This survey was initiated by Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai (808-586-8455 or at [email protected]). Revised June 2010. An Analysis of State Legislators Who Also Currently Serve in the Military (National Guard or Reserve) By K. Mark Takai 1 November 6, 2010 OVERVIEW After the November 2005 elections, Hawaii State Representative K. Mark Takai began the tedious task of surveying state legislatures throughout the country to identify and contact those state legislators who also serve in the United States military as members of their states’ National Guard or of the United States reserves. The results from the first survey were released in August 2006. The 2010 survey identified 63 current state legislators who also serve in the U.S. military, a decrease from the 65 legislators identified in the 2009 survey. A total of 73 legislators were identified in the 2008 survey; 68 legislators identified in the 2007 survey; and, 57 legislators identified in the 2006 survey. Although the number of legislators in the military decreased from 2007, this years numbers are still more than the 57 legislators identified in 2006. 1 Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai began his legislative career in 1994. He is also a Major in the Hawaii Army National Guard and the equal employment opportunities officer and the school liaison officer from the Hawaii Army National Guard.
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An Analysis of State Legislators Who Also Currently Serve ... · no federal laws that prohibit state lawmakers from serving on active duty with the military, there are specific requirements
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This survey was initiated by Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai (808-586-8455 or at [email protected]). Revised June 2010.
An Analysis of State Legislators Who Also
Currently Serve in the Military (National Guard or Reserve)
By K. Mark Takai1
November 6, 2010
OVERVIEW
After the November 2005 elections, Hawaii State Representative K. Mark Takai began the tedious task of surveying state legislatures
throughout the country to identify and contact those state legislators who also serve in the United States military as members of their
states’ National Guard or of the United States reserves. The results from the first survey were released in August 2006.
The 2010 survey identified 63 current state legislators who also serve in the U.S. military, a decrease from the 65 legislators
identified in the 2009 survey. A total of 73 legislators were identified in the 2008 survey; 68 legislators identified in the 2007 survey;
and, 57 legislators identified in the 2006 survey. Although the number of legislators in the military decreased from 2007, this years
numbers are still more than the 57 legislators identified in 2006.
1 Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai began his legislative career in 1994. He is also a Major in the Hawaii Army National Guard and the equal employment
opportunities officer and the school liaison officer from the Hawaii Army National Guard.
This survey was initiated by Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai (808-586-8455 or at [email protected]). Revised June 2010.
SURVEY INSTRUMENT
The survey was a simple one-page survey (see attachment) that polled legislators throughout the country on a few items of interest.
Besides identifying those legislators who also serve in the military, another purpose of the instrument was to identify those legislators
who were currently or previously on active duty for an extended amount of time, and/or were deployed while serving as a legislator.
This year’s survey was initiated in January 2010 and finalized in June 2010. The office analyzed numerous websites and newspaper
clippings to obtain information for the legislators that did not return a survey.
ANALYSIS
One of the challenges facing legislators who serve in the military is the possibility of deployments and activations. Although there are
no federal laws that prohibit state lawmakers from serving on active duty with the military, there are specific requirements for state
lawmakers who are activated and/or deployed.
The much-quoted Department of Defense Directive 1344.10, revised on February 19, 2008, generally prohibits a full-time military
service member on active duty from holding or exercising the functions of civil office in state government.
For reserve component members on active duty service for 270 days or less, paragraph 4.5.4 of DoDD 1344.10 allows these members
to “hold and exercise the functions of a civil office provided there is no interference with the performance of military duties.”
For reserve component members on active duty service for more than 270 days, paragraph 4.5.3 of DoDD 1344.10 allows these
members to “hold – but shall NOT exercise – the functions of a civil office.”2
This analysis shows that of the 63 state legislators who are also serving in the military, more than 41 percent – 26 of them have
been deployed to another country for longer than 30 days (see Table H). Not surprisingly, many of the deployments of state
legislators have been to the Middle East and have occurred within the last five years.
The analysis identified eight legislators who have been deployed more than once during their legislative careers. Colorado Rep.
Joe Rice has served on five deployments (Bosnia and Iraq four times). Iowa Rep. Royd Chambers has served three deployments
(Germany, Qatar and Kyrgyzstan). Tennessee Rep. John Windle has served on three deployments (twice in Iraq and Kosovo). Texas
Rep. Frank Corte has served on three deployments (Egypt, South Korea and Iraq). Missouri Representative Kraus has served on two
2 The DOD directive allows reserve component members on active duty for more than 270 days to hold a civil office provided: (1) the holding of such office is
not prohibited under the laws of the state and (2) the secretary concerned grants permission after determining that holding such office does not interfere with the
performance of military duties. This means that a military service member may not perform any function or take any action as a state officeholder.
This survey was initiated by Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai (808-586-8455 or at [email protected]). Revised June 2010.
deployments (Iraq and Africa). New Mexico Sen. William Payne has served two deployments (both in the Middle East). Wisconsin
Rep. Roger Roth Jr. has served on two deployments (both in Iraq). Wisconsin Rep. Scott Suder has served on two deployments
(Quatar and Iraq) (see Table H).
Legislators across the country have also been activated for long-term duty (period lasting for more than 139 days). Nearly 50 percent
– a total of 31 legislators surveyed – have said that they have served on extended activations (see Table G).
A total of 32 state legislatures currently have at least one member serving in the military (see Table B). Pennsylvania leads with
five legislators serving in the military; Missouri and South Carolina have four legislators serving in the military, while Iowa, Kansas,
Massachusetts, Washington and Wisconsin all have three.
The analysis also broke down these legislators by the branch of service that they are serving. The Army has 43 serving in the
military, while the Air Force has nine, the Navy has eight and the Marine Corps has three legislators serving (see Table C).
The analysis also looked at which legislators were serving in the National Guard and which ones were serving in the Reserves. A total
of 31 legislators are serving in their states’ National Guard units, while 32 legislators are serving in their respective Reserve
units (see Table D).
The analysis also looked at political affiliations. A total of 38 of these legislators are Republicans, while 25 are Democrats (see
Table E1 and Table E2).
Of the 63 legislators who also serve in the military, 11 representatives and two senators were elected for the very first time in
2006, three representatives were elected for the very first time in 2007, and seven representatives and two senators were
elected for the very first time in 2008. Kansas Rep. Melanie Meier was the only legislator elected for the very first time in 2009.
(see Tables F1-F4).
Most of the legislators currently serving in the military were guardsmen or reservists prior to running for office. Ten legislators
joined the National Guard or Reserves after getting into elected office.
CONCLUSION
This analysis shows that there is a critical mass of legislators who also serve in our nation’s military and that this number is steadily
increasing in recent years.
This survey was initiated by Hawaii State Rep. K. Mark Takai (808-586-8455 or at [email protected]). Revised June 2010.
THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF LEGISLATORS IN THE MILITARY The three purposes of the National Network of Legislators in the Military (NNLM) are to (1) provide information and guidance to
those legislators who are or will be activated or deployed; (2) to provide a forum that will allow legislators to share “best practices”
and model legislation to support the military in their respective states; and (3) to provide an opportunity to organizations and
companies supporting our military to work with the network’s members.
DISCLAIMER
The author made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. Any corrections should be sent to the author at the following