DAYTONA BEACH, Fla -- Thursday was a milestone of sorts for Congressman Michael Waltz, R-St. Augustine: The Warrior Diplomat turned 45.
More than 350 people posted happy birthday wishes on his Facebook page. Waltz was born on Jan. 31, 1974, in Boynton Beach.
Waltz also finished his first month as the Republican congressman for the 6th congressional district. Waltz ran in the 2018 election to succeed Ron DeSantis. Waltz won the election over Democrat Nancy Soderberg and was sworn in to the 116th Congress on Jan. 3.
A retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer, Waltz is a veteran of the War in Afghanistan and is the first Green Beret ever elected to the US Congress. Walt is the author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret's Battles from Washington to Afghanistan.
Before his election to Congress, Waltz served in a senior role at the Pentagon as director for Afghanistan policy within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, served as a senior advisor to then-Vice President Dick Cheney for South Asia and Counterterrorism in the George W. Bush White House.
Married with one child, Waltz served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, having been deployed all over the world as a decorated Special Forces officer with multiple combat tours to Afghanistan. He led the search for Bowe Berghdal and was awarded four bronze stars including two for valor.