Les Aspin

Les Aspin
Born	Leslie Aspin Jr. 21 7, 1938
Birthplace	Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, economist
Known for	18th United States Secretary of Defense; Chair of the House Armed Services Committee
Education	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD)

Leslie Aspin Jr. (July 21, 1938 – May 21, 1995) was an American politician, economist, and defense policy expert who served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1971 to 1993 and as the 18th United States Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from January 1993 to February 1994. A member of the Democratic Party, Aspin built a reputation during more than two decades in Congress as an intellectually rigorous legislator who charted an independent, centrist course on national security matters. He chaired the powerful House Armed Services Committee from 1985 to 1993, shaping American defense policy during the final years of the Cold War and the early post–Cold War era. His tenure as Secretary of Defense, though brief, coincided with a period of significant military restructuring and controversial overseas operations, including the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, the fallout from which contributed to his resignation. After leaving the Pentagon, Aspin served as Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board until his death from a stroke in 1995 at the age of 56.

Early Life

Leslie Aspin Jr. was born on July 21, 1938, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He grew up in Wisconsin during the post–World War II era, a period of rapid economic growth and rising American influence abroad. Details of his parents and family background during his formative years remain limited in the public record, but Aspin's upbringing in the industrial Midwest shaped his pragmatic approach to politics and governance.

Aspin demonstrated strong academic aptitude from an early age. He pursued his undergraduate education at Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. His academic interests gravitated toward economics and public policy, subjects that would define both his scholarly and political careers. After completing his studies at Yale, Aspin crossed the Atlantic to attend the University of Oxford, where he earned a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree, further broadening his intellectual horizons and exposing him to international perspectives on government and economics.

Aspin then returned to the United States to pursue doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the nation's foremost research institutions. He completed his PhD in economics at MIT, an achievement that provided him with rigorous analytical skills and a deep understanding of the economic dimensions of defense and national security policy. This combination of elite academic credentials—from Yale, Oxford, and MIT—distinguished Aspin among his congressional peers and informed his analytical, data-driven approach to legislating on military affairs.

Following his academic career, Aspin served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968, attaining the rank of Captain. His military service, which took place during the Vietnam War era, gave him firsthand experience with the armed forces and a personal understanding of military culture and operations. This background would later lend credibility to his work on the House Armed Services Committee and his eventual appointment as Secretary of Defense.

Education

Aspin's educational trajectory took him through three distinguished institutions. He first attended Yale University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently studied at the University of Oxford in England, where he obtained a Master of Philosophy degree. He completed his formal education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a doctorate in economics. This academic background in economics, combined with training at institutions renowned for their rigor in the social sciences, equipped Aspin with the quantitative and analytical tools he applied throughout his career in public service. His doctoral work at MIT, in particular, provided a foundation for the cost-benefit analyses and strategic assessments that characterized his approach to defense policy in Congress.

Career

Early Political Career and Election to Congress

Aspin entered politics in Wisconsin, running for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Wisconsin's 1st congressional district. He won election in 1970 and took office on January 3, 1971, succeeding Republican Henry Schadeberg. The district, located in southeastern Wisconsin, encompassed the area between Milwaukee and the Illinois border. Aspin would go on to represent this district for more than two decades, winning reelection consistently until 1992.

As a freshman congressman, Aspin quickly established himself as a defense-minded Democrat with an independent streak. His academic credentials and military service set him apart from many of his colleagues, and he gravitated toward the House Armed Services Committee, where his expertise in economics and national security could be applied directly to legislative work.

House Armed Services Committee

Aspin's most significant role in Congress was as a member and eventually chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He assumed the chairmanship on January 3, 1985, succeeding Melvin Price, and held the position until January 20, 1993, when he left Congress to become Secretary of Defense.

During his tenure as chairman, Aspin earned a reputation as an intellectual who took a middle-of-the-road position on controversial defense issues. Unlike many Democrats of his era who adopted broadly anti-defense spending positions, Aspin evaluated weapons systems and military policies on a case-by-case basis. He supported the Reagan administration on several significant programs, including the MX missile and aid to the Nicaraguan Contras, positions that put him at odds with many members of his own party. At the same time, he opposed other major Reagan-era defense initiatives, including the B-2 bomber and the Strategic Defense Initiative (commonly known as "Star Wars"), arguing that these programs were either too costly or strategically unsound.

This selective, analytical approach to defense matters earned Aspin respect across party lines but also generated criticism from both the left and the right. Liberal Democrats sometimes viewed him as too accommodating to Republican defense priorities, while conservatives questioned his opposition to certain weapons programs. Nevertheless, his position at the helm of the Armed Services Committee gave him substantial influence over defense authorization bills, military procurement decisions, and the overall direction of American defense policy during the late Cold War period.

Gulf War Authorization

One of Aspin's most consequential actions in Congress came in January 1991, when the House debated whether to authorize the use of military force against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Aspin played a major role in convincing the House to support the resolution backing President George H. W. Bush's decision to use force, a vote that was by no means assured given Democratic opposition to unilateral military action. His advocacy was significant because, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he carried substantial weight with undecided members, particularly within his own party. The resolution ultimately passed, paving the way for Operation Desert Storm, the coalition military campaign that expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait in February 1991. Aspin's support for the Gulf War resolution further cemented his reputation as a centrist Democrat willing to back the use of military force when he deemed it necessary.

Secretary of Defense

Following Bill Clinton's victory in the 1992 presidential election, the president-elect nominated Aspin to serve as the 18th United States Secretary of Defense. The Senate confirmed Aspin along with several other initial Clinton cabinet nominees on January 21, 1993, and he took office the same day. He succeeded Dick Cheney, who had served as Secretary of Defense under President Bush. William Perry served as Aspin's deputy secretary.

Aspin assumed leadership of the Department of Defense at a time of profound change. The Cold War had ended, the Soviet Union had dissolved, and the United States faced fundamental questions about the size, structure, and purpose of its military forces in a unipolar world. Aspin proposed significant budget cuts and a restructuring of American military forces as part of the post–Cold War downsizing. In February 1993, shortly after taking office, the Clinton administration sought $14 billion in military spending reductions, reflecting the new strategic environment.

Social Policy Issues

As Secretary of Defense, Aspin confronted several complex social policy issues within the military. Among the most prominent was the question of the role of homosexuals in the armed forces. The Clinton administration had campaigned on a promise to end the ban on gay and lesbian service members, but the issue generated intense opposition from the military establishment and many members of Congress. The eventual compromise—the policy known as "Don't ask, don't tell"—was developed during Aspin's tenure, though the policy remained controversial for years afterward.

Aspin also addressed the expanding role of women in combat positions within the military. Under his leadership, the Department of Defense began revising policies that had previously restricted women from serving in certain combat-related roles, reflecting broader societal changes regarding gender equality and the demonstrated capabilities of women in military service.

Somalia and the Battle of Mogadishu

The defining crisis of Aspin's tenure as Secretary of Defense was the American military intervention in Somalia. U.S. forces had initially deployed to Somalia in late 1992 under President Bush as part of a humanitarian mission to address widespread famine. Under the Clinton administration, the mission evolved to include efforts to capture key figures in the Somali conflict.

On October 3, 1993, a U.S. military operation in Mogadishu resulted in the Battle of Mogadishu, in which 18 American soldiers were killed and dozens more were wounded. The incident, later chronicled in the book and film Black Hawk Down, shocked the American public and prompted intense scrutiny of the decision-making that had led to the operation. A central element of the criticism focused on Aspin's earlier decision to deny requests from military commanders on the ground for additional armored vehicles and other reinforcements. Critics charged that the lack of adequate military support directly contributed to the American casualties.

The Somalia debacle severely damaged Aspin's standing within the administration and Congress. He faced bipartisan criticism for his management of the situation, and his relationship with military leaders, already strained by the debates over social policy, deteriorated further. The political fallout proved insurmountable.

Bosnia and Haiti

In addition to Somalia, Aspin's tenure was marked by difficult decisions regarding potential American military involvement in Bosnia and Haiti. The Bosnian War, which had begun in 1992, presented the Clinton administration with agonizing choices about the use of force in the former Yugoslavia. In Haiti, the administration grappled with whether and how to restore the democratically elected government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who had been overthrown in a military coup. These overlapping crises placed immense demands on the Pentagon's leadership during a period when the military was simultaneously being restructured and reduced in size.

Resignation

On December 15, 1993, Aspin announced his resignation as Secretary of Defense, effective February 3, 1994. His departure came less than a year after he had taken office. The deaths of American soldiers in Somalia, and the perception that inadequate military support had been a contributing factor, were the primary causes of his resignation. He was succeeded by his deputy, William Perry, who was confirmed as the 19th Secretary of Defense.

Aspin's brief and turbulent tenure at the Pentagon stands as one of the shortest in the history of the office. While his efforts to restructure the post–Cold War military and address social policy issues within the armed forces had long-term significance, they were overshadowed by the Somalia crisis and the political fallout that followed.

Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board

After leaving the Pentagon, Aspin was appointed by President Clinton to serve as Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) on May 26, 1994. He succeeded Admiral William Crowe in the position. The PIAB is an independent body that advises the president on the quality and adequacy of intelligence collection, analysis, and estimates, as well as other intelligence activities. Aspin served in this role until his death on May 21, 1995. He was succeeded on an acting basis by Warren Rudman.

In this capacity, Aspin continued to work on national security issues, applying his decades of experience in defense and intelligence matters. The appointment allowed him to remain engaged in the policy world following his departure from the Department of Defense, though in a less publicly visible role.

Personal Life

Les Aspin maintained a relatively private personal life throughout his years in public service. He was known among colleagues and staff as a deeply intellectual figure whose interests extended beyond politics to encompass academic pursuits in economics and strategic studies. His academic credentials—degrees from Yale, Oxford, and MIT—reflected a lifelong commitment to scholarly inquiry.

Aspin's military service as a Captain in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968 was a formative experience that informed his subsequent career in defense policy.

Aspin died on May 21, 1995, in Washington, D.C., from a stroke. He was 56 years old. He is interred at a site documented in public records. His death came less than two years after he had left the Pentagon and while he was still serving as Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Legacy

Les Aspin's legacy rests primarily on his long service as a defense-focused congressman and his consequential, if abbreviated, tenure as Secretary of Defense. During more than two decades on the House Armed Services Committee, including eight years as its chairman, Aspin shaped American defense policy through a period that encompassed the final phase of the Cold War, the end of the Soviet Union, and the emergence of the United States as the sole global superpower. His analytical, case-by-case approach to weapons systems and military strategy offered a model of centrist Democratic engagement with national security policy at a time when the party was frequently characterized as weak on defense.

His tenure as Secretary of Defense, though marked by the Somalia crisis and his subsequent resignation, nonetheless addressed fundamental questions about the post–Cold War military that would continue to shape policy for years. The restructuring and budget reductions he proposed reflected the strategic reality of a changed world, even as the operational demands of humanitarian interventions and peacekeeping missions revealed the tensions inherent in a military simultaneously shrinking and being called upon to do more.

Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, honors Aspin's memory through the Les Aspin Center for Government, which has operated a campus in Washington, D.C., since 1988. The center offers students opportunities to live, learn, and work in the nation's capital through semester-long and short-term programs focused on government and public service. The center continues to operate as an active educational institution, providing hands-on learning experiences in the heart of the American political system.

The debates that defined Aspin's career—about the appropriate size of the American military, the conditions under which force should be employed, the integration of previously excluded groups into the armed services, and the relationship between civilian leadership and military commanders—remain central to American defense policy. His experience in Somalia, in particular, influenced subsequent administrations' approaches to peacekeeping operations and the provision of adequate force protection for deployed troops.