https://bettsforhilliard.com/home daily 1.0 2023-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1625699742033-UIDMTPBXQO82LXAKX7GI/DSC01035-Edit-2.jpg Home - About Greg Betts Greg and his wife Kristin were born and raised in Ohio and grew up in a small, steel-mill town near Youngstown, Ohio. They have two grown children and have lived in Hilliard for over 25 of the more than 36 years that they’ve been married. After graduating from Ohio State, Greg spent 30 years as an Army officer. He is a decorated combat veteran, has decades of leadership experience, and understands how the government works; moreover, he knows how to navigate government programs to get things done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476432236-EPWCZQWH5GEJG30EVLKH/GettyImages-1203194621.jpg Home - What I’ll fight for, if given the opportunity to serve on Hilliard City Council: I passionately believe that government exists to act on behalf the People, and to take action solely for their benefit. If you grant me the honor of serving you on city Council, that is exactly what I will do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1625699890542-NT6B02IQ8AXNIBT1E8TP/GettyImages-1275596754.jpg Home - 30 years of living by the oath to Defend our Constitution: As a military officer, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. I recently retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army, after 30 years of service and multiple tours in the Middle East; so, I know what it means to swear a solemn oath and to answer a call to duty. Although my military service is complete, my service is not. I’m running for city council to answer another call to duty: to serve my fellow citizens of Hilliard. https://bettsforhilliard.com/representation daily 0.75 2023-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/699c5c8c-987a-4a05-8fd9-9b30a8c32653/Greg+Betts+Headshot+Cropped.jpg Representation - Experience For The Job As a military leader, I was a part of the government for 30 years and I know how it works; moreover, I know where it falls short and what can be done to make it work better. As a retired senior military officer, I have significant leadership experience and am adept at influencing disparate groups of people to work as a team to achieve objectives. Equally important, while I am undoubtedly a Democrat, I spent 30 years prohibited (by Department of Defense Directive) from engaging in political activities. The reason for this prohibition is simple: The military is subject to civilian control and must remain politically neutral. Military members, therefore, are obligated to perform their duties in a nonpartisan and apolitical manner: i.e., to avoid even the hint of engaging in political activities. If elected to city council, I will continue this nonpartisan approach to serving. While I am undoubtedly a progressive leader, I happen to believe that having progressive ideals, means having empathy for and serving all the people you represent — regardless of their political beliefs and regardless of whether they voted for you or not. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622437811758-FSUNBGQ78XI7FQZHS5DP/TOA+COLORS+UNFURLING-2.jpg Representation - Passion For Service The main reason I want to represent you on Hilliard City Council is simple: I have a passion for serving. Having spent nearly my entire adult life in service to the Nation and the State, I simply can't fathom doing anything else. 30 years in the military has a way of infusing a desire to serve into your very DNA. As a military officer, I swore a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and to work each day to make the lives of my fellow citizens better. I want to serve on Hilliard City Council because I understand that there’s no greater feeling than knowing that your actions have had a positive impact on someone else’s life; moreover, on the greater good the community. I believe that far too many of our elected officials today have sought office for all the wrong reasons. In my view, there’s only one reason for seeking elected office: i.e., to serve those who voted to elect you—and even those who didn’t. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476148853-DB1HPUP8WLN8B8BZW1EJ/unsplash-image-7rehTDIfR8o.jpg Representation - Service as an American Ideal I want to serve on the Hilliard City Council because I genuinely love the ideals embedded in our Constitution (which I swore an oath to defend with my life, if needed) and believe that one of those ideals — which is woven throughout the entire document — is the concept of service to others and on behalf of the greater good. I passionately believe that our Constitution is firmly rooted in the concept that government — at ALL levels — exists solely to act on the People’s behalf; all of the People—particularly the neediest among us. As citizens of this Nation, we ALL have a responsibility to serve the greater good; and I believe that those who wish to serve as elected representatives of their fellow citizens are saying (or at least they should be saying) that they are willing to take on even more of that responsibility. I happen to agree with President Obama’s assertion that the most important position in our democracy is “Citizen.” Through elections, citizens make the most important decisions, in our form of government, when they choose who represents them — and their collective will — in that government. Elected officials, therefore, must always act on behalf of their fellow citizens and take action that benefits those citizens. If elected, I will consider that to be my solemn duty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476120721-JIIDSPTMYUHLMKIO0JB2/DSC01120-Edit-2-Edit.jpg Representation - A Love for Our Nation & Constitution My love for America is founded squarely on the first three words of the Preamble to the United States Constitution: “We the People….” Unfortunately, I'm convinced that far too many of our fellow citizens— currently serving in all levels of government —either don’t understand why these were chosen as the first three words of our Constitution; or they simply choose to ignore the reason they were chosen. It’s clear to me why these three words were chosen: the government is comprised of the People; the functions of the government are performed by the People; and the government exists solely for the benefit of the People. The reason, of course, is probably captured best in that immortal line of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address: “…government of the People, by the People, for the People….” https://bettsforhilliard.com/about daily 0.75 2023-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476568045-F6R91HD1A6L7Z17HXQ4T/Greg+-+1971+%281%29.jpg About - Born and raised in Ohio, with Small-town Roots Greg Betts was born in 1967, in Youngstown, Ohio. He grew up in the small, northeastern Ohio village of McDonald, which was founded as a "factory town" by the Carnegie Steel Company—later known as U.S. Steel. He earned his commission as a United States Army officer, through The Ohio State University ROTC program in 1990. After graduating from OSU, he began his long career as an Army officer. Greg recently retired, as an Army Colonel, after 30 years of commissioned service—the last 28 of which he served in an active-duty status, in both the Regular Army and the Ohio Army National Guard. He commanded troops at all levels of command—through the Army brigade level—and served multiple combat tours in the Middle East. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476624970-Z9IPEFGLN2Q8I21W3JNB/unsplash-image-tVZMk-cidEc.jpg About - Experience with Big Missions and Solving Complex Problems During his last combat tour, Greg served as a brigade commander, and was responsible for the health, welfare, and mission accomplishment of approximately 2,500 Soldiers. Those Soldiers were spread across 12 nations—in 32 separate locations—including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait. Greg and the Soldiers of his brigade were tasked with providing military logistical and sustainment support to all United States and Coalition Forces operating in the Middle East and Afghanistan. In addition to his combat tours and command positions, Greg served in a myriad of important administrative and staff positions, during his long military career. His last position—just prior to his retirement in January of 2021—was the Director of Human Resources for the Ohio National Guard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622492203621-QCE2O4I1XZSR2Q2ZISJZ/unsplash-image-XN4T2PVUUgk.jpg About - Quick Call To Action During the first six months of the COVID-19 Pandemic alone, Greg rapidly developed nearly 30 critical policies and directives (based on a jumbled patchwork of Department of Defense guidance and State-level orders); which not only ensured the safety of the Ohio National Guard workforce but enabled the Ohio National Guard to respond effectively to every COVID-19 mission ordered by the Governor—in addition to its myriad of other federal and state missions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622476658951-DNGT28HMM8MNGHN84DIE/Handshake-2.jpg About - Supporting Service Members As the Human Resources Director, Greg oversaw all aspects of Human Resources management and policy creation/implementation for the 3,500 full-time-workforce members of the Ohio National Guard—which included active-duty military members, federal civilian employees, and state government employees. During his time in the Human Resources Directorate, Greg gained an extraordinarily strong understanding and knowledge of both federal and state employment laws, regulations, and policies (including those related to collective bargaining). He leveraged this knowledge to develop and implement sound policies that played a key role in ensuring the success of the Ohio National Guard during his tenure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622492165553-XV53430BWVVC2K9FMEW0/IMG_2690.jpg About - The City of Hilliard Greg has resided in Hilliard, Ohio for over 25 years. He and his wife Kristin—who met in the first grade of elementary school—have been married for over 36 years. They have two grown children (both Hilliard Davidson graduates), who are each active-service members of the Ohio Air National Guard. Greg and Kristin are the proud and adoring grandparents of four little boys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b04015086f6c51df8947a6/1622427494357-XWGM668EFJI8ON85YMB2/IMG_2685.jpg About - Military Awards & Decorations Greg’s military awards and decorations include two Legions of Merit; the Bronze Star Medal; seven Meritorious Service Medals; the Joint Service Commendation Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star; the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with Campaign Star; the Parachutist Badge; and many others. https://bettsforhilliard.com/donate daily 0.75 2023-06-22 https://bettsforhilliard.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2021-06-17