Michael Haley (soldier)

Michael Haley is a commissioned officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard who served as the First Gentleman of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. He was the first man to hold the position.

Michael Haley
First Gentleman of South Carolina
In role January 12, 2011 – January 24, 2017
Governor	Nikki Haley
Preceded by	Jenny Sanford (as First Lady)
Succeeded by	Peggy McMaster (as First Lady)
Personal details
Spouse(s)	Nikki Randhawa ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Occupation	Military technician, soldier (Commissioned Officer)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Major
Unit	South Carolina Army National Guard
Battles/wars	Afghan War

He is the husband of former U.S. Ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

Career

Military service

Haley is employed full-time as a federal military technician with the South Carolina Army National Guard.[1]

In January 2012, Haley shipped out for a year-long tour of duty in Afghanistan as a captain in the South Carolina Army National Guard.[2][3][4] The unit served in Helmand Province as an Agribusiness Development Team helping Afghan farmers improve farming techniques and develop cash crops to replace opium poppies.[5] Haley served as a liaison between the military and civilian authorities.[6] He is thought to have been the first spouse of a governor to serve on active duty in a war zone.[2][7]

Marines serving with Haley in Helmand Province nicknamed him FGOSC (First Gentleman of South Carolina), referencing First Lady of the United States.[4]

First Gentleman of South Carolina

Since Haley is the first person to become First Gentleman of South Carolina, and because there have only been 15 First Gentlemen in U.S. history, including the five men in that role as of 2015,[8] there was speculation about what his role would be.[4][9] Haley chaired the foundation that oversees the preservation and management of the South Carolina Governor's Mansion in Columbia.[8][9]

Personal life

Originally from Ohio, Haley entered a foster home at the age of three and was adopted by Bill and Carole Haley at the age of 4.[10]

Haley and Nikki Randhawa met in 1989 as undergraduates at Clemson University.[11] While Nikki Haley is a Clemson graduate, Michael graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in business administration.[12][2] Haley is a graduate of Hilton Head Preparatory School.[13]

Michael and Nikki Haley were married in 1996 in two ceremonies, a Sikh ceremony, and a ceremony at St. Andrew's by-the-Sea, the Methodist church in Hilton Head, where Haley's parents, Carole and Bill, have lived since retiring from jobs in Cleveland, Ohio when Michael was in the ninth grade.[13][14][15] Before retiring to Hilton Head, Bill Haley was director of a steel manufacturing plant and Carole Haley taught school.[15]

Haley worked at Exotica International, the clothing store founded by his mother-in-law, Raj Randhawa, before becoming a full-time federal military technician with the South Carolina Army National Guard in 2006.[12][2][16]

References

1. "Haley, Chosen to Rebut Obama's State of Union Speech, Is Rising Republican Star". Voice of America. January 12, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
2. Wilkinson, Jeff (July 30, 2012). "First gentleman Michael Haley to serve with Guard in Afghanistan". Spartanburg Herald - Journal.
3. Lowe, Rachael (May 8, 2015). "May proclaimed 'Month of the Military Spouse'". The State. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
4. Beam, Adam (May 23, 2013). "EXCLUSIVE Michael Haley: No better way to represent S.C. than in the Guard". The State. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
5. Schafer, Susanne (January 10, 2013). "S.C. Gov. Haley's husband deploys with Guard". Army Times. AP. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
6. Low, Kristen (July 31, 2012). "First Gentleman of South Carolina, husband of Nikki Haley, to ship out to Afghanistan". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
7. Singh, Simran (November 12, 2010). "We live the American Dream". India Abroad.
8. Thompson, Krissah (April 24, 2015). "What happens when a man takes over role of first lady?". News Journal. Washington Post. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
9. Funderburg, Greg (November 3, 2010). "What Will SC's First, First Gentleman Do?". Fox News. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
10. Haley, Nikki (April 3, 2012). Can't Is Not an Option: My American Story. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-101-56886-6.
11. Smith, Gina (November 25, 2011). "Haley the 'Clemson girl' a rarity among governors". The Herald. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
12. Jennings, Natalie (January 10, 2013). "Nikki Haley's husband departs for Afghan mission". Washington Post. AP.
13. Lauderdale, /david (April 23, 2013). "Governor mixes business, pleasure at Heritage". The Island Packet. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
14. Dewan, Shaila (June 13, 2010). "All Her Life, Nikki Haley Was the Different One". New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
15. Dawsey, Josh (June 19, 2010). "Nikki Haley's Hilton Head in-laws have been helping since campaign's onset". McClatchy - Tribune Business News.
16. "Haley's Comet". The Economist. January 16, 2016.