Eric Greitens is the incumbent Governor of Missouri who took office on January 9, 2017 as the successor of Jay Nixon. Formerly, he was in the US Navy Seal. Greitens is also an author of a few books.
Early Life and Education
Eric Greitens was born on April 10, 1947 to father Rob and mother Becky. Raised in a Jewish family, he went to Parkway North High School. Graduating from Parkway, he got into Duke University as an Angier B. Duke Scholar. Doing four years of ethics, philosophy and public policy at Duke, Greitens joined the University of Oxford as a Rhodes and Truman Scholar.
Personal Life
Eric Greitens is married to wife Sheena Elise Chestnut since 2011, and the couple has two sons. They live in St. Louis, Missouri.
Career
Military
Graduating from the University of Oxford, Eric Greitens joined Naval Officer Candidate School and subsequently got recruited into the US Navy. While at the Navy SEAL, he led several task forces, including Joint Special Operations Task Unit, Mark V Special Operations Craft Detachment and Al Qaeda Targeting Cell.
As a tribute to his extraordinary contribution, Greitens has received several military awards:
- Bronze Star
- Purple Heart
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Navy Commendation Medal
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Author
As a memory of his long military career, Greitens has written several books. His books are majorly inclined towards his experiences during military service.
- Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life, 2015
- The Warrior S Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage, 2015
- The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL, 2011
- Strength and Compassion, 2008
Politics
A republican by ideology, Eric Greitens officially disclosed his bid for Governor in September 2015 and ran against fellow Republicans for the party nomination. In the primaries, Greitens came first with 34.6% votes, defeating John Brunner by more than 60,000 votes. later, Greitens faced Democrat nominee Chris Koster in the general election and won with 41.3% votes in favor.
As Governor who took office on January 9, 2017, Greitens has already made a significant impact on Missouri politics. He filed an executive order to prohibit sharing gifts with the lobbyists. Likewise, Greitens has vowed to support ‘Right to Work’, a legislation which allows labors to hold unionized jobs even without paying a membership fee. This legislation makes him a favorite among the Missouri workforce. Despite such good deeds, Greitens has repeatedly been caught up in several controversies. Recently, he was accused of ‘secret fundraising and secret spending’.
Donald Trump and Eric Greitens
Besides both being Republicans, President Donald Trump and Governor Greitens resemble in one more thing. Both the leaders never held a political position prior to serving in their current position. Besides, they do agree strongly on many fronts.
Greitens made a visit to the White House and had discussions with POTUS Trump and VPOTUS Mike Pence. However, the Greitens hasn’t yet commented on Trump’s recent controversial executive orders.
