CPT Tom Cotton for Arkansas 4th District

"A strong national defense depends on a well-funded military with the world’s best-equipped and trained troops and most advanced weapon systems. While we must stay mindful of wasteful spending—often driven by congressional earmarks and politicians’ desire for reelection, not by military strategy—we cannot gut the military to pay for failed stimulus plans, ObamaCare, or other liberal programs. In fact, the military has already cut nearly $400 billion under President Obama, including the cancellation of major weapon systems and a dangerous reduction in the number of Marines and Soldiers. These severe cuts have occurred without similar reductions at domestic agencies, which have grown even more bloated under President Obama. As your congressman, I will work to reverse this trend and to ensure that our troops have the equipment and weapons they need to win our wars—or deter them from starting in the first place."

"The foremost responsibility of the federal government is to provide for the common defense."

"I don’t believe in exit strategies; I believe in victory strategies. In Congress, I will stand up to President Obama, whose short-sighted and politically motivated decisions threaten the lives and money that America has invested in these wars."  Tom Cotton for Congress

Now, these are clear policies on National Defense that I can wholeheartedly endorse.  I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find out that he is a Ranger Qualified Veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, who gave up his Law Practice following 9/11 to enlist in the Army:

 Tom was sworn in the US Army in Houston Texas as an enlisted man, E-4, on January 11, 2005 and entered Officer’s Candidate School in March 2005; he completed training and was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant on June 30, 2005. After commissioning, 2^nd Lt Cotton entered a 14 week Officer’s Basic Course at Fort Benning, GA which he completed in November 2005. He then completed Ranger School, earning his Ranger Tab, and Airborne School, earning his Parachutist Badge.

On May 19, 2006, 2^nd Lieutenant Cotton deployed on Operation Iraqi Freedom to Baghdad as a platoon leader with the 101^st Airborne Division. 2^nd Lt Cotton was responsible for a 41 man air-assault infantry platoon, and planned and led daily combat patrols. He completed his first combat tour in Iraq on November 20, 2006, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and various campaign/service medals; he was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant on December 30, 2006.

Following his Iraqi deployment, 1^st Lt Cotton was assigned as a platoon leader at The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, where he was responsible for conducting military honors funerals for Veterans of World War II to today’s combat operations in the world wide war on terrorism.

In 2008, 1^st Lt Cotton volunteered to return to combat duty, was promoted to Captain on August 1, 2008, and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on October 15, 2008. He was assigned to Laghman Province, just north of the Tora Bora Mountains in eastern Afghanistan. He was assigned duty as the Operations Officer of a Provincial Reconstruction Team, where he planned and resourced daily counterinsurgency and reconstruction operations for an 83-member joint and interagency team; he returned from Afghanistan on July 20, 2009. For his second tour in Afghanistan he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the NATO Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and various campaign/service medals. He was honorably discharged from the US Army on September 26, 2009 at Fort Meyer, VA. Combat Veterans for Congress

 Tom Cotton is running against Marcus Richmond, a retired Marine LtCol., among others.  With a position statement like this, I believe he could also have my endorsement:

"Despite fighting two wars, many of our national leaders are now seeking to solve our deficit problems by crippling national defense. The easiest target for their deficit knives is personnel cuts and reduced research and development for individual weapons and protective equipment." Richmond for Congress

And Beth Anne Rankin:

"The most important responsibility of our federal government is ensuring the national security of the United States of America. It is absolutely essential that America dedicates the resources necessary to be sure our armed forces are strong and our borders are secure." Rankin for Congress

And John Cowart, a Marine LtCol, currently deployed to Afghanistan, and no policy statements up on National Defense. Cowart for Congress

Along with Gene Jeffres, who does not appear to have a website.

Tom Cotton is on Facebook, on Twitter, and has a website.

It appears that the 4th District of Arkansas has a wealth of great candidates in 2012.