A former automotive designer and private and public-school teacher, the Honorable Kerry Bentivolio served with the US Army for 27 years full and part-time and is a combat veteran of both Vietnam as an infantry rifleman (1970-71), in Iraq in 2007 as an Operations Staff NCO for a Combat Convoy unit with Michigan National Guard attached to the 82nd Airborne Sustainment Brigade, LSA Adder, Iraq.

He served with the 87th Mountain Infantry US Army Vietnam, 119th Field Artillery, 177th Military Police Brigade as part of the S2 Intelligence staff, and the 82nd Artillery (MLRS) of the Michigan Army National Guard where he served as the Battalion Master Gunner. He was medically retired in 2010 from the National Guard after a MEDEVAC from Iraq in 2007 for a neck injury he suffered during a rocket attack.

SFC Bentivolio was awarded The Excellence in Competition Badge for Pistol, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Award (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal (4th Award), Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Ribbon (3rd Award), Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal with Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3rd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (3rd Award), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and 20 year device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Campaign Medal with Device 1960, and a Combat Infantry Badge.

SFC Bentivolio was selected to the US/UK Soldier Exchange program on 3 separate occasions representing Michigan Army National Guard serving with the 101 Royal Artillery at Salisbury Plain Training Center in England and in Tenby, Wales.

Upon his discharge from active duty SFC Bentivolio resumed his duties as a licensed general Education public high school teacher of English Literature and History. He also taught Computer Aided Design (CAD) as a licensed Vocational Secondary Education Teacher. Both the school and State gave him a “highly qualified” rating.

He ran and won a seat in the U. S. Congress in 2012 with 68% of the vote in his primary election taking the oath in January of 2013 to represent Michigan’s 11th Congressional District as a Republican. Congressman Bentivolio served with the 113th United States House of Representatives (2013-15) and the only member of Congress to have served in both Vietnam and Iraq. A House of Representatives historian said he was the "most effective and successful first term congressman in recent memory" (Ref: Oct 2013 Congressional Record). He passed 3 Bills with 100% bi-partisan support (no other first term congressman was as effective in the last 50 years). He lost in his primary re-election against a Republican opponent who spent $2.3 million to win the primary nomination.

Trucker Randy, #1 rated Christian Conservative Radio Talk Show Host located in Northern Michigan said, “the future of our Republic, is totally dependent upon future U.S. Congressman to be modeled after the principled values and policies that former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio exhibited while serving in the United States House of Representatives. His constitutional conservative, yet common sense legislation he both sponsored and voted for was exactly what our Founding Fathers had in mind for our U. S. Congress to both operate and serve the citizens of our great country.”

“Congressman Bentivolio, contrary to his political opponent’s opinions, is the standard for which all elected officials should try and emulate.” Richard Piwko, candidate for Congress & Precinct Delegate, Michigan Republican Party.

Congressman Bentivolio maintained an overall average conservative Republican platform score of 93% as measured by 15 conservative watch dog groups in DC who rate members of Congress. He scored 100% rating for cutting government waste, was rated the 2nd “Most Transparent” member of the 113th Congress and earned two constituent service awards, including the “National Write Your Congressman” Constituent Award. He received the “Guardian of Small Business” award from the NFIB, “True Blue Award” from the Family Research Council - Action for his 100% voting record in defense of faith, family, and freedom. He earned the “Taxpayer’s Friend Award” from the National Taxpayer’s Union and the 2014 “Hero of Main Street” award for his support of the retail industry. He also received a 95% or better voting record from the restaurant, food and beverage associations and the manufacturer’s association.

Congressman Bentivolio is an active member of Lifespan a prolife group in Wayne County Michigan and was endorsed by Combat Veterans For Congress PAC, Michigan Right to life, Michigan for Vaccine Choice, the NRA, and Gun Owners of America. He is an active Life Member of the VFW and his local AMVETS post.

Congressman Bentivolio holds a master’s degree in Education and has five undergraduate college majors. He is a State of Michigan licensed Private Investigator providing Skip Tracing, Celebrity Personal Security services and event security services. Since leaving office he also volunteers his time supporting and working with Home School Networks, tending his one-acre vineyard, a small Honeybee apiary and a garden.

He is an accomplished paid public speaker having been the featured speaker for Reagan and Lincoln Day Dinners in Arizona, Colorado and speaks regularly in his home State of Michigan. His messages are funny, heartwarming and heart breaking. Congressman Kerry Bentivolio stories are not ones of deceit or corruption, though his stories will have some of that; nor is it about power hungry politicians – both locally and nationally– working against the common good of the American people, though his stories will have some of that too.

Rather, his stories are told in terms easily understood: What happens when a regular citizen finds himself in the extraordinarily irregular spot of being a member of the United States Congress? What happens when an ordinary Joe finds himself in front of a phalanx of reporters? Or when the man bumming a cigarette off of him is the Speaker of House?

Kerry’s stories are what Congressional life is really like for those elected to represent us and illuminates why Washington D.C. seems so out of step with the nation as a whole. From envious local politicians scheming to undermine his time in office, to his greatest triumphs in our nation’s capital, the Honorable Kerry Bentivolio can tell you what it was like to be blessed with the opportunity to be a real Mister Smith Goes to Washington.

Grilling Doctor Gruber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jK8-wEvct8

Holding Lois Learner in Contempt speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rI7zmnPbkE

OSGF Committee: IRS Abuses of Tea Party Groups. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0PUpy0m__g

Funding road and bridge repairs without raising Taxes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R4jpJDHlws

2015 Walk to Washington DC to support veterans: https://youtu.be/FcPWAWJ6tay