Gary Spier has announced his intention to run for Justice of the Peace District 3. His announcement is printed below.
It is my pleasure, and, at the recommendation of many friends of Montgomery County, Ar., that I, retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gary Spier, announce my candidacy to become your Justice of the Peace for District 3 in Montgomery County.
I wish to share my 25 years of experience as a faithful servant of this Country to exceed the needs of the County and to help make it one of the best in the State of Arkansas. My time as both a military defender of our freedom as well as a Federal civil servant has prepared me to fight for our beliefs and to be compassionate, fair, honest, and respectful to our County and its residents, which I love.
For the last 25 years, I have had the privilege of sharing my life with the former Ms. Shawna Summitt. She has guided my life decisions, along with God. Her strong, deep familial ties and love for Montgomery County has led us back after military retirement. She has been the catalyst that inspired me to serve our Country and fully supports my decision to continue in public servitude.
I am proud to have had the honor to serve the country as an enlisted Sailor and was honored to accept an officer commission from the President of the United States.
During my time as a Naval Warrior, while assigned to the Washington DC area, I witnessed firsthand the plumes of smoke in the sky above the Pentagon following the terrorists attack on Sep. 11, 2001. This experience strengthened my commitment to serve this Country in any way I could and I promised myself to never forget that day. I worked hard and served in roles throughout my military career which included command-level leadership, a Naval Flight Officer in the P-3C aircraft, a Western Hemisphere Foreign Area Officer, a non-judicial Legal Officer, and numerous other roles that strengthened my policies and regulations knowledge at all government levels. These experiences would greatly benefit our County.
I would also like to point out my positive and calm disposition in times of stress. I participated in combat flights over Iraq while deployed there during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and returned to the Middle East as a Senior Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer and Mini-Boss on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, USS Eisenhower. I am greatly thankful for these challenges as they have defined my commitment in ensuring that everyone back home slept soundly at night. These experiences have instilled in me a nature of being proactive rather than reactive in analyzing issues to determine the best way forward. I will not make any decisions without doing the due diligence required to extinguish or mitigate any issues that would reflect negatively to eyes both internal and external of our County.
I retired from the military in 2019 after 22+ years of Honorable Service and started a new chapter in my life serving both the Country and the State of Arkansas as a Civil Servant. It would be an honor to take on the extra responsibilities as your District 3 Justice of the Peace to ensure that this district has a voice when decisions are made that will affect the County and its residents.
I wish and pray that you reflect on what I have to offer to the County and hope to receive your endorsement for Montgomery County, Ar., District 3 Justice of the Peace on Election Day. God Bless America, the State of Arkansas, and Montgomery County!