Columbia News

Rep. Mark Alford, a member of the U.S. Congress representing Missouri’s 4th district since 2023, recently shared updates on social media about his office’s involvement in both military recognition efforts and federal staffing initiatives.

On August 7, 2025, Alford posted about the work of his senior case worker: "Our senior case worker, Grace Townsend, worked for three months through emails and phone calls to the DOD and the Army to get this Purple Heart to the family. We were proud to play a role in making sure it finally happened." On the same day, he detailed the background of Staff Sgt Houlihan's long-delayed award: "Staff Sgt Houlihan was wounded on Okinawa, Japan, in 1945. He earned the Purple Heart but NEVER actually received it. His service records were handed down through the family, and his granddaughter, Michele Betz, discovered the papers for the award and contacted our Congressional"

Later that afternoon, Alford addressed recent federal employment moves within weather agencies: "We applaud the Trump Administration's move to hire an additional 450 @NOAA & @NWS front-line mission critical staff. This will ensure regional offices are adequately staffed with meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians to maintain the 24/7 posture required to monitor"

The posts come as part of Alford’s ongoing communication with constituents about issues ranging from veterans’ affairs to public safety infrastructure. The story regarding Staff Sgt Houlihan highlights a decades-long gap between military service during World War II and formal recognition with a Purple Heart—an issue that came to light when Houlihan's granddaughter found supporting documents among family records.

Alford replaced Vicky Hartzler as representative for Missouri’s 4th district in 2023 after a career that included graduation from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988. Born in Baytown, Texas in 1963 and currently residing in Lake Winnebago at age 59, Alford continues to focus on constituent services alongside national policy matters.