Democrat and retired Lt. Colonel Bill Gillespie of Chatham County announced his 2008 candidacy for Georgia’s First Congressional District Monday on the steps of the Lowndes County Courthouse following his official announcement Sunday at his Tybee Island home.

The First Congressional District contains 25 counties and covers most of southeast Georgia, stretching along the Atlantic coast from Savannah to St. Marys, and inland from McRae to Valdosta.

Gillespie formed an exploratory committee in August to ‘test the waters’ for a 2008 candidacy.

Since then, he has traveled throughout southeast Georgia talking with citizens and building a campaign organization.

“My exploratory committee has met every milestone we set forth in order to formally announce a candidacy,” said the 44-year-old Gillespie, who has launched a website, www.BillforGeorgia.com.

“People are frustrated that Washington and its insiders are not meeting the important challenges of our time,” Gillespie said. “I understand how to lead southeast Georgia to prosperity in the global economy and to safety in an unstable world. I pledge to offer strong leadership that puts people first.”

Gillespie says his 23-year Army career, including time in Iraq as the Third Infantry Division’s Senior Logistician, prepared him well to be a Congressman who can defend America from terrorism and lead the United States toward winning the peace in Iraq.

His top domestic issue is creating the South Georgia Alternative Energy Initiative, making the regions the center of American research and production of agri-fuel, solar, wind, methane and other alternative energies.

Gillespie’s other top issues include: stopping illegal immigration, reforming the healthcare and insurance industries, improving benefits for veterans, lowering taxes for families and small businesses, repealing the No Child Left Behind Act, balancing the federal budget and promoting ‘sustainable development’.

Gillespie served 23 years in the Army, retiring this year as a Lt. Colonel. In 2003, he served in Iraq as Senior Logistician for the Third Infantry Division, earning a Bronze Star.

Some other positions Gillespie has held in the military include: Inspector General, West Point professor, Operations Director of the Army Ordinance Center, and Chief of Leadership and Tactics at the Army Ordinance Center.

Gillespie has traveled to six continents and been stationed overseas in Kuwait, Korea and Germany.

His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Combat Action Badge, Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, Master Instructor Award, and three NCAA Championships as the coach of the West Point Orienteering Team.

Most recently, Gillespie worked as southeast Georgia’s Army ROTC Program Director, charged with supervising ROTC programs at Georgia Southern University, Savannah State University, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah College of Art & Design and St. Leo University. He also ran all of southeast Georgia’s Army Junior ROTC Programs.

Gillespie earned B.S. and M.A. degrees in Environmental Science from Towson University, and is working toward a Ph.D. in Cultural Geography and Immigration Studies from the University of Maryland. Gillespie has taught classes on geography, military history and leadership at West Point, Georgia Southern, Armstrong Atlantic State and Maryland.