William T. Russell Running for Congress as a Republican Against John Murtha [UPDATE]

My name is William T Russell. I am running for Congress against John Murtha as a Republican in the 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania in the November 2008 election.

I would like to introduce myself to you. I am a family man, a husband, and a father. I am also a small business owner and entrepreneur, as well as an American Soldier.

My wife, Kasia, is one of my heroes.  For some strange reason, she saw fit to marry me eight years ago.  She was born and raised in Poland where her father was one of the local leaders in the Solidarity movement against the communist government in the 1980s. We met and married while I was stationed in Germany. She moved to the US with me after we married, learned English, and became a US Citizen. After surviving the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11 (while six months pregnant with our son), she continued to raise our children by herself for 19 months while I was deployed to Kosovo and then to Iraq.   

Until August 31, 2007, I was a fulltime Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, stationed at the Pentagon and a little over 2 years short of full, active duty retirement. Until March of 2007, Kasia and I were simply looking forward to finishing out my Army career and moving to southern or southwestern Pennsylvania. We have been attracted to this part of the country since our first visit to the state in 2000.  We were attracted to the people and lifestyle of the state as well as its natural beauty. We recognized it as a great place to raise our children and I saw it as a great place to begin a second career in business after retiring from the Army. Kasia and I were looking forward to moving here after I retired from the Army.

But in March 2007, I had the opportunity to meet with some of our Wounded Warriors during their visit to the Pentagon. I have always been impressed by the spirit and good cheer of so many of these wounded heroes but also understand the sullen responses from some. Seeing these Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen with missing and shattered limbs, two with missing eyes and wounded faces, I found myself wiping away the tears as I walked back to my office. I was both sadden and angered that the sacrifices these brave service men and women, like the others I have served with in combat, make for this country and the thought of how they are betrayed by the actions of politicians such as John Murtha.

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