Major Gen. Mark Graham, a 1977 Murray State University alumnus and 2008 MSU Distinguished Alumnus, was recently nominated for TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People by United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. One of approximately 200 people nominated to this prestigious list, Graham was selected for his efforts to reduce the increasing suicide rate in the Army.

“I feel humbled and honored that the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates would consider me for something of this stature,” said Graham.

Since September of 2007, Graham has been the commanding general of the Division West, First Army and Fort Carson , Colo. He is responsible for the training, readiness, mobilization and deployment of more than 18,000 active duty soldiers stationed at Fort Carson as well as the more than 250,000 U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers located throughout a 24 state area. Before coming to Fort Carson he was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he served as the U.S. Army North (ARNORTH) deputy commanding general.

Suicide is a subject all too familiar to Graham and his family. In 2003, his son, 21-year-old Kevin Graham, a top ROTC student at the University of Kentucky , hanged himself. Though Kevin suffered from depression, no on realized he was suicidal. The following year, Graham’s older son, Second Lt. Jeff Graham, 23, died when a roadside bomb exploded in Kalidiyah , Iraq .

“It is still beyond my comprehension that we have lost both of our amazing sons, but it gives me a renewed purpose to continue serving our great nation and our soldiers who are America’s sons and daughters,” says Graham.

Since 2004, TIME has been compiling lists of the world’s most influential people. This year, the magazine asked top newsmakers for nominations.

In his nomination, Gates stated, “In an eight-month span, Army Major General Mark Graham lost one son to suicide and the other to an IED in Iraq. By launching innovative programs and openly confronting his family's pain, Graham has become a leader in the campaign to reduce the Army's increasing suicide rate.”

Graham’s wife, Carol Shroat Graham, is also a Murray State graduate. Mark and Carol have one daughter, Melanie.

“Happy is different now than it ever was before,” said Graham during his emotional acceptance speech at the 2008 MSU Distinguished Alumnus Dinner.

As deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army North from 2005 to 2007, Graham provided extraordinary leadership during Hurricane Katrina's emergency operations. He coordinated and led the evacuation efforts for the Superdome, Convention Center and the city of New Orleans, resulting in the safe relocation of more than 65,000 citizens within seventy-two hours.

Graham’s military honors include the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit awards, the Bronze Star Medal, seven Meritorious Service medals, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Graham earned his MBA from Oklahoma City University and master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defense University. He has attended the National War College and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.