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Profile: Wesley Clark

By Julia TurnerUpdated Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at 4:48 PM ET

Slate has been running several series of short features explaining who the 2004 presidential candidates are, what they're saying, and where they propose to take the country. The "Profile" series summarized each candidate's personal and professional background. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark joined the race Wednesday. Here is his profile.

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Name: Wesley Kanne Clark.

Web site: www.americansforclark.com.

Age as of Jan. 1, 2004: 59 (born December 23, 1944).

Highest grade completed: Master's degree in philosophy, politics, and economics (Rhodes Scholarship).

Political experience: None.

Asserted achievements: Ended the genocidal conflict in Bosnia in 1995 by helping to negotiate the Dayton Peace Accords; ended ethnic cleansing in Kosovo in 1999 by commanding NATO military campaign that forced Serbian troops to withdraw.

Previous jobs: Soldier (1966-2000), investment banker (2000-2003), military analyst for CNN (2003), chairman of WaveCrest Laboratories (2003).

Spouse: Gert Kingston Clark.

Children from current marriage: One adult son.

Military history: U.S. Army (1966-2000). Served in Vietnam; was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star in 1970. Commanded NATO's Operation Allied Force in Kosovo. Retired as four-star general and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.

Medical history: Was shot in the leg, hip, hand, and shoulder in Vietnam, but recovered fully. Otherwise, none reported.

Parents' jobs: Biological father, who died when Clark was 4, was a lawyer. Stepfather was a banker.

Religion: Catholic, but his father was Jewish, and he was raised Baptist. He converted to Catholicism when he married.