Four of the president's SOTU guests are veterans and Gold Star spouses
Tuesday night, President Donald Trump will address the nation in his third State of the Union. As per tradition, Donald and Melania Trump have invited eight guests to accompany them to the address — three are veterans and one is a Gold Star spouse.
Deputy Chief Raul Ortiz from Del Rio, Texas: Deputy Chief Ortiz has helped protect America’s homeland for nearly three decades. Prior to joining U.S. Border Patrol in 1991, Ortiz served in the United States Army. In 2019, he became Chief Patrol Agent of the Del Rio Sector, which made him responsible for all Border Patrol operations in 41 Texas counties—including 210 miles of border between the United States and Mexico. Recently, Ortiz was promoted to Deputy Chief of U.S. Border Patrol, the second in command for more than 20,000 agents and professional staff. His awards include the Superior Civilian Service Medal, among the Department of Defense’s highest civilian honors.
Kelli and Gage Hake from Stillwater, Oklahoma: Kelli Hake was at home with her 1-year-old son, Gage, when she learned that her husband, Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Hake, had been killed while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. While on patrol, Staff Sergeant Hake’s fighting vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb supplied by Iranian terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani who was killed in an Iranian missile strike ordered by Trump on Jan. 8 of this year.
Paul Morrow from Montgomery, Alabama: Paul is a United States Army veteran. After leaving the military, Morrow started a successful contracting business and today is building a new concrete plant in an Opportunity Zone in Montgomery, Alabama. This new plant will help support several brand new F-35 jets that are stationed in the region.
Tony Rankins from Cincinnati, Ohio: After serving in the United States Army in Afghanistan, Tony Rankins suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and became addicted to drugs. He lost his job and his family, served several prison sentences, and ended up living out of his car. A company called “R Investments” helped train Tony in carpentry, painting, brickwork, and other construction trades. Today, he works in an Opportunity Zone in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his new job has helped him overcome drug addiction and reunite with his family.
