SUPPORT — Secretary of State Mac Warner, a Republican candidate for governor in 2024, addresses a group of military veteran supporters as retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John C. “Doc” Bahnsen and his wife, retired U.S. Army Col. Peggy Bahnsen, look on. -- Steven Allen Adams

CHARLESTON — West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner is hoping to capitalize on his military service as he seeks the Republican nomination for governor in 2024, launching a coalition of veterans that support his campaign.

Warner launched his Veterans and Military Families Coalition Monday afternoon on the riverside steps of the State Capitol Building in Charleston.

“We’ve all stood guard around the world,” Warner said. “Now, we’re going to stand guard here in West Virginia protecting the values with honor, integrity, and courage.”

Warner’s Veterans and Military Families Coalition includes more than 100 veterans and family members of veterans and active service members from all of West Virginia’s 55 counties. Some of the coalition members were on hand for Monday’s announcement.

“I am truly impressed with the crowd we have here today,” Warner said. “Every branch of the service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard – every one of those are represented, as well as Army active duty, National Guard reserves, and most importantly … the family members.”

Leading the coalition is John C. “Doc” Bahnsen, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general from Hancock County who has long played a background role in West Virginia Republican politics.

“I’m proud of him. I’m proud of his family. I’m proud he asked me to help,” Bahnsen said. “I want every one of you who walk away from here today and go back, put your finger in people’s faces, and tell them they have to go vote. We’ve got a guy who can lead this state and do the right thing. He’s totally honest. He’s got a model family. This is the kind of guy you want in the office of governor in the State of West Virginia.”

A 1956 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Bahnsen made a name for himself in the Army Air Cavalry during the Vietnam War flying the AH-1G Cobra gunship according to the Army Aviation Association of America. His final assignment during his career was Chief of Staff for the III Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, retiring in 1986. He was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007.

During his service, Bahnsen was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; multiple Silver Stars, Legions of Merit, Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star Medal with three Valor devices; two Purple Hearts, the Meritorious Service Medal; 50 Air Medals, three with Valor devices; and the three Army Commendation Medals, including one for Valor. He is considered one of the most decorated Vietnam veterans.

“All I can tell you is I want to see everyone walk away from here motivated to get Mac elected,” Bahnsen said.

Warner, West Virginia’s 30th Secretary of State, is in the middle of his second term since first taking office in 2017. Warner first announced his candidacy for governor in January in front of the West Virginia Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the State Capitol Complex, making his military services an important aspect of his campaign.

If he wins the Republican primary and the general election in 2024, Warner would be the first governor with military service in nearly 25 years since the late Cecil Underwood served his second term as governor from 1997 to 2001. Underwood was an U.S. Army reservist during World War II.

“Veterans made this country. They gave us the freedoms we all enjoy,” Warner said. “It’s this unbroken band of brothers from back prior to when we became a country through the common era into today that stand tall. We are the land of the free because we are the home of the brave.”

Warner served 23 years as a U.S. Army officer, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the West Virginia University College of Law. He served most of his military service in the Army’ Judge Advocate General Corps, a career that took him from capturing alleged war criminals for the International Court of Justice at the Hague to Chief of International Law for the U.S. Army in Europe.

Warner’s family has a history of both military and public service. In 2022, Warner’s wife, Debbie Law Warner, won a seat to the House of Delegates as a Republican, The Warners have four children who all went on to have careers in the U.S. Army, some of whom returned to civilian life.

A brother, Monty Warner, is a retired U.S. Army colonel and former Republican candidate for governor in 2004, losing to two-term Democratic governor and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin. Warner is a member the state chapter of Vets 4 Vet Leadership, a group that aims to get more military veterans into elected offices.

“We believe the more veterans that are in public office, the more problems we’ll solve,” Monty Warner said. “The less veterans we have in office, the more problems we’ll have.”

Mac Warner talked about programs his office offers to veterans and active military members, including a veteran-owned Boots to Business program that waives certain business registration fees, and electronic absentee voting for uniformed and overseas citizens.

“We’ve increased the Boots to Business, where veterans don’t have to pay to register their businesses. Their families now no longer have to pay to register a business in West Virginia,” Warner said. “Another area where West Virginia is leading the nation is we’re leveraging technology. We’ve allowed soldiers to vote using a mobile device – the first in the nation to do so.”

Warner is one of several Republican candidates who have announced for governor, including State Auditor J.B. McCuskey, Del. Moore Capito, and automobile dealership owner Chris Miller. Other pre-candidates include Rashida Yost, Edwin Vanover, and Terri Bradshaw.