By Craig Andresen – Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

Unless you happen to live in the Great state of Nebraska, more specifically, in the western part of the state known as the 43^rd Legislative District, you probably aren’t familiar with the name, Tom Brewer.

Considering the rich history of this state, only a single Member of the Legislature is a Native American.

Tom Brewer.

Only a single Member of the Nebraska Legislature wears a Purple Heart.

Tom Brewer.

Back in 2003, while serving our country in uniform, Tom Brewer was shot six times, broke 12 ribs, broke his sternum and was hit by shrapnel. He once told me that it was a good day, because he lived through it.

In 2011, in Afghanistan, an RPG tore him up again. It hit just feet from where he was, but that was a good day too.

After 6 tours, and the multitude of injuries he sustained, Tom Brewer wanted to go back. His doctors told him that enough was enough, and that it was time he called it a day.

A good day.

Since his retirement from the U.S. Army, Tom Brewer has found other ways to serve and one such way was creating a program for wounded Vets to learn new skills…coping skills…by taking them on horseback into the mountains of Montana and showing them that they were still relevant…and more importantly…still vital.

Today, Tom Brewer…Col. Tom Brewer…has become Nebraska State Senator Tom Brewer, representing the 43^rd District…after campaigning, on the back of horses and mules across a 500 mile trek of his district with several of the men who served our nation with him.

Just a day or so ago, I reached out to Tom, as I had a few things I wanted to discuss regarding a bill he has currently in committee. I sent him a Facebook Message, asking him to give me a call, and knowing he’d get back to me as he always does.

He did…with a return message on Facebook. He told me to hold my thought on his bill, and we would discuss it in a few days. You see…Tom was a little busy…too busy to deal with a legislative bill…to busy, apparently, to handle his duties as a State Senator.

This was his message, and knowing the man as I do, I wasn’t one bit surprised.

“I am in Dallas Texas with the children of some of the men who died in my command (Gold Star families) part of a project called Operation Snowball Express. Probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do is to explain to a child why they lost their Parent. It makes what we do in the legislative chamber seem easy.”

Senator Tom Brewer had once again become…Col. Tom Brewer…and he was explaining to those children why a parent didn’t come home to them, what those parents meant to this country, to those who had served with them, and what those parents meant to him.

He said it was “probably one of the most difficult things” he’s ever had to do.

More difficult than being shot six times, breaking 12 ribs and his sternum, or having a rocket propelled grenade blow him up. More difficult too than the more than 30 surgeries he’s endured to repair all the damage done to his body while in the service of us all.

More difficult than serving our country for 36 years.

More difficult than surviving leukemia, which Tom Brewer has also done.

Read that message again…

“I am in Dallas Texas with the children of some of the men who died in my command (Gold Star families) part of a project called Operation Snowball Express. Probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do is to explain to a child why they lost their Parent. It makes what we do in the legislative chamber seem easy.”

I should tell you too, that he wrapped up that message with this…

“It has been a great day”

Copyright © 2017 Craig Andresen / thenationalpatriot.com