Shalikashvili Family History & Genealogy

John Shalikashvili. General John Shalikashvili. Nickname: "General Shali" Born June 27, 1936, Warsaw, Poland Died July 23, 2011 (aged 75) Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, U.S. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery Allegiance United States Service/branch United States Army Years of service 1958–1997 Rank General Commands held Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Supreme Allied Commander Europe Operation Provide Comfort 9th Infantry Division 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Battles/wars Vietnam War Operation Provide Comfort Iraqi no-fly zones Third Taiwan Strait Crisis Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (4) Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal (V) Meritorious Service Medal (4) Air Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal Presidential Medal of Freedom Relations Joan (Zimpelman) Shalikashvili (wife) Brant Shalikashvili (son) Gunhild Bartsch (wife, died 1965) Other work Visiting professor, Stanford University John Malchase David Shalikashvili (Georgian: ჯონ მალხაზ დავით შალიკაშვილი, IPA: [ʃalikʼaʃvili]; June 27, 1936 – July 23, 2011) was a United States Army general who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 1992 to 1993 and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1993 to 1997.[1] He was born in Warsaw, Poland, in the family of émigré Georgian officer Dimitri Shalikashvili and his Polish wife Maria Rüdiger-Belyaeva. In 1996, he was the first recipient of the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award. Shalikashvili was the first foreign-born man to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Shalikashvili went to Peoria High School, where he was a long-distance runner. He attended Bradley University in Peoria and received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1958. He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. In 1970, Shalikashvili received a master's degree in international affairs from the George Washington University's School of International Affairs. In May 1958, Shalikashvili and his family became American citizens. It was the first nationality he ever held. He had previously been classified as stateless because he had been born to parents who had been refugees. After graduation Shalikashvili had planned to work for Hyster Lift Truck, but received a draft notice in July 1958. He entered the United States Army as a private, enjoyed it, and applied to Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1959. Shalikashvili served in various Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery positions as a platoon leader, forward observer, instructor, and student, in various staff positions, and as a battery commander. He served in the Vietnam War in Quang Tri Province with Advisory Team 4 (redesignated Team 19 in September, 1968), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), as a senior district advisor from 1968 to 1969. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with "V" for heroism during his Vietnam tour. Immediately after his Vietnam service, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1970, Shalikashvili became executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery at Fort Lewis, Washington. Later in 1975, he commanded the 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery, 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis. In 1977, he attended the U.S. Army War College and served as the Commander of Division Artillery (DIVARTY) for the 1st Armored Division in Germany. He later became the assistant division commander. In 1987, Shalikashvili commanded the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis. There he oversaw a "high technology test bed" tasked to integrate three brigades—one heavy armor, one light infantry, and one "experimental mechanized"—into a new type of fighting force. Shalikashvili achieved real distinction with his considerable success as the commander of Operation Provide Comfort, the peacekeeping and humanitarian activity in northern Iraq after the Gulf War. This assignment involved intense and complex negotiations with the Turkish government, and tough face-to-face meetings with the Iraqi military.[12] Another important achievement was the establishment of the Joint Vision 2010 program, which would transfer the United States military into one great and effective digitalized military force. Shalikashvili was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, effective October 25. During the 1995-96 Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, commanded the US Navy to assist in the defense of the Taiwan. He retired from the Army in September 1997, after serving for 38 years.