Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills distributed commemorative grenades to fellow members of Congress on Thursday, highlighting his military service and new committee assignments.
A freshman congressman, Mills deployed to Iraq as part of the Army 82nd Airborne Division. He won a Bronze Star and later worked as a defense contractor. The Republican Steering Committee placed him on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
“I am eager to work for the American people, and I look forward to working with you to deliver on this commitment. I am honored to be a part of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees,” Mills wrote in a letter to colleagues, shared by The Daily Mail.
Rep @CoryMillsFL is passing out grenades to fellow House members pic.twitter.com/khJmDrYcFH
— Morgan Phillips (@_phillipsmorgan) January 26, 2023
“In that spirit, it is my pleasure to give you a 40mm grenade, made for a MK19 grenade launcher. These are manufactured in the Sunshine State and first developed in the Vietnam War,” he added.
A first-time candidate for office, Mills emerged from an eight-candidate GOP primary in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy. He defeated Democrat Karen Green by 17 points in the November general election. (RELATED: Florida Dems Are Still In Total Disarray After DeSantis’ Massive Midterm Win)
The grenades, which have elephants printed on the side, are inert, Mills added.
The U.S. military began using the MK19 grenade launcher in 1968. Developed by General Dynamics Armaments, it was originally used as a mounted gun on Vietnam War-era riverboats.