FLIPPABLE: Jon Olson for MN-SD20
am a proud Minnesotan, born and raised in south Minneapolis. My dad spent a career as a public school teacher in Bloomington, MN, and my mom worked various jobs until she found her niche as the head of student activities for the Minneapolis Public Schools. Because my parents worked full time, I spent my earliest days with my grandparents, who were both former labor organizers. My union leader grandfather worked tirelessly to represent his members and was honored for his work upon his retirement. I was lucky: the adults who surrounded me in my formative years gave me strong living examples of how integrity, hard work, and public service are the best ways to live one’s life.
Educational achievement was prized in my family, and I had great role models in my father, who earned a master’s degree, and my uncle, who earned a law degree, became a prosecutor, and eventually an appellate court justice. Through my family, friends, teachers, and other mentors, I grew to understand and respect that America is an extraordinary place because we believe everyone should be afforded equal rights and protections under the law.
As I grew older, I looked for ways to emulate my role models. Volunteer service and working in the kitchen at Fairview-Southdale hospital while I was at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, a heavy emphasis on my academic studies, leadership of my hockey teams, and the respect of my friends and classmates put me on a path to the United States Naval Academy. In July 1986, I was accepted into Annapolis and started my career in the U.S. Navy.
As a naval intelligence officer, I learned about national security by serving in the places that threaten our nation. I spent time aboard aircraft carriers, large deck amphibious ships working with the Marine Corps, as well as joint service assignments at U.S. Special Operations Command. I met and served alongside fellow Americans from all walks of life and from all the military services in places like Iraq, Bosnia, East Timor, and Somalia. I’ve been to Afghanistan and I’ve worked operations throughout the western Pacific. At the mid-point of my career, I was selected into case officer training with the CIA and took assignments as a clandestine services case officer.
I finished my career in a diplomatic posting at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. As a Minnesotan, I felt right at home in Finland. During my 21 years on active duty, I gained a deep appreciation for the dangers our intelligence operatives, military personnel, and federal law enforcement officers face every day, and I am thankful so many of our fellow citizens choose these paths of public service. Our communities are safer and stronger because of them.
I retired from the U.S. Navy in 2011. My wife, Melissa, and I moved to Cedar Lake Township where we found a peaceful spot we now call home. I spent the first part of my retirement helping to care for my dad who was battling Alzheimer’s Disease. In the Navy, I never thought about healthcare. If I got sick, I received care. But as I watched the disease rob my dad of his dignity, I came to understand that medical care should be a right for every citizen.
Sitting still is not in my DNA, so I embarked on a second career in public service as an educator and volunteer. Since 2012, I have taught national security courses at Metropolitan State University’s School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and in the Department of Political Science at Carleton College. I’ve also devoted considerable time to veteran-centric non-profits, serving as President of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association—Upper Midwest Chapter, and on the board of the Minnesota Council of the Navy League. I also chaired the board for the environmental non-profit Metro Blooms.
My discussions with family and friends over the past eight years, often about public policy issues, forced me to face the differences between the Minnesota I left in 1986, and the Minnesota we have today. These two “Minnesotas” are very different places. In my experience, the kind of democracy we enjoy in America is an experiment in progress – and that experiment can still fail if we don’t find a way to rebuild trust and cooperation among all our citizens with the end goal to solve the challenges of our society.
I volunteered to serve my nation in uniform in 1986. In the past few months I’ve realized it is time for me to volunteer to serve once again in a different capacity – as your candidate for Senate District 20.
We are all Minnesotans at heart, and we have a strong tradition of coming together to solve problems for the benefit of everyone. I think we’ve lost sight of that tradition and I want to use my leadership skills as a naval officer, as a diplomat, and as an educator to help revive our bipartisan traditions for the benefit of our community.
You have my pledge I will work tirelessly to get to the root of our problems, and that I will work with integrity to embrace the best ideas available — regardless of who offers the solutions — to address our challenges so everyone does better.
For me to embark on this mission, I need your support. Please consider donating to my campaign, volunteering with me to win the election, and standing with me to champion these causes.
Most importantly, I need your vote.
I look forward to getting to meet you on the campaign trail, and to working with you to rebuild our proud Minnesota tradition of building and adopting bipartisan solutions.
https://jonolsonformnsenate.com
