Source: The Dallas Morning News
Everything Allen West wears on his hands honors God, family or country — in no favorite order.
The new CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis says his wedding band from 25 years ago is mated with a silver ring that matches one his wife Angela wears. The couple bought them two years ago in Norway on a summer cruise.
“Our girls call it our ‘Viking bond,’ ” he says.
Angela wanted Allen to have a manly cuff. “I told her I wouldn’t wear anything frou frou. So she had my Army master parachutist wings cast as a bracelet.”
Below it, he wears green “Soldier of God” band his youngest daughter gave him.
The ring on his right ring finger — “Always and Forever” — was a gift from both daughters.
His trigger finger has a black titanium #22Kill Honor Ring representing the 22 veterans who commit suicide every year. He “bought” it in April from the Honor, Courage, Commitment Inc. in Dallas, paying for it with 44 push ups.
On his left wrist, he wears bracelets with the names of two artillery soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Baghdad.
“I never take these off,” he says. “You can’t forget what Lincoln called the last full measure of devotion. I’m here to continue to tell the stories of these young men because they aren’t.”
West took over the NCPA in January after the think tank was rocked by scandal.
His missives started landing in my inbox with such regularity, fervor and diversity of topics that I had to know more about him.
Do you, too? Read my column in Sunday’s Business Section.