Occupation: Retired US Army Officer; Founder and President of Non-Profit
Education: Lamar University in Beaumont, B.S. Criminal Justice, 1984; University of Missouri-Kansas City, Masters of Public Administration, 1996; Graduate, Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS, 2000.
Hometown: Granbury
Party: Republican

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell is a native Texan, decorated military veteran and lifelong conservative Republican currently representing Texas Senate District 22.

Brian is a native of Fort Worth and a resident of Granbury. He is a graduate of Lamar University, Command and General Staff College and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he earned a Master's of Public Administration.

As the Distinguished Military Graduate of the Lamar Army ROTC program in1984, Brian was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army and served in numerous training deployments and two operational deployments. In 1990, he deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for Exceptional Meritorious Achievement. In 1998, he deployed to Central America as the Joint Operations Officer for Joint Task Force Aguila. In 2001, Brian was serving on the Department of the Army staff as the military aide to the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management.

On September 11, 2001, when American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed just yards away from his second floor Pentagon office, Brian was critically wounded and severely burned. Of the burns that covered more than 60 percent of his body, nearly half were third degree in severity. Today, following 39 operations, months of hospitalization and numerous skin grafts, Brian has made a miraculous recovery. Despite physical limitations, he testifies not only to his physical healing, but the ultimate miracle of grace through Christ. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received that day. Upon retirement in July 2004, he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

After his retirement from the Army, Brian and his wife Mel launched Face The Fire Ministries, a non-profit organization that supports critical burn survivors and wounded servicemen and women and their families. Together, Brian and Mel authored Refined by Fire: A Family's Triumph of Love and Faith, which chronicles their life-changing ordeal. Through the years, Brian has been profiled in numerous national and regional media outlets.

In June 2010, Brian won a special election to the Texas State Senate. Five months later, he was re-elected to serve a full term. After his first legislative session, Brian received critical acclaim from numerous conservative organizations, including an A+ rating from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, the highest rating in the Texas Senate from Texas Eagle Forum and a 100% rating from Texas Heritage Alliance.

Brian serves as the vice-chairman of the Higher Education committee, vice-chairman of the Veteran Affairs committee and is a member of the Economic Development and Government Organization committees. In January 2012, he was appointed by Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst to the Sunset Advisory Commission and the Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking.

Brian and Mel have been married for 26 years and they have one son, Matt, who a recent graduate of Texas Tech University. They attend Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury.

Press Room
[ Press Archives: 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 ]

April 30, 2013
Op-Ed: Fighting for the Campus Personal Protection Act

April 24, 2013
Update On Situation In West, Best Ways To Support Local Community

April 18, 2013
Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell Comments On Tragedy From West

February 19, 2013
Local Legislators Gather TCEQ and Hood, Palo Pinto Counties for Water Meeting

January 17, 2013
Birdwell Files Campus Personal Protection Act

[ MORE ... ]

Newsletter

May 13, 2013
Capitol Update

April 30, 2013
Capitol Update

March 28, 2013
Capitol Update

March 12, 2013
Capitol Update

March 4, 2013
Capitol Update

January 31, 2013
Capitol Update

January 16, 2013
Capitol Update

October 11, 2011
82nd Legislative Session Capitol Update

Photos
[ Photo Archives: 82^nd ]

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Office Information

83rd Session Committee Membership

• Veteran Affairs & Military Installations — Vice-Chair
• Economic Development
• Government Organization
• Higher Education
• Joint Committee on Oversight of Higher Education Governance, Excellence & Transparency

District Analysis: District 22

Click the map to view a detailed district map in PDF format

District Profile: Population, Households, Education, Employment, Income and Analysis Population Analysis Precinct and Districts Cities and Census Designated Places School Districts General Election Analysis