Jon Keyser, now a state lawmaker from Morrison, in eastern Afghanistan in 2009. The Air Force Academy graduate will participate in his first Military Appreciation Day at the legislature on Friday. (Keyser photo)
House candidate Jon Keyser, his wife Emma, and their then 16-month-old daughter Ellie, make phone calls for fellow Republicans in 2014. (Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)
The Colorado Legislature on Friday will honor members of the armed services during its annual Military Appreciation Day and also recognize lawmakers who did a tour of duty.
Among them: Rep. Jon Keyser, R-Morrison, who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and was former member of the Air Force’s elite parachuting team, the Wings of Blue. He completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a captain in the Air Force Reserves.
He and his wife Emma were married a week after he got home from Afghanistan.
“The first thing she says to me when I get off of the plane:’I love you.’ The second thing she says: ‘You have to shave that nasty beard — like, right now,'” he said.
Other lawmakers who have served in the military include Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, who was in the Army. He’s proud he took his basic training at Fort Knox, the same place where one his favorite movies, “Stripes,” was filmed.
Bill Cadman
He served from 1982 to 1984 and spent another four years in the reserves. He was stationed in Germany, first as a nuclear weapons documents custodian and then with the ski patrol.
“I loved being in the Army but I do remember thinking that I couldn’t make a career out of the service because I didn’t think I could stand wearing the same clothes for 20 years. Now that I look in my closet, maybe I was wrong about that,” Cadman once said.
Various resolutions on topics from the U.S.S. Pueblo to terrorism will be considered by lawmakers on Friday.
Lawmakers with military experience:
SENATE REPUBLICANS
David Balmer of Centennial: Army
Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs: Army
John Cooke of Greeley: Army National Guard
Larry Crowder of Alamosa: Army
Leroy Garcia
Owen Hill of Colorado Springs: Air Force
Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs: Air Force
SENATE DEMOCRATS
Leroy Garcia of Pueblo: Marines
Rollie Heath of Boulder: Army
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso of Loveland: Wyoming Air National Guard
Terri Carver of Colorado Springs: Air Force Reserves JAG
Jon Keyser of Morrison: Air Force
Steve Humphrey of Severance: Army
Gordon Klingenschmitt of Colorado Springs: Navy
Patrick Neville of Castle Rock: Army
Bob Rankin of Carbondale: Army
Kit Roupe of Colorado Springs: Army
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
Steve Lebsock of Thornton: Marines
