Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, February 3, 2019

     Ryan Soon, a National Guard combat veteran, said he served under Gabbard's leadership in the MIddle East. "In all the time that I've known Tulsi, she's had this perfect balance of strength and compassion, resolve and compromise, courage and humility - all of the characteristics that just make people want to work for her; all the qualities that we need in our Commander in Chief."
     He recalled a mission in Kuwait, assigned to meet with government leaders to facilitate training for local police and military forces. "Now, remember Kuwait is a very male dominated society," said Soon. "And so they couldn't possibly fathom the idea of a female leader." He said the government officials practically ignored "Tulsi because she's a woman; and we're standing there very awkwardly trying to figure out what are we going to say because our whole thing was to bring her to talk to them."

Ryan Soon introduced Rep. Tusli Gabbard and her Presidential campaign  kickoff on Saturday, with stories to illustrate his perception  of her character and qualifications to be a leader. Photo from Gabbard's livestream

     Soon contended that "Tulsi knew how to read a room. And instead of  being offended or jumping in there to assert her authority, and in turn, offending the Kuwaitis, she just stepped back and she let us exchange pleasantries. And ingeniously, she started to assign tasks to individual soldiers. So quietly and out of earshot of these Kuwaitis, she would go to one soldier and assign a task and they'd move. She'd go to another solider, assign a task, and they would move. As I'm talking to these Kuwaitis, I can see it in their face, that they finally realized what was happening around them.
     "Tulsi's now about six or seven soldiers in - before these Kuwaitis stopped talking to us and just ditched us to go talk to this woman who commanded such respect from the men that worked for her," said Soon.
     "So, long story short, we spent the next half hour sitting in the official's office very quietly, while Tulsi and the official talked like they were best friends who haven't seen each other for years. And at the end of the day, right before we left, I watched as the Kuwaiti official excitedly just listened to Tulsi lay out her plan for the joint operation. Now I know this might not seem like that big of a big deal for some people," said Soon, "but for me it was amazing, because I got to watch a lifetime of prejudice be washed away in a matter of minutes, because of the leadership and aloha of Tulsi."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's speech in her official announcement for her candidacy for President can be viewed here. Video from Gabbard's Facebook

     Soon also talked about her "constant and continuous" 20-hour workdays in Congress. He said he picked her up after she flew back from D.C. and, concerned about overwork, asked her, "Tulsi, what you doing here? Is the juice really worth the squeeze?" He said that she responded with a bright smile on her face, "It depends how you define the juice." He said she told him, "I love what I do. Is it long hours? Yes. Is it hard work? Absolutely, but I love that I can make a positive impact in people's lives. Whether it's working in Hawaiʻi or in D.C., I love that one person can make a difference. I love to serve." Soon said Gabbard "can speak for people who can't speak for themselves" and "make things better for the people of Hawaiʻi, and share our values and aloha spirit with the rest of the country and make their lives better, too."
     Soon called Gabbard "a soldier devoted to serving our people and our country. And her life's mission is to serve others. Every choice she's made in her life reflects it."
     He reviewed her military career and public service, and said it is important to have a Commander in Chief who knows the cost of war. "Tulsi knows that cost of war and that's why she fights so hard for peace."

Gabbard embraces Ryan Soon, who served with her on two  deployments to the Middle East.  Photo from Gabbard's livestream

     Gabbard was first elected to Congress in 2012. She has served on the Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees, and is a member of the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. Gabbard was Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2013 until she resigned in 2016 to endorse Bernie Sanders in his bid for President.

     She has served in the Army National Guard for nearly 15 years, deployed twice to the Middle East, and is one of the first female combat veterans ever elected to Congress. She continues to serve as a Major.

     Gabbard was born in American Samoa in 1981, and is of Samoan and European descent. She is the first Samoan-American to be elected to Congress. Gabbard is also the first Hindu to be elected to Congress. She graduated from Hawaiʻi Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2009. She is married to cinematographer and editor Abraham Williams. Her father, Mike Gabbard, serves District 20, Oʻahu, in the Hawaiʻi state Senate.

     A release from her campaign states she does not accept campaign contributions from corporations, lobbyists, or political action committees.