Never apologetic for his actions or bitter for being punished for the "crime" he never committed, he left his military career "with a sense of pride and honor." "I sacrificed my career for my soldiers and that's the bottom line," he said. "Nobody likes a whiner. You make the decision, you stand by it and take responsibility for it and you accept the consequences and you move on with your life."

My 22 years of service in the U.S. Army have taught me that America is a country unlike any other, and that our way of life is worth protecting. In Congress, I will put my experience to work for our national security and honor my oath to the US Constitution by protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws. I will fight to lower taxes and reduce the size of federal government. I will be an advocate for policies that spur our economy and job creation, and will protect small business by cutting senseless regulations that cost jobs and increase overhead. And I will be a champion for reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil, promoting energy independence while preserving our coastlines and farmland.