Allen West

Allen West is a retired military officer and former U.S. Congressman who transitioned from decorated military service to a prominent role in American politics and conservative media. After earning his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee and being commissioned as an officer in the Field Artillery branch of the U.S. Army in 1983, Allen West embarked on a distinguished military career marked by significant leadership roles and strategic deployments.

His early service included assignments at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia, quickly advancing to an airborne infantry fire support officer and platoon leader. West commanded B Battery, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and served as a battalion task force fire support officer during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991. His commitment to leadership development was recognized when he was named U.S. Army ROTC Instructor of the Year in 1993.

Further enhancing his strategic acumen, West earned a master’s degree in political science from Kansas State University and a master of military arts and sciences degree from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College. West continued to advance within the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1999.

His political engagement continued with a gubernatorial bid in Texas from 2021 to 2022. Most recently, in 2024, Allen West was elected and assumed the position of Chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party, where he continues to influence local and state political discourse and organization.