Career John Shalikashvili

shalikashvili u.s. president clinton.



u.s. secretary of defense william cohen (left) , shalikashvili (right) @ pentagon briefing on july 31, 1997.



shalikashvili @ farewell ceremony on september 30, 1997.

after graduation had planned work hyster lift truck, received draft notice in july 1958. entered army private, enjoyed it, , applied officer candidate school. commissioned second lieutenant in 1959.

shalikashvili served in various field artillery , air defense artillery positions platoon leader, forward observer, instructor, , student, in various staff positions, , battery commander. served in vietnam in quang tri province advisory team 4 (redesignated team 19 in september, 1968), military assistance command, vietnam (macv), senior district advisor 1968 1969. awarded bronze star v heroism during vietnam tour. after vietnam service, attended naval war college in newport, rhode island.

in 1970, became executive officer of 2nd battalion, 18th field artillery @ fort lewis, washington. later in 1975, commanded 1st battalion, 84th field artillery, 9th infantry division @ fort lewis. in 1977, attended u.s. army war college , served commander of division artillery (divarty) 1st armored division in germany. later became assistant division commander. in 1987, shalikashvili commanded 9th infantry division @ fort lewis. there oversaw “high technology test bed” tasked integrate 3 brigades—one heavy armor, 1 light infantry, , 1 “experimental mechanized”—into new type of fighting force.

shalikashvili achieved real distinction considerable success commander of operation provide comfort, peacekeeping , humanitarian activity in northern iraq after gulf war. assignment involved intense , complex negotiations turkish government, , tough face-to-face meetings iraqi military. important achievement establishment of joint vision 2010 program, transfer united states military 1 great , effective digitalized military force.

shalikashvili appointed chairman of joint chiefs of staff in 1993 u.s. president bill clinton, effective october 25. retired u.s. army in september 1997, after serving 38 years.