Richard B. Cheney
Vice President
Married to Lynne V. Cheney
Vice President Richard B. Cheney has had a distinguished career as
a businessman and public servant, serving four Presidents and as an elected
official. Throughout his service, Mr. Cheney served with duty, honor,
and unwavering leadership, gaining him the respect of the American people
during trying military times.
Mr. Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 30, 1941 and grew
up in Casper, Wyoming. He earned his bachelor's and master's of arts
degrees from the University of Wyoming. His career in public service
began in 1969 when he joined the Nixon Administration, serving in a number
of positions at the Cost of Living Council, at the Office of Economic
Opportunity, and within the White House.
When Gerald Ford assumed the Presidency in August 1974, Mr. Cheney served
on the transition team and later as Deputy Assistant to the President.
In November 1975, he was named Assistant to the President and White House
Chief of Staff, a position he held throughout the remainder of the Ford
Administration.
After he returned to his home state of Wyoming in 1977, Mr. Cheney was
elected to serve as the state's sole Congressman in the U.S. House of
Representatives. He was re-elected five times and elected by his colleagues
to serve as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to
1987. He was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference in 1987
and elected House Minority Whip in 1988. During his tenure in the House,
Mr. Cheney earned a reputation as a man of knowledge, character, and
accessibility.
Mr. Cheney also served a crucial role when America needed him most.
As Secretary of Defense from March 1989 to January 1993, Mr. Cheney directed
two of the largest military campaigns in recent history - Operation Just
Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East. He was
responsible for shaping the future of the U.S. military in an age of
profound and rapid change as the Cold War ended. For his leadership in
the Gulf War, Secretary Cheney was awarded the Presidential Medal of
Freedom by President George Bush on July 3, 1991.
Mr. Cheney married his high school sweetheart, Lynne Ann Vincent, in
1964, and they have grown daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and three granddaughters.
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