The 58th endorsed Combat Veterans For Congress in 2012 who ran for Congress in the 36th Congressional District of Texas, Col James K. Engstrand, USAR, Medical Service Corps (MSC), http://www.engstrandforcongress.com has announced that he is running again for the open Congressional seat in the 36th Congressional District of Texas; Cong Steve Stockman (R-TX-36) currently holds the seat, but is retiring and running to represent Texas in the US Senate.  He is a fiscally conservative candidate, believes  the governmental regulatory enforcement of personal property and the private business sector has gone too far and must be rolled back, and he will work to rein in the out of control spending by irresponsible members of Congress and the Obama administration. He will work toward unleashing the private sector to grow once again, create jobs, and stimulate private sector business investments.  Col Engstrand resides in Seabrook, Texas and has 26 years of service in the US Army Reserve and Army National Guard.  Jim Engstrand was born on May 10, 1967 in Winona, Minnesota and was raised in Waumandee, Wisconsin on his family’s dairy farm. Jim grew up in a blue collar working class family that taught him to treasure faith, the Free Enterprise System, patriotism, public service, and private business productivity.  Jim’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in him, assigning specific duties and hard work assignments around the dairy farm that his family still owns and operates today.  Jim attended Arcadia High School in Arcadia, Wisconsin; he was elected president of his class in his sophomore and senior class years and graduated on May 17, 1985.  Jim was married following graduation from high school, and had to work to support his wife; he enrolled in the Army National Guard, and matriculated at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota.  He completed his course work at Winona States in December 1991, and had his Bachelor of Science Degree conferred in the graduation ceremony on May 9, 1992. 

On May 4, 1987, James Engstrand enlisted as a private in the Minnesota Army National Guard in Winona, MN; he was assigned as an 11B Infantry Scout in Combat Support Company 1-135 Battalion, 47th Infantry Division. After he accumulated 60 college credits at Winona State University, Private First Class James Engstrand enrolled as a Cadet in the Army Reserve Officers Corps at Winona State University and simultaneously enrolled in the Minnesota Army National Guard’s early commissioning programs.  Cadet Engstrand was sent to Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia where he qualified, and received a Parachutist Badge in July 1989.  On May 26, 1990, Cadet Engstrand was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry of the MN Army National Guard in the in Winona, Minnesota, while still matriculating at Winona State.  Second Lieutenant Engstrand received orders to Basic Infantry Officers Course in the fall of 1990; when he completed the course in March 1991, he continued his college education at Winona State.  Upon graduation in May 1992, 2nd LT Engstrand was assigned as a platoon leader in the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota Army National Guard; he was promoted to First Lieutenant on May 20, 1993.  In November 1993, 1st LT Engstrand was transferred from the Infantry Branch to the Medical Services Corps (MSC), and in December 1993 was assigned as a platoon leader in a Medical Evacuation Platoon of the 134th Field Support Battalion.   In October 1994, he was transferred to the Medical Treatment Platoon, F Company, 434th Main Support Battalion.  In October 1995, he was assigned to Headquarters, 434th Main Support Battalion as the Adjutant (S1); on March 20, 1996 1st LT Engstrand was promoted to Captain.

CPT  Engstrand served as a Medical Company Executive Officer, Health Services Material Officer, and Medical Plans Officer in the Division Medical Operations Center, and as a Battalion Operations Officer, and Medical Company Commander; on December 20, 2000, CPT Engstrand was promoted to Major.  MAJ Engstrand was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 31, 2005 and over the next four years he was assigned as a Senior Medical Operations Planner, a Future Plans Medical Readiness Officer, Division Medical Operations Chief, Deputy Division Surgeon, and Chief, Medical Plans & Operations in the National Guard Bureau Joint Surgeon Office.  In August and September 2008, during Hurricane Ike, as the Chief, Medical Plans & Operations Officer, LTC Engstrand was in charge of medical recovery and support operations for the Joint Staff of the National Guard Bureau. 

On February 9, 2009, LTC Engstrand was called to active duty for pre-mobilization training at Fort Lewis, Washington.  On April 6, 2009, LTC Engstrand deployed to Kuwait City, Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; one week later he entered Iraq and was assigned to Headquarters, Multi National Division South in Basra, as the Deputy Division Surgeon.  He established the Division Health Service Support Facilities for the nine Southern Provinces in Iraq; he was then assigned additional duty as the Senior Medical Liaison Officer for the Iraqi Theatre of Operations with duties at the Theatre Hospital in Balad, Iraq where he remained until January 10, 2010.  He departed Iraq and was re-deployed to Fort Lewis, Washington where he was released from active duty on January 25, 2010.  In November 2010, LTC Engstrand was transferred to the Army Reserve and in March 2011, he was assigned to the Army Medical Command in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  On May 5, 2011, he was promoted to Colonel, and on May 17, 2011, COL Engstrand was assigned as the Administration Chief, US Army Medical Command (Texas) in the Army Reserve National Disaster Medical System.  Col Engstrand’s current command assignment is Deputy Director, Army National Domestic Medical Emergency Patient Movement Program, with oversight of the Federal Coordinating Center for 6 Large Army Medical Centers across the nation.  Col Engstrand has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star for 2nd Award), the Army Commendation Medal (2 Gold Stars for 3rd Award), the Army Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, and multiple service and campaign medals for duty in Iraq. 

From 1991 to 2008, James Engstrand worked in the Insurance and Financial Services Industries.  In April 2010, Jim established WE Consultants in Texas and started an independent contracting business, structuring and managing medical operations and health service support for public and private entities. COL Engstrand is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Church, is a member of the NRA, VFW, and the American Legion.  He has been endorsed by Rick Andrews the Chairman of the Polk County Patriots (Tea Party Group) of Polk County, Episcopalian Bishop John Lawson, Cindy Werner the State Director of the Christian Coalition of America (Texas), Lydia Damrel the former Orange County Chairwoman & Officer of the Golden Triangle Republican Women’s Club, Chief Gordon Greer of the Kirbyville Volunteer Fire Department, the Honorable Ron Leverett, and the Combat Veterans For Congress PAC.  James Engstrand has been married to his wife Suzanne for 26 years; they have two daughters Steffanie age 29, Linzi age 26 who is a Combat Medic in the Wisconsin National Guard, and a son, Steven age 22 who is a US Air Force Veteran. 

The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is pleased to endorse Col James Engstrand, USAR (MSC) who would bring to Congress extraordinary experience in the medical health field, will have the wisdom to better solve problems facing Congress, and will be able to effectively represent his Congressional District and support the Republic.  If you review Col Engstrand’s position on his Web site, you would be pleased with his stands; they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement.  We look forward to working with Col Engstrand, and are pleased that a Combat Veteran of his caliber is running for Congress.   If you have friends, associates, or relatives who know voters in the 36thCongressional District of Texas, kindly pass this E-mail on to them, and ask them to support Col Engstrand 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.  The military is one of the few remaining institutions producing the caliber of men and women needed to restore this nation to the greatness our Founding Fathers envisioned.  We have endorsed another Combat Veteran For Congress that General George Washington would have approved of.  He is a Veteran who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable “to The United States of America” for an amount “up to and including his life.”