The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is endorsing the 53rd Combat Veteran For Congress; he is a fiscal and constitutional conservative who will work to rein in the out-of-control spending of the Obama Administration. Lt. Col. Brad R. Wenstrup, USAR (MC) http://www.usabrad.com resides in Cincinnati, OH, has 13 years of commissioned service, and is running for Congress in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District.  Lt. Col. Wenstrup is a surgeon with Wellington Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, and is challenging the 7-year incumbent, Rep Jean Schmidt (D-OH-2), who has voted to raise the debt ceiling, voted to create the unconstitutional “Super-Committee,” and voted for TARP.  Lt. Col. Wenstrup believes in cutting spending, balancing the budget, reforming the out of control expansion in government; he does not believe in incurring more debt, nor does he favor intervention bailing out corporations who make bad business decisions.  Brad Wenstrup was born on June 17, 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Upon graduating from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in June 1976, Brad matriculated at the University of Cincinnati, OH where in April 1980 he graduated "Cum Laude" with a BA in Psychology.  He then matriculated at the William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois where he was elected President of his class in his junior and senior year, and earned a B.S. in Biology and his medical degree as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, DPM, in June 1985.  After completing his surgical residency at Thorek Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Wenstrup returned home to Cincinnati where he maintained a private practice for 12 years before joining Wellington Orthopedic and Sports Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

After completing the Officers Basic Course at Fort Totten, New York, Dr. Wenstrup received a direct commission as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps (MC) on February 20, 1998, and then completed Officers Basic Course at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.  On August 11, 2004, after completing the Officers Advanced Course, Capt Wenstrup was promoted to the rank of Major.  On March 28, 2005, Major Wenstrup was notified he would be deployed to Iraq for one year of Active Duty.  On April 15, 2005, Major Wenstrup reported to Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin for active duty and went thru pre-deployment training.   On June 7, 2005, he left Ft. McCoy and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the US Army’s 144th Combat Support Hospital, and Task Force 344 at Abu Ghraib, Iraq.   For the next 12 months, Maj Wenstrup served as the Podiatrist, the Chief of Surgery, and the Director of the Wound Care Clinic.  Maj Wenstrup served as the assistant to the Deputy Commander, Clinical Services (DCCS), equivalent to his Chief of Staff, and served as the acting DCCS for three months during his tour. The 344th Combat Support Hospital was responsible for Detainee Healthcare throughout the Iraqi Theater, with the heart of the mission taking place at Abu Ghraib Prison Hospital, twenty miles west of Baghdad, Iraq. The mission also included caring for Soldiers, Marines, and civilians.  In May 2006, at the end of his Combat Tour in Iraq, Maj Wenstrup was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Meritorious Unit Citation ribbon, and numerous campaign medals.  On August 10, 2010, Maj Wenstrup was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and he is currently assigned to the AMEDD Professional Management Command (APMC) with attachment to the 4220th US Army Hospital in McPherson, GA. 

After graduating from the University of Cincinnati and going on to earn a medical degree in 1985, and after completing his surgical residency at Thorek Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago Illinois in 1986, Dr. Wenstrup established a private practice in Cincinnati and has been treating patients in Southwest Ohio for over 24 years.  In 1999, Dr. Wenstrup joined and became a partner with Wellington Orthopedic and Sports Medicine in Cincinnati.  He currently serves on the Executive Committee for Wellington and has served as their Operations Chairman.   In 2008, Dr Wenstrup was selected as the Alumnus of the Year by the William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois; he is a past President and Past Treasurer of the Alumni Board.   Seeing the need for strong conservative leadership in Cincinnati, Dr Wenstrup built a strong grassroots coalition, and in 2009, he ran in Cincinnati's municipal election for Mayor, against a liberal Democrat incumbent, Mayor Mike Malloy.   Although he lost the race, with 46% of the vote, in a predominately Democratic city, Brad's performance far exceeded expectations due to his popularity and skill as a political candidate.  In that mayoral race Brad Wenstrup was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Cincinnati Family First, Cincinnati Right to Life, Coalition Opposed to Addition Spending and Taxes.  He is currently endorsed by Ohio Veterans United and the Combat Veterans For Congress PAC. 

Dr. Wenstrup is on the Board of Boys Hope & Girls Hope in Cincinnati; as well as, a member of Cincinnati Rotary, the American Legion, and the VFW.  Dr. Wenstrup is Board Certified by American Board of Podiatric Surgeons, President & Founder of Thank America First Foundation, 14 year past member of Big Brothers/Big sisters, a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association, USO Tribute Cincinnati Committee, the Southern Ohio Academy of Podiatric Medicine.  He is a past President and Alumni Board member of Scholl College/Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago, and is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.  In March 1984, Dr. Wenstrup published "Diagnostic Imaging with NMR" (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) First Ray, IPMSA: Volume X, No.3.   He is the Podiatric Surgical Residency Director for Christ Hospital in Cincinnati and maintains admitting and surgical privileges at Bethesda Hospital, Mercy Hospital, as well as the Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Since 2006, Lt. Col. Wenstrup has made 90 public presentations to schools, charities, professional trade groups, veterans groups and churches on his experience in Iraq, on military history, Veterans’ issues, and the need to restore liberty and patriotism in America.    

Dr. Brad Wenstrup’s life has centered on hard work, service, and sacrifice. As a doctor, combat surgeon, and conservative activist, Lt. Col. Brad Wenstrup has a deep understanding of the issues facing America.  If you review Lt. Col. Wenstrup’s positions on various issues on his Web site, you would be pleased with his stands; they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement.  The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is pleased to endorse Lt. Col. Brad Wenstrup, USAR (MC), we look forward to working with him, and are pleased that a Combat Veteran of his caliber is running for U.S. House of Representatives.  If you have friends, associates, or relatives who know voters in Ohio, kindly pass this E-mail on to them and ask for their support for Lt. Col. Wenstrup by working in his campaign organization, providing financial support for his campaign in any amount, and/or by networking with others who would be willing to support his campaign.  We have endorsed another Combat Veteran For Congress that General George Washington would have approved of.  A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The Unites States of America” for an amount “up to and including his life.”