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Claude M. “Mick” Kicklighter was designated Chief of Staff for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by VA Secretary R. James Nicholson on Feb. 7, 2005.
Mr. Kicklighter previously served as VA Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on June 27, 2001, and confirmed by the Senate August 3, 2001. Prior to that, he served as VA Deputy Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs and Acting Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.
After the terrorist attack on New York and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Kicklighter was selected to direct VA’s Crisis Response Team and to establish a new Office of Operations, Security and Preparedness. That office was ultimately added to the Office of Policy and Planning, and Mr. Kicklighter was named Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy, Planning, and Preparedness. In this role, he served as senior advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on strategic planning, policy research and analysis, program evaluation, department-wide emergency operations, preparedness, and security and law enforcement.
In December 2003, the Secretary of Defense selected Mr. Kicklighter to establish and direct the Department of Defense’s Iraq Transition Team. In March 2004, in partnership with the Department of State’s Transition Team, Mr. Kicklighter co-established the Interagency Transition Planning Team, which disbanded the Coalition Provisional Authority and stood-up the new U.S. Mission Baghdad.
On Oct. 25, 2004, Mr. Kicklighter moved to the U.S. Department of State to serve the Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary for Political Affairs as Special Advisor for Stabilization and Security Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr. Kicklighter was born and raised in Glennville, Ga. He graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Field Artillery. He earned a master’s degree in management of national resources from the School of Business Administration, George Washington University, and is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His overseas military tours include France, Germany, Iran, the Netherlands, and two tours in Vietnam.
Mr. Kicklighter commanded at every level from company through division. He commanded the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from 1984 to 1986. He served in staff assignments from Battalion to Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. From 1987 to 1989, Mr. Kicklighter served as the Director of the Army Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. From 1989 to 1991, he commanded the US Army Pacific, and upon completion of this assignment, he retired from active duty as an Army lieutenant general. In July 1991, he became director of the nation’s effort to thank and honor World War II veterans during the 50th anniversary commemoration of World War II. He served as Deputy Under Secretary of the Army for International Affairs from September 1995 until July 1999.
Mr. Kicklighter’s military honors include the Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Bronze Star. His civilian awards include the Presidential Citizen Medal, two Department of Defense Medals for Distinguished Public Service, and the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. As director of the Iraq Transition Team, Mr. Kicklighter was awarded The Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in October 2004.
He was a member of the Habitat for Humanity, International, Board of Directors for five years (three years as chairman). He left the board in November 2001.
Mick Kicklighter is married to the former Elizabeth Exley. Mick and Betty have three adult children and five grandchildren.
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