Paul Wesselhoft facts for kids

Paul Wesselhöft was born on August 16, 1947, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is an American soldier, writer, and politician. He served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 54th district (which includes Moore and parts of south Oklahoma City) from 2004 to 2016.

Mr. Wesselhöft is also a leader in the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. He has served as a Representative in their national government for many years.

Paul Wesselhöft's Political Career

Paul Wesselhöft describes his political views as center-right. He is a Republican who believes in careful spending of government money. In 2022, he thought about running for the U.S. Senate.

He was first elected as a Representative for District 9 in the Citizen Potawatomi Nation's national government on February 2, 2008, when he was 60 years old. He was also chosen as a delegate for a big meeting called the National Congress of American Indians. He has been re-elected and continues to serve the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.

About Paul Wesselhöft's Life

Paul Wesselhöft has had an interesting life with many different roles.

Military Service

Mr. Wesselhöft is a retired U.S. Army Chaplain. A chaplain is a minister who serves in the military. He is also an ordained Southern Baptist minister.

He was a combat veteran during the Persian Gulf War. This war included Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991. He was part of the ground forces that helped free Kuwait. He served as a chaplain for a large artillery group. He also supervised other chaplains.

Earlier in his career, he was an Airborne U.S. Ranger Chaplain. He served with the 75th Infantry Battalion in Georgia. He also served as a private and sergeant during the Vietnam War era in 1967–1968. He left the Army honorably in 1968. He then retired honorably as a Major in 1995. He has traveled to many countries and states around the world.

He has received several military awards, including:

• National Defense Medal (Vietnam Era)
• Good Conduct Medal (Vietnam Era)
• The Saint Barbara Artillery Medal (Ancient Order)
• The Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• The South West Asia Service Medal
• The Army Commendation Medal with Third Oak leaf Cluster
• The Meritorious Service Medal with Third Oak Leaf Cluster

Family and Heritage

Paul Wesselhöft is married to Judy Albright. They got married on March 21, 1976. They have two children named Justin and Holly. His parents are Billy J. Wesselhoft and Virgie Trumbly.

He is Native American and is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. He was elected to represent District 9 of his Nation. He also helped create the Oklahoma Native American Caucus. This group works within the Oklahoma State Legislature. He started it with other Representatives, Lisa Johnson-Billy and Shane Jett.

Acting and Writing

Paul Wesselhöft was an actor for nine years. He acted in many plays during junior high, high school, and college. He won many awards for speech and drama. In high school, he was named best actor. He also won an award for best speech and debater. His college degree is in Drama and Speech.

He is also a published author. He writes under the name Paul Chrisstarlon Wesselhöft. He won first place for his short story "The Scar." He also won first place for his poems "Requiem" and "The Quill." These were published in a literary journal.

He has written several books, including "The Redfeather Pentalogy" (fiction) and "Eros: Penultimate Love" (poetry). He has won other writing awards, including first place for fiction in 2018 and 2019. His stories have been published in literary journals. His poems have also won awards.

Community Work

Mr. Wesselhöft has organized and led many special projects. These include:

• Services to remember the Holocaust
• Celebrations for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• National Prayer Breakfasts
• Retreats for married couples and single people
• Play productions and gospel concerts
• Giving Christmas food baskets to people in need

He also helped the Army clear land for Habitat for Humanity. This allowed many affordable homes to be built for families. He organized and personally delivered tons of food, blankets, clothing, and toys to a refugee camp in Croatia.

He also manages several online groups on Facebook. These groups focus on civil debate, creative writing, and art by Potawatomi artists.

Election Results

Paul Wesselhöft was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2004.