Replies to post #253757 on Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[easymoney101]

and he wasn't a general either!!! are you paying attention now???
he was a Colonel and his name was Leslie... MACDILL AFbase was named after him was called Southeast Air Base you don't pay attention to the Military.. come on... so why don't you know that the VA chief is Knights of malta

it was on the VA website when he was appointed

R. James 'Jim' Nicholson


Cabinet members are appointed by the President, but must be approved by a simple majority vote of the United States Senate.


Background Information
Gender: Male
Family:
Birth date: 1938
Birthplace:
Home City:
Religion:

Education:
JD, University of Denver
MA, Public Policy, Columbia University
Bachelor's, West Point Military Academy.

Professional Experience:
Attorney
Founder, Nicholson Enterprises, Inc.
Owner, Renaissance Homes
Ranger/Paratrooper, United States Army.

Political Experience:
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 2005-present
Appointed, United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, January 26, 2005
United States Ambassador, Holy See, 2001-2005
Committeeman, Republican National Committee

Organizations:
Community Concerns Committee, Denver Bar Association
Listen Foundation
Knight, Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Chair, Volunteers of America

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Colorado Air Quality Control Commission.

http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=MZZ11993

[easymoney101]

Nominated for Secretary of Veterans Affairs December 9, 2004; Confirmed on January 26, 2005

http://usinfo.state.gov/special/transition/transition_nominees/nicholson.html

R. James Nicholson, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and former chairman of the Republican National Committee, was confirmed as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, January 26, 2005.

Jim Nicholson was sworn in as Ambassador to the Holy See on August 10, 2001.

Mr. Nicholson was born during the Great Depression in 1938, the third child of seven, and raised on a tenant farm in Struble, Iowa. Like most poor American families, the Nicholsons knew that a good education would create opportunity and Jim Nicholson worked hard to earn an appointment to the United States Military Academy. He notes his Army service as the defining experience in his life, imbuing him with a sense of duty, honor, and country.

After graduation from West Point, Mr. Nicholson served 8 years as an Army Ranger and paratrooper, then 22 years in the Army Reserve, retiring with the rank of full colonel. As a Ranger in Vietnam, he earned the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry and two Air Medals.

Mr. Nicholson also holds a master's degree in public policy from Columbia University in New York and a law degree from the University of Denver. He practiced law with a major Denver law firm and after two years of practice, became a partner, specializing in real estate, municipal finance, and zoning law.

Leaving the law in 1978, he founded Nicholson Enterprises, Inc., a developer of master planned residential communities. In 1987, he bought Renaissance Homes, which has become a nationally know, award-winning builder of high quality custom homes. Mr. Nicholson's success in business was matched by his contributions to his community. He served three years as Chairman of the Volunteers of America in Colorado, which is the largest faith-based social service agency in the Rocky Mountain States. He chaired the Community Concerns Committee of the Denver Bar Association; he provided leadership to the Listen Foundation; and his service to the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and many other non-profit endeavors have earned him the stature of one of Colorado's outstanding leaders.

In January 1986, Mr. Nicholson was elected Committeeman from Colorado for the Republican National Committee (RNC). In 1993 he was elected Vice-Chairman of the RNC, and in January 1997, he was elected Chairman of the RNC. His tenure as Chairman included the 1997 elections and culminated in the 2000 elections.

Following the 1997 elections, Mr. Nicholson convened a summit of the nation's Republican governors and Congressional leadership on the topic of improving America's schools. He emerged with a mandate to chair an unprecedented, party-wide task force on improving basic education in America. The resulting plan, launched in September 1998, was called "Children First: The Republican Agenda for America's Students."

In 1999, Nicholson was honored by induction as a Knight in the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, one of the highest honors awarded to a Roman Catholic. In 2000, Nicholson was given the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, recognizing his climb from humble beginnings to a position of success, which has enabled him to serve others in America now less fortunate. Nicholson was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Public Service, Honoris Causa, by Regis University in Denver in May of 2001.