Tom Brewer (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Ross Brewer
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| Member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 43rd district |
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| In office January 4, 2017 – January 8, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Al Davis |
| Succeeded by | Tanya Storer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 6, 1958 Casper, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Nationality | American Oglala Lakota |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kelli Brewer |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Doane University (BA) United States Army War College (MA) |
| Committees | Agriculture Banking, Commerce and Insurance Education General Affairs Government, Military and Veterans Affairs State-Tribal Relations |
| Website | www.VoteTomBrewer.com |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1977—2013 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War, War in Afghanistan |
Tom Brewer (born August 6, 1958) is a retired military officer and politician from the Oglala Lakota tribe. He served in the Nebraska Legislature, which is like the state's law-making body, from 2017 to 2025. He represented the 43rd legislative district.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Tom Brewer was born in Casper, Wyoming. He grew up near the towns of Gordon, Nebraska and Whiteclay, Nebraska. He went to Doane University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also studied at the United States Army War College.
His Time in the Army
Tom Brewer served in the United States Army for 36 years. During his time in the Army, he went to Afghanistan six times. He was recognized for his bravery and was awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. The Purple Heart is given to soldiers wounded in battle.
He joined the Army in 1977 after finishing high school. He trained in artillery and learned how to be an Air Assault and Airborne soldier. In 1983, he became an officer. He also completed tough courses like the Pathfinder Course and Ranger School, where he was the top student.
In 1985, he became a helicopter pilot. He flew different types of helicopters, including the AH-1 Cobra. He served in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. Later, he became an armor officer, leading M1 Abrams tanks.
Serving in Afghanistan
In May 2003, Brewer went to Afghanistan to help train the Afghan National Army. On October 12, 2003, he was wounded during a fight. This event was called the "Battle of the Bone Yard." Because of this, he received the Bronze Star and his first Purple Heart. He was the first high-ranking officer to be wounded in the Afghanistan war.
Brewer often talks about a brave soldier named Sergeant Kajiman Limbu, a Nepalese Royal Gurkha. Sergeant Limbu helped rescue Brewer from the battlefield and gave him first aid. Brewer said, "He was not a very big guy... but he flipped me over his shoulder, threw me over a stone fence, and then he jumped over himself. I was really impressed."
Helping at Home
After recovering from his injuries in 2003, Brewer worked with the National Guard on missions within the United States. He helped with the emergency response to Hurricane Katrina in September 2005. He led a team of 30 people in New Orleans to help with recovery efforts.
Later, he worked at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska.
Back to Afghanistan
In January 2010, Brewer returned to Afghanistan. He was an advisor for the U.S. mission there. On December 16, 2011, just before he was supposed to go home, his vehicle was hit by a rocket. He was badly injured again. He received the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom for his actions. His injuries led to him retiring from the military in 2013.
In total, Tom Brewer completed six tours of duty in Afghanistan. He also served two tours in nearby Kurdistan.
Supporting Ukraine
Since the Russian invasion began in 2022, Brewer has strongly supported Ukraine. He helps share information about the war with members of Congress. He started visiting the front lines in Ukraine in May 2022 to help train the Armed Forces of Ukraine and deliver supplies. He reported back on how foreign aid was helping the war effort.
Brewer made four trips to Ukraine between 2022 and 2024. He traveled across the country, getting closer to the conflict than any other elected official from the United States. He said, "You know you're getting close to the front when the friendly army is going the other way on the road past you."
He believes that if the U.S. does not help Ukraine, American troops might have to fight Russians later. He has suggested that NATO should train soldiers directly in Ukraine. He also thinks the U.S. should send advisors to learn from Ukraine's experience with drones. Brewer has described how drones have changed battles, saying, "Nobody’s safe anywhere on the battlefield."
Becoming a Politician
Running for Congress
After recovering from his 2011 injuries, Brewer decided to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 2014. He ran against the current Republican representative, Adrian Smith. Brewer lost in the primary election, getting 31.8 percent of the votes.
Serving in the Nebraska Legislature
Brewer was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2016. He won against the person who held the seat before him, Al Davis. Brewer received 9,169 votes, which was 52.2 percent of the total.
He ran for reelection in 2020 against Tanya Storer. He won again with 57.9 percent of the votes.
What He Did as a Senator
As a state senator, Tom Brewer focused on several important topics. These included issues for veterans, Native American communities, religious freedom, energy, and gun laws. As the chairman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, he also worked on many bills about elections.
Helping Military and Veterans
Brewer worked to reduce and eventually remove taxes on military retirement benefits. In 2024, his bill passed, which means that National Guard drill and training pay is now free from Nebraska income tax.
In 2023, Brewer introduced a bill to create a new court program for veterans. This program allows veterans to have their criminal cases dismissed if they complete special training. Former United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel supported this idea, and the bill passed in 2024.
Brewer also helped pass laws to support emergency responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. He said his own military service motivated him to do this.
Supporting Native American Issues
Brewer has done a lot to support Native American communities. He helped pass a law to replace a statue of William Jennings Bryan with one honoring Chief Standing Bear. He also worked to get Chief Standing Bear's pipe tomahawk returned from a museum at Harvard University. Brewer said, "Harvard has no connection to Standing Bear, it has no connection to the Ponca people."
In 2019, Brewer introduced a bill to make the Nebraska State Patrol investigate and report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Nebraska. This bill became law.
In 2022, the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska praised Brewer for his work. They said he was "instrumental in many of the most momentous celebrations of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska."
In 2024, Brewer helped pass the "First Freedom Act." This law protects religious freedom and specifically allows students in Nebraska schools to wear tribal clothing. For his work on these topics, Brewer received the Chief Standing Bear Prize for Courage in 2023.
Energy Policy
Brewer has worked to limit the growth of large wind turbines in rural Nebraska. He has been called a leader in the effort against wind energy in the state.
He also worked to stop the building of a 226-mile power line called the "R-Project" through the Nebraska Sandhills. He supported a lawsuit against the project, saying it did not properly consider the environment.
Firearms Laws
In 2017, Brewer tried to pass several gun-related bills, including one that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit. He kept trying, and in 2023, he succeeded in passing LB 77. This law allows permitless carry and gives the state more control over gun laws. Two African-American senators helped pass the bill, saying that old gun laws were unfair and racist.
In 2019, Brewer introduced a bill to make it easier to prosecute cases involving stolen guns. This bill passed in 2020.
In 2024, Brewer introduced a bill to allow armed security in some schools. A final version of the bill allowed this for smaller rural public schools, private schools, and colleges.
Election Laws
As chairman of the committee that handles elections, Brewer often worked on updates to election laws.
In 2023, Brewer helped pass a bill to require photo identification for voters. This came after Nebraska voters approved a change to the state's constitution in 2022 that required it. The bill passed after a long debate.
Fun Facts About Tom Brewer
Tom Brewer is known for being a unique senator. Before his first election in 2016, he rode a mule 500 miles across the Nebraska Sandhills as part of his campaign. His legislative district is larger than three other states combined!
In 2021, he made news when he led a team of five Nebraska lawmakers on a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. They trained together, and the trip helped them build better relationships despite their different political views.
He also gained attention for his four trips to Ukraine during the war. At the end of his last legislative session in 2024, his fellow lawmakers gave him a framed Ukrainian flag with their signatures.
Competitive Shooting
Brewer has been involved in competitive shooting for a long time. He helped coach the U.S. Men's shooting team for the 1996 Olympic Games. He has won ten national championships as a shooter and many others as a coach. In 1999, he became the director of the Marksmanship Training Center in Arkansas. He is recognized as a top rifle and pistol shooter in the military.
In 2018, he returned to a world sniper competition in Bulgaria as a state senator. In 2019, his two-man team won the top prize in a major competition, even though Brewer had broken several ribs in a bicycle accident while training for it!
Personal Life
Tom Brewer and his wife, Kelli, have two children. Kelli also served in the Nebraska National Guard. Both of their children have served in the Nebraska National Guard as well.
Brewer is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. He is the first Native American to be elected to the Nebraska state legislature. He is a descendant of Chief Red Cloud, a famous Lakota leader.
Images for kids
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Brewer (right) delivers aid to civilians in Orikhiv in June 2023.
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Brewer meets with Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Federov in May 2024.
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Brewer (left) prepares to enter the Brown County rodeo grounds with a "Brewer Army" guidon bearer as part of a 2020 campaign event.
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Governor Jim Pillen looks on as Senator Tom Brewer delivers a speech at the LB 77 signing ceremony on April 25, 2023.
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(Top) Brewer signing a Ukrainian flag in the basement of a humanitarian aid depot in Orikhiv, Ukraine in June 2023. (Bottom) Brewer with chaplain Gennadiy Mokhnenko at the ruins of the same building in May 2024.
