Dr. Daniel Gade is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, professor, and public policy leader running to serve the Commonwealth of Virginia in the U.S. Senate. During more than 20 years of military service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. Daniel graduated from West Point in 1997 and served in multiple locations in the United States and Korea.
In 2004, his unit deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He led his unit of 150 soldiers on many combat missions, was wounded by enemy fire twice, and was decorated for valor. His second combat wounding caused his entire right leg to be amputated, and he spent the next year in the hospital, enduring more than 40 surgeries.
His new, serious disability was life-changing, but he decided to thrive. A year to the day after his injuries, he started his Master of Public Administration, and later went on to earn a Ph.D. in public administration and policy. He served in President George W. Bush’s administration, working on veteran issues and military healthcare, and has since served on several national-level policy councils, including the National Council on Disability and the VA Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation.
He taught political science, economics, and leadership courses at the United States Military Academy (West Point) from 2011 until his retirement from the Army in 2017, and is now a professor at American University in DC.
For fun, Daniel does hard things: he mountain bikes and road bikes and enjoys CrossFit. In 2010, he competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, where he won the para-triathlon category. A week later, he completed Ironman Arizona, pedaling the 112 miles with only one leg. Daniel resides in Alexandria with his wife of 20 years, Wendy, and their three children.