A 35-year-old insurance coverage agent and Republican who earned a Purple Coronary heart within the warfare in Iraq, is 2 lessons away from a bachelor’s diploma in historical past, performs poker with devoted Democrats and received his first try at public workplace final month is considered one of 4 newly-elected members of the Alaska Home of Representatives from Fairbanks.
The husband and father of two will likely be sworn in subsequent month to characterize Home District 32, protecting Fort Wainwright, Hamilton Acres and a portion of Badger Street, changing Rep. Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, who endorsed him.
Stapp is initially from Kirkland, Washington, however Fairbanks has been house on and off since 5 months after he graduated from highschool in 2006. He joined the U.S. Military, and Fort Wainwright was his first obligation station.
“It was surprising, the chilly and the darkness, but it surely was a brand new journey,” he stated.
Enlisting within the U.S. Military was the plan since seventh grade when Stapp resolved to serve the nation following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assaults. The HBO Collection “Band of Brothers” impressed Stapp to turn into a paratrooper.
He wound up doing two fight excursions and served nearly 5 years within the Military after having his three-year contract involuntarily prolonged.
Stapp left army service with a Fight Infantryman Badge, a shrapnel wound on his left calf, and enrolled on the College of Alaska Fairbanks on the GI Invoice.
Being ready is vital to Stapp, who was 19 when he discovered a tough lesson about being unprepared.
Stapp had volunteered to go on the quick observe to fight obligation in the course of the warfare in Iraq.
On the day he was reporting to his new unit, a person drove a gasoline truck into the army compound and detonated a bomb.
Stapp was in his first battle, and he didn’t know easy methods to drive the Humvee or use the radio. He tripped over a sandbag and nearly dropped his rifle, which discharged. Stapp confronted harsh army self-discipline.
“I needed to do workout routines for hours. I needed to sleep in my physique armor for 3 weeks,” he stated. “It was a very humbling expertise for me. That was form of the second the place I made a decision that I might by no means form of go right into a scenario unprepared once more.
“That lesson taught me to be a detailed-oriented individual,” he stated.
When the Alaska Legislature convenes on Jan. 17, 2023, Stapp will likely be able to combat for Fairbanks.
His coverage priorities are reasonably priced vitality for the Inside, reasonably priced healthcare and establishing a long-term fiscal plan for Alaska.
He hopes to get a seat on the Home Finance Committee. Fairbanks wants illustration on the Home Finance, Stapp stated. All three present Fairbanks representatives on the panel, Reps. Bart LeBon, Steve Thompson and Adam Wool, are leaving the Legislature.
Stapp additionally has is eye on the Navy and Veterans Affairs Committee and the panel overseeing the departments of Well being and of Household and Group Providers.
Stapp chosen Bernard Aoto, former president of the Related College students of the College of Alaska Fairbanks, as his chief of employees.
Stapp is accustomed to serving others.
The Rotarian has a volunteered for the Literacy Council of Alaska and the Fairbanks Group Meals Financial institution. 4 years in the past, he helped with LeBon’s marketing campaign.
Along with managing a squad of 9 troopers within the Military, Stapp has supervised insurance coverage brokers for Aflac Inc.
He resolved to run for public workplace lately. As soon as once more, world occasions, together with the U.S.’s hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2020, impressed him to behave.
“Individuals have requested me to run for plenty of issues for awhile,” Stapp stated. “I ran to attempt to clear up issues and structural points and to attempt to deal with folks effectively. Politics doesn’t need to be dysfunctional all the time.”