Max Cleland
Max Cleland (1942- ) is a former U.S. Senator from the state of Georgia.
Quotes
- "The president has declared 'major combat over' and sent a message to every terrorist, 'Bring them on.' As a result, he has lost more people in his war than his father did in his and there is no end in sight [...] Welcome to Vietnam, Mr. President. Sorry you didn't go when you had the chance." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/18/03.
According to American University's web site, "former U.S. Senator Max Cleland, who got his start in Washington by participating in American University's Washington Semester program in 1963 as a student, has returned as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor to AU's Washington Semester Program, and to serve as a Fellow in AU's Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies." [1]
In 2002, "Cleland was appointed to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. The Commission [is tasked with examining] the facts and causes relating to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and will report on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to prevent future acts of terrorism. Cleland is an advocate for a National Division for Bio-terrorism Readiness and Response at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta." [2]
Education [3]
- Lithonia (GA) High School, 1960
- Stetson University, majored in History; holds Honorary Doctorate
- Emory University, Masters Degree in American History; holds Honorary Doctorate
Military Service [4]
- Army ROTC, Stetson University
- Commisioned Second Lieutenant
- Airborne, Ft. Benning, Georgi
- Aide de Camp, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey
- Volunteered for duty in Vietnam in 1967
- Promoted to Captain, 1968
- Wounded in grenade explosion April 8, 1968 (lost both legs and right arm)
- Recovered from injuries "in various Army and Veterans Administration hospitals"
- Awarded Bronze Star and Silver Star
"In 1969, Cleland was asked to testify before the United States Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to describe the difficulties veterans were experiencing returning home from Vietnam. The next year, Cleland was elected to the Georgia State Senate, thus beginning a 33-year career in public service. As the youngest member of the Georgia Senate at the age of 28, he wrote the state law making public facilities in the state accessible to the elderly and the handicapped." [5]
In 1975, Cleland was hired to work for the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Two years later, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to head the U.S. Veterans Administration. As the youngest ever VA Administrator and the first Vietnam veteran to head the agency, Cleland instituted the revolutionary 'Vets Center' program which, for the first time, offered psychological counseling to combat veterans to heal the emotional wounds of war. There are now more than 200 Vets Centers across the country offering support to combat and non-combat veterans and their families." [6]
"In 1982, Georgia voters elected him Secretary of State, the youngest in Georgia's history. In that position, Cleland fought for tougher campaign finance laws and cracked down on securities and telemarketing fraud. In 1995, he implemented the National Voter Registration Act ('motor voter') in Georgia, which added almost one million new voters to the rolls. In 1995, he resigned his position as Secretary of State to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Sam Nunn. Despite being out-spent three to one, Cleland won the race and was sworn-in to the United States Senate in 1997." [7]
