Eric Greitens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Greitens
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 56th Governor of Missouri | |
| In office January 9, 2017 – June 1, 2018 |
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| Lieutenant | Mike Parson |
| Preceded by | Jay Nixon |
| Succeeded by | Mike Parson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Eric Robert Greitens
April 10, 1974 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (since 2015) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (before 2015) |
| Spouses |
Rebecca Wright
(m. 2000; div. 2003)Sheena Chestnut
(m. 2011; div. 2020) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Duke University (BA) Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (MPhil, DPhil) |
| Civilian awards | President's Volunteer Service Award |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 2001–2021 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant commander |
| Unit |  U.S. Navy SEALsU.S. Navy Reserve |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Military awards |  Bronze Star Purple Heart Joint Service Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation MedalComplete list of decorations |
Eric Robert Greitens (born April 10, 1974) is an American businessman, author, and former Navy SEAL. He served as the 56th Governor of Missouri from January 2017 to June 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before 2015, he was a Democrat.
During his time as governor, Eric Greitens faced some serious accusations. However, these claims were later dropped, and no evidence was found against him. The Missouri Ethics Commission also cleared him of wrongdoing in a case about campaign money, though he did pay a fine for some small rule breaks. Even with these challenges, he has stayed involved in public life. He even ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022. Greitens is a Rhodes Scholar and a highly recognized military veteran. He is known for his work helping veterans through his group, The Mission Continues, and for his books about being a good leader.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Eric Greitens finished college at Duke University in 1996. He earned a special doctorate degree in 2000 from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, as a Rhodes scholar. He served four times as a U.S. Navy SEAL officer, reaching the rank of lieutenant commander. He led a team that worked against al-Qaeda and received awards like the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. After serving as a White House fellow, Greitens started a non-profit group called The Mission Continues to help veterans. In 2013, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most important people in the world.
Greitens ran for governor of Missouri as a Republican in 2016. He won the Republican primary election and then defeated the Democratic candidate, Chris Koster, in the main election. He was the first Jewish governor of Missouri. One of his main achievements as governor was signing a right-to-work law for Missouri. However, this law was later removed by voters in a statewide vote.
In 2022, Greitens tried to return to public office. He ran for a U.S. Senate seat but lost the Republican primary election.
Contents
Early Life and School
Eric Greitens was born on April 10, 1974, in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents are Becky and Rob Greitens. His mother was a special education teacher, and his father was an accountant. Greitens was raised Jewish. He graduated from Parkway North High School in 1992.
After high school, Greitens studied ethics, philosophy, and public policy at Duke University. He graduated in 1996 with high honors. He received a Harry S. Truman Scholarship and was chosen as a Rhodes scholar. This allowed him to study at Oxford University. He earned two advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in 2000. His Ph.D. research focused on how aid groups help children in countries affected by war.
During his 2016 campaign, Greitens shared stories about his early work. He said he worked with children who had lost limbs in Cambodia and with street children in Bolivia. He also volunteered at one of Mother Teresa's homes for the very poor. As a college student, he spent six weeks helping at refugee camps in Croatia. He also traveled to Rwanda and Zaire as a volunteer photographer for the United Nations.
Eric Greitens joined the U.S. Navy's Officer Candidate School in January 2001. He graduated in May of that year as an officer. He then started special training to become a Navy SEAL in February 2002.
Greitens became a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve. He was sent to serve four times in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia. He led a special operations team and a unit that worked to find and stop al-Qaeda.
In 2005, Greitens took a break from full-time active duty to be a White House fellow for one year. President George W. Bush appointed him to this role. He helped create a program to involve students in rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina. He remained a Navy reservist and led a program that found advisors for special military operations around the world.
After his fellowship, he volunteered for a six-month tour in Iraq in October 2006. During this time, he was injured in an attack and received a Purple Heart. He also earned the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Ribbon. In the Philippines, his team successfully stopped a terrorist group's travel site.
In 2019, Greitens tried to rejoin the Navy's active reserve. The SEALs initially said he was too old and unlikely to be promoted. However, with support from Vice President Mike Pence, the Navy allowed him to return. Even so, the Special Warfare Command did not let him rejoin the SEALs. He was instead given office duties. After two years in the Navy Reserve, Greitens left in May 2021.
Greitens taught public service at the Truman School of Public Affairs. He also taught business ethics at the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.
Helping Others: Nonprofit Work
After returning from Iraq, Greitens started The Mission Continues. This non-profit group helps veterans find volunteer jobs. It aims to encourage public service, build community connections, and improve veterans' job skills.
As the CEO of The Mission Continues, Greitens received money for his work. He worked without pay in 2007 and 2008. Later, he was paid for his leadership from 2010 to 2013. He stepped down as CEO in 2014. His salary became a topic during his political campaigns. Experts said his pay was higher than some similar non-profits, but fair given his background and the group's goals.
In 2018, it was reported that Greitens had used the charity's email for political meetings. This is not allowed by tax laws. He was also accused of using the charity's donor list for his campaign. However, the Missouri attorney general later dropped the investigation against the non-profit.
Writing Books
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Greitens used his military experiences to write several books:
- Strength & Compassion: Photographs and Essays (2008): This book is a collection of photos and essays. It won a grand prize at the 2009 New York Book Festival.
- The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL (2011): This book tells the story of Greitens's humanitarian work and military experiences. It became a bestseller. A version for young adults, The Warrior's Heart, was also released.
- Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life (2015): This book is written as a series of letters. Greitens said he wrote them to a fellow SEAL who was dealing with challenges.
Before starting his political career, Greitens was a popular speaker. His books often showed the SEALs insignia on their covers. In 2016, some people claimed he had made his military record sound better than it was. Greitens responded by sharing his military records and a video with other SEALs and Marines who supported him.
Changing Political Parties
Eric Greitens grew up as a Democrat. In 2015, he wrote an article for Fox News saying he had become a Republican. He explained that he felt Democrats focused too much on spending more money and making government bigger. He believed they no longer had the right ideas to help the middle class.
2016 Missouri Governor Election
On September 26, 2015, Greitens announced he would run for governor of Missouri as a Republican. He won the Republican primary election on August 2. He then faced Democrat Chris Koster in the general election on November 8, 2016. Greitens won the election with 51.3% of the votes.
In April 2017, the Missouri Ethics Commission fined Greitens's campaign $1,000. This was for not fully sharing information about campaign money, as required by state rules. Greitens accepted the fine.
Time as Governor
Greitens sees himself as a conservative outsider and is a member of the Republican Party. He took office as governor on January 9, 2017.
Key Policies and Actions
- Infrastructure: Greitens supported investing in public projects like roads and utilities. He created a "Jobs and Infrastructure Fund" to help companies expand in Missouri.
- Economy and Jobs: In February 2017, Greitens signed a bill making Missouri a right-to-work state. This law was later overturned by voters in 2018. He also supported a bill to lower electricity rates for large industrial companies, like steel mills, to help bring jobs to the state.
- Healthcare: Greitens was against expanding Medicaid in Missouri. He also called for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be changed or removed. In 2018, he ordered the creation of a prescription drug monitoring program. This program helps identify unusual patterns in prescriptions for strong pain medicines, like opioids.
- Low-Income Housing: In 2017, Greitens helped stop state tax credits for low-income housing projects. He believed these tax breaks were being misused.
- Missouri National Guard: In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Greitens to the Council of Governors. This group advises on national defense and the national guard. Greitens also announced that the Missouri Army National Guard would add nearly 800 soldiers by 2019. In 2018, he signed a law allowing National Guard members to deduct their military income from state taxes.
Other Actions
Greitens's first two executive orders banned state employees from taking gifts from lobbyists. They also stopped all new regulations until February 2017.
In February 2017, many gravestones were knocked over at a Jewish cemetery in University City. Greitens helped with the cleanup efforts.
He appointed Judge W. Brent Powell to the Missouri Supreme Court in April 2017. Greitens also signed laws to change tort reform measures.
In June 2017, Greitens signed Missouri's first Foster Care Bill of Rights. This law aimed to improve the safety and lives of children in foster care. His wife, Sheena Greitens, focused on helping foster children and parents.
Greitens also ordered the sale of state-owned cars and one of two state-owned planes. He ended a state policy that prevented tax money from helping religious groups. This decision allowed religious organizations to apply for grants for things like playground improvements.
2022 U.S. Senate Campaign
In 2022, Eric Greitens ran for a U.S. Senate seat. He lost the Republican primary election to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
Personal Life
Eric Greitens was married to Rebecca Wright, and their marriage ended in 2003. He was then married to Sheena Elise Chestnut from 2011 to 2020. They have two sons.
In 2013, Greitens had a small role in the science fiction movie Star Trek Into Darkness. He appeared with other military veterans who served after 9/11.
Greitens was Missouri's first Jewish governor. He attends the Reform B'nai El synagogue. As a candidate and governor, Greitens often talked about his physical fitness. He was a boxer in college and has a black belt in taekwondo.
Awards and Recognition
In 2008, President George W. Bush gave Greitens the President's Volunteer Service Award. This was for his work with The Mission Continues.
In 2012, Greitens received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Tufts University. He also received the Bronfman Prize that same year.
Time magazine included Greitens in its 2013 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2014, Fortune magazine named him one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders.
Images for kids
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Greitens speaking in 2011
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Greitens and a U.S. Marine with The Mission Continues in 2012
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Greitens with U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in March 2017
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Gubernatorial election campaign logo
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A B-2 stealth bomber flies over the Inauguration of Governor Eric Greitens on January 9, 2017, in Jefferson City, Missouri.
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Sheena Greitens in 2017
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Eric and Sheena Greitens dancing at the inaugural ball
