The Missouri House of Representatives is comprised of a number of representatives given the trust by their constituents to speak for the interests of their individual districts while working at the state Capitol.
This 163-member "team," however, must also learn to work together to promote not only local concerns, but the interests of the state as a whole - an example of teamwork that one local representative says he first discovered while in the Navy.
A native of Baltimore, Md., state Rep. Charlie Norr, D-Springfield, left the high school he was attending while in the 11th grade to seek out an adventure.
"I was so uneasy in school," said Norr, 69, "and just thought the Navy might give me the opportunity to see the world."
Norr added, "My mother had to sign my enlistment papers because I was only 17 at the time. I guess maybe she really liked how the recruiter looked in his uniform," he laughed.
Enlisting in July 1961, the young man spent the remainder of his summer completing basic training at Great Lakes, Ill., before traveling to Little Creek, Va., where he awaited transfer to a ship.
For the next couple of months, Norr acquired a range of skills in specialties such as plumbing, carpentry and welding; additionally completing damage control school during which he learned to operate as a firefighter aboard a vessel.
The USS Telfair - a World War II era attack transport - finally arrived in port, and the young sailor soon began his first and only seafaring assignment.
"We could transport tanks, Jeeps and about 3,000 Marines," Norr said. "The ship was about 500-feet long and had a crew of 350 sailors."
Throughout the next four years, Norr served aboard the vessel and took part in two Mediterranean cruises. His duties included not only fire suppression training, but participating in the overall security of the vessel.
"I was appointed to a security force on board the Telfair and would perform routine security watches, roaming up and down the halls," he said.
"They gave me a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and then sent me to North Africa where I trained with the Marines, basically learning to operate the weapon," he added.
Throughout his deployments, which took him to locations including Greece, Turkey, Cypress, and Monte Carlo, the sailor had many opportunities to employ his Navy-taught skills as part of the ship's repair division.
"Many of the smaller boats we carried were made of wood," Norr said, "so I often used my plumbing and carpentry training in performing repairs."
While in the service, the seaman was also able to focus on completing a part of his past, previously left unfinished - his high school education. Norr earned his GED by classes taken through the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
"That was one of my top priorities in the Navy," he said. "I had enough sense at the time to know that I needed my high school diploma."
Norr went on to finish out his enlistment, but in 1965, decided it was time to close out his naval career.
"I was 21 years old (in 1965), married, and when you're away from your family for six months at a time, it's tough," he said. "Well, I thought that I wanted to be home - and my wife agreed!" he laughed.
Norr returned to Baltimore and spent the next three years working various jobs, but in 1968, he was able to resurrect his Navy acquired skills when he was hired by the Baltimore County Fire Department. He spent 20 years as both a paramedic and firefighter, retiring from the department as a captain in 1988.
The next eight years he worked as an auditor for a coupon redemption company and a brief stint with the U.S. Census Bureau. But in 1989, he and his wife relocated to Missouri after purchasing 150 acres near Willow Springs.
Later relocating to Springfield, Norr became involved in the community when resurrecting a near-defunct neigborhood association, and so inspired many local residents to recommend his run for state office.
In 2006, he completed a successful bid for state representative and gained reelection in 2008. The next term he was defeated by a narrow margin, but noting that "I don't like to lose," ran the following term and was again victorious in 2012.
Sitting in his Capitol office, Norr proudly asserts that though his naval experience may be considered brief when compared to his subsequent career paths, it has profoundly influenced his view toward his legislative responsibilities.
"Here you have the opportunity to improve lives ... to make things better for those in your community," he said. "You become - just as in the Navy - one person contributing as part of a team, and in doing so, your contribution becomes magnified throughout the state."
He added: "The Navy teaches you to bring your best to the table, and because of this training, I'm hopeful the state of Missouri benefits as a result."
Jeremy Amick writes on behalf of the Silver Star Families of America.