# Orson Swindle

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American politician

Orson G. Swindle III Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission In office December 18, 1997 – June 30, 2005 President Bill Clinton George W. Bush Personal details Born (1937-03-08) March 8, 1937 (age 89) Thomasville, Georgia, U.S. Party Republican Spouse Angie Alma mater Georgia Tech (BS) Florida State University (MBA) Occupation Federal Trade Commission Military service Allegiance United States Branch/service United States Marine Corps Years of service 1959–1979 Rank Lieutenant Colonel Battles/wars Vietnam War Awards Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart (2)

**Orson G. Swindle III** (born March 8, 1937) is a retired [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) officer, a decorated [Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War) [prisoner of war](/source/Prisoner_of_war), and a former Commissioner of the [Federal Trade Commission](/source/Federal_Trade_Commission) of the United States, serving from December 18, 1997 to June 30, 2005.[1] He had previously served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce during the [Reagan Administration](/source/Reagan_Administration).

Swindle previously served as State Director for the [U.S. Department of Agriculture](/source/U.S._Department_of_Agriculture). In 1994 and in 1996 he was a Republican candidate for Congress in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. In 1996 he held the incumbent, Democrat [Neil Abercrombie](/source/Neil_Abercrombie), to 50% of the vote. Swindle served over twenty years as a [Naval Aviator](/source/Naval_Aviator) in the Marine Corps, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

## Education

Swindle received his [bachelor's degree](/source/Bachelor's_degree) in [Industrial Management](/source/Industrial_Management) from [Georgia Tech](/source/Georgia_Institute_of_Technology) in 1959 and a [Master of Business Administration](/source/Master_of_Business_Administration) degree from [Florida State University](/source/Florida_State_University) in 1975.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Marine Corps career

After graduating from Georgia Tech, Swindle reported to [Marine Corps Base Quantico](/source/Marine_Corps_Base_Quantico) for [The Basic School](/source/The_Basic_School). He then reported to [NAS Pensacola](/source/NAS_Pensacola), Florida for initial flight training followed by follow-on training at other [naval air stations](/source/Naval_air_station). After earning his wings in May 1964, he was stationed at [MCAS Beaufort](/source/MCAS_Beaufort), South Carolina. On February 1, 1966, he deployed with [VMF(AW)-235](/source/VMFA-235) ("The Death Angels") to [DaNang Air Base](/source/Da_Nang_International_Airport) and flew more than 200 sorties in the [Vought F-8E Crusader](/source/F-8_Crusader) during the [Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War).

On November 11, 1966, Captain Swindle's Crusader was shot down while on a mission over the [Quảng Bình Province](/source/Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_B%C3%ACnh_Province), North Vietnam. It was his last scheduled flight. Captured by the North Vietnamese near the city of Vinh Linh, Capt Swindle spent the next seven years being shuffled around various prison camps, including the notorious [Hanoi Hilton](/source/Hanoi_Hilton) complex. While in captivity, he shared a cell with future senator and presidential candidate, then-Lieutenant Commander (later Captain) [John McCain](/source/John_McCain).

Promoted to the rank of major while in captivity, Swindle was released on March 4, 1973. Restored to flying status, he then flew the [A-4M Skyhawk II](/source/A-4_Skyhawk) and [TA-4F Skyhawk II](/source/A-4_Skyhawk) at [MCAS Cherry Point](/source/MCAS_Cherry_Point), North Carolina.[2] He subsequently attended [Florida State University](/source/Florida_State_University) under a Marine Corps-funded postgraduate program, earning a Master of Business Administration degree in 1975. He then returned to the Fleet Marine Force. His 20 military decorations for valor in combat include two [Silver Stars](/source/Silver_Star), the [Legion of Merit](/source/Legion_of_Merit) with [Combat "V"](/source/Combat_%22V%22), two [Bronze Star Medals](/source/Bronze_Star_Medal) with [Combat "V"](/source/Combat_%22V%22), two [Purple Hearts](/source/Purple_Heart), two personal and eleven Strike/Flight awards of the [Air Medal](/source/Air_Medal), the [Navy Commendation Medal](/source/Commendation_Medal) with Combat "V", the [Combat Action Ribbon](/source/Combat_Action_Ribbon), the [Prisoner of War Medal](/source/Prisoner_of_War_Medal) and numerous other unit, campaign and service awards.[3] His non-combat decorations include a Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit and the [Meritorious Service Medal](/source/Meritorious_Service_Medal_(United_States)).

Swindle retired from the Marine Corps in 1979 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

## Politics and professional relationships

Swindle served as executive director of [United We Stand America](/source/United_We_Stand_America) and spokesman for [Ross Perot](/source/Ross_Perot)'s 1992 presidential campaign.[4]

From late 2005 until August 2009, Swindle served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the law firm of [Hunton & Williams LLP](/source/Hunton_%26_Williams_LLP) in Washington, D.C.[5] His specific charge was within the firm's Center for Information Policy Leadership, which was founded to "develop innovative, pragmatic approaches to privacy and information security issues from a business-process perspective while respecting the privacy interests of individuals." The center has approximately 40 corporate members including American Express, Eli Lilly, GE, Microsoft, IBM, [Procter & Gamble](/source/Procter_%26_Gamble), and Wal-Mart.

Swindle previously served on the board of [Citizens Against Government Waste](/source/Citizens_Against_Government_Waste)[6] (CAGW), an independent political advocacy group that seeks to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government.

On September 2, 2008, he gave the opening speech on the second day of the [Republican National Convention](/source/2008_Republican_National_Convention) in [Saint Paul, Minnesota](/source/Saint_Paul%2C_Minnesota), during which he introduced veterans and fellow prisoners of war in the crowd. He also introduced President [George H. W. Bush](/source/George_H._W._Bush), who ran against Swindle's candidate Perot in the [1992 presidential election](/source/1992_United_States_presidential_election).[7]

## See also

- [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [Georgia (U.S. state) portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Georgia_(U.S._state))

- [List of former FTC commissioners](/source/Federal_Trade_Commission#List_of_former_commissioners)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Federal Trade Commission – Speeches by Former Commissioners"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090511213613/http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/former.shtm). Archived from [the original](https://www.ftc.gov/speeches/former.shtm) on 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2009-05-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Veteran Tributes"](http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=137).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Orson Swindle – Recipient -"](http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=23938).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [The 1992 Campaign](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DC1030F932A25753C1A964958260) The New York Times, October 11, 1992

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Hunton & Williams, Orson Swindle Bio"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080603090759/http://www.hunton.com/bios/bio.aspx?id=16727). Archived from [the original](http://www.hunton.com/bios/bio.aspx?id=16727) on 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2008-06-15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cagw_6-0)** ["Staff"](http://www.cagw.org/about-us/staff/). Citizens Against Government Waste. Retrieved September 2, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** FoxNews Convention Coverage, *[Hannity & Colmes](/source/Hannity_%26_Colmes)*, 2 SEP 2008

## External links

- [Swindle's Profile](http://www.techlawjournal.com/people/swindle.htm)

- [Speeches by Commissioner Swindle](https://www.ftc.gov/speeches/swindle.shtm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071128033738/http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/swindle.shtm) 2007-11-28 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Additional info on Swindle](http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/s/s126.htm)

- [Swindle background](http://www.hunton.com/files/tbl_s10News/FileUpload44/12203/SwindleNewsRelease.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061109025508/http://www.hunton.com/files/tbl_s10News/FileUpload44/12203/SwindleNewsRelease.pdf) 2006-11-09 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Swindle speaks about his time as a POW](http://feeds.radioamerica.org/rd-bin/rdfeed.mp3?Veterans&cast_id=8546)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?25540) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Other SNAC

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