By DAVID A. LIEB
FILE – In this Nov. 16, 2010 file photo, Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., who lost his seat earlier that month, poses for a photograph in front of the Will Rogers Statue, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Skelton, who built a reputation as a military expert and social conservative during 34 years representing western and central Missouri in the U.S. House, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2013 in Virginia. He was 81. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)
\JEFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton never served in the military. But the congressman became one of its strongest assets.
Skelton, who died Monday at age 81, had a 34-year career in Congress that spanned a dozen military conflicts. He took pride in fighting for better training, staffing, equipment, housing, salary and benefits for the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Democrat also rose through political ranks to become chairman of the House Armed Services Committee before losing re-election in 2010.
Skelton had longed to serve in the military, but he was prevented from doing so when he lost the use of his left arm because of a childhood bout with polio
On Tuesday, family members were making plans for a memorial service in Skelton’s hometown of Lexington.
