About the author
Paul Chrisstarlon Wesselhöft, M.A., M. Div was the first of his family and relatives to attend and graduate college. He is a Vietnam era veteran and retired U. S. Army Chaplain who served in the Airborne, First Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry, and in combat in the first Persian Gulf War: Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Formerly, he was elected six terms to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and is currently an elected Representative of Oklahoma in the national legislature of Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Paul is the author of two books: Eros: Penultimate Love and The Redfeather Pentalogy. He is currently writing a book of fiction: Diaspora, and a collection of poetry: Pathos, to be published next year.
Paul has won first place for the following four writings: One of his short stories, The Scar, in 2002 and two of his poems, Requiem and The Quill, published 2002 & 2003 in the Oklahoma City Community College’s literary journal, Absolute. In 2018 he won first place in fiction at the annual Red Sneakers/Write Well, Sell Well writers conference in Oklahoma City. His story, Sophie, will be published in Conclave, a literary book to be published February 2019.
Formerly, he was elected six terms to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and is currently an elected Representative of Oklahoma in the national legislature of Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Paul is the author of two books: Eros: Penultimate Love and The Redfeather Pentalogy. He is currently writing a book of fiction: Diaspora, and a collection of poetry: Pathos, to be published next year.
Paul has won first place for the following four writings: One of his short stories, The Scar, in 2002 and two of his poems, Requiem and The Quill, published 2002 & 2003 in the Oklahoma City Community College’s literary journal, Absolute. In 2018 he won first place in fiction at the annual Red Sneakers/Write Well, Sell Well writers conference in Oklahoma City. His story, Sophie, will be published in Conclave, a literary book to be published February 2019.
Paul Chrisstarlon Wesselhöft - Extended Biography:
(Native American, Husband, Father, U.S. Army Chaplain, War Veteran, Legislator, Author)
Retired U.S. Army (Airborne Ranger) Chaplain: Served two years as a Private and promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He served 16 years in the U. S. Army as a Chaplain. Retired on the voluntary early retirement program, December 1995 as a Major.
Retired State Representative, District 54, Moore, in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Served the 50th through 55th Legislatures: Retired after 12 years due to term limits. The Capital, Room 329, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4885 (405) 557-7343 Email: reppaul@gmail.com
Author: The Redfeather Pentalogy (fiction), and Eros: Penultimate Love (thematic poetry). Websites: paulwesselhoft.com and Archway Publishing from Simon & Schuster.
Employer: Elected as Representative for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, District 9, Oklahoma. Currently serving the 4th term. 1601 Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, OK 74801
Phone: 405-275-3121 pwesselhoft@potawatomi.org
Elected Delegate to the 65th annual National Congress of American Indians.
Legislative Committees: (51st Legislature) Chairman of Industry & Labor Subcommittee; Member of Economic Development & Financial Services Standing Committee; Energy & Utility; Subcommittee; Veterans & Military Affairs; (50th & 51st Legislature).
Vice-Chairman of Joint (House/Senate) Committee on State-Tribal Relations (51st Legislature) & Chairman for the same for the 52nd Legislature.
(50th Legislature): Vice-Chairman of Government Reform, Agency Oversight & Administrative Rules. Member of Tourism & Recreation; and Aerospace & Technology.
Founder of the (18 member) Native American Caucus (50th & 51st Legislature)
(52nd Legislature):
(53rd Legislature): Chairmen of Veterans & Military; Member of Energy & Utilities; Judiciary;
(54th Legislature): Chairman of General Government. Member of Appropriation & Budget; Energy and Aerospace; and Veterans & Military Affairs. Appointed Assistant Majority Floor Leader.
(55th Legislature): Chairman, Ethics and Elections. Member of Appropriation and Budget; Energy; and Public Safety.
State Councils: Appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Employee Assistance Program Advisory Council; and the Worker Safety Policy Council
National Committees: Education; and Economic Development Committees for the National Congress of American Indians. Appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the National Conference of State Legislatures Standing Committees on Legislative Effectiveness; Labor & Economic Development; Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce; and Transportation.
Founder & Administrator: Socrates on Facebook, a civil debate group with over 3000 members; Creative Writing on Facebook, a closed literary group of 376 members; and Art Restitution on Facebook, 271 members.
Former Employers: (1.) State Coordinator, The Abstinence Education Project. Oklahoma State Department of Health. 1000 NE 10th Street. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73117
Member, The Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
(2.) The Administrative Assistant and Office Manager for Oklahoman’s for Children and Families. OCAF is a non-profit organization fighting to reduce sexual violence, victimization of women and child pornography by eliminating illegal pornography and regulating sexual businesses.
Boards: Elected and former Chairman of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee of the Oklahoma Baptist General Conference. Specializing in legislative issues.
Former Director of the Board and Chairman, Oklahoman’s for Integrity in Government. OIG is a bipartisan group of conservative citizens working for a just and moral government.
Former Member: Oklahoma State Abstinence Advisory Council (SAAC).
Former President: Bradford Court Neighborhood Association.
Member: Executive Committee, Cleveland County Republican Party since 1996; and Former Chairman of Precinct Thirty-seven.
Member: National Congress of American Indians. Committees: Education; and Economic Development. Elected Delegate for the 65th Congress.
Appointed by the Speaker of the house of Representatives to the National Conference of State Legislatures Standing Committees on Legislative Effectiveness; Labor and Economic Development; Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce; and Transportation.
Publications: Eros: Penultimate Love (Poetry) and The Redfeather Penology (Fiction).
Plus numerous articles, essays, poems and short stories to include Distorted Image about women and pornography and Snake Eyes about state sanctioned gambling. Won the critiques choice for best short story and poem in Oklahoma City Community College’s Absolute magazine.
Published in various state and local newspapers and magazines. Many news stories, articles and interviews published in virtually every newspaper throughout Oklahoma.
Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Fifth generation Oklahoman. German & Potawatomi Indian blood heritage.
Family: Married 41 years to the former Judy Albright of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Children: Justin and Holly.
Church and Ordination: Member and Ordained Minister of the First Southern Baptist Church, Del City. First ordination: June 17, 1979; Congregational Christian Churches (Congregationalist).
Civilian Education:
Graduate: U.S. Grant High School, Oklahoma City (1966).
Honors in Speech, Drama and Debate.
Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Drama. Minors in Psychology, Sociology and Religion. University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma (1972).
Masters of Arts in Religion. Southern Nazarene University. Bethany, Oklahoma (1976).
Master of Divinity. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
South Hamilton, Massachusetts (1979).
Graduate work in Public Administration.
University of Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma (1981-1982).
Graduate: Emergency Medical Technician Course (EMT). Savannah, Georgia (1985).
Doctor of Ministry Candidate. San Francisco Theological Seminary.
San Anselmo, California (1991-1995).
Military Education:
Basic Infantry Training. Fort Bliss, Texas (1967).
Radio Relay and Carrier Attendant and Tactical Circuit Controller. Fort Gordon, Georgia (1967).
7 TH U.S. Army Non-Commission Officer’s Academy. Bad Tolz, Germany (1968).
U.S. Army Chaplain Officer’s School. Fort Monmouth, New Jersey (1979).
Clinical Pastoral Education. Fort Sill, Oklahoma (1981).
U.S. Army Chaplain Officer’s Advanced School. Fort Monmouth, New Jersey (1984).
U.S. Army Airborne Jump School. Fort Benning, Georgia (1984).
Ranger Indoctrination Program. Hunter Army Air Field. Savannah, Georgia (1984).
U.S. Army Combined Arms and Service Staff School. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1988).
Courses at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1989-1991).
Two of Eight Previous Officer Assignments:
1 ST Battalion. 75TH Infantry (U.S. Airborne Ranger). Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. Associate Pastor of Hunter Army Airfield Chapel (1984-1986).
As a unit of Special Operations, this battalion trained for, among other missions, joint-missions in support of Seal Team 6 and Delta Force.
22 ND Area Support Group in Vicenza, Italy. Pastor of the Community and the Community Chapel. Associate pastor of the Verona Community Chapel (1993-1995).
Also pastured and served units for nine years at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Military Medals: National Defense Medal (Vietnam Era), Good Conduct Medal (Vietnam Era), the Saint Barbara Artillery Medal (Ancient Order), The Armed Forces Reserve Medal, The South West Asia Service Medal, The Army Commendation Medal with Third Oak leaf Cluster and The Meritorious Service Medal with Third Oak Leaf Cluster.
Persian Gulf War: Veteran of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Directly involved in the ground offensive for the liberation of Kuwait (1990-1991). Served as the 75TH Field Artillery Brigade Chaplain and Supervisor of four battalion chaplains and numerous staff.
Special Projects: Organized and directed several post and city wide Holocaust Commemoration Services, Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations, National Prayer Breakfast’s, Marriage and Singles Retreats, play productions, Gospel concerts, and Christmas Food Baskets for the needy.
Responsible for the Army clearing several acres of land to be developed for Habitat for Humanity in order to build many low cost houses for the needy.
Organized and personally delivered several tons of donated food, blankets, clothing, toys and goods to a Bosnian refugee camp in Croatia.
Conducted multiple workshops and seminars on Leadership, Personal and Social Ethics, Racism, Combat Ethics, Battle Fatigue, Parenting Skills, Counseling Skills, Stress Management, Conflict Resolution, Cross Cultural Premarital Preparation, Sexual Harassment, Rape Prevention and Suicide Intervention.
Candidate for the Oklahoma State Senate, District 45. Qualified for the Run- Off, but not elected.
Organized and directed an Oklahoma City petition drive to cancel a Marilyn Manson concert for children & obtained over 20,000 signatures in ten days. Convinced the City Council to pass a resolution to cancel the Manson concert but state fair commissioners refused to cancel.
Help to organize and personally registered over 600 people for the first and second State of Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Abstinence Education.
Organized a non-partisan, anti-war rally called, “Syria: Not Our War.” 250 people attended. Presented 17 power-point presentations on Art Restitution and the Holocaust to Rotary, Kiwanis and various political clubs.
Interest: National, state and tribal government, teaching classes on ethics, leadership, drama, and acting, Writing poetry and Short Stories, O.U. Football, motor cycling, bench pressing, sailing, water skiing, para-kiting, chess, The Stock Market (when it’s up!).
Travel: Residence, combat duty, temporary duty, deployments, leaves, travel or vacations in 44 states and 33 nations: USA, Mexico, West Germany, East Germany, Holland, Canada, France, Honduras, Panama, South Korea, Japan, Guam, Philippians, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Belgian, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Switzerland, England, Tanzania, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Belize, Curaçao, Bonaire, Portugal, Spain, and China.