Former Georgia senator, Vietnam veteran Max Cleland dies at 79
Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) attends a rally held by the College Democrats of America, an official part of the Democratic National Committee on June 12, 2002. (Photo by Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Former Georgia senator and veteran Joseph Maxwell "Max" Cleland has died at his home at the age of 79.
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As a statesman, senator, and soldier, Cleland left his mark on Georgia, on Washington, and on veterans across the county.
Born in Lithonia in 1942, Cleland was a standout in high school and received his second lieutenant's commission in the U.S. Army through Stetson University's ROTC program. In 1967 he volunteered for service in the Vietnam War and was promoted to Army captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service and the Silver Star for gallantry in combat after he was critically wounded during a rescue mission in 1968.
Those catastrophic wounds didn't stop the triple amputee from fighting. He became a passionate advocate for veterans as he turned to a career in politics.
In 1979, Cleland became Georgia's first Vietnam veteran to hold office as a state senator as well as the youngest Georgian to hold that seat at the time at 28. He wrote and pushed for laws that made public facilities in Georgia accessible to the elderly and disabled.
After losing a bid to become Georgia's lieutenant governor, Washington officials tapped him to serve under the U.S. Senate's Veteran Affairs Committee. His mission was to investigate hospitals and the care they provided to wounded Vietnam veterans.
President Jimmy Carter appointed him to head the Veterans Administration. One of his most noted contributions was creating the Vet Center Counseling Program for soldiers, disabled vets, and families struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cleland returned to Georgia and served as secretary of state for more than a decade, then Georgians sent him back to Washington to serve in the U.S. Senate. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, he continued his passionate advocacy for veterans with a focus on health care, retirement, compensation, and other needs.
Cleland was a long-time supporter of the new Veterans Cemetary in Georgia and was a key force in the development of the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, which was originally announced in 2001.
The Army awarded Cleland one of its highest honors when it inducted him into the Order of Saint Maurice for his contributions.
Cleland also backed the fight by then-Gov. Roy Barnes to remove the Confederate emblem from the Georgia state flag.
After a controversial ad campaign that questioned Cleland's patriotism, claiming he was soft on terrorists and dictators, Republican Saxby Chambliss unseated the longtime Democrat in 2002.
But Cleland was appointed to the 9/11 Commission to recommend safeguards against future terrorist attacks. In 2009, President Barack Obama tapped the soldier for service once again to act as secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Max Cleland leaves behind a legacy of service and fearless fighting on behalf of men and women who have fought for us all.
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