Charles S. (Chick) Ciccolella, who graduated from Alabama’s Auburn University and the National War College, also received a Master’s in Business Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University. From 1968 to 1996, he was in the U.S. Army, including a stint as an Infantry Lieutenant with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam, from 1969 to 1970. In addition, he held many other troop command and staff positions during his 28-year military career, in the U.S., Germany and Panama, including being an Infantry Colonel and Senior Military Advisor for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency at the Department of State. Later Ciccolella, a member of American Legion Post 68, in Washington D.C., was an Assistant Director on the national staff of the American Legion.  He served four years in the U.S. Senate, first as the Chief of Operations for the Senate Sergeant At Arms, and later as the Director of Information Technology Policy for the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. He was also the Deputy Capitol Coordinator for the Joint Congressional Inaugural Committee, and helped plan the 2001 Inaugural Ceremony.

 

In 2001 Ciccolella became the Deputy Assistant Secretary of VETS, and four years later he was nominated by President George W. Bush to be Assistant Secretary. He served until the end of Bush's presidency, after which he became a senior fellow for economic empowerment for the WOunded Warrior Project.

 

In 2002 and 2004 Ciccolella contributed to the Republican National Committee, and in 2004 he gave as well to the George Bush for President Campaign. Ciccolella’s wife and daughter also both work in the government, his wife for the Drug Enforcement Agency and his daughter as a contracting manager with the General Services Administration.

 

Official Bio