Norman Lamb (U.S. politician)

Colonel Norman A. Lamb, USA (ret.), (born February 27, 1935) is an American soldier and politician from Enid in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Lamb served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 1995 to 2011, having been originally appointed by Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating and retained under Governor Brad Henry.

Lamb was one of three Cabinet Secretaries appointed by former Governor Frank Keating to be held over by Governor Brad Henry, the others being: Human Resources Secretary Oscar B. Jackson Jr. and Health and Human Services Secretary Howard Hendrick.

Education and early career

Lamb was born in Canute, Oklahoma in 1935,^[1] and attended schools in Cordell, Putnam City, Midwest City, Tuttle, Moore, and Enid. He graduated from Cameron Junior College and from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Math and Education. After college, Lamb began a career in law. He served as Assistant County Attorney for Chickasha, Oklahoma (1963–1964), as Assistant Municipal Counselor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1964–1965), and then as Chief Prosecutor and Assistant District Attorney for Garfield County, Oklahoma from 1967 to 1970.

Lamb served in the United States Army and retired after 33 years active and reserve duty as a Colonel. During his active duty, he served at Ft. Bliss, Texas on Air Defense/Guided Missiles. His interest in serving his country extended to serving as a West Point (USMA) Liaison (Recruiting) to Oklahoma from 1986 to 1990.^[2] Lamb represented Enid in the Oklahoma State Senate.

A Republican, Lamb was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 1971, and continued serving until 1988, even serving as the chair of the Republican State Convention in 1976.^[3][4] During his Senate career, he served on the following committees: Agriculture, Economic Development, Education, Human Resources, Judiciary, Retirement, Revenue and Taxation, and Standards and Ethics. In 1976, Lamb was voted one of the Top 10 Most Effective Senators by Peers and one of the Top 10 Most Popular Senators by Peers.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Governor Frank Keating appointed Colonel Lamb as his Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 1995. Lamb would serve as Keating's only VA Secrerary. Following the election of Brad Henry in 2002, Lamb was asked to stay on under Henry as his Secretary of Veterans Affairs.^[5] As the Secretary, Lamb is charged with ensuring all Oklahoma veterans and their families receive all possible benefits and provide health services and long-term skilled care in a residential environment to all qualified veterans residing in the state by overseeing the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.

Personal life

He is an active member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid and is currently a Sunday school teacher and a deacon. He has been a long-time member of the Enid Lions Club and the Enid Chamber of Commerce. Lamb's hobbies include after-dinner speaking, high school and college football officiating, and jogging. He participates in a weekly radio show, "Stand Your Ground" on KGWA-960, as the political conservative.

He and his wife, Belva M. Clark Lamb, have three grown children: Kim Akers, Fawn Ingmire, and Todd Lamb. Todd served as an aide to Governor Frank Keating, is serving as an Oklahoma State Senator and was elected Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in the 2010 general election.

References

Current members of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet Governor Mary Fallin Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb Aragon Cline Deering Doerflinger McKeever Parman Reese Ridley Snodgrass Thompson

Cabinet of Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating (1995–2003)   Cabinet Secretary of Administration Tom Brennan (1995–97) Pam Warren (1997–2003) Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Howard (1995–2003) Secretary of Commerce Dean Werries (1995–97) Ron Rosenfeld (1997–98) Howard Barnett, Jr. (1998–99) Russell M. Perry (1999–2000) Vacant (2000–03) Secretary of Education Floyd Coppedege (1995–2003) Secretary of Energy Carl Michael Smith (1995–2002) Robert J. Sullivan, Jr. (2002–03) Secretary of the Environment Gary Sherrer (1995–97) Brian C. Griffin (1997–2003) Secretary of Finance and Revenue Tom Daxon (1995–2003) Secretary of Health and Human Services Ken Lackey (1995–97) Jerry Regier (1997–2002) Howard Hendrick (2002–03) Secretary of Human Resources Oscar B. Jackson Jr. (1995–2003) Secretary of the Military Stephen Cortright (1995–2003) Secretary of Safety and Security Bob Ricks (1995–2003) Secretary of Science and Technology W. Arthur Porter (1999–2003) Secretary of Tourism and Recreation Edward H. Cook (1995–99) Jane Anne Jayroe (1999–2003) Secretary of Transportation Neal McCaleb (1995–2001) Herschal Crow (2001–03) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Norman Lamb (1995–2003)

Cabinet of Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry (2003–11) Cabinet Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach (2003–11) Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Kathy Taylor (2003–06) Natalie Shirley (2006–11) Secretary of Education Vacant (2003–11) Secretary of Energy David Fleischaker (2003–08) Bobby Wegener (2008–11) Secretary of the Environment Miles Tolbert (2003–08) J.D. Strong (2008–11) Secretary of Finance and Revenue Scott Meacham (2003–11) Secretary of Health Tom Adelson (2003–04) Terry Cline (2004–07) Mike Crutcher (2007–09) Terri L. White (2009–11) Secretary of Human Resources and Administration Oscar B. Jackson Jr. (2003–11) Secretary of Human Services Howard Hendrick (2003–11) Secretary of the Military Harry M. Wyatt III (2003–09) Myles Deering (2009–11) Secretary of Safety and Security Bob Ricks (2003–04) Kevin L. Ward (2004–11) Secretary of Science and Technology Joseph W. Alexander (2004–11) Secretary of Transportation Phil Tomlinson (2003–09) Gary Ridley (2009–11) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Norman Lamb (2003–11)