Jack Bergman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Bergman
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Dan Benishek |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Warren Bergman
February 2, 1947 Shakopee, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Cindy Bergman |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Gustavus Adolphus College (BA) University of West Florida (MBA) |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
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| Years of service | 1969–2009 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
Jack Bergman, born on February 2, 1947, is an American politician. He is a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general. Since 2017, he has been serving as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 1st congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming a politician, he was a commanding general for the Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. He was also a naval aviator, meaning he flew different types of aircraft. These included helicopters like the CH-46 and UH-1, and planes like the T-28 and KC-130.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jack Bergman was born in Shakopee, Minnesota, on February 2, 1947. He earned his first college degree in business from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1969. Later, he received a master's degree in business from the University of West Florida.
He also completed many military training programs. These included flight training, amphibious warfare school, and courses on national security.
Military Career and Service
After college, Bergman joined the Marine Corps Reserve as a Second Lieutenant in 1969. He then began active duty. After basic training and flight school, he became a Naval Aviator.
He flew CH-46 helicopters with different squadrons. He served in North Carolina, Okinawa, Japan, and the Republic of Vietnam. Later, he became a flight instructor, flying the T-28 plane. He left active duty in 1975. For a time, he flew UH-1 helicopters with the Rhode Island Army National Guard.
In 1978, Bergman returned to the Marine Corps Reserve. He served in several units, flying both UH-1 helicopters and KC-130 planes. In 1988, he became the first commanding officer of a new KC-130 squadron, VMGR-452.
He held many important roles in the Marine Corps Reserve. He was a special staff officer and a chief of staff. He also became a Brigadier General and a deputy commanding general. From 1998 to 1999, he served in Stuttgart, Germany.
In August 2000, he took command of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2002, he commanded the 4th Force Service Support Group. From 2005, he commanded the Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. He retired from active duty in December 2009.
U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
In August 2016, Jack Bergman won the Republican primary election. This meant he was chosen to represent his party in the main election for Michigan's 1st congressional district. This district covers Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the northern part of the Lower Peninsula.
In November 2016, he won the general election. He defeated the Democratic and Libertarian candidates. Bergman received 55% of the votes. He took office on January 3, 2017, replacing Dan Benishek.
Re-elections and Support
Bergman was re-elected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Each time, he won with a majority of the votes. The boundaries of his district changed slightly after the 2020 census, but it remained a strong area for Republican voters.
In the 2023-2024 election period, Bergman received a lot of funding from supporters. A significant part of his campaign money came from political action committees (PACs) and large individual donors.
What He Does in Congress
As a U.S. Representative, Bergman works on important issues for the country. He is a member of several groups in Congress, including the Republican Study Committee and the Climate Solutions Caucus.
He serves on three main committees:
- The House Armed Services Committee: This committee deals with military matters.
- The House Budget Committee: This committee works on the government's spending plans.
- The House Committee on Veterans Affairs: This committee helps people who have served in the military.
In June 2017, Bergman was at a baseball practice with other congressmen when a shooting happened. He later said that harsh political talk contributed to the incident. In October 2023, Bergman ran for Speaker of the House but was not successful.
Political Views
Spending and Budget
Bergman has always said that cutting government spending is a top priority for him. He believes Congress should work together and pass a balanced budget amendment. In March 2021, he voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This bill was designed to help the U.S. economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healthcare
Bergman does not support the Affordable Care Act, which is a law about healthcare. He voted to cancel it in May 2017.
Environment
In September 2017, Bergman joined the Climate Solutions Caucus. This group works on finding solutions for climate change. However, some environmental groups have given him low scores for his votes on environmental issues.
He voted for the Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act. This law helps Native American tribes get money for historical preservation and environmental protection in the Great Lakes area. In 2025, he voted against rules that would have helped reduce methane emissions.
Marriage
Bergman voted against the "Respect for Marriage Act." This law protects the right to marry for all people, regardless of their gender, race, or background.
Military
In August 2017, Bergman supported then-President Donald Trump's decision to prevent transgender individuals from serving in the military.
2020 Presidential Election
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Bergman said he would not support confirming the election results in Congress. He was one of many Republican representatives who signed a legal document supporting a lawsuit that challenged the election results. In January 2021, he announced his plan to object to the official counting of the Electoral College votes.
Israel
Bergman strongly supports Israel's right to defend itself. He voted to provide Israel with support after the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Awards and Decorations
Bergman has received many military awards for his service:
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| Naval Aviator Badge | Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge | |||||||||||
| Distinguished Service Medal (US Navy) | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Air Medal w/ Valor device and Strike/Flight numeral "1" | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | |||||||||
| Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 2 bronze service stars | Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal w/ 1 silver service star | National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 bronze service stars | |||||||||
| Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 bronze campaign stars | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 bronze service star | Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ gold Hourglass Devices | |||||||||
| Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ bronze star | Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/ bronze laurel leaf palm emblem | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation w/ bronze laurel leaf palm emblem | Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ silver date bar | |||||||||
Personal Life
Jack Bergman has lived in Watersmeet, Michigan, for over 30 years. He and his wife, Cindy, have five children and ten grandchildren. Bergman is a Lutheran.
