The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is endorsing the 54th 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. Greg Anders, USAFR (Ret) (USAFA ’85) http://andersforcongress.com resides in Bellingham, Washington.  He served in the US Air Force, Air National Guard, and the US Air Force Reserve for a 23 years period, and is running for the seat in the 2nd Congressional District of Washington state which is held by six term Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA-2).  Cong Larsen voted in lock step with Pelosi for the flawed Obama Health Care Bill, against a bill to reduce Congressional spending by 11%, to reduce support for missile defense, against welfare reform, and voted in support of all the Obama Administration’s programs to expand a bloated and out of control Washington Bureaucracy.  Greg Anders was born on December 10, 1962 in Albuquerque, New Mexico; his father is MajGen Bill Anders, USAFR (Ret) who was an Apollo-8 Astronaut and the family moved often.  The family lived in Norway, Texas, Virginia, California, and New York.  Greg attended several high schools, and graduated from Cazenovia Central High School in Cazenovia, New York in June 1981.  He subsequently was appointed to and matriculated at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; he graduated in June 1985 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering.

In June 1985, upon graduation from the US Air Force Academy, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force.  He went thru flight training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma receiving his wings in August 1986 he transitioned to B-52 training at Castle Air Force Base California qualifying in July 1988.  First Lieutenant Anders flew the B-52 “Stratofortress” for 9 years, sitting Nuclear Alert in the Cold War.  In July 1994 Capt Anders cross-trained in the F-15Es “Strike Eagles”, and in 1996 he went on several deployments supporting Operation Northern Watch at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and Operation Southern Watch at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, flying sorties over Iraq.  On June 9, 2000 Major Anders was honorably discharged from active duty in the US Air Force at Seymour Johnson, Air Force Base, and then he transitioned to the Idaho Air National Guard flying the A-10 “Warthog.”  In January 2003 to May 2003, Lt Col. Anders was activated for a four month deployment to Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait and Tallil Air Base, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He flew numerous combat sorties during the build-up to war and flew 27 missions during the primary combat phase of operations.  The highlight of that deployment was being selected as a part of a small contingent that was forward deployed and flew sorties out of Tallil Air Base in Iraq during the war.  The A-10 “Thunderbolt II” proved its combat mettle by being the only USAF fighter to stage off of Iraqi soil during major combat operations of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Upon completion of Combat Operations he was awarded four Air Medals, two Meritorious Medals, an Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal, and various campaign/service medals.  In March 2004, Major Anders was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Idaho Air National Guard.  In 2006 Lt Col Anders transitioned to the US Air Force Reserve where he was assigned as a Liaison Officer as the Civil Air Patrol Reserve Assistance Officer at Beale Air Force Base, CA.  Lt Col. Greg Anders was honorably discharged from the US Air Force Reserves on February 19, 2009. 

Lt. Col. Anders is a third generation military officer; his grandfather, Cdr Arthur Anders, USNA’27, earned the Navy Cross and Purple Heart Medals in combat action with the Japanese Forces in China in WWII.  His father, MajGen Bill Anders, served in NASA as one of three crew members of Apollo 8, America’s first manned mission to orbit the moon in December 1968; he subsequently had a career in Government Service in NASA, the AEC, the NRC, as the Ambassador to Norway, and culminating as Chairman of General Dynamics.   In 1999, Lt. Col. Anders began working at the Heritage Flight Museum where he is the Senior Vice President and Executive Director.  Lt Col Anders began his Warbird Career flying his own AT-6 “Texan.” He currently flies many early era Tail-dagger aircraft including type ratings in the P-51 “Mustang”, the A-1 “Skyraider, P-47 “Thunderbolt,” and the Spitfire.  He is also a multi-engine Certified Flight Instructor (MEII).  Greg volunteers as Commanding Officer and President of EAA Warbird Squadron 2, the “Cascade Warbirds.”  This is the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA’s) the largest Experimental Aircraft Association Warbird Squadron (250 members).  Greg is also an air show performer flying Warbirds for public demonstrations.  Most notably, he is one of nine civilian Warbird pilots on the Air Combat Heritage Flight Demonstration Team, flying the old Warbirds in formation with the USAF’s front line fighters in an air show acts that demonstrates the USAF’s current capabilities, while honoring our Nation’s combat aviation heritage.  Besides being a member of the USAF Heritage Flight Civilian Team his Air Show Qualifications include being a qualified Surface Level Aerobatic Performer and a Formation Check Pilot.

Greg is a member of the Air Force Association, the US Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, the International Council of Air Shows, a Commemorative Air Force life member, the National Rifle Association, the VFW, the American Legion, and the Heritage Foundation.  Greg, his wife Judy, son Chris age 17, and daughter Alison age 15 are members of the Church at Bakerview in Bellingham, Washington; Pastor Bob Friske is the Campaign Communications Director.  Greg is a cancer survivor; he was diagnosed in early 2009 with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, underwent surgical treatment, and has been “clean” ever since.  Greg enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and is a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and has been a Divemaster since 1984.  Lt Col Anders has been endorsed by MajGen Williams Anders, USAFR (Ret) Apollo 8 Astronaut, Col Frank Borman, USAF (Ret) Commander, Apollo 8 Mission, Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, BGen Reg Urschler, USAF (Ret), Adm John Weaver, USN (Ret), and Cdr John Hilburn, USN (Ret), USNA ’69.

If you review Lt. Col. Anders’s positions on various issues, you would be pleased with his stands; they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement.  The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC are pleased to endorse Lt. Col. Greg Anders, USAFR (Ret), look forward to working with him, and we 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 Washington state, kindly pass this email onto them and ask them to support Lt. Col. Anders by working in his campaign, 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.”