The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Lottery Veteran Recognition: Lee Leffingwell
09.24.2021 | Football
The retired Navy pilot, Vietnam veteran and former Austin Mayor will be recognized when Texas Football hosts Texas Tech.
Lee Leffingwell was elected Mayor of Austin in 2008 during the depth of a national economic recession, but a key focus of his two-term service was successful economic development and job production.
Leffingwell consistently stated that "quality of life begins with a good job," and he recruited companies like Apple and Facebook to Austin, infusing opportunity and hope in the workforce. His ability to problem solve and adapt as a municipal leader is directly tied to the skills he learned as a Navy pilot.
"You're always working as a group, with an emphasis on being able to handle changing situations," Leffingwell said. "Collaborative, cooperative, effective teamwork is the key."
Born and raised in Austin, Leffingwell established an early trajectory for leadership and service.
His father served his community as a firefighter and also as a sheriff, and his mother worked in admissions at The University of Texas. She placed a high value on education — Leffingwell already knew how to read before he started school and eventually skipped the second grade. As a boy scout, he volunteered Saturday afternoons to park cars on the east side of the Texas Longhorns' football stadium.
He attended UT and graduated with an engineering degree, while eyeing a military career as a possibility.
Leffingwell eventually pursued a program for college graduates that combined officer training school and flight academics. He followed that four-month initiation with a 14-month flight training evolution and earned his Navy wings of gold.
He qualified for a carrier assignment but ended up volunteering to a newly formed C-130 squadron, which operated turbo jets out of New Jersey. Leffingwell often flew Vietnam support missions, and he earned the Vietnam Service Medal with three stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign medal.
Once his active duty ended in October 1967, Leffingwell transitioned to Delta Airlines, where he flew for more than 30 years and captained international service in B-767 and MD-11 aircrafts. Leffingwell said he was enjoying a "pleasant retirement" from Delta, but felt the urge to run for Austin City Council.
"It was an opportunity to have influence. City government is about as close to the ground as you can get. I was interested in the locality and wanted to keep serving," Leffingwell said.
He served four years on the council and was an effective advocate for the environment. Leffingwell wanted to continue that focus as mayor, but the economic situation required his attention.
"You don't always pick what you work on. It picks you," said Leffingwell, who saw Austin grow from No. 14 to 11 in city population nationally as mayor. "It takes a really good team, because I don't think people often appreciate the knowledge you need and all the complexities involved in approaching problems and how to solve them."
Thanks to the Texas Lottery, great things are happening all across Texas. Every year, more than $1 billion of lottery revenue goes to good causes like public education and veterans' assistance programs.
Beginning with the first veterans' dedicated scratch ticket game in 2009, the Texas Lottery has now contributed over $166 million to the Fund for Veterans' Assistance.
The Texas Lottery is celebrating 30 Years of Winning. Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $33 billion in revenue for the state of Texas. Through strict adherence to their vision, mission and core values, the Texas Lottery is dedicated to ensuring that this support continues.
