LINDSEY GRAHAM

A native South Carolinian, Graham was born in 1955 and grew up in the small town of Central. The first member of his family to go to college, Graham earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. Graham compiled a distinguished record in the United States Air Force as he logged six-and-a-half years of service on active duty as an Air Force lawyer. From 1984-1988, he was assigned overseas and served at Rhein-Main Air Force Base in Germany. Upon leaving active duty Air Force in 1989, Graham joined the South Carolina Air National Guard where he served until 1995. During the first Gulf War in the early 90's, Graham was called to active duty and served state-side at McEntire Air National Guard Base as Staff Judge Advocate where he prepared members for deployment to the Gulf region. Graham entered politics and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as the first Republican from the Third Congressional District of South Carolina since 1877. He was elected to the United States Senate in 2002 and was re-elected in 2008 and 2014. Graham retired from the Air Force Reserves in June 2015 having served his country in uniform for 33 years. He retired at the rank of Colonel. Graham currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.