To the People of Texas,

It is my honor and privilege to endorse J. Gordon Mitchell for Texas’ 17th Congressional District. I met Sgt. Mitchell in 2017, when he served as my Military Training Instructor (MTI) during boot camp. At the time, I could not have anticipated how profoundly that experience—and his leadership—would shape both my life and my military career. His ability to lead with firmness while showing genuine kindness helped shape me into the person I am today.

Early in training, I sustained multiple injuries and because of frequent medical appointments, I often fell behind academically and spent limited time with my flight. During this period, J. Gordon consistently went above and beyond his duties to ensure I stayed caught up and supported. I can say with confidence that few—if any—other MTIs would have invested that level of time and care. Without his intervention and encouragement, I would not have endured the experience mentally or physically, nor would I have graduated. J. Gordon was unquestionably meant to lead and teach the next generation of Airmen.

He led by example—working alongside us by helping make beds, running with us on run days, and ensuring we ate before he did. His actions reflected a leadership style rooted in service, accountability, and genuine care for those under his command.

He balanced discipline with compassion, holding us accountable while ensuring we were supported and built up rather than torn down. There was one instance in which I experienced a panic attack in the latrine, overwhelmed by the treatment I was receiving from the other MTI. Another trainee brought me to J. Gordon, and within minutes he was able to calm me and help me regain control. I doubt most MTIs would have shown that level of empathy under similar circumstances. He even made sure to coin me on graduation day, despite the fact that I was on the sidelines with crutches.

His willingness to stand up for what is right, show kindness, and never back down left a lasting impression on me and is why I wanted to share my story. He is one of the most respectable people I know.

Sincerely,

Sierra Wahl
Flight 380 (2017)

It is my distinct honor to publicly endorse J. Gordon Mitchell for Texas’ 17th Congressional District.

I met Sgt Mitchell when he was my military training instructor (MTI) in 2015. When going to basic training, I knew that my MTI would be an influence on the start of my military career, but I did not realize how much of an impact he would have on my professional and personal growth in those short months. Sgt. Mitchell’s integrity, care for his subordinates and peers, drive, and flexibility are why I know he will fight to ensure a better future for Texans.

Before basic training, my goal was to lay low and get through as quietly as possible. Only a few days into training, Sgt. Mitchell called me into our recreation room with a peer. He was reading through each of our flight member’s profiles and mine stuck out to him. At the time, my mother had recently passed away, and my father was not in the picture. We had a brief conversation about my past and how it led me to the Air Force. Afterward, he put me in charge of a quarter of our flight- so much for laying low.

Throughout the next few months, he taught me, along with the rest of our flight, what a good leader looks like. In the process of rebuilding civilians into Airmen, he would always make sure the arrived early to chow (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) so that we had enough time to eat. While he was strict as all MTIs are expected to be, it was never excessive or cruel, and I never felt unsafe when he was around.

When everybody first arrived at basic, we were given time to call home to our families before our phones were locked away, but I did not have a phone, and I sat by while my peers were all saying their goodbyes to their family. Sgt. Mitchell noticed this and found time that evening to let me call home to my family on his phone. On one of the harder days I had in basic training, I remember walking into his office and saying, “Technical Sergeant, I want to quit. I want to go home.” I still vividly remember Mitchell slowly looking up at me and taking off his glasses before simply stating, “No. You’re going to be fine. What’s going on?” and he gave me a brief forum to speak about what was weighing on me that day. He was always willing to help when it was needed.

Beyond being attentive and caring, he was one hell of a motivator. During our PT sessions, he would run alongside us, even if he needed to wear knee braces to get through it. His toughness was never in question, even going so far to match our pushups with his own, one-armed pushups. On the rare occasion that he did not work out alongside us, he was supporting his flight from the sidelines and cheering his flight members on to keep pushing.

The consistency in which he recognized potential, cared for all of his team, and patience for our shenanigans has stuck with me throughout my professional career, even after the Air Force. Growing up, I did not have many great role models, and Mitchell was one of the first, and one of the greatest leaders I’ve had in my professional career. Once I learned that he was running for office, I wanted to share some of my experiences with him to showcase the type of leader that he will be for Texas.

Triston McConnell