Press Release

July 2, 2008 

Contact:
Caroline Burns
(202) 225-3631

One of Congressman Bishop’s Own Set to Deploy to Iraq
Former staffer will help Iraq’s provincial reconstruction efforts

Washington, D.C. Congressman Sanford Bishop announced today that his friend and former legislative aide for military affairs, Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Young, will deploy to Iraq next month following a week of training at Fort Benning, in the Second Congressional District. During LTC Young’s deployment, his first to the Middle East, he will be assigned to the Office of Provincial Affairs at the US Embassy in Baghdad.

“Rob is an outstanding soldier. He served the Second District honorably as my military fellow and I have also been able to count on him over at the Pentagon. I will truly miss being able to call on his expertise and counsel,” said Bishop. “Of course, it is with a tremendous sense of pride that we send him off to serve our nation – I know America needs him in Iraq more than we do here on Capitol Hill.”

Since serving as Congressman Bishop’s Military Fellow in 2006, LTC Young has led the Army Reserve’s government affairs office as the Chief of Government Relations, serving as the primary interface between the Congress and the United States Army Reserve. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed working for Congressman Bishop and serving the constituents of Georgia’s Second District,” said Young. “I look forward to serving our country and the citizens of Iraq as a member of the State Department’s Provincial Reconstruction Team.”

Though LTC Young will be based in the International Zone in Baghdad, he will spend much of his deployment traveling across the war-torn country to assess the progress of and assist local governments with rebuilding efforts. Inspecting infrastructure and school building projects, as well as overseeing investments by local governments all will be part of LTC Young’s responsibilities in the country.

LTC Young is a native of Marlton, NJ, and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He also has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Florida. 

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