Lindsey Graham Retires From Air Force Reserve
Lindsey Graham is retiring. Unfortunately for Republican presidential nomination hopefuls, the U.S. Senator from South Carolina isn’t retiring from politics, but from the Air Force Reserve. Graham, who is just one of three senators currently serving in the Guard or Reserves, will officially retire on June 1.
According to CNN, Lindsey Graham has served for more than thirty years. The senator served as a lawyer and eventually obtained the rank of colonel. One of Lindsey’s crowning achievements while serving on active duty was uncovering drug testing problems, for which he received The Air Force Commendation Medal.
Even though the timing of Lindsey Graham’s retirement couldn’t be better, as he is expected to have a lot on his plate in the coming months preparing for the Republican primaries, the senator made it clear in a statement released on his website that he isn’t ready to retire.
“The Air Force has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It identified and developed my talent, and helped me become useful to my country. It offered me adventure and showed me the world. It gave me a purpose bigger than myself. It put me in the company of patriots. It’s been almost like family to me. I’m going to miss it an awful lot, and I wouldn’t leave if they weren’t making me.”
The Republican turns 60 in July, which is the mandatory retirement age for the Air Force Reserve, so he wasn’t left with much choice in the matter.
Check out posts Lindsey Graham made about his retirement announcement on his Twitter page below.
I will turn 60 in July which is the retirement age for Air Force Reserves. I would continue to serve but the time has come for me to retire
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 28, 2015
It’s been one of the great honors of my life to serve in the Air Force in some capacity for more than three decades.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 28, 2015
I am proud to have been in the company of so many patriots for so many years. I will miss it an awful lot. pic.twitter.com/LtbsTtaIeH
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 28, 2015
In addition to Lindsey Graham’s retirement being official on June 1, the senator will announce his presidential campaign plans on that date as well. Even though Graham has plainly said that he is running, he hasn’t yet made his official announcement.
“I will make an announcement on June 1. You’re all invited to come — spend money when you do — and I will tell you what I’m going to do about running for president,” Lindsey said during an interview on CBS’s This Morning earlier this month. Graham also talked about his opponents’ lack of foreign policy experience during the interview.
When Lindsey Graham retires from the Air Force and then makes his plans to run for president official on Monday, he will be pitting himself against GOP favorites Rand Paul, Dr. Ben Carson, and Ted Cruz.
[Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images]
