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Former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel chosen as Secretary of Defense nominee

Former Nebraska GOP Senator Chuck Hagel is President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Obama made the announcement Monday. Hagel served two terms as a U.S. Senator from Nebraska and is a Vietnam War veteran. Currently, Hagel is a professor at Georgetown University and is chairman of the Atlantic Council.

Rick Witmer, associate professor of Political Science at Creighton University, says Hagel’s nomination is an opportunity for President Obama to strengthen connections with GOP lawmakers. Witmer expects Hagel’s confirmation process to be easier than normal given the former Senator’s background and experience.

And Witmer says Hagel’s nomination is good for Nebraska since Hagel understands the role the state plays in national security.

Hagel graduated from UNO in 1971. The university’s Criss Library is home to the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives.