National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) is endorsing Democratic candidate Joanne Terry for Florida’s 8th Congressional District, an announcement made in a letter signed by over 206 members.
National Security Leaders for America endorse Joanne Terry
Published on
NSL4A is a bipartisan organization that supports national security and American democracy. The organization is composed of more than 500 former senior leaders from the military and national security-related government agencies, as well as elected officials at the state and local levels.
To the great people of Florida’s 8th District:
We are a bipartisan group of proud former and retired senior public servants who dedicated, and in
many cases risked, our lives in defense of our great nation. We are veterans, diplomats, and national
security officials. We are, above all, committed to the American idea that the people, free from the
threat of violence and guided by the facts and their conscience, should choose their leaders. We
served this nation because it defines democracy, codified in our Constitution.
That is why we, the undersigned, endorse Joanne Terry in her bid to serve as the next congressional
representative for Florida’s 8th District. She is the leader Florida and the country need today.
Terry is prepared to stand up against all that imperils our democracy. She will stand up to those who
use violence to achieve political ends. She will stand up to people who lie about elections to protest
outcomes they do not like. She will stand up to those who prefer the rule of authoritarians. She will
stand up to those who circumvent the law to install their preferred candidates against the will of the
people. She will stand up to those who think their power lets them trample regular people’s
inalienable rights.
After years of service to this nation, we know moral courage when we see it. Joanne Terry has the
moral courage necessary to take on the most pressing threats to our essential yet fragile democracy.
Terry is a patriot who understands that America is more than Red and Blue.
She understands her job is to serve her country, not her party.
Many of us have served in dangerous assignments overseas. We know what happens when party
loyalties replace patriotism. We know what happens when people decide violence is acceptable.
We support Joanne Terry because, unlike her opponent, she understands that we cannot allow that
to happen here. She is an aerospace engineer with deep experience in Space Coast NASA and
Department of Defense operations. She is a staunch supporter of women’s rights, especially the right
to control their own health care. She is a proponent of environmental stewardship, including the
protection of the Indian River Lagoon. She is an advocate for lower taxes for working families and
trust in our elections and election officials. She will ardently defend the right to vote for all qualified
citizens. She strongly supports Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ services, as well as an
advocate for quality public education.
Her opponent, Bill Posey, is an election denier, voting against certifying the results of the 2020
presidential election. He also voted against the Defense Authorization Act, the infrastructure bill, and
the Inflation Reduction Act. Finally, Posey supported the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
As former national security leaders, we all took oaths. Those oaths were not to an individual or a
party. They were to the Constitution and the nation of laws it embodies. To this day, our oaths dictate
our actions.
Our oaths and our values dictate we support Joanne Terry to represent Florida’s 8th District in
Congress. We hope your patriotism and your values guide you to vote for her as well.
Respectfully,
Admiral Steve Abbot, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender, Ph.D. (Hon), USA (Ret)
Minister Counselor Karen Aguilar (Ret), former Political Advisor, NATO SACT
Chuck Alsup, former Assistant Deputy Director, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Brigadier General Jack Alfonso Apperson, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Edward L. Baker, Jr., M.D., USPHS (Ret)
Rear Admiral James Arden Barnett, Jr., USN (Ret), former Bureau Chief, Federal
Communications Commission
Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner, USCG (Ret)
Rear Admiral Charles J. Beers, Jr., USN (Ret)
Emmett Beliveau, former Director, White House Military Office
Rear Admiral Yotam Ben-Artzi, M.D., USPHS (Ret), former Regional Health Administrator,
Dept of Health & Human Services
Ambassador Bruce G. Berton (Ret)
Hans Binnendijk, Ph.D., former Senior Director, National Security Council
Charles Blanchard, former General Counsel, Dept of the Air Force
Lieutenant General Ronald R. Blanck, DO, USA (Ret)
Ambassador John W. Blaney (Ret)
Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr., USMC (Ret), former Administrator, NASA
Ambassador Michele Thoren Bond (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of State
Ambassador Amy L. Bondurant
Paul L. Boyd, Counselor (Ret), US Foreign Service
Ambassador James Walter Brewster, Jr.
Rear Admiral Claire V. Broome, M.D., USPHS (Ret), former Deputy Director of CDC, Dept of
Health & Human Services
Mark Brunner, former Senior Advisor to Senator, US Senate
Rear Admiral John D. Butler, USN (Ret)
Louis E. Caldera, former Secretary of the Army
Carlos Cardozo Campbell, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce
Lieutenant General Donald M. Campbell, Jr., USA (Ret)
Brigadier General David P. Carey, USA (Ret)
Patrick G. Carrick, Ph.D., former Agency Director, Dept of Homeland Security
Ambassador Phillip Carter, III (Ret), former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Ambassador Judith Beth Cefkin (Ret)
Rear Admiral Bill Center, USN (Ret)
Richard A. Clarke, former Special Advisor to the President, National Security Council
Rear Admiral Mitchell L. Cohen, M.D., USPHS (Ret)
Harry Coker, Jr., former Executive Director, National Security Agency
Joseph John Collins, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Erin C. Conaton, former Under Secretary of Defense
Major General Peter S. Cooke, USA (Ret)
Thomas M. Countryman, former Acting Under Secretary of State
Ambassador Cindy L. Courville, Ph.D., former Special Assistant to the President, National
Security Council
Senior Chief Petty Officer Marilee Cunningham, USN (Ret)
William Daitch, former Assistant Director, Dept of Homeland Security
Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy
Sergeant Major Kim Eugene Davis, USMC (Ret)
David G. Delaney, former Acting Associate General Counsel, Dept of Homeland Security
Ambassador Greg Delawie (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Brigadier General Barbara Doornink, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General John Wade Douglass, USAF (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of Defense
John M. Doyon, former Senior Executive, National Security Agency
Martha E. Duncan, former Chief of HUMINT Enterprise Management, Dept of Defense
R.P. Eddy, former Director, National Security Council
Brigadier General Thomas N. Edmonds, J.D., USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Gregory W. Engle (Ret)
Major General William Enyart, USA (Ret), former US Representative (IL-12), US House of
Representatives
Ambassador Kenneth Fairfax (Ret)
Brigadier General Robert John Felderman, USA (Ret)
Ilsa E. Ferro, former Chief of Equal Opportunity Office, Defense Intelligence Agency
Major General Eugene Fox, USA (Ret), former Deputy Director of the Strategic Defense
Initiative, Dept of Defense
Brigadier General Martin E.B. France, Ph.D., USAF (Ret)
Command Chief Master Sergeant Shelina Elizabeth Frey, USAF (Ret)
Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis L. Fritz, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral James M. Galloway, M.D., USPHS (Ret), former Regional Health Administrator,
Dept of Health & Human Services
Lieutenant General Walter Edward Gaskin, USMC (Ret)
Brigadier General Robert A. Glacel, USA (Ret)
Sherri Goodman, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Rose Gottemoeller, former Under Secretary of State
Vice Admiral Kevin Patrick Green, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Don Guter, USN (Ret)
Major General Richard S. Haddad, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral Marlene E. Haffner, M.D., USPHS (Ret), former Director of the Office of Orphan
Products Development, Food and Drug Administration
Rear Admiral Janice M. Hamby, DM, USN (Ret), former Chancellor, College of Information and
Cyberspace, National Defense University
Ambassador S. Fitzgerald Haney
Rear Admiral Bryan D. Hardin, Sr., Ph.D., USPHS (Ret), former Deputy Director of NIOSH, Dept
of Health & Human Services
Ambassador Anthony Harrington, former Chair, President’s Intelligence Oversight Board
Major General Ralph Lewis Haynes, M.D., MBA, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Bruce Alan Heyman
Christopher J. Hoh, former Senior Advisor, State Dept
Sally K. Horn, former Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense
Sharon A. Houy, former Chief of Staff, Defense Intelligence Agency
Ambassador Thomas N. Hull, III (Ret)
Major General Randy Jayne, USAF (Ret), former Associate Director, Office of Management &
Budget
Brigadier General James Darwin Johnson, USA (Ret)
Master Chief Petty Officer Valerie Ann Johnston, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Jerome Jones, USAF (Ret)
Lieutenant General Jan-Marc Jouas, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral Douglas B. Kamerow, M.D., USPHS (Ret)
Senior Chief Petty Officer Denis C. Kaufman, USN (Ret)
Fleet Master Chief Raymond D. Kemp, Sr., USN (Ret)
Ambassador Laura E. Kennedy (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Ambassador Philip S. Kosnett (Ret), former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Major General Dennis John Laich, USA (Ret)
Tom Lamont, former Assistant Secretary of the Army
Rear Admiral Katharine L. Laughton, USN (Ret)
Vice Admiral Michael A. LeFever, USN (Ret), former Director of Strategic Operational
Planning, National Counterterrorism Center
General Alfonso E. Lenhardt, USA (Ret), former Ambassador, former Acting Administrator of
USAID
Bel Leong-Hong, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Major General Steven J. Lepper, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral David M. Lichtman, M.D., USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Samuel Lin, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, MPA, MS, USPHS (Ret), former Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Health & Human Services
Rear Admiral Deborah Loewer, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Carmen Lomellin
Ambassador Ray Mabus, former Secretary of the Navy, former Governor of Mississippi
Rear Admiral Ron J. MacLaren, USN (Ret)
Major General Randy Manner, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Niels Marquardt (Ret)
Brigadier General Carlos E. Martínez, USAF (Ret)
Barbara Estock Mays, former Special Assistant, Defense Intelligence Agency
Vice Admiral Dennis V. McGinn, USN (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of the Navy
James F. McIlmail, former Executive Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
Richard A. McSeveney, former Program Director, Dept of the Army
Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador James D. Melville, Jr. (Ret)
Rear Admiral Jay R. Miller, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Thomas J. Miller (Ret)
Rear Admiral Michael H. Mittelman, OD, MPH, MBA, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Mark A. Montjar, USA (Ret)
Vice Admiral Edward Moore, Jr., USN (Ret)
Edward T. Morehouse, Jr., former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Allan Mustard (Ret)
Janet Ann Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security, former Governor of Arizona
Admiral John B. Nathman, USN (Ret)
Brian H. Nilsson, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
John M. Nolan, former Deputy Postmaster General, US Postal Service
Rear Admiral Audrey Hart Nora, M.D., USPHS (Ret)
Major General Jim Nuttall, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral David Rogers Oliver, Jr., USN (Ret)
Andy Ozment, Ph.D., former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security
Brigadier General Peter John Palmer, USA (Ret)
Whitten Peters, former Secretary of the Air Force
Annie Pforzheimer, former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
William Piekney, former Senior Operations Manager, Central Intelligence Agency
Ambassador Steven Pifer (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Major General James A. Pocock, USA (Ret)
Major General Gale S. Pollock, USA (Ret)
Major General Thomas L. Prather, Jr., USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral William Lund Putnam, USN (Ret)
Major General Marilyn Quagliotti, USA (Ret)
Major General Mark R. Quantock, USA (Ret)
Jim Raimondo, Senior Advisor of Digital Transformation, Dept of the Navy
Major General William Michael Rajczak, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Charles Ray (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brook Rich, Spouse of retired Senior Military Leader
Rear Admiral Markham K. Rich, USN (Ret)
Sandra V. Richardson, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Vice Admiral Clyde E. Robbins, USCG (Ret)
Ambassador Thomas B. Robertson (Ret), former Dean of the Leadership and Management
School, State Dept
Major General Alan V. Rogers, USAF (Ret)
John C. Rogers, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Major General Patricia Ann Rose, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Leslie V. Rowe (Ret)
Brigadier General Donald Frederick Schenk, USA (Ret)
Ambassador James Schumaker (Ret)
Daniel C. Schwartz, former General Counsel, National Security Agency
Ambassador Tod Sedgwick
Lieutenant General Norm Seip, USAF (Ret)
Rhea D. Siers, former Deputy Assistant Director, National Security Agency
John R. Sipher, former Chief of Station, Central Intelligence Agency
Ambassador Emil M. Skodon (Ret)
Ellen Waterfield Smith, Spouse of retired Senior Military Leader
Rear Admiral Michael E. Smith, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Steven Grayson Smith, USN (Ret), former Director of Disaster Planning & Risk
Management, Small Business Administration
Stan Soloway, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Ivo Spalatin, former Senior Policy Advisor, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Bryant D. Springer, Spouse of former Senior National Security Leader
Anne M. Squire, Spouse of retired Senior Military Leader
Rear Admiral Todd Jay Squire, USN (Ret)
Don Stanton, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Major General Howard Douglas Stendahl, D.D., USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral William S. Stokes, D.V.M., USPHS (Ret), former National Toxicology Program
Center Director, National Institutes of Health
Sergeant Major Kurtis J. Strickland, USA (Ret)
Sergeant Major Peni Mene Sua, USA (Ret)
Gordon Sumner, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brigadier General Loree Sutton, M.D., USA (Ret)
Elizabeth M. Tamposi, Ph.D., former Assistant Secretary of State
Helen Tierney, former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Major General Jonathan Treacy, USAF (Ret)
Gregory Frye Treverton, former Chair, National Intelligence Council
Major General Andrew Turley, USAF (Ret), former Deputy General Counsel, Dept of the Air
Force
M. Ann Tutwiler, former Deputy Director General, UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Brigadier General William Uhle, Jr., USAF (Ret)
Thomas Umberg, former Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Spouse of
retired Senior Military Leader
Ambassador Alexander R. Vershbow (Ret), former NATO Deputy Secretary General
Alexander S. Vindman, former Director, National Security Council
Brigadier General George H. Walls, Jr., USMC (Ret)
Ambassador James D. Walsh (Ret)
Brigadier General Steve Warnstadt, USA (Ret)
Jack H. Watson, Jr., former White House Chief of Staff
Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Louis Malcolm Werdebach, former Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Leader, Defense
Intelligence Agency
Ambassador David Bruce Wharton (Ret), former Acting Under Secretary of State
Major General Deborah C. Wheeling, USA (Ret)
Jon A. Wiant, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Sheila Evans Widnall, former Secretary of the Air Force
Sergeant Major Alexander Williams, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Bisa Williams (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Command Chief Master Sergeant Calvin D. Williams, Sr., USAF (Ret)
Doug Wilson, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brigadier General Daniel P. Woodward, USAF (Ret)
Major General Maggie Woodward, USAF (Ret)
Patricia J. Zarodkiewicz, former Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
Joseph C. Zengerle, Esq., former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack, USA (Ret)