girls pull down their swimsuits In order to use the bathroom. “Get out of here,” I said.
This is the incident that caused a Y staff person to condemn me as discriminatory and banned me forever from using the pool – the pool with binary changing areas that my family has supported and used for 35 years. I sense I have arrived at the center of this topsy turvy world.
There is no signage on the door informing pool patrons that men will be using the women’s shower/dressing room if they identify as women. There is no place at the pool for women and girls to use who do not want men watching while they shower and dress.
I spoke with a Port Townsend police detective and with the Y’s CEO, Wendy Bart. This, so far, is not a legal incident. However, the CEO provided some information of concern. Ms. Bart told me she assumes the posted “pride” signs indicating the Y welcomes all people are adequate for women to know crossdressers and men who identify as women will be using the women’s dressing/shower room. And she told me that it is the law not to discriminate against such people and that she was standing by her staff person’s decision to exclude me from the pool.
However, there is no way around discriminating against someone in this sex classification vs. gender identity issue when it comes to modesty, dignity and safety. Someone is going to be trespassed. This time it was me: the pool manager, with no inquiry for my well being or concern for what I saw and while I was still in the shower, told me I was discriminating against this man and booted me from the pool.
“Pride” signs act as a euphemism allowing men into the spaces women have always trusted as safe from the eyes of men. The Olympic Peninsula Y is remiss in not posting clear signage on the dressing room doors and for not providing a unisex or family place for those who want to mix it up.
Julie Jaman
Quimper Peninsula
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Additional coverage by the Free Press is forthcoming.
For this year’s primary races, our readers are invited to ask candidates questions and add comments in an interactive exchange below. Here’s your chance to probe local office-seekers in a relaxed public forum where you’ll even get the chance for a couple rounds of follow-up questions!
Participating candidates have agreed to engage with commenters for at least three days following publication. Candidates can expand upon and clarify their views; voters can get a deeper look into what they have to offer. The candidate will reply daily to each posted comment during the 3-day period. Candidates can reply as expansively or as briefly as they want, optionally writing collective replies to multiple similar comments or commenters who post multiple times during the same day. Comments that violate PTFP commenting policy will be blocked or removed by moderators so won’t qualify for candidate replies.
All contenders in local primary races with at least three candidates were invited to participate in these roundtables —
Jefferson County Commissioner:
Jon Cooke, Greg Brotherton, Marcia Kelbon
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 1:
Sue Forde, Mike Chapman, Matthew Rainwater
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 2:
Steve Tharinger, Darren Corcoran, Brian Pruiett
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B R I A N P R U I E T T
I’m Brian Pruiett. I grew up here in beautiful Washington state where the blue-green sea meets our forested hills and white-capped mountains. My wife Kathleen and I have four children and six grandchildren, and a dog named Maggie. We live on a small farm in Clallam County where I propagate heirloom varietal fruit trees and produce a natural hay crop. After retirement I started rehabbing single homes and duplexes for low-income housing. I’m a member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), Carlsborg VFW, and Jefferson County Sportsmans Club.
I am currently in my third year of campaigning to be your State Representative for Position 2, in our 24th Legislative District, which spans from Brinnon to Port Townsend to Cape Flattery to Ocean Shores to Elma. In my first attempt at running, in 2020, I won 47 percent of the district vote. My prospects are very good.
The questionable behavior of our current ruling party in Washington State during the recent Covid crisis and never-ending Gubernatorial emergency powers indicates it is time for a change. Solid, successful leadership is what I bring to change troubled times into better living. My national and international level experience provide the way ahead, TO DO what needs to be done.
I’ve had three career paths, which I believe will add value to my service to you, in Olympia:
In the military, I learned how to work hard and smart. I was recognized with over 30 awards including the Bronze Star Medal for service in Afghanistan. I was selected for promotion ten times and retired as Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander. I also served a three-year appointment as Inspector General, implementing organizational excellence, inspections, investigations, also dealing with corruption, crime, and malfeasance.
I have real-life experience in Natural Resource Management through my work at the U.S. Department of Interior. I have lived and worked in the Powderhorn Wilderness Area, in Colorado. I served as reclamation and soil scientist for three mining companies in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. I’ve facilitated endangered species surveys, fought fires in Wyoming and South Dakota. I facilitated rangeland management for the northeast quarter of Wyoming, including oil and gas development of roads, pipelines, powerlines, compressor stations, well locations, and rehabilitation of them all.
I served as a Supervisory Human Resource Officer, Department of the Army Civilian (DAC), which is the chief personnel officer supervising the directors of Personnel Management, Drug Demand Reduction, Family Programs, Equal Opportunity, Educational Services, and the contractors for both the Child and Youth Services and Gold Star Family programs.
Collectively, my life experiences have prepared me for the call of duty to serve in the Washington State Legislature. I am compassionate about the value of every human being. Hence, I am a populist: I have faith in God and the intrinsic ability of ordinary people to attain extraordinary things. I am a decorated combat veteran, experienced worker and leader who wants to ensure freedom of choice in lifestyle, career, education, vocation, housing, healthcare, and life in general.
As we have learned from our experiences over the past couple of years, we cannot take our freedoms for granted. Partisan politics have put our freedoms at risk. We need leaders who are driven by the courage of their convictions who use their positions of power to empower others. Elections matter.
Every aspect of our lives is subject to the policies enacted by those we elect, such as commerce, transportation, religious freedom, taxation, parental rights and responsibilities, educational choices, and so on. It’s imperative that we elect those who will genuinely advocate for our safety, wellbeing, and common interests, operating under the laws, rather than instituting lawlessness.
Here’s what I propose we do to get things on track:
We need to make sure taxes support critical needs and are the best priorities for funding. We need a healthy budget rather than a bloated one. Overall inflation is running about twenty percent per year and your financial wellbeing must be the highest priority.
I will support these two bills to increase housing affordability: HB1232 for affordability and HB2049 for permit reform. Do you support reduction in permit fees, “smart-sizing” building and septic codes?
We need drastic reductions in state spending. Our state population went up just 15 percent in ten years but the state spending went up over 75 percent. This is an avoidable, unreasonable, and unaffordable burden which must change. In addition, our local protests over ‘unfunded mandates’ are focused on real, increasing burdens (including the Growth Management Act), which we approved with I-62, and again, in 1993, with the passage of I-601.
Together, these two initiatives in the RCW state, “… the legislature shall not impose responsibility for new programs or increased levels of service under existing programs on any political subdivision of the state unless the subdivision is fully reimbursed by the state for the costs of the new programs or increases in service levels.”
Our majority Democrat-run government isn’t listening to us.
For example, the incumbent, Steve Tharinger, has aggressively pushed every gimmick and means he can take more of your money and spend it. He boasts about being Chair of the House Capital Budget Committee, and being on the Appropriations Committee, which cast aside our votes for $30 Car Tabs. He instead boosted many other fees, some as high as five hundred percent, just this year.
The Legislature has ignored these and many other directives of the people, including the overwhelming vote by Jefferson County against higher property taxes. Do you support a freeze on property taxes at the time of purchase, to be reset upon the next transfer of the property? I do.
We need to restore our Public Works funds for small cities and towns like Port Townsend. Tharinger voted to take them away for the next two years.
Reducing inflation is critical. With our state median home sale price, according to Redfin, jumping from $400,000 to over $600,000 from 2020 to 2022, the net impact to all of us is increased homelessness and reduced availability to working class families.
I support repeal of the two new fuel taxes. The incumbent I will replace and his Democrat Majority have further exacerbated this high cost by voting in two new state laws, HB 1091 and SB 5126, Low Carbon Fuel tax, which started this July and will completely kick in on January 1, 2023. They will really amplify the pain you feel at the gas pump and the grocery store.
I advocate for term limits for our Governors. The incumbent stated he supports unlimited terms but, then, he is a career politician and I am not. Do you think terms should be limited?
I support a limit to emergency declarations. The incumbent says the legislature acts too slowly so we need the emergency powers along with its spending and overregulation, and he thinks this should be endless and remain untouched. We are now over nine hundred days into the C19 Emergency. You be the judge.
I advocate for our entire criminal justice system including family, mental health and drug courts. Prison is usually not the best place to house violent mentally ill people, many who can be helped by medication and therapy. I have friends who work with these people in need. Do you support a new state mental health hospital?
I advocate for street drugs to be made illegal again. People need to be offered a hand up, but no more handouts without a verified commitment to change. What do you think should be done?
I advocate for a new fully funded and fully capable state crime lab. The right to speedy trial is a basic civil right for all..
Our peninsula road network needs prioritization. Highway 112 the 35 miles of Highway 101 south of Forks, and Highways 101 and 104 are critical. Which do you think needs repair?
I support school choice and parental rights. I am against corrupted “Critical Race Theory” and am against teaching young children sex education infused with gender confusion. The state public system is collecting almost $19,000 per student, for failing grades. It’s time to get back to basics and answer parental concerns. Did you know some private schools cost as low as seven to eight thousand dollars per year, and many have cost share or scholarships available?
I advocate for high school-trade school certification-level training by age 18.
As you can see, we have a lot of work to do to get our state back on track. First and foremost, we need to set things straight right here on our peninsula. That’s where you come in. I live here and so do you. We have nothing to gain from either of us failing. As your State Representative, I will not only value your input, I will solicit it, I WILL LISTEN and I WILL ACT based on what citizens of the district want and need.
Let’s start right here, right now! I’m looking forward to engaging with you through your questions and comments to this post. I humbly ask for your vote for Brian Pruiett for State House in the August 2 Primary and again in the November General Election. Learn more about my campaign at vote4pruiett.com.
Brian and his dog Maggie. All photos provided by Brian Pruiett Top photo: Brian and his wife Kathleen
For this year’s primary races, our readers are invited to ask candidates questions and add comments in an interactive exchange below. Here’s your chance to probe local office-seekers in a relaxed public forum where you’ll even get the chance for a couple rounds of follow-up questions!
Participating candidates have agreed to engage with commenters for at least three days following publication. Candidates can expand upon and clarify their views; voters can get a deeper look into what they have to offer. The candidate will reply daily to each posted comment during the 3-day period. Candidates can reply as expansively or as briefly as they want, optionally writing collective replies to multiple similar comments or commenters who post multiple times during the same day. Comments that violate PTFP commenting policy will be blocked or removed by moderators so won’t qualify for candidate replies.
All contenders in local primary races with at least three candidates were invited to participate in these roundtables —
Jefferson County Commissioner:
Jon Cooke, Greg Brotherton, Marcia Kelbon
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 1:
Sue Forde, Mike Chapman, Matthew Rainwater
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 2:
Steve Tharinger, Darren Corcoran, Brian Pruiett
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M A T T H E W R A I N W A T E R
Who am I?
Hi, my name is Matthew Rainwater, and I am running for the Washington State House of Representatives in the 24th District, Position 1. As an Army Veteran, and a retired Border Patrol Agent, I have the strength and the resolve to fight for the needs of our District, instead of our current “representatives” who vote for what is good for Seattle.
My friends, I have jumped out of airplanes. I have had criminals hit me with a car. I have been shot at more times than I care to remember. I have stared death in the face quite a few times in my life — both while I was in the Army, and as a Border Patrol Agent — and have been victorious each time.
Jim Walsh, JT Wilcox, Joel McEntire, as well as a few others, have been asking me to run for office for a few years now, and I always told them the same thing — I wanted to run, but I needed to retire from the Border Patrol first.
The people of the 24th have been poorly “represented” (and I use that term loosely) by my opponent. During his tenure in elected office, he has been a regular vote for more government interference in our everyday lives. During his time as our “representative”, inflation, gas prices, crime, drug abuse, homelessness, a disregard for our law enforcement, taxes and attacks on our Constitutional Rights have all been on the rise.
That is NOT the representation we need.
Ladies and gentlemen, my opponent has a history of showing he is not for the values of the 24th, but rather those of Olympia and Seattle. He has shown he is not willing to fight for what is right. Instead, he is in lock step with his fellow liberals.
Thanks to those liberals, we now have kids being taught about “gender identity” as young as the 3rd grade. We should allow the parents and the local school boards to decide what our kids are taught, instead of progressives in Olympia.
The cost of building new houses is increasing due to government regulation, yet the government is taking more money out of our pockets through taxes to help “affordable” housing.
We have families struggling to put food on the table, and gas in our cars, yet he is calling for higher gas taxes.
We are living in a society where the left feels they have the power to take away our constitutional rights. The democrats attacked the 1st Amendment by introducing legislation which would criminalize certain types of speech.
With the blessing of Governor Inslee, bureaucrats who don’t answer to the voters, were able to enact policies like vaccine passports which allowed only those they thought were worthy to be able to gather with friends and restricted our right to peaceably assemble.
The entire time, our “representative” was silent. He either agreed with those actions, or he cowered in fear, and refused to stand up for the people of the 24th.
As someone who has looked death head on, and lived to tell the tale, I can assure you I will not be silent, I will not cower in Olympia. I will stand up for the values, and for the rights, of all those in the 24th Legislative District.
As I have done my entire adult life, I will fight for our Constitutional Rights. I will fight to lower taxes, or at a bare minimum to keep them from rising. Especially the property and the sales taxes, which affect the most vulnerable in our district disproportionately.
I will fight for deregulation, and for lowering the costs of permits that make the American dream of buying a house out of reach for the average person.
I will fight to repeal the absurd laws restricting the rights of those who wish to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.
In short, I will fight for real solutions to the problems we face.
As I travel throughout the district and meet the voters, I have had the opportunity to talk to people from all walks of life. Republicans, Independents, Swing Voters and Democrats. I am proud to say that, as I speak to them, I have been able to get people from all those categories to declare their support for me. They all are sick at what has become of this great state, and this great district. Just the other day, I was talking to someone, and the conversation started out with “I like the Democrats”, however, by the end of the conversation they were agreeing the democrats have got to go!
What is it about me that makes people decide to support me?
Maybe it is my background. The fact I am a Veteran, or retired Federal Law Enforcement. Maybe it is because I have proven my compassion by my ongoing efforts to house homeless veterans. Maybe it is because I know that no one side has a monopoly on good ideas, and that I am willing to speak with anyone in order to find effective, real solutions to the challenges we face.
Or, maybe, it is because they know that I have a quality that is lacking in everyone else in this race.
Leadership.
If you want to find out more about me, please feel free to reach out. You can also check me out on facebook at Rainwater for Washington, or on the internet at Rainwaterforwa.com or on twitter at Rainwater4wa.
State Representative Jim Walsh and Congressional candidate Elizabeth Kreiselmaier with Matthew after he threw out the first pitch at The Lefties baseball game at Civic Field. All photos provided by Matthew Rainwater Top photo: Matthew with his wife Debbie
For this year’s primary races, our readers are invited to ask candidates questions and add comments in an interactive exchange below. Here’s your chance to probe local office-seekers in a relaxed public forum where you’ll even get the chance for a couple rounds of follow-up questions!
Participating candidates have agreed to engage with commenters for at least three days following publication. Candidates can expand upon and clarify their views; voters can get a deeper look into what they have to offer. The candidate will reply daily to each posted comment during the 3-day period. Candidates can reply as expansively or as briefly as they want, optionally writing collective replies to multiple similar comments or commenters who post multiple times during the same day. Comments that violate PTFP commenting policy will be blocked or removed by moderators so won’t qualify for candidate replies.
All contenders in local primary races with at least three candidates were invited to participate in these roundtables —
Jefferson County Commissioner:
Jon Cooke, Greg Brotherton, Marcia Kelbon
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 1:
Sue Forde, Mike Chapman, Matthew Rainwater
WA State Representative, District 24, Position 2:
Steve Tharinger, Darren Corcoran, Brian Pruiett
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S U E F O R D E
My name is Sue Forde, running for State Representative (R) Legislative District 24, Position 1, against Mike Chapman – to be YOUR VOICE in Olympia and to help bring positive change, balance and common sense to our state, with strong representation for our District.
My Background:
I’ve lived, worked and raised a family in Clallam County for 33 years. My background is in business. Since retiring from a 21-year career in the title and escrow business as a certified Senior Escrow Officer and Manager, I’ve been a small business owner for the past 20.
My major in college was journalism. I have also taken various courses in escrow, accounting and business. I taught Escrow I, II and III in community college.
I’ve served as a volunteer administrator and teacher for a teen redirectional program – a successful nonprofit organization (no government funding) for teens with drugs and alcohol and other problems. I also served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club, as Farm Bureau president and was a founding member of a local Toastmasters club. You can read about my diverse background on my website – www.electsueforde.com
Sue and granddaughters JazLyn and Amy Anne
I was elected to two terms as Clallam County Home Rule Charter Commissioner, the second time, receiving the majority of votes overall and elected by my peers as 1st vice chair in a bipartisan vote. I’ve been politically active here for more than 20 years, standing for private property and individual rights.
Sue with grandson Steven
I have strong family support, and my daughter Shauna is working closely with me as my campaign manager.
On a personal level, I’ve enjoyed our two dogs, a cat, chickens and for several years, raised Saanan goats. I’ve played in a variety of small bands as a keyboardist, and enjoy playing classical music, too. I love reading, researching and writing.
Why I’m Running:
The icing on the cake was this last legislative session when we had a $15 BILLION surplus in the budget, and instead of returning any of it to us taxpayers, Mike Chapman and the majority party spent it all. It was — and continues to be — an affront, especially when so many individuals, small businesses and families are still hurting due to the Covid shutdown and now, rampant inflation.
Over the years, we’ve seen an increase in taxation and regulation that intrudes upon our ability as citizens to use our hard-earned money in ways that benefit us and others at a local level, and reduces our freedoms. We’ve seen mandates (that are not law), which also adversely affect our freedoms.
We have had a trifecta (all three branches of state government run by one party) for 16 years. I believe it’s past time for some “balance” in the legislature.
I was asked to run for state representative in 2019 by my peers and friends, and ran in 2020 as a first time candidate for that position. Our legislative district covers Jefferson, Clallam and the northern portion of Grays Harbor counties; despite the Covid shutdown and the inability to campaign as usual, I lost by less than 5% of the overall vote. This campaign season, I’ve seen so much support with volunteers, and words of encouragement. I look forward to serving you, and ask for your vote in the Primary and General elections.
Port Ludlow Fire Commissioner Glenn Clemens: “Sue will work very hard to represent us in Olympia returning this country to law and order and responsible government. I am very honored to endorse Sue. She is what this great country needs right now!” Sue’s supporters also include WA State Representative Jim Walsh and the North Olympic Counties Farm Bureau. See her endorsement page here.
The Issues:
Higher taxes, bigger government, more bureaucracy
Mike Chapman and his majority party votes for higher taxes, for bigger government, and for more bureaucracy.
As an example, he voted straight party-line for a transportation budget that increases taxes and fees, and does little to help with our roads and infrastructure. Instead, money goes to the I-5 corridor for special interest projects. Follow the money! (About 95% or more of Chapman’s donations come from special interests, while 97% of mine come from people in our own District.)
I will vote to lower gas tax, sales tax, property taxes, the B&O tax and will vote to repeal the capital gains state income tax.
Education:
Public school now costs more than $18,000 PER STUDENT, yet students’ scores are abysmal. At a time when we see 70% of our public school children failing the math assessment test, and 52% failing the English assessment test, we need to do better to educate our children and grandchildren in the basic skills, so they graduate and can earn a good living.
Folks across party lines agree with my idea for school choice, where the money follows the child for their best education – whether it’s public school, private, vo-tech, charter or homeschooling, including special needs. (The average private school costs about $7,000 a year.) With competition comes lower costs! Let the parents choose where to send their children to school, and post curricula online so they can see what is being taught.
Housing:
I will work to roll back the Growth Management Act (GMA) to build more homes under LOCAL control, instead of an unelected, unaccountable state board. When there is more supply in housing, costs go down. I will work to streamline government to lower costs of building. It currently costs about 24% (approximately $124,000.00) in government regulations and fees to build a new home. This is unacceptable. There are good ideas from various communities to help solve the cost of housing, including moving a house instead of destroying it.
Homelessness:
As I see it, homelessness can be broken down into three categories:
(1) As a result of lost jobs or other economic situations where individuals need a hand up, not a hand-out. We need to offer the help they need to get back on their feet utilizing private and local programs wherever possible.
(2) Mental illness – With the closure of facilities to help those who have mental disabilities, there is a need to fill that gap, instead of leaving them to their own devices, often living on the streets.
(3) Drug and alcohol abuse – There are many programs available to help those who want to get clean and sober, from temporary housing to 12-step and other programs. These individuals can transition from a bad lifestyle to a better one, often becoming an active, productive member of society. Those who do not want help, but are maintaining their lifestyle through crime should be arrested for those crimes and incarcerated. Often, incarceration will lead to a change of heart, and those will get on the right path toward recovery.
We need to treat each of these areas for the best solutions while not wasting taxpayers’ money. I will work toward that goal.
Where I stand:
I support our law enforcement, and will vote to restore the law so they can defend and protect us and our property. Criminals should be handcuffed, not the police.
I will strongly defend, as I always have, our Constitutional rights. I oppose government mandates, which are a slippery slope to loss of freedoms.
In Closing:
I have been listening – and will continue to do so – to the people of our district, and will be a strong voice to serve you as YOUR VOICE in Olympia – for balance and for common sense representation – for transparency and accountability.
I’m often in Jefferson County, and hope to meet you at your door or at a neighborhood meeting at some point during the campaign! Please share your thoughts and ideas with me!
You can learn more about the issues and my campaign at my website: www.electsueforde.com, by e-mail at electsueforde@gmail.com or by phone at 360-477-8151. Please follow me on Facebook or Instagram @ Elect Sue Forde – I’m posting events and issues there daily. If you’d like to donate, volunteer or endorse me, you can do so through my website.
I’m Sue Forde, Republican for State Representative. I ask for your support and your vote in the Primary on August 2nd.
Thank you!
Sue kicks back with the Buck Ellard Band All photos provided by Sue Forde. Top photo: Sue with campaign manager Shauna Millar at a rally.
In the military, I learned how to work hard and smart. I was recognized with over 30 awards including the Bronze Star Medal for service in Afghanistan. I was selected for promotion ten times and retired as Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander. I also served a three-year appointment as Inspector General, implementing organizational excellence, inspections, investigations, also dealing with corruption, crime, and malfeasance.
