John Kriesel
Encyclopedia
John M. Kriesel is a Minnesota
politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
who represents District 57A, which includes portions of Dakota
and Washington
counties in the southeastern part of the Twin Cities
metropolitan area. A Republican
, he is a private marketing and advertising contractor to the Minnesota Army National Guard
and a contributor on KFAN-AM 1130
radio during the “Power Trip Morning Show.” He also volunteers as a motivational speaker for schools, churches and businesses.
Kriesel was first elected to the House in 2010. He currently serves on the Capital Investment, the Judiciary Policy and Finance, and the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance committees, and as vice chair of the State Government Finance Subcommittee for the Veterans Services Division. On May 21, 2011, he was one of four Republicans who dissented against the caucus majority by voting against sending a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage
to a 2012 referendum; the bill passed 70-62.
Kriesel served in the Minnesota Army National Guard
from 1998–2008, rising to the level of staff sergeant
. He was stationed in Kosovo
in 2004 as part of a NATO peacekeeping force and, later, at Camp Fallujah in Iraq
. He lost both of his legs in military combat in 2006 due to an IED
or roadside bomb. He now has prosthetic legs. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge
, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal
for his service to his country. He worked as an intern in U.S. Senator Norm Coleman
's Washington D.C. office in 2007, addressing constituent concerns and military issues. He also co-authored a biography with the help of writer Jim Kosmo detailing his military career, recovery from his combat injuries and life thereafter.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
who represents District 57A, which includes portions of Dakota
Dakota County, Minnesota
Dakota County is the third most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the thirteenth...
and Washington
Washington County, Minnesota
Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...
counties in the southeastern part of the Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
metropolitan area. A Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
, he is a private marketing and advertising contractor to the Minnesota Army National Guard
Minnesota Army National Guard
The Minnesota Army National Guard, along with the Minnesota Air National Guard, is an element of the Minnesota National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States...
and a contributor on KFAN-AM 1130
KFAN (AM)
* See also KFXN-FMKTCN —branded News/Talk 1130—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a conservative news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KTCN's main studios are in St...
radio during the “Power Trip Morning Show.” He also volunteers as a motivational speaker for schools, churches and businesses.
Kriesel was first elected to the House in 2010. He currently serves on the Capital Investment, the Judiciary Policy and Finance, and the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance committees, and as vice chair of the State Government Finance Subcommittee for the Veterans Services Division. On May 21, 2011, he was one of four Republicans who dissented against the caucus majority by voting against sending a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage
Recognition of same-sex unions in Minnesota
Minnesota has legalized neither same-sex marriages nor civil unions. Same-sex marriage is banned by statute, passed by the legislature in 1997 shortly after passage of the federal Defense of Marriage Act....
to a 2012 referendum; the bill passed 70-62.
Kriesel served in the Minnesota Army National Guard
Minnesota Army National Guard
The Minnesota Army National Guard, along with the Minnesota Air National Guard, is an element of the Minnesota National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States...
from 1998–2008, rising to the level of staff sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
. He was stationed in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 2004 as part of a NATO peacekeeping force and, later, at Camp Fallujah in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He lost both of his legs in military combat in 2006 due to an IED
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
or roadside bomb. He now has prosthetic legs. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for his service to his country. He worked as an intern in U.S. Senator Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
's Washington D.C. office in 2007, addressing constituent concerns and military issues. He also co-authored a biography with the help of writer Jim Kosmo detailing his military career, recovery from his combat injuries and life thereafter.
External links
- Rep. Kriesel Web Page
- Project Votesmart - Rep. John Kriesel Profile
- John Kriesel Campaign Web Site
- KARE 11 TV: "From Staff Sgt. to State Rep.; the life journey of John Kriesel"
- "Still Standing: The Story of SSG John Kriesel"
- "MPR Votetracker: John Kriesel"
- John Kriesel on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- John Kriesel on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...