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Fox News contributor Allen West to speak at GOP picnic

Allen West

Former U.S. Rep. Allen West is the guest speaker at the Burnet County Republican Picnic on September 8 at Bill’s Burgers in Burnet. Courtesy photo

Former U.S Rep. Allen West is the keynote speaker for the Burnet County Republican Picnic on Sunday, September 8, at Bill’s Burgers in Burnet.

West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, will be joined by state Sen. Dawn Buckingham and state Rep. Terry Wilson at the event, which is 4-7 p.m. at the Burnet eatery, 306 W. Polk St.

The Skylarks will be performing big band-style music.

Tickets for the event are $50 per person. The picnic is hosted by the Burnet County Republican Club and the Burnet County Republican Women.

West entered active duty in U.S. Army in 1983 and had a distinguished career, including commanding the 2nd Battalion 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division from 2002 to 2004. In 2003, he deployed with the unit to Iraq. He served 22 years in the Army before retiring in 2004. He previously deployed to Kuwait in 1991 during the first Gulf War.

After his retirement, Allen taught high school in South Florida for a year but volunteered and deployed to Afghanistan as a civilian military adviser to the Afghan army in 2006. He wrapped up the assignment in 2007.

He was elected to the Congress in November 2010 in Florida’s 22nd District and served one term.

West is a Fox News contributor as well as the author of “Guardian of the Republic: An American Ronin’s Journey to Family, Faith and Freedom” and “Hold Texas, Hold the Nation: Victory or Death.”

“He believes it will be conservative, free market policies, not politics, that secures a sound economic future for Americans — with growth, opportunity, and returning the promise of the American dream for his generation and those to come,” according to a media release.

Tickets for the picnic may be purchased online at EventBrite; the Burnet Chamber of Commerce, 101 N. Pierce St. in Burnet; or the Burnet County Republican Club booth at the Oatmeal Festival in Bertram on Saturday, August 31.

editor@thepicayune.com