ENDORSEMENT OF THE 28th COMBAT VETERAN FOR CONGRESS IN MICHIGAN’S 1st CONG DISTRICT IN 2020   

Combat Veterans For Congress---Embedded Integrity

The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is endorsing the 130th Combat Veteran For Congress in 10 years; Congressman Jack W. Bergman, Lt Gen/USMCR (Ret) of Watersmeet, Michigan (R-MI-1). He is a fiscally conservative candidate who believes in limited government, wants to rein in the out of control spending by Congress, work to reduce the national debt, will work toward unleashing the private sector to create more jobs, and will restore the personal liberties of the American people.  Cong Bergman’s three top priorities are to "get Congress working together" instead of being preoccupied with partisan division, to "utilize the Constitution," and to pass a balanced budget amendment.

Jack W. Bergman was born on February 2, 1947 in Shakopee, Minnesota and was raised in Burnsville, MN.  Jack graduated from Burnsville, MN in June 1965.  In June of 1969, Jack received a Bachelor of Arts upon graduation from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.  In June 1975, Jack received an MBA from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL.

In February 1967, while matriculating at Gustavus Adolphus College, Jack Bergman was sworn into the US Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) Program at the US Marine Corps Recruiting Headquarters in Minneapolis, MN.  During the summer after his sophomore year of college, he attended and graduated from the PLC Program in June 1969 at US Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia.  After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota in June 1969 with a BA, Jack Bergman was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps Reserve.  He earned an MBA from the University of West Florida in Pensacola in June 1975.

Following Commissioning, in June 1969, 2nd Lt Bergman was medically qualified for flight training and reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL for basic flight training in August 1969; he graduated from the Naval Aviation Flight Course in July 1969.  2nd Lt Bergman then attended the Helicopter Training Course.  In January 1970, 2nd Lt Bergman was promoted to first lieutenant, earning his wings of gold in March 1970 and qualified in the CH-46.  1st Lt Bergman reported for his first assignment as a military pilot with HMM-261 at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina in May 1970.  He earned his Pilot Qualified in Model (PQM) designation in the CH-46 in October 1970.  1stLt Bergman then reported to his first fleet assignment with Helicopter Marine Medium Squadron 164 (HMM-164) in Okinawa, Japan.

1st Lt Bergman deployed to Danang, South Vietnam in March 1972 with HMM-164 as a CH-46 pilot.  The squadron was involved in supporting major Marine Corps ground operations in I Corps and operation near the DMZ.  His Squadron departed for CONUS in October 1972.  For combat duty he was awarded the Air Medal (with Combat “V” & Strike Flight Numeral 1), the Navy & Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Bronze Star, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation. Various Campaign and Service Medals.

1st Lt Bergman reported to VT-6 at Naval Air Station, Whiting Field in Florida as a Flight Instructor where he trained students in the T-28.  He was subsequently transferred to Naval Air Training Center, Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL.  In January 1974, 1st Lt Bergman was promoted to Captain.  On December 31, 1975, Captain Bergman was Honorably discharged from the US Marine Corps, and affiliated with the US Marine Corps Reserve as a Captain in 1976.

He flew UH-1 helicopters with the Rhode Island National Guard, at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.  Following a 1978 civilian employment transfer to Chicago, Illinois Capt Bergman transferred from the Rhode Island National Guard back to the Marine Corps Reserve, where he served in several 4th Marine Aircraft Wing units at Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois (HML-776, flying UH-1: VMGR-234, flying KC-130, and Mobilization training Unit IL-1) In January 1981 Capt Berman was promoted to Major.

In January 1987, Maj Bergman was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.  Lt Col Bergman was selected to stand up the second KC-130 Squadron in the 4th Marine Air Wing, and in 1988, he became the first Commanding Officer of VMGR-452, Stewart ANGB, Newburgh, New York.  In January 1992, Lt Col Bergman was promoted to Colonel.  From 1992 to 1994, Col Bergman commanded mobilization Station Chicago----the largest of the 47 Marine Corps Mobilization Stations.

During 1995, Col Bergman served as a Special Staff Officer at Marine Corps Reserve Support Command, Overland Park, Kansas.  In 1996, he became Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander, I Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Camp Pendleton, CA.  In late 1997, he transferred to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters in New Orleans, LA to serve as Assistant Chief of Staff/G-1. In February 1998, Col Bergman was promoted to Brigadier General, he became Deputy Commander, 4th Marine Air Wing.

In June 1998, BGen Bergman was transferred to Headquarters Marine Force Europe, Stuttgart, Germany, as the Deputy Commander.  Recalled to active duty from April to July 1999, he was duel hatted as European Command Deputy J-3A.  He then commanded II Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina until assuming command of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2000. 

In January 2002, BGen Bergman was promoted to Major General.  In  September 2002, MajGen Bergman assumed command of the 4th Force Service Support Group, New Orleans,  LA.  He also served as Chairman of the Secretary of the Navy’s Marine Corps Reserve Policy Board from 2001 to 2003.  Returning to active duty in October 2003, he served as Director, Reserve Affairs, Quantico, VA. 

In February 2005, MajGen Berman was promoted Lieutenant General.  Lt Gen Bergman began his final assignment, command of Marine Force Reserve/Marine Force North on June 10, 2005: the largest force level organization in the US Marine Corps.  He relinquished command in October 2009, and retired from active duty on December 1, 2009.  Lt Gen Bergman’s medals include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Medal, Air Medal (with Combat “V”/Flight Numeral 1), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (two Gold Stars for 3rd award), Vietnamese Gallantry Cross (with Bronze Star), Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Naval Aviator Wings of Gold, Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, and various Campaign and Service Medals.

On January 1976, Jack Bergman accepted a position as a commercial pilot with Northwest Airlines.  Jack has been flying with the same major airline for 40 years, now as a First Officer piloting the Boeing 777.  In April 2016, Lt Gen Bergman announced that he would run for the Republican nomination for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District; on August 2, he won the primary race and was elected in the general election of November 2016.  Cong Bergman was elected as President of his freshmen class of Republican Congressmen.  His Committee Assignments are the House Armed Services Committee, the House Veterans Affairs Committee, the House Budget Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee.

Jack is a member of the VFW, the American Legion, the NRA, Reserve Officer Association, Marine Corps Reserve Association, the Marine Corps League, the Marine Corps Association, and has been endorsed by the Combat Veterans For Congress PAC.  Jack has been married to his wife Cynthia for 44 years; they are proud parents of their two sons, two daughters, and 8 grandchildren ages 11-18. The Bergman family are members of the Hope Lutheran Church of Watersmeet, MI.

The Combat Veterans For Congress PAC is pleased to endorse Congressman Jack W. Bergman, Lt Gen/USMCR (Ret) who has brought to Congress private sector skills and wisdom to better solve problems in government, and for his constituents in the 1stCongressional District of Michigan. If you review Cong Bergman’s positions on his Web site, you would be pleased with his policy positions; they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement.  We look forward to working with Cong Bergman, and are pleased that a Combat Veteran of his caliber is a member of Congress.

If you have friends, associates, or relatives who know voters in the 1st Congressional District of Michigan, kindly pass this message on to them, and ask them to support Cong Bergman 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.”