A: Politics became an interest when I was a co-op student at Delta College working for the City of Saginaw. At the time, I was a telecommunications major so I got a job as a camera operator for the city government channel which gave me a front row seat to observe local government. Later on in life I became interested in national politics while I served in the U.S. Air Force in the wake of 9/11. Once I left the military and returned home, I wanted to get involved with a local campaign. A long internet search turned up Dave Adams, who was running for a state senate seat. I became his campaign manager and I haven't looked back since.

Q: Can you expand on your experiences in the Air Force in connection with the tragic events of 9/11?

A: I was stationed at Luke AFB in Phoenix AZ at the time where my job was an F-16 Fighter Crew Chief. After 9/11, I can remember the base was barricaded and Humvees with machine guns on the top rolled around non-stop all day. It was a surreal experience and I often wondered at that time what was going to happen next. I worked the swing shift (second shift) and I can remember looking up at the sky on the flight line thinking about the odd silence that fell over the base since all flights were grounded by the president. I was glued to the TV watching Congress form the Department of Homeland Security as well as enact the Patriot Act. I was amazed how fear swept through Congress and how much power was given to the president. I started to have doubts about the war on terrorism when we found out that there weren't any WMDs in Iraq.

Q: So your political “awakening” stems from that military experience, the reaction, both military and legislative, to 9/11—I see.

A: Later, when I was stationed in South Korea in 2003, I was even more disillusioned with the occupation of Iraq. I noticed that AFN (Armed Forces Network) seemed to air FOX News more than any other news network. So I wrote a letter to the editor of Stars and Stripes. My letter was critical of Fox News and suggested that as a media outlet, AFN was biased towards the Bush administration. As you might guess, my letter wasn't well received by the military community and I was constantly bashed in the next three issues in letters to the editor. I guess I touched a nerve. It was then I wanted to get involved in politics.

Q: Can you give a brief list of offices that you have held? And the duties of those offices? (Offices in student organizations or volunteer positions would be good.)

A: The first office I ever won was Student Senator at Delta College back in '05. Since then I have been elected to precinct delegate in BV Township.

Q: What office are you currently seeking? What are your strengths in holding that position? Why should voters take you seriously?

A: I am seeking the office of trustee in Buena Vista Township. My strengths are my ability to effectively communicate with public officials and citizens. Voters should take me seriously because I have an undeniable desire to serve the public. Plus I have experience being appointed to BV's Citizens District Council as well as BV's Board of Review. I also have interned for U.S. Senator Carl Levin in Saginaw and U.S. Congressman Dale Kildee in Washington D.C.

Q: What rewards do you hope to gain in being a public office holder? And what would you say to someone interested in running for office?

A: I hope to be able to make BV a better place by being a good public servant. I would always encourage anyone to seek public office because running for office makes one more aware of their community as well as important issues that face voters.

Q: Could you talk a bit more about the goals that you have as a candidate for Buena Vista Trustee? What sort of “legacy” will you leave with the board when you choose to conclude your service?

A: My goal in becoming Buena Vista Trustee is to get in touch with as many voters in BV as possible to share my message. In some ways, people in BV are used to brash politics where promises are made and seldom kept. Some citizens have even become numb to those who say that they can make a difference. My message is that I want to renew the commitment to serving the public. I want to do my best by listening to the community's concerns and actually keeping in touch with them with their issues.

It seems as though voters focus on the negative in politics, tending to forget the good office holders. I certainly don't want to be forgettable and I don't want to be remembered as bad. I would want my legacy to be that people knew they could count on me to get things done and be honest with them if I couldn't. To add to that I would want to leave a legacy that would inspire others to get involved with the township.

Q: And finally, who are your role models in politics?

A: My role models are Robert Kennedy, a tenacious public servant who stood up against corruption and was feared by bureaucrats and other office holders. The other role model is Mark Twain who wasn't a politician, but definitely had some things to say about politics. I love his quotes and his humor still makes people laugh. What follows are two of my favorite quotes from Twain—they make us think. They also have relevance for today’s political scene:

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

"The radical of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them."

JW: I hope that Greg includes at least one of Mark Twain’s aphorisms on his campaign materials. I suspect that his current campaign and his future in politics will gratify many of us and astonish the rest.