14 years ago today, I almost died.

Alive Day is the anniversary of the day a service member almost died, but didn't. Today is my Alive Day, {NAME}. For those who don't know, an Alive Day is the anniversary of the day a service member almost died, but didn't. On this day 14 years ago, I was on patrol in Iraq navigating a convoy of humvees when our truck ran over an improvised explosive device (IED). Had the remote operator detonated the device a millisecond later, I would have been killed. Instead, the IED blew up in front of the armored crew compartment and we made it out. We were very much injured, but alive nonetheless. The wreckage from the IED explosion One lesson (among many) that I reflect on today is that our country has been ill-served by a Congress full of armchair generals and think-tank strategists. These folks are responsible for squandering billions of dollars and countless lives on interventions overseas. It's easy to beat the war drum when your life is not on the line. But those who serve know best that our men and women must be used sparingly and decisively -- and only when it means protecting our country. That notion is sorely lacking in Congress. My opponent Doug LaMalfa has never worn the uniform, but even now he won't hesitate to fan the flames and play politics when it comes to our military. It's irresponsible, and there's no room for it in Congress. We need to elect more people who served in the military and understand the stakes. That's why I'm stepping up to run, and it's why I need your help: [We're coming up on our end-of-month fundraising deadline and we're still a bit short of our $20,000 goal to unseat Doug LaMalfa. If you're ready to flip CA-01 and change Congress for the better, chip in $ to support my grassroots campaign today >>]( If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: [Chip in $10 Now]( [Chip in $35 Now]( [Chip in $50 Now]( [Chip in $100 Now]( [Chip in $250 Now]( [Another amount]( Thanks for hearing me out, Max Steiner Combat Veteran for Congress [Donate »]( Max Steiner is a combat veteran, foreign service officer, and Democrat running to flip California's 1st District from red to blue. Consider supporting Max's campaign by [making a grassroots contribution here.]( If you'd like to receive less email, add your name [here.]( We'd hate to see you go, but you can click here if you'd like to [unsubscribe](. Max Steiner is a combat veteran of the Iraq War and Sergeant First Class in the Army Reserves. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of Defense. Max Steiner for Congress 2485 Notre Dame Blvd, Ste 370 #194 Chico, CA 95928 United States