In Congress, I will fight not only to bring our troops home but to rebuild and redirect the mission of our armed forces, which have been strained by the Iraq War. 

We must continue to have the strongest and most sophisticated military on earth. That means modernizing our military to take on threats such as Al-Qaida and other nontraditional combatants. Special-operations units have become increasingly important, and their training and development should be emphasized as our military moves away from outdated Cold War-era strategies, policies and equipment.

Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis has changed its mission to survive into the 21st century as a base for special-operations training. Cannon will be an asset to our national security and to the local economy, and as Congressman I will fight every day to ensure its mission is protected and fully funded.

In Iraq, our forces have been sent into battle without adequate equipment to protect them. It is common sense that we provide our men and women with the tools necessary for safety and success. In Congress I will fight for these needed resources to ensure we never send our men and women into harm’s way without the proper equipment.

American soldiers have also been forced to serve extended and repeated deployments in Iraq. By beginning the withdrawal from Iraq and directing the focus toward diplomatic solutions instead of military force, we can begin to properly fund, rebuild and modernize the military so our troops will always have the proper training, rest and preparation for maintaining the peace in the 21st century.