Congressman Tony Gonzales is a dedicated patriot with twenty years of military experience. Abandoned by his father at the age of two months, Tony knew he had to work hard to get ahead in life. At the age of 18, he left high school to join the military and to provide a path to success for himself and his family. As a career cryptologist in the United States Navy, he rose to the highest enlisted rank of Master Chief Petty Officer for his support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. With multiple deployments to the Middle East and Asia, Tony has firsthand experience about the security challenges that face our country and the international community at large. Harnessing his military background, Tony also served on Capitol Hill as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow for U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. In his time there, he contributed to the defense, foreign policy, and intelligence portfolios. In 2018, Tony was selected as a National Security Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). At home in San Antonio, Tony is an active member of his community and has helped to create educational and economic opportunities in impoverished areas. In his role as Community Representative for the City of San Antonio’s Head Start Policy Council, he oversaw a budget of $32.5 million devoted to early childhood development. He also created the Tony Gonzales Foundation, a non-profit focused on uniting local businesses, schools, and families to promote economic development and upward mobility. Tony worked hard to get ahead in life. He understands the value that a good education can provide. Although he had to postpone high school when he joined the Navy, he later earned his high school diploma and continued to pursue higher education. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from American Public University and is a Ph.D. candidate in International Development at the University of Southern Mississippi. He also holds a graduate certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University, and serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland system, where he teaches political science with an emphasis on counterterrorism. Congressman Gonzales is married to his wife Angel and they have six wonderful children.