About John

Senator John Bell is a retired member of the United States Air Force. He served almost 26 years before retiring as a Major in 2007. During his Air Force career, John served as a Finance Officer all over the world, including tours in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

John enlisted in the Air Force in 1981 after graduating from high school. He was consistently recognized during this enlisted career as an outstanding performer and was named the #1 Non Commissioned Officer out of over 5,000 assigned to the Far East in 1992. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and graduating Summa Cum Laude (while serving full time in the Air Force) from Regis University, he was selected for Officer Training School. At Officer Training School, John finished in the Top 10% of graduates and was named a Distinguished Graduate.

John was also a Distinguished Graduate of Squadron Officer’s School and was named the U.S. Air Force’s 2006 Outstanding Contributor to Financial Management and Comptrollership. Following his career in the United State Air Force, John continued his work in the private sector, where he led teams of financial professionals and assisted government clients to identify inefficiencies and implement cost-saving solutions. John retired from Booz Allen Hamilton in 2017.

John was elected to the House of Delegates in 2015 to replace Delegate David Ramadan in Virginia’s 87th House District. Since assuming office in 2016, John has worked across party lines to pass Medicaid expansion, increase school funding and teacher pay, fight for common-sense gun safety reforms and champion policies to address the opioid addiction crisis, by which his family was personally affected after John’s son, Josh became addicted to opioids following treatment for injuries related to a car accident. Josh passed away in January 2019.

Following his time in the House of Delegates, Senator John Bell was elected to the Virginia Senate in 2019 replacing Senator Dick Black in representing the 13th Senate District. Senator Bell serves on Commerce and Labor, Privileges and Elections, General Laws, and Local Government committees. He focuses on legislation that will help small businesses, improve mental health and addiction treatment, and continuing to make Virginia the best place to do business and the number one state for veterans.

John lives with his wife Margaret in South Riding, Virginia. They have five children and three grandchildren.