2024 Candidate Statements
The Oklahoma Democratic Party Veterans Federation endorses candidates based on their responses to the questionnaires.Each election cycle we ask candidates to respond to our questionnaire about their experience with and views on veterans issues.
Here, please read the candidates responses in their own words:
Learn more at dennislbaker.com
Post Office Box 702188
Tulsa. OK 74170
January 18, 2024
Secretary Gary Harris
Oklahoma Democratic Parly Veterans Federation (ODPVF)
Dear Gary,
As requested, here's my response to your Candidate Questionnaire. I am a Democrat running fbr
Congress in Oklahoma's First Congressional District. I can be contacted by telephone at 918-
261-1814. You, and all ODPVF members, have my heartfelt thanks for your service and the work you do on behalf of veterans.
I would be honored to have the endorsement of ODPVF.
1 Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
I am not a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. I have a law enforcement career, serving as
a Tulsa Police OfIcer and as an FBI Special Agent.
2 Do you have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not
limited to family ties?
Yes, I have many connections with veterans due to my law enfbrcement career. Many of
my colleagues in law enforcement are veterans. I have trained with my military counterparts on
military bases and visited military bases on investigative matters or in connection with the
military careers of my children. Those bases include MCB Quantico, Ft. Bragg, the Pentagon,
Luke AFB, Camp Butner, Kirtland AFB, MCB Camp Pendleton, MCB Camp Lejeune, MCRD
Beaufort, MCRD Parris Island, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
I have two daughters and a son who served in the U.S. Marine Corp. One daughter
completed Basic Training at MCRD Parris Island, my second daughter completed Officer
Candidate School at MCB Quantico, and my son is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
My grandfather, Sgt. George Baker, served in the U.S. Army during WWI (90th Division,
358th Infantry). He was killed in action at the battle of Saint-Mihiel in France on September 12,
1918.
3 What do you consider the most imporlant issues facing veterans and military families?
Veteran suicides are an ongoing national tragedy. This must be addressed. Veterans need
help accessing health services to include mental health services. They need help navigating a
complex bureaucracy that almost discourages veterans from seeking the help they need. In
addition, when a service member is deployed, military families need help taking care of their
families from groceries to day-care. Finally. military families and veterans need help after
leaving active duty with finding good jobs.
4 In what way can you be helpful to veterans and military tamilies if elected to office?
I will address the alarming suicide rate among veterans by expanding and improving
veteran access to mental health services. I will expand and improve health care benefits and work
to reduce the bureaucracy that discourages veterans from pursuing what they are owed. I will
work to provide needed support for military families when a member of that family is deployed
and make sure veterans get the help they need when they leave the military and start another
career. I'll support, fund, and protect the PACT Act, passed by Congressional Democrats, which
provides healthcare for 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.
Sincerely,
Dennis Baker
Learn more about his campaign here: dennislbaker.com
Learn more at brandon4congress.com
Name: Brandon Wade
Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives Congressional District 2
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank, and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
Answer: No I have never served in the US Armed Forces.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
Answer: Yes I know many veterans. The closest to me is my father, who served in the US Army in Vietnam. I also have friends, uncles, and cousins that have served.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
Answer: I feel that Healthcare is probably the most important, in so many ways. Mental healthcare and treatment, accessibility to quality healthcare, and providing more Veteran healthcare facilities in more locations and rural communities. Providing transportation for those that can’t get there on their own.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office? These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
Answer: When elected, I would like to be apart of the United States House Committee on Veterans’ affairs, so I can have an impact on the things I listed above,as well as, improving better wages for our military families.
In Solidarity,
Brandon Wade
Congressional Candidate for Congress
to learn more visit brandon4congress.com.
Name: Mary Brannon
Office sought: Oklahoma CD 4-running against incumbent Republican Tom Cole
electbrannon.com
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
No, I have never served. However, I always supported those who did.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
My close family connections include my father, Army landing at Normandy.
Older brother Roger, Marine Corps, 2 tours in Vietnam.
Younger brother Steve, retired officer, Air Force, Desert Storm.
The important men in my family, representing all 3 branches, and saw military action.
3. What do you consider the most important issue facing veterans and military families?
The most important issues facing veterans/military families are Republicans want to make military care private, closing all military hospitals. My brother Roger came home from Vietnam with a DEATH sentence. He died a slow painful death eaten alive by Agent Orange. Never complained and always proud he served. Anytime a government agency goes private, the cost goes up, and the quality comes down. Just look at Tinker Military Housing, by awful company Balfour Beatty (internet has horror stories) TOXIC MOLD, INSECT INFESTATIONS, WATER LEAKS, BURST PIPES, DISTURBED ASBESTOS TILES, and LONG LISTS FOR REPAIRS. They were also charged with FRAUD, for filing FRAUDULENT INCENTIVE FEES. They pled GUILTY and were fined 65 million for unearned bonuses, for housing maintenance never done. Low level employees took the fall. This company has 50 contracts at military bases. If they will do this to base housing, imagine what they would do at a hospital??? I promised my brother on his death bed, I would keep Veteran Care from going PRIVATE. This is my 4th time running against Cole. I will continue to run against him, until he is gone!
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office? These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
1. Keep military care from going private.
2. Keep base housing safe.
3. A LIVABLE wage
4. Reproductive Rights protected
5. My office will ALWAYS be open
Learn more at electbrannon.com
Kody Macaulay
Congressional Candidate District 4 - Oklahoma kodyforok.com
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
Yes, I served in the Air Force from 2009-2016 on Active Duty and then from 2016-2022 in the Air Force Reserves. I ended my career as an E-6 (Technical Sergeant). I spent 3 years in Okinawa, Japan and the rest of the time at Tinker, had two deployments, and about 2,000 flying hours on the E-3 Sentry (AWACS). My job was a K1A371, meaning I was an instructor airborne surveillance technician. I evaluated radar and IFF returns to determine good guys from bad guys in the air. I have multiple Air Medals, an Aerial Achievement Medal for flights over Korea, Meritorious Service Medal, and multiple other medals.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
Absolutely, I have friends I served with and some that are still in the military.
3. What do you consider the most important issue facing veterans and military families?
VA Funding. Too many veterans are falling through the cracks in the system, a system that has gotten much better over the past few years but can still be shored up.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office? These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
Definitely advocate for extra funding so we can open up some more clinics and hire more staff to handle claims. My VA claims went through pretty quickly, and it still took 5 months, but I've had friends that had to wait for over a year. I would tell any veteran to call my office if they're waiting more than 6 months and as a member of Congress I will reach out to the VA and see if I can't get some movement on it. Also, I know it's a rumor that keeps popping up, but I'd definitely fight to keep the VA from being privatized. If privatized, we'll lose all oversight power over the VA. The government may not be the greatest at running programs, but at least we'll have the power to fix things.
I'd also like to set up a Congressional Committee on Veteran homelessness and try to find out what kind of programs we can come up with to get housing set up, jobs or a trade school if possible, and a case worker to check in with them. I know the VA has their own advisory committee on this, but I don't feel like it's getting enough attention or traction.
Kody Macaulay
Congressional Candidate
District 4 - Oklahoma
Learn more at kodyforok.com
Name: Elizabeth Foreman
Office sought: OK Senate District 15
foremanforsenate.com
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
No, I have not.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
My father, grandfathers on both sides, and all the men in my lineage going back are all wartime Veterans.
I have a myriad of friends who have served or are still on active duty. My best friend (veteran herself) is a Gold Star Widow (2012). I was with her when she was notified and traveled with her to Ft. Sill while she was going through the process.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
Speaking with the veterans and military families in my life, there are two main issues that they tell me they face while active duty and when they return to civilian life.
The biggest issue they have faced is transitioning back to civilian life. They do not have any educational programs that help them reacclimate to civilian life. Job training, educational programs, guiding them to post-service life would be paramount.
Another issue would be more federal, but a lot of veterans who return to civilian life don't have the proper education on how to access their benefits. As a Councilmember in Norman, we have operated an overnight warming shelter for four years and have connected over 100 unhoused veterans to resources to help them get housing, when they did not know this was an option for them.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office? These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
It is great that the state offers priority to state jobs for veterans, however, most veterans might no know what they would be qualified for. Depending on their branch, creating job correlation tables to let the soldier know that if they did X job in the military, those skills cross-reference with these type of jobs in civilian life. Creating some sort of personnel within the state who understands military life and jobs who can educate and guide the veteran towards applying for applicable jobs would be wonderful.
Learn more at foremanforsenate.com.
Name: Robin Fuxa
Office sought: OK Senate District 21
robinforoklahoma.com
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
I have not served in the armed forces, but I am incredibly proud of my family members and friends who have served.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
My dad, Tommy C. Moore, is an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. His tour was April of 1967 to April of 1968. His highest rank was Staff Sergeant, and he was 1st Air Cavalry, 1st of 30th Artillery. Years of service were 1966-1969.
My paternal grandfather, Russell C. Moore, served in the Army during World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
My maternal grandfather, Joseph Anson, Sr., was in the Army during WWII prior to being medically discharged, and my uncles Joseph Anson, Jr. (Air Force) and Chris Anson (Army) served during the Vietnam era. Chris served a tour in Vietnam. More recently, I have two first cousins who are Gulf War veterans.
I am deeply grateful to each of them, and to all veterans, for their service.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
In talking with quite a few veterans as I considered challenges, I am finding that transportation comes up repeatedly, particularly for our aging veterans who may be less inclined to drive in the metro areas where they need to travel for a number of services not offered in VA clinics closer to home.
A number of veterans have shared with me that the point of transition from military to civilian life can be very difficult, so I'm eager to provide stronger support through this very challenging time that may include a wide array of needs.
Too often our veterans' education, training, and workforce experience that so closely aligns with a numb er of civilian workforce needs doesn't "count" when it comes to seeking employment or further educational opportunities. We need to address this.
While we have made some progress in access to post-secondary education for our veterans, there is still more work to be done here as well.
Last but not least, while OK has a number of key services that complement federal services, it can be difficult to determine benefits and the best point of access.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office? These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
I'll work to expand transportation services for veterans in our rural communities. While some ride share services exist, they need to be more visible, accessible, and convenient for both parties since in many cases the party providing the transportation is a fellow veteran.
I'm excited about setting up a mentoring network of fellow veterans to support the transition from military life to civilian life and beyond. Our veterans need a mentor they can trust to act as a sounding board and offer support; from employment opportunities to accessing benefits, from mental health needs to educational opportunities, I'm confident that our state with such a high number of veterans would have many who are eager to step up to support one another with an appropriate structure put into place to connect people.
I'm eager to seek equivalencies for education and workforce experience for military veterans who have extensive and often highly specialized training that we can honor in order to reduce costs for veterans and decrease delays in re-entering the workforce, whether a service member is just leaving military service or is considering a career change later on.
While the improved access to higher education that was put into place in 2022 through the Educational Assistance Program for the Oklahoma National Guard was an essential step, we need to consider ways that Oklahoma could expand such benefits to veterans across our armed forces.
I'm grateful that Oklahoma already offers many services for veterans; I'll work to continue to improve visibility and streamline access to benefits so our veterans are aware of and utilize these services they've earned.
Respect for our veterans has always been incredibly important to me. If elected, I would be thrilled to be able to utilize the office to create opportunities to raise awareness of and foster respect for our veterans' many contributions to our local communities, to our state, and to our nation.
Learn more at robinforoklahoma.com
Name: Mark Mann markmannforsenate.com
Office sought: Senate District 46
Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
n/a
Do you have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
I come from a family with a strong military background. Starting with my grandfather and great uncles who served in WWII. Following this I have three uncles who served, two in the Army and one in the Air Force and my father-in-law retired from the Air Force.
What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
There are many pressing issues facing our veterans and active military. Specifically at the state level issues include homeless veterans; mental health care resources for veterans, active-duty military and their families; strengthening job training and small business assistance for those leaving service; and properly staffing and funding our veterans’ centers.
In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office?These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
The state needs to appropriate dollars so that county and city governments have resources to leverage federal dollars to address the issue of homelessness within the veteran community. No veteran should ever go homeless.
The state, through the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs and the State Department of Mental Health need to make broad mental health and substance abuse services available in a robust and timely manner to veterans, active-duty military, and their families.
Job training and small business assistance through the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs should be strengthened, fully funded and available to veterans across the state.
Ensuring that funding for Oklahoma’s Veterans Centers is increased to hire more staff and retain existing staff. These nursing centers should be the best in Oklahoma, period. It is a commitment that Oklahoma has made to veterans and that commitment should be honored and delivered in a world class way!
With a teaching shortage in Oklahoma the state needs to bolster efforts with our Troops to Teachers program. In the past this program has assisted retiring military personnel to transition into Oklahoma’s classrooms.
It is important to point out that while many of the programs the state offers to veterans are funded through federal dollars, there is no reason the state cannot invest additional state dollars to improve and expand programing. With a $2 billion dollar plus surplus in state funds it’s time to invest in our people!
Learn more at markmannforsenate.com
Mitchell Jacob for Oklahoma House District 20
Visit mitchelljacob.com
My name is Mitchell Jacob, and I am running as a democratic candidate for Oklahoma House District 20. I currently reside with my wife, and four of our five children (all boys, the oldest of whom graduated in May of 2023 and is now living in Owasso, OK). I am an Oklahoma native, one of nine children, father of five children, and I have a myriad of experiences which I believe will benefit my position as Representative for District 20. Specifically, I have worked in the service industry, finance, and served in the Army. Currently, I am slated to graduate from law school in May of 2025. Enough about me. Let us get to the veterans.
1) Have I ever served in the Armed Forces? If so, what was my branch, rank, and years of service? Mention any pertinent details.
Yes, I am a veteran. I served in the United States Army for five years and four months. I entered as a PFC and earned the rank of Sergeant (E-5) prior to transitioning off active-duty status. I served from l/l 7/2017-5/16/2022 as a 35P, Cryptologic Linguist. Primarily, I was assigned to Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Campbell, KY. My family and I lived just across the state border in Clarksville, TN. I deployed to Southern Syria for six months in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
2) Do I have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
I have an extensive network of veterans in my life. I have a brother and two cousins, all of whom are Marine veterans, who live in Oklahoma. I also have two other brothers currently on active-duty status, one of whom is in the Army, and the other is in the Air Force. Beyond that, by virtue of my service, I have an extensive support network of active-duty service members and veterans with whom I communicate regularly. Though many of them do not, and will not, live in Oklahoma, they have been very open to discussion about the issues facing veterans generally, and I believe they will collectively continue to be an incredible resource for working through veteran's issues, including active-duty families, and those transitioning off active-duty status.
3) What do I consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
This discussion focuses upon Oklahoma and is presented generally, because the military is not a monolith and issues faced in one part of the country or in one branch may not apply universally. Transitioning servicemembers need 1) stability; 2) ajob; 3) opportunity for them, their spouse, and their children; and 4) to know the resources available to them. I will address 1-3 below and focus upon 4 here.
It is true that the Army, for one, provides information and opportunity to active-duty and transitioning servicemembers. It is also true that this information is not coordinated, not necessarily easy to find, sometimes difficult to understand, qualify for, or access, and otherwise in such excess as to be useless. I was bombarded with information while I was in the service, and then received volumes of packets and information when I was going through my ETS transition. I was overwhelmed and unable to use the information simply by virtue of being incapable of reading it all, attending every single brief, or making an appointment with every office.
To that end, I believe that the VA could do bener, but we can start here at the state level with a centralized library to present information to active-duty servicemembers, transitioning service members, and veterans in a centralized and easily digestible format.
4) In what ways can I be helpful to veterans and military families if elected to office?
These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities.
Oklahoma provides incredible benefits for 100% disabled veterans, and I have no qualms with those currently offered. Though we can certainly do more, I would prefer to focus my discussion on the veteran population generally.
I propose four (4) initiatives which I will champion for veterans:
1) I propose that Oklahoma should conduct a legislative analysis of the Hazelwood Act and evaluate both its economic viability and relevancy to veterans within Oklahoma. I believe that we should invest in the education of veterans to help reduce the likelihood of veteran homelessness. No veteran deserves to be ignored by their state or country.
2) I propose implementing a home purchase grant program to incentivize active-duty servicemembers to return to, or relocate to, Oklahoma when they transition off activeduty status. I propose a $5,000 grant to incentivize veterans to move to Oklahoma and purchase their home. This will encourage more veterans to live in Oklahoma and help them pay their closing costs when using their VA loan.
a. Limitations can include requirements for an honorable discharge, a veteran may only receive the grant once, and others.
3) I propose a state-sponsored spousal credentialing program. We can work with Oklahoma's community colleges and technical schools to provide opportunities to both active-duty and veteran spouses residing within Oklahoma. This will benefit military families both during and after their active-duty service.
4) I propose a public-private partnership to employ veterans within the state of Oklahoma. Fort Campbell had a Skillbridge, or similar, program, and it is possible that one exists in Lawton. We should open these programs to include internships with state agencies, police departments, credentialing programs through community colleges and technical schools, and these programs should be open to veterans living within the state who have never used the program. If we want to solve veteran homelessness and ensure that no veteran goes hungry, then we must help our veterans develop the skills they need to remain competitive after they transition off active-duty status.
I strongly believe that there are even more initiatives which we should invest in to benefit all the citizens of Oklahoma, including her veterans. As these discussions continue, it is highly likely that I will propose additional programs to help veterans. This is not an exhaustive list, but these are my current priorities to address veteran's issues when I am elected.
Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions and I would love to discuss any questions you may still have. Please feel free to reach out any time.
Warmest Regards,
Mitchell Jacob
Candidate-Oklahoma House District 20
(918) 261-4377
mitch@mitchelljacob.com
visit mitchelljacob.com
Name: Kerri Keck kerrikeck.com
Office sought: State House District 26 (Shawnee and parts of Pottawatomie County)
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
I have 23 years of active duty service in the Army. I enlisted in the 1997 and served
four years at Fort Carson, CO with the 3/3rd Armored Calvary Regiment as a Signals
Intelligence Analyst. In 2001, I returned to Oklahoma to pursue a college degree and
joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard where I served the remainder of my 23 years
of active duty.
In 2007, I attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Military
Intelligence Officer. In 2016, I completed a branch transfer to the Engineer Officer
Corps. I retired in 2021 in the rank of Major.
I deployed to Tuzla, Bosnia in 2000 on a NATO mission to prevent ethnic conflict
between Serbs and Bosniaks. Our job was to provide security assistance for NATO and
help ensure aid could be distributed.
In 2003, I deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan in support of the 45th Infantry Brigade’s
mission to train and resource the Afghan National Army.
In 2011, I deployed to Afghanistan for a second time. This time I was assigned to
mentor an intelligence officer in the Afghan Army and was later re-assigned to be the
Intelligence Officer for the 45th Brigade Special Troops Battalion. My unit’s area of
operations was in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. We were responsible for route
security in that area. The engineer company provided tremendous support and worked
tirelessly to clear roads in our area of improvised explosive devices. During train-up for
this mission, I helped train the Brigade’s Female Engagement Teams. These teams
provided a crucial means of interacting with Afghan females to enhance security
operations in our area.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but
not limited to family ties?
My husband has 21 years of active duty service in the Army. My grandfather served in
the Army in World War II in Okinawa. My father served in the Army in Vietnam, and my
brother served in the Marine Corps stationed in 29 Palms, CA.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military
families?
Mental health care treatment and resources remain underfunded with limited availability
for service members. The stigma associated with acknowledging struggle and obtaining
treatment is often a barrier to treatment. I believe we need additional resources to help
service members and their families receive mental health and drug treatment
counseling and prevention services.
More resources should be accessible to women to address their unique needs.
Reproductive services should be provided with no stipulations. A woman’s healthcare
and reproductive decisions are her own and should be made with the input and support
of a licensed and trained medical professional.
I would like funding be made available to ensure former service members who were
honorably discharged understand the benefits they may have earned. Many veterans
don’t understand the resources available for themselves and their families to help with
housing, education, healthcare, and employment. I would also like to prohibit
organizations from profiting off of assisting veterans in obtaining their benefits.
Organizations like Dale Graham center make money off of assisting veterans through
the VA claim process, even though veteran service organizations offer that assistance at
no cost. This reduces the amount of money available for the service member and their
family and enriches an organization that doesn’t have the best interests of the veteran in
mind.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office?
These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If
you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken.
I will work with mental health organizations to improve access to and availability of
resources for veterans in rural areas, and reducing the stigma associated with obtaining
help. I will work to ensure savings from State Question 780 are utilized for mental
health and drug treatment and prevention services across the state to include
expanding access to drug court and veterans court.
I will work to require dental care and treatment for National Guard members is included
with existing healthcare plans at a cost people can afford. Dental care is important in
overall health.
I will work to change existing laws to allow for abortion access to be made based on the
opinion of medical professionals. I will work to enshrine access to reproductive
healthcare including contraceptives into law.
I will fight to protect election integrity, availability of initiative petitions, ranked choice
voting, open primaries, and elimination of straight party voting, all measures that
safeguard the right to vote for everyone and ensure we have a representative
democracy.
Learn more at kerrikeck.com.
Allison Offield
State Rep HD62
1) Have I ever served in the Armed Forces? If so, what was my branch, rank, and years of service? Mention any pertinent details.
I have not.
2) Do I have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
My son and daughter-in-law are active duty Air Force Staff Sergeants stationed in Alamogordo-Holloman AFB. Living in Lawton/Ft. Sill we have several friends who are veterans.
3) What do I consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
Not having personal experience, I consulted with friends for their insight. They feel that homeless veterans are in great need as well as healthcare needs for retired members. Mental healthcare is something that many active duty and retired members are also in need of.
4) In what ways can I be helpful to veterans and military families if elected to office?
My biggest asset is my willingness to listen and try to help others make necessary connections. I realize my own shortcomings in being able to relate due to no military service myself. Therefore I seek counsel from others who do have the experience.
Thank you for reaching out. I hope to be able to represent the needs of our veteran community and look forward to knowing how I may be of service to you.
Running for office was not something I took lightly. I realize the scope of the problems we will deal with is much larger than one person can affect. But I believe in the hope for tomorrow. As I recently told a veteran friend, "as a member of our armed services you didn't sign on to servely only one faction of our country, and I expect no less of our state and national leadership now. " We need people who can be levelheaded and remember that their job is to be of service - even in their leadership.
Sincerely,
Allison Offield
Name: Erica Watkins
Office Sought: State House of Representatives District 68
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service?
I served in the Oklahoma National Guard from July 2007 to October 2017. I was a Sergeant (ES) at my time of discharge. I deployed with the Oklahoma Guard in 2011 to Laghman Province Afghanistan as a Female Engagement Team Leader. The FET was a brand new asset used by the Army, several years after the Marines began to see the benefit. My unit was the first in both OKNG and Army history to utilize FET in a combat environment. Here is an article about one of the many missions I was on. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/nation-world/2011/10/02/oklahoma-national-guard-ventures-into-talibans-lair/61130189007/
2. Do you have any connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
My husband is currently a Sergeant First Class (E7) in the OKNG had has been an infantryman for 21 years. I am a part of many veterans social and advocacy groups and am currently Vice Commander for Veterans Defending Democracy. I maintain close contact with many of the people I served with, and the FET still get together regularly.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military families?
Access to VA healthcare, not limited to burden of proof being placed solely on the veteran, veterans mental health services including continuity of care and long wait times. There are tens of thousands of unhoused veterans. It is extremely problematic that hundreds of thousands of Americans volunteer to serve, and if they are sent to war and broken physically and/or mentally - there is a very superficial level of help made available once they return home, and accessing that help is often plagued by red tape and other barriers. Lastly, sexual assault in the military is still a huge issue, especially to women who are serving (but not limited to women). While there have been some improvements in addressing MST in the military - there is a culture issue which still lingers and even one instance of SA by a fellow service member is unacceptable.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to veterans and military families if elected to office?
I want to be a voice for veterans who feel abandoned by the country they served and I will personally respond to every veteran that contacts me. Republican politicians constantly say "support our troops" and weaponize patriotism, while consistently voting against pro-veteran legislation. Due to skyrocketing cost of living and stagnant wages, I think programs to give higher education to veterans and their dependents is essential. I would like to introduce legislation to address the homelessness in Oklahoma, better access to mental health care for ALL but especially veterans and making VA enrollment easier. Lastly, the restrictive reproducing health policies and attacks on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community harm veterans who are members of those marginalized communities. I saw the impacts of religious extremist rule in my time in Afghanistan and I will do everything in my power to fight back against the extremist attacks on vulnerable groups that are happening via legislation.
Let me know if you need anything else!
Erica Watkins
Candidate for HD 68
www.erica4ok.com
Suzanne Schreiber
House District 70
suzanneforstaterep.com
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service?
I didn't serve. Three of my grandparents served in the Navy.
2 Do you have connections with veterans or active-duty service members, including but not limited to family ties?
I am deeply connected and working with The Coffee Bunker - my district and I helping them.
3 What do you consider the most imporlant issues facing veterans and military families?
Work on their mission to connect veterans to the workforce so they can thrive in civilian life. I consider this an important issue for veterans as it supports their whole life.
4 In what way can you be helpful to veterans and military tamilies if elected to office?
In addition to my work to support Coffee Bunker in their mission, I am working on childcare affordability and accessibility to help all families have the infrastructure needed to work and to help the state grow the economy.
Name: Michelle McCane
Office sought: House District 72
1. Have you ever served in the US Armed Forces? If so, what were your branch, rank and years of service? Mention any details you might want voters to know.
I have not served in the US Armed Forces.
2. Do you have connections with veterans or active duty service members, including but
not limited to family ties?
I have a few family members who currently serve. I also have family, friends, and colleagues that are veterans.
3. What do you consider the most important issues facing veterans and military
families?
All veterans and military families need more access to appropriate timely support and services but veteran women face additional barriers and challenges. Research has shown that veteran women are more likely to experience severe symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety. They also report three times the rate of sexual trauma. Despite being one of the fastest-growing demographics of veterans, women have difficulty getting gender-specific care through the Department of Veterans Affairs and have higher rates of unemployment.
4. In what ways can you be helpful to Veterans and military families if elected to office?
These may of course include policies not specifically directed to those communities. If you are an incumbent, include initiatives you have already undertaken. I will champion legislative efforts aimed at broadening access to healthcare, education, and employment, such as supporting job training initiatives or funding matches. I am also committed to engaging with service members and veterans throughout my district and the state to better understand how I can be a meaningful supporter. Additionally, I can enhance awareness through my town hall events and collaboration with the media to highlight the success stories of veterans. One of my goals is to dismantle the taboo surrounding mental health issues by promoting available resources and fostering a culture of seeking help to counter the stigma frequently experienced by people, especially veterans.
Learn more at mccane4ok.com/
Welcome to OKDemVets
We are a statewide federation of veterans, military family members, and civilians. We work to elect Democrats to office. We welcome new members.
OKDemVets Secretary Gary Harris, Adam Martin, and OKDemVets President Rita Maxwell at the 2023 Okmulgee Labor Day Parade.
