Dr. Cleaves is an attorney. He holds a Bachelor of Science of Law, Bachelor of Law and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. in Strategic Studies.

He was a jet fighter pilot and test pilot from 1950-1986, first on active duty in the United States Air Force and then on Reserve duty as a deputy Judge Advocate General (JAGAR). His civilian aeronautical license is “Airline Transport Pilot”, which is the highest aeronautical rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, and is rated in single and multi-engine land and single engine sea aircraft.

Dr. Cleaves represented President Ronald Reagan at the transition of Rhodesia to Zimbabwe in 1980, and later on in matters relating to Angola during its civil war and was alternate US Ambassador to South Africa.

Dr. Cleaves, along with Dr. Ian Player, co-founded The International Wilderness Leadership Foundation (The WILD Fdn) which has put on seven World Wilderness Congresses (Johannesburg, Cairn, Inverness, Denver/Estes Park, Norway, India and Merida, Mexico) attended by more than seventy nations of the world.

Dr. Cleaves has been involved in conservation and antipoaching in southern Africa since 1968 and is regarded as an expert in the use of aircraft in antipoaching. Wilderness Conservancy, of which Dr. Cleaves is founder and President, has operated five aircraft in antipoaching operations in southern Africa and in conservation/humanitarian missions in Baja California, Mexico. He has flown hundreds of antipoaching missions in southern Africa and Mexico as well as humanitarian missions providing medical supplies and equipment and school supplies to remote villages where such things are badly needed.

Dr. Cleaves received the United Nations Earth Day "International Environmental Award" in 1997. Dr. Cleaves received the 2004 “Distinguished Volunteer Pilot Award” for public benefit flying from National Aeronautic Association (N.A.A.). On October 12, 2005, in Lausanne, France, he was presented with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (F.A.I.) Diplome Paul Tissander Award “…for outstanding services to Aeronautics…and especially for his selfless voluntary work flying humanitarian missions in Mexico and wild-life protection patrols in Africa”. On May 9, 2005, Dr. Cleaves was presented the Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” award by Marion C. Blake