The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is endorsing Cong Lee M. Zeldin, Lt Col/USAR (JAG) (R-NY-1), the 98th of 139 endorsed Combat Veteran For Congress in 12 years to run in 2022 for Governor of New York State; he is a fiscally conservative candidate who will work to rein in the out-of-control spending by irresponsible Socialist Democrats in the New York State Legislature.  Cong Zeldinwill work toward unleashing the private sector to grow once again in New York, to create jobs, and stimulate business investment.  Cong Zeldin resides in Shirley, New York, and is an 18-year veteran of the US Army and the US Army Reserve.  Cong Zeldin is running to end one-party rule in Albany and end the attacks on New Yorkers’ freedoms, wallets and safety. 

Lee Zeldin was born on January 30, 1980, in East Meadow, New York.  Lee was raised in Shirley, New York and in June 1998, he graduated from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, New York.  In September 1998, Lee was accepted into the ROTC program at State University of New York, in Albany, New York and graduated in May 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.   Cadet Lee Zeldin completed ROTC in 2002, and then was a completion cadet until May 2003, when he received a Juris Doctorate Degree in Law from Albany Law School in Albany, New York.

In May 2003, Lee Zeldin was sworn into the US Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Military Intelligence Corps.  In 2000 during ROTC summer training, Cadet Zeldin completed Airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia.  In September 2003, 2nd LT Zeldin attended Military Intelligence Officer Basic School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona and completed training in February 2004.  In March 2004 2nd LT Zeldin was promoted to First Lieutenant and transitioned to the Judge Advocate Generals Corps (JAG).  He received orders to report to JAG Officer Basic School at Fort Lee, Virginia Phase 1 in June 2004; he completed training in Phase 2 September 2004.  He received orders to report for duty in the Legal Assistance Office in Fort Huachuca; in November 2004, 1st Lt Zeldin was promoted to Captain.  In January 2005, Cpt Zeldin assigned with Headquarters Company, 82nd Airborne in the Legal Assistance Office at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  In April 2005 Cpt Zeldin was assigned as Trial Counsel for the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. 

In July 2006, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Cpt Zeldin deployed with the 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division as the Legal Advisor in Tikrit, Iraq.  From July 2006 to September 2006, he was involved in Cordon and Search Operations, and Detainee Operations.  He was the Legal Advisor under the command of LTC Michael Richardson, USA in the search for high value targets and evidence.  In September 2006, Cpt Zeldin received orders to return to Fort Bragg, NC as the Chief of Claims and a Magistrate at XVIII Airborne Corps.  For service in Iraq Captain Zeldin was awarded with the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal, Service and Campaign Medals.  While at Fort Bragg, Cpt Zeldinwas on jump status and earned the Chilean and German Airborne Jump Wings.  Subsequent to Duty in Iraq, Cpt Zeldin was awarded with the Meritorious Service Medal for service in the US Army Judge Advocate General Corps, including for the period in Iraq.

In September 2007, Cpt Zeldin transferred to the US Army Reserve. He was assigned to the 12th Legal Services Office (LSO) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  In September 2011, Cpt Zeldin was transferred to the 7th LSO in Albany, New York, where he served until May 2017.  From 2017-2019 Cpt Zeldin was assigned to the 99th Readiness Division at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in NJ.  Since July 2019, Cpt Zeldin had been assigned to the 4th LOD based at Fort Totten, NY.  Cpt Zeldin completed JAG Advanced Course Phase I at the Army Reserve Center in Albany, NY in the Fall 2011.  Cpt Zeldin was promoted to Major in May 2012.  In January 2013, Maj Zeldincompleted JAG Advanced Course Phase II at Charlottesville, VA.  Maj Zeldin’s military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (fourth award), the Army Achievement Medal (second award), Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (third award), US Army Jump Wings, Chilean Jump Wings, German Jump Wings, and various Service and Campaign Medals for combat duty in Iraq. 

Following his release from active duty in the US Army in September 2007, Captain Lee Zeldin accepted a position as an Attorney with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for a brief period.  In December 2008, Lee opened his own Law Firm in Smithtown, New York.  In 2010 Lee campaigned for the New York State Senate in the 3rd Senate District in Suffolk County and was elected in November 2010 and took office in January 2011.  In August 2011 Senator Zeldin accepted a position in the law firm of Borah Goldstein in New York.  While serving in the New York State Senate, Lee chaired the Consumer Protection Committee, and was a member of the Higher Education, Aging, Transportation, Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities, Judiciary, and Veterans Committee.  Senator Zeldin’s term in the New York State Senate ended in December 2014; because he decided to run for Congress in the 1st Congressional District of New York.  Senator Zeldin did not stand for re-election to the New York State Senate.  During this period as a State Senator, Senator Zeldin wrote a law that protects fallen veterans and their families from protests at military burials.  While serving in the State Senate, Senator Zeldin also created and secured funding for the PFC Joseph Dwyer Program, a statewide program that helps returning veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); he continued to support those programs when he was elected to US Congress!

Lee is a member of the VFW, the American Legion, the NRA, Jewish War Veterans, and SAFE (Long Island pro-gun group).  Cong Zeldin has been named the presumptive nominee by both the Republican and Conservative parties.  Cong Zeldin has been endorsed by more than 90% of the New York State Republican Party’s weighted vote for the upcoming GOP Convention and over 85% of the Conservative Party’s vote. Lee  has been endorsed by 2010 New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, 2018 gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Congressman Peter King, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Congressman John Katko (NY-24), Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27), Congressman Andrew Garbarino (NY-2), Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-4), New York Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, conservative radio host Mark Levin, and legislators from the New York State Assembly and Senate and many more.  Lee is an active member of B’Nai Israel in Oakdale, New York and with his wife Diana of nearly 15 years, they are the proud parents of 15-year-old female twins, Mikayla and Arianna.  In May 2019 Cong Zeldin was promoted to LT. Col and his current assignment is Team Chief, International Law/Rule of Law Team, USAR.

The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is pleased to endorse Cong Lee M. Zeldin, Lt Col/USAR (JAG) (R-NY-1) to run for Governor of New York; he will bring to the Government of New York private sector legal skills and wisdom to better solve problems and efficiently run the state government of New York.  If you review Cong Zeldin’s positions on his Web site (ZeldinforNewYork.com), you will be pleased with his position on critical issues, and that they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement.  We look forward to working with Cong Zeldin and are pleased that a Combat Veteran of his caliber is running for Governor of New York. 
If you have friends, associates, or relatives who know voters in New York, kindly pass this E-mail on to them, and ask them to support Cong Zeldin’s campaign for Governor of New York 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 and other important offices 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.”