One local veteran says he hopes to increase more awareness of veteran issues and be the voice of locals if elected in the county-supervisor race.

Mike Hull, 51, a lifelong Iowa City resident, recently announced his candidacy for the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

“I’ve been thinking about it [candidacy] for about a month,” he said. “I was born and raised here in Iowa City, and I grew up here. I think I represent the people of our county very well. I think I’m a good fit for it.”

Hull joined the U.S. Army as a military policeman right after high school. He stayed in the military for three years before coming back home to earn an associate of science degree from Kirkwood Community College.

After college, Hull re-enlisted in the Army to become a helicopter pilot, and he flew for seven years; one of his missions included a deployment in the Gulf War before returning to Iowa City in 1996.

Upon returning, Hull worked as a mortgage loan officer for the University of Iowa Community Credit Union, the First National Bank, and the Union Planters Bank.

His other experience includes working as a pilot for Rocky Mountain Helicopters and flying the AirCare for UI Health Care for 11 years. For the past four years, Hull has been flying a helicopter for AirEvac Lifeteam in Fort Madison.

Hull will be one of the six candidates competing for the three seats in the June 7 Democratic primary.

Others include incumbent Supervisors Rod Sullivan and Lisa Green Douglass and new candidates Kurt Friese, Patricia Heiden, and Jason Lewis. Supervisor Pat Harney decided not to seek re-election.

Hull noted that he wants to bring more awareness to the issues of mental health and homelessness in the veteran’s community.

“There are a lot of veterans that are homeless, and I think there needs to be better training transitions for our soldiers,” he said. “There are some jobs in the military that are just for the military.”

He said he would try to keep taxes in Johnson County from going any higher and help more people get into housing.

“I’d love to help more people get into housing, especially homeownership, because when people own their homes, they care for people better,” Hull said.

In reference to minimum wage, he said, it is fantastic that people can get more money through the increase in minimum wage. However, Hull said, he is also a believer in supply and demand.

“If a business owner needs to hire someone that has put in an application that is minimum wage, then they shouldn’t be forced to raise his wages,” he said. “I want people to make more money, and a lot of times, it is a lack of education or training. If there are other ways to increase wages, I would be open to look at some of those options.”

Scot Smith, a friend of Hull and an account executive at Zurich Insurance, said Hull’s experience as a former U.S. military pilot will benefit him as a supervisor because the military trains individuals to be precise with no room for error.