The signs on the Glenn Highway say "Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson" today. But when my family drove the Alcan and arrived in Anchorage the sign said "Welcome to Fort Richardson." We spent the next five years on post and my first job was bagging groceries at the commissary for tips. When I drive past one of the signs today, I still remember being young and having my father put in a long day at "Fort Rich."
Political campaigns can take some startling turns, and my family is familiar with the ups and downs of the campaign trail. As my husband Mark Begich campaigns across Alaska for the U.S. Senate in this November's election what I miss the most is my father, U.S. Army Col. Lou Bonito.
My father left us in 2011 after a full life spent serving his country in the Army, pulling in his share of kings on the Kenai and most importantly loving and caring for his family, including my mother Herta. And it's not just Mark and I who miss Lou. My dad's homemade lasagna and smoked salmon spread was hand-delivered to every political campaign office I've set foot in and made clear his rich Italian heritage. I'd like to think all the Alaskans volunteering a few hours of their time to Mark's campaign miss him too.
Political campaigns have changed dramatically from what he would remember. After the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling corporations and billionaires can spend unlimited amounts of money on attack ads in an attempt to buy our elections. These ads can say almost anything they want with no repercussions and that's a shame.
The latest fabrication being run in a futile attempt to make a lie true is that my family and my husband don't appreciate or respect military service. It's a wild and unsubstantiated political attack that shows how desperate Outside groups and Dan Sullivan are to avoid talking about issues.
Mark's record representing East Anchorage on the Assembly, the city of Anchorage as mayor, and for the last six years Alaska as a U.S. senator has included support, gratitude and action on behalf of our troops and their families.
That commitment runs throughout our family. As the daughter of a mustang Army colonel who served in Vietnam I can assure you I wouldn't have fallen for the kind of man who doesn't value and respect our armed forces. And as my father's daughter I've been instilled with a lifelong commitment to support fellow military families.
Mark's father was superintendent of schools on Fort Richardson where he was also a teacher, doing his part to provide for military families as an educator. As a senator, Mark turned his respect for the military into action by fighting to reduce Alaska's VA wait list from over 900 to nearly zero and fighting for historic agreements to allow Alaska veterans to get care in their community without having to travel to VA facilities in Anchorage or Seattle.
For the past 10-plus years I've worked with community members in Anchorage and Fairbanks to host special events for military families, including, a send-off for the 4/25th Combat Team in 2011, a "military Family Fun Fair" in Fairbanks in 2012 and most recently a Valentine Family Fair on JBER last February. The Armed Services YMCA of Alaska has been a wonderful partner in all of these events.
I know Alaskans won't fall for a dirty political attack ad about my family. But just in case it has people wondering, let me assure you that no political attack or opponent can or will shake the values Mark and I have or our respect for Alaska's military members. We plan to continue supporting our service members and their families. We owe them so much for their service.
Deborah Bonito owns and operates several Anchorage small businesses, is the wife of U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and the daughter of U.S. Army Colonel Lou Bonito (1932 - 2011).
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