Lawmaker volunteers for Iraq service 

Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-30, will be voluntarily deployed to Iraq next month to serve as a military intelligence officer and ferret out insurgents posing a threat to American and Iraqi troops.
Lt. Paton, a U.S. Army reservist, told Arizona Capitol Times he has been angling for a voluntary deployment for much of the past year.
“I know it sounds corny, but I want to do it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
A first-term representative, Mr. Paton is in the midst of a reelection campaign. He said he intends to win, even though he will not be here for the Sept. 12 primary and Nov. 7 general elections. Because his district is home to many military families and Ft. Huachuca, Mr. Paton said he believes he will be able to be a voice for them in the Legislature.
He expects to return to Arizona in late January. If he is reelected, he would miss the first few weeks of the legislative session.