Chuck Hagel

Chuck Hagel
Name	Chuck Hagel
Caption	Official portrait, 2013
Office	24th United States Secretary of Defense
President	Barack Obama
Term start	February 27, 2013
Term end	February 17, 2015
Predecessor	Leon Panetta
Successor	Ash Carter
Office1	United States Senator from Nebraska
Term start1	January 3, 1997
Term end1	January 3, 2009
Predecessor1	James Exon
Successor1	Mike Johanns
Party	Republican (until 2019)
Birth name	Charles Timothy Hagel
Birth date	4 October 1946
Birth place	North Platte, Nebraska, U.S.
Spouse	Patricia Lloyd, 1985, Lilibet Hagel, 1985
Education	Brown College (AA), University of Nebraska at Omaha (BA)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States
Serviceyears	1967–1968
Rank	Sergeant (E-5)
Unit	9th Infantry Division
Battles	Vietnam War
Awards	Purple Heart (2), Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross

Chuck Hagel is an American statesman who served as the 24th United States Secretary of Defense under President Barack Obama. A former two-term United States Senator from Nebraska, he was the first enlisted combat veteran of the Vietnam War to lead the Pentagon. His career has been marked by a reputation for Republican independence, foreign policy expertise, and a focus on national security pragmatism.

Early life and education

Charles Timothy Hagel was born in North Platte, Nebraska, to Betty and Charles Dean Hagel. He attended St. Bonaventure High School in Columbus, Nebraska, before enrolling at Brown College in Minnesota, where he earned an Associate degree. He later transferred to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in history. During his youth, he worked various jobs, including as a radio broadcaster, which honed his communication skills.

Military service

Hagel was drafted into the United States Army in 1967 and served as an infantry squad leader with the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam. During the 1968 Tet Offensive, he saved his brother, Tom Hagel, from a land mine blast and was himself wounded in action, later receiving two Purple Heart medals. His combat experience profoundly shaped his views on the use of military force and the costs of war, earning him additional decorations including the Army Commendation Medal and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross.

U.S. Senate career

Elected to the United States Senate in 1996, Hagel served two terms representing Nebraska. He sat on several influential committees, including the Foreign Relations Committee, the Banking Committee, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. A vocal critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq War, he co-sponsored the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act and was a leading voice on energy policy and non-proliferation issues. He chose not to seek re-election in 2008.

Secretary of Defense

Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013, Hagel became Secretary of Defense. His tenure was dominated by managing budget constraints from the Budget Control Act's sequestration, overseeing the drawdown of forces in Afghanistan, and confronting emerging threats from the Islamic State and a resurgent Russia following the annexation of Crimea. He initiated reforms to the nuclear triad and addressed scandals within the Department of Defense, including misconduct at the VA. He resigned in 2014.

Post-government career

Following his service at the Pentagon, Hagel joined the faculty of Georgetown University as a distinguished professor. He has served on corporate boards, including for Chevron and the Advisory Board Company, and became a senior advisor at Gallup. He was appointed to the Secretary of Defense's Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee and co-chaired the American Security Project. In 2019, he left the Republican Party, citing its direction under Donald Trump.

Political positions

Throughout his career, Hagel established a record as a foreign policy realist and centrist. He was known for his skepticism of neoconservative interventionism, opposing the 2007 Iraq surge and advocating for diplomatic engagement with Iran and Hamas. On domestic issues, he supported the Bush tax cuts and partial Social Security privatization but broke with his party on issues like stem cell research funding and the Children's Health Insurance Program. His stance on Israel and criticism of the pro-Israel lobby often generated controversy.

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:United States Secretaries of Defense Category:United States senators from Nebraska Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:Recipients of the Purple Heart medal Category:University of Nebraska at Omaha alumni