Guest Post: “Lindsey O. Graham, RIP: A Personal Remembrance”

Over the weekend America lost one of its most important leaders, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.  Among Senator Graham’s many accomplishments were his more than three decades of service in the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps as an active duty officer and later in the National Guard and the Reserves.  

I met Lindsey when he attended the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course where was I serving as an instructor.  Our paths continued to cross throughout our respective careers and included a trip to Iraq together in 2007. In 2015 he was the keynote speaker for our annual LENS Conference here at Duke Law.

Lindsey was a patriot of the first order, as well as a thoughtful, articulate, and unbelievably energetic politician. But more than that, he was extraordinarily personable; he truly had the gift of the common touch.

Perhaps the JAG who knew him best was Lt Gen Jack Rives, USAF (Ret.).  General Rives has graciously agreed to share some remembrances with us.

Lindsey O. Graham, RIP: A Personal Remembrance

by Jack Rives

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s death was a shock felt around the world. He celebrated his 71^st birthday on Thursday, July 9. The following day, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. On Saturday evening, he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

Congress has changed dramatically since Lindsey Graham first entered the House of Representatives in 1994. In those early years, Congressman — and later Senator — Graham was true to his warm, engaging personality and his wonderful sense of humor. Reaching across the aisle to build consensus was widely regarded as a virtue, and compromise was often considered the art of governing. We all know how much that has changed.

His political career has been well documented, and history will judge his years in public office. My own remembrances are of the Lindsey Graham I came to know after he entered the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 1982.

Captain Graham’s first assignment was at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, he became the Area Defense Counsel, independent of the base chain of command. One of his early clients was a senior noncommissioned officer accused of marijuana use based on a positive drug test.

In 1984, 60 Minutes aired a segment on that case, when young Captain Graham exposed serious flaws in the Air Force’s drug‑testing program that had falsely implicated service members. Graham’s defense of his client reflected the dedication and professionalism that would characterize his career.

He next served four years as the Air Force’s lead prosecutor for felony cases throughout Europe. Afterward, he continued his military service in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015 after more than three decades in uniform.

When I became the senior Air Force military attorney, then‑Lt Colonel Graham served directly under my supervision. Part of my responsibility was to assess judge advocate support at Air Force bases around the world. On roughly half a dozen occasions between 2002 and 2009, I spent about two weeks with Colonel Graham at bases throughout the Persian Gulf.

Senator Graham frequently visited the AOR as part of congressional delegations with Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman — the “Three Amigos.” When McCain and Lieberman departed, Graham would change into his military uniform and become Colonel Graham. Service members often studied his face, convinced they recognized him.

One morning at breakfast in Baghdad’s Green Zone, a young soldier stared at him. Lindsey smiled and said, “Hello.”

“You look familiar,” the soldier replied.

“People say that,” Lindsey answered.

The soldier suddenly brightened. “That’s it! You’re the Armed Forces weather guy!”

Colonel Graham laughed. “No, I’m not a weatherman.”

On another occasion, Colonel Graham participated in a military justice seminar for approximately 200 Afghan judges, prosecutors, and defense counsel. His humorous opening remarks drew laughter from his American colleagues, but the Afghan audience remained expressionless.

Finally, Lindsey turned to the interpreter and said, “You’re not translating the jokes.”

The interpreter shrugged.

Colonel Graham moved on to his presentation on the U.S. military appellate process. It was technically flawless — and, by his own admission, rather boring. Again, no audience reaction.

When he concluded, he invited questions. The first came from a participant who stood and said, “We see you wearing a military uniform, but we know you are also a United States Senator.”

Lindsey acknowledged that he was and added: “I serve in the Senate seat once held for nearly 50 years by Strom Thurmond. Senator Thurmond served until he was almost 100 years old. He married a beauty queen when he was 66 and then fathered four children.” The room erupted in laughter and applause. Lindsey had finally found the right story.

In 2008, while commanding multinational forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus received a call from the Pentagon advising him that Senator Graham wanted to spend two weeks on active duty in Iraq. Petraeus reluctantly agreed and attached Colonel Graham to his headquarters staff. He later admitted he expected little to come of the arrangement.

Instead, Colonel Graham worked 18-hour days throughout the deployment. Petraeus remarked that Graham accomplished more in those two weeks than many officers accomplished in two months.

Lindsey wanted to follow in Strom Thurmond’s footsteps and serve in the Senate for many years to come. His death came far too soon.

Lindsey Graham was a great patriot who served his country with distinction — both in uniform and in Congress. He has been widely praised in editorials and commentaries around the world. To me, he was much more than a public figure. He was a valued colleague, a trusted friend, and a man I was honored to know.

He will be deeply missed.

Rest in peace, Lindsey.

About the author:

Jack Rives had a 33-year career in the United States Air Force as a military attorney, or judge advocate (JAG).  At the time of his retirement in 2010, he was serving as The Judge Advocate General and was the first military attorney to attain the three-star rank of lieutenant general.  After retirement he served as the Executive Director of the American Bar Association (ABA) until 2023, and he now serves as a strategic advisor and governance expert for private entities.