Lakewood, CO — Army Veteran Brian Carroll will make history today with his announcement to run for the Colorado State House of Representatives for House District 28. Brian, who currently serves in the Colorado Army National Guard, is the first out Armed Forces Veteran in the country to officially file and run for office since the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell last month.
Carroll served two tours in Afghanistan and one Iraq with Army Special Forces Information Management Division, Special Operations Command and was openly gay despite Don't Ask Don't Tell. Carroll returned to Colorado after completing 6 years of active duty, joined the Colorado Army National Guard, 19th Special Forces Group, and served as a Veterans Affairs Specialist for Senator Mark Udall, assisting military and veteran constituents with cases pertaining to healthcare, housing, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal.
"This is an historic day," Carroll explained, "as far as I know I am the first out Veteran and active National Guardsman in the country to officially run for office since the Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell." Brian continued, "I am proud of the work that I did fighting alongside Mark Udall and the thousands of Service Members nationwide to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. I will continue to fight for equality, serving my country and our great state of Colorado in the Army National Guard while exercising my right to run for public office. I look forward to a robust and energetic campaign where I will have the opportunity to engage the voters and constituents of House District 28 to hear their concerns and hopes for a better future."
Brian grew-up in a blue-collar home in Idaho Springs, Colorado with his 6 younger brothers. Brian's father, a painter with IUPAT Local 79 and Vietnam era Veteran, worked in Clear Creek County where Brian and his brothers went to High School. Brian's legacy of military service includes his grandfather who served in World War II and two of his younger brothers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. After his brother Sean was near-fatally wounded in Iraq, Brian enlisted in the Army.
While on active duty, Carroll specialized in building infrastructure and information technology resources throughout remote regions of Afghanistan and Iraq and worked with U.S Forces and local communities to build schools, medical clinics and ensured that there were free and fair elections. Upon Carroll's return to Colorado he continues to serve in the Colorado Army National Guard, earned the Center for Progressive Leadership Fellowship, and worked as a Veterans Affairs Specialist for Senator Mark Udall fighting to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.