Legacy of Joseph Maxwell Cleland honored during medical center renaming ceremony
As the nation’s youngest VA Administrator ever and the first Vietnam Veteran to head the department, Cleland created the Vet Center counseling program, placing the centers in Veteran’s communities. Today, over 300 Vet Centers exist across the country.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough highlighted the many accomplishments of former Senator and Vietnam Veteran Joseph Maxwell (Max) Cleland, and the work of VA and Vet Center staff during a renaming ceremony at the Atlanta VA Medical Center on September 8, 2023.
Cleland, a U.S. Army Veteran disabled in Vietnam during the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968, lost his right forearm and both legs due to a grenade explosion. Suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while recovering from his wounds, he found comfort at an Atlanta Vet Center, which he credited for saving his life.
“It’s a comfort to know that there are heroes among us, people who are working to make the world a better place,” McDonough said as he spoke of VA and Vet Center counselors, recalling words of the late senator. “Heroes give instead of taking, measuring their success not by wealth, but by the lives they touch.”
On December 9, 2022, the 117th Congress approved Public Law 117-226, which designates the medical center be known as the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center.
Max Cleland was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1970, where he served two terms. In 1977, he was appointed administrator of the Veterans Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs, serving until 1981. He was elected Georgia’s secretary of state in 1982, serving until 1996. That same year, he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Georgia senator, where he served until 2002.
As the nation’s youngest VA Administrator ever and the first Vietnam Veteran to head the department, Cleland created the Vet Center counseling program, placing the centers in Veteran’s communities. Today, over 300 Vet Centers exist across the country.
Ann Brown, Atlanta VA Health Care System Director, thanked Congressional partners for passing legislation that made the renaming possible, and acknowledged Max Cleland as a true American hero, and a tireless advocate for Veteran’s rights.
“The decision to rename our medical center carries a profound significance,” Brown said. “Max Cleland’s legacy embodies the essence of selfless service, resilience, and unwavering commitment to our Veterans and their well-being.”
Emily Foster, cousin of Max Cleland, spoke on behalf of the Cleland family.
“Max dreamed big, and dedicated his life to his country, and his fellow man,” she said. “In spite of the devastating injuries he sustained in Vietnam, he rebounded and persevered. While he dealt with multiple health issues, the VA was always on his side.”
According to Foster, Cleland knew the VA inside-out, and received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to the rehabilitation of disabled Veterans. After a career in public service spanning nearly 50 years, Cleland died in November 2021.
“Max left behind his legacy of love and dedication for all people, especially the Veterans of our great nation,” said Foster.