USMC Appoints Enlisted Military Fellows on Capitol Hill

For the second consecutive year, the Marine Corps has selected two senior enlisted members to serve as Congressional Legislative Fellows, positions previously held exclusively by officers. Master Gunnery Sergeant Will Mahoney (assigned to the staff of Arkansas Rep. Vic Snyder, House Veterans Affairs and House Armed Services Committees) and Gunnery Sergeant Hector Soto-Rodriguez (not yet assigned) have been selected for the 2010 program.  They follow in the footsteps of last year’s selectees, Master Sergeant William “Spanky” Gibson (a wounded warrior who served on the staff of Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee) and Gunnery Sergeant Bradley Simmons (served on the staff of Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee). FRA applauds the appointment of senior enlisted personnel to the Fellows program and provides a briefing on the legislative process to the incoming fellows.

The Congressional Legislative Fellows program is well established on Capitol Hill and is utilized by all branches of the uniformed services. The year-long program is designed to provide select service members with a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process by serving as staff for a member of Congress and offering the benefit of their military experience.