This past weekend, Robin and I headed out to California to meet the adorable new grandbaby, Calder, and to attend the retirement party for General John Abizaid (pictures below). Gen Abizaid is a member of my extended family and this was the first opportunity I have had to meet him and Captain Rob Shaw, his son-in-law. I was instantly welcomed by the family.
Since I spent a brief stint as an officer in the Army, I look for exceptional leadership qualities in people which I hope to learn from and emulate. I thought I ought to include some thoughts as to General Abizaid’s character (which was clearly in step with, and certainly a product of, that of the rest of his family). Hopefully this won’t embarrass him too much.
First of all, John, as he insisted I call him, seems to be a man of great integrity and true concern for his soldiers, always a soldier first. In only a few hours of chatting with him and the family, I could see how he truly demonstrated love and honor in his military assignments. He clearly leads by example, not with an iron fist or by four-star intimidation. I could tell that people follow him because they love and respect him.
John (knowing that I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) talked to me about his LDS soldiers while he was commandant of West Point and how he had the utmost respect for them. He pointed out that many of them took off two years for church service and that they always returned as better, more mature cadets. HE reminded ME that the 1846-7 march of the Mormon Battalion is still the longest infantry march in US history. Although not LDS himself, he was clearly aware of the invaluable contributions of LDS soldiers.
His son-in-law, Captain Robert Shaw, was also present. Rob, who led an infantry company in Iraq, is also a man of utmost integrity. He also demonstrated his leadership style of patience and example, stressing that he needed to help keep the young soldiers from developing resentment and hatred to the very small percentage of Iraqis who were trying to hurt them. I was especially impressed with this sentiment since he himself was wounded by a roadside bomb that also took the life of his First Sergeant. He has since chosen to return to Iraq for a third tour because he feels that he can make a difference in the lives of his soldiers, as I’m sure he can.
Rob was a friend of Bill Jacobsen, a fellow graduate of the BYU ROTC program who was killed in Iraq. He said that Capt Jacobsen’s memorial service in Iraq was the most difficult he attended because of the great loss that it represented. His eyes lit up when I said I was able to briefly meet Rikka (Capt Jacobsen’s wife) at the BYU memorial service. He was touched to learn that Captain Jacobsen has his name engraved in the memorial hall at BYU. He said that Bill was a good friend, a leader of the first order, and a wonderful human being.
I was inspired by the examples of these Army soldiers: true leaders and good men. And, while this post is mainly regarding military leadership, I don’t want to overlook the great family members that have equally contributed in the success of these military careers!
What a family!!
Donner Lake near Truckee where we stayed
Tour de Ney – Truckee
Calder and Great Grandma
Former lawyer and future lawyer
Enjoying the shade
Big smiles!
From outside in: Abizaids (on the ends), the Lunts, and Capt Shaw in the middle
And a beautiful home!
Thanks for posting this Scott! It was so great to see everyone!! No video of Bodie’s first steps…?
OH MAN, I have the video but haven’t put it up yet. I WILL!!!
hmmmm…very interesting!
Thanks google
Scott,
thanks for presenting John,his lighter side of the lightest.i love his family!!!
Stevens
Yes General Abizaid if I recall rightly visited FOB KALSU in 2006 during extremely difficult times in that particular AO , yet from what I’ve seen and read he’s a gentleman that truly exhibits the military 7 core values .
Regards
Taff
P.K.S
Greetings,
My name is Chris Buckheit. I am a long lost friend of Rob’s. He used to give me a ride to soccer practice when we were at Cardinal Gibbons in Raleigh NC. I had heard many stories about Rob over the years, his success @ West Point and his injuries in Iraq. I have searched for him via the internet for quite some time and was thrilled to find some good news. If you communicate with him regularly let him know that Buckwheat says hello and that i am glad he is doing well. He looks the same as he did from 20 years ago.
Thanks Chris
I have to ask you a question which you may not want to answer. I have been in contact with a sweet girl who says she is Johns fiance. She said she sent him almost $60,000 and by western union to Ghana. I know this is problably a fraud as in most fo these cases. Is John Married? and Has he been to Ghana laely?? Thanks
Hello Here ,, This is Kelvin From Ghana Police, Contact me if you have any case about fraud in Ghana and everything will be taken in Charge here with your support ,, Send your emails to kelvin_57@live.com , Ghana Police Is Always At Your Service,,
hello i met a man on the wet. He told me he is The U.S. central command commander general John Philip Abizaid. He said he had a foster son, He is an orphan in Ghana. He’s 18 this year. He said he in Afghanistan now. So he can’t send money to the orphans. He asked me to help him to send 1500 dollars money to the orphan by western union . ADDRESS: NO BEAH 10 “is ACCRA, GHANA, ROAD
Name: MABIAKU PRECIOUS
He also say he loves me . He said his wife died in an accident two years ago . He wants me to be his wife. But I saw on the Internet John Philip Abizaid ‘s wife is good now . General’s wife is still alive . I feel he is a liar. I hope The police of Ghana would help check them. I think the man must be a fake . Thank you.
Dear mr. John Abizaid,
I send you this email because i just found out that someone is using your picture on the datingsite Meetic.
I live in the Netherlands and i have chatted with a man who had send me your pictures, bij the name of William Brown.
His story is simular as the one of Betty Smith.
He told me he was a Commading Officer in the US army and now on a peace keeping mission in Iraq.
His wife died in a car accident and he’s got one son.
I had my doubts because it seems that all the man in the US army in Iraq are widowed with one child.
I had a simular contact with another US army trooper, widowed, one son and he was asking me money which i had to transfer to Ghana.
Just want you to know that your pictures are used to meet single women.
Thank you for your time,
Karin Boekkooi
Dear General Abizaid,
I was recently contacted by someone using your photos and identity but calling himselv Colin M. Clark. He befriended me on the Internet using Yahoo Messenger and Emails until about a month later, he told me he had been rewarded for his hard work in a peacekeeping mission in Iraq by the President of Iraq and wanted me to receive this package for him until he returned to Washington, DC around Christmas for his retirement from the Army. He sent me pictures. They were your pictures but I was not yet familiar with you so was unable to make that distinction. In the end he scammed my small business account by no less that over $60,000 for this package that never existed. I thought you should know scammers are using your identity and victimizing people. I feel sick about the entire fraud and hope others become aware that you are a very popular person to use in such fraud on the Internet. I see someone before me was also contacted but the name was different, that’s all.
I wish you the best. I believe you have had a wonderful career serving this country. I do admire you all that you have done and accomplished.
Sincerely,
Ethelle Lord, DM
I want to say that John Abizaid there is someone ot there that is using your name on a dating sites.
He goes by the name of Ernest Burgess and he was on christan dating site.He took his profile off there now, all though he could be back on there likely under a different name. I’m a christan and that was my first time I have ever went on a christan site and got scammed with my first interest.
When I went online to see who this John Abizaid was I could have fallen over. Didn’t take me long to figure out I was being scammed.
He told me he was a 4 Star General and he was asked to go back too Afganistan because of his hard work,He was retiring on Febuary 21.2011 and would be leaving there on March 17 2011.
He wanted me to accept this package,but I refused.He became very upset that I wouldn’t,then a 2 days ago he wanted to send me his luggage with his doucuments and clothes and uniform. (can you believe this) lol
John he sure was a sweet talker,could have had me falling in love with you had I not done some searching.lol Hope your wife has a good sense of humour.
Oh bye the way you have an adopted son by the name of John who is in a boarding school in Orlando Flordia.Just thought I would let you know lol.
I don’t know if you get to read these postings yourself, but if you do I truly want to let you know what a smart man you are and what a career you have had. I enjoyed reading about you. I watched some of your videos and enjoyed them very much, and you have a sense of humour.
Yes it is true your pictures are being used to meet single women.
All the best to you and your family,
Darlene
With highest respect and very best regards, I wish to thank General John P. Abizaid for the many sacrifices he has made to honourably serve his country. General Abizaid, you are a “Peace Maker” and your example strengthens the human spirit. You are an exceptional person and someone children can look up to with pride. God Bless You.
Dear Gneral,
Once again, I am an other victim, this man of the name of Larry Smith
soldier in Iraq told me that his wife is dead (cancer) 7 years ago and has a son of 13 years, he has a plantation in ghana,….
he stolen me nearly $3000 I send it in New York, after he explained to me that his real name is G. J P Abizaid.
I think the suspect is in Ghana or it must be a team working togheter
i was in US embassy in UK a investigation has atarting!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to everyone who has taken his/her time to write me via this site. I truly appreciate your time and effort in reporting issues of this nature. Though, I have heard stories relating to yours on other sites and I want to use this medium to give every one a warning that on no account should anyone contact you with my name regarding business or otherwise. Please be wise and also vigilant in order for you not to be a victim!!
John, just thought you’d like to know that you are now divorced, minus two children and looking for a great deal of affection on an over -fifties website. Oh, dear….and Gen. Odierno is in desperate straits, too. What to do??? I’m still in Alex, looking to move to Chicago to be near the children.
Love to you both, Sparks
I TO WAS CONTACTED BY JOHN ABIZAID. HE DIDNT CHANGE HIS NAME BUT TOLD ME THE SAME THING THAT HE WAS AN ARMY GENERAL STATIONED IN IRAQA ON A PEACE KEEPING MISSION. HIS WIFE HAD PASSED AND SO HADD A DAUGHTER. HE GAVE ME NAKES OF HIS CHILDREN, WE TALKED ON YAHOO CHAT FOR A LONG TIME AND THEN HE ASKED ME TO RECEIVE A PACCKAGE OF GREAT VALUE THAT SOME IRAQI BAD PEOPLE HAD DROPPED WHILE HE WAS OUT ON A MISSION. I HAD ALREADY DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH ON JOHN ABIZAID AND FOUND WHAT A TRULY REMARKABLE PERSON HE WAS AND I QUESTIONED HIIM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND TOLD HIM THAT A MAN OF SUCH HONOR WOULD NOT BE DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL. HE AT ONE POINT HAD A YOUNG GIRL TALK TO ME ON MESSENGER PRETENDING TO BE HIS DAUGHTER. FROMALL MY RESEARCH WHAT I HAVE READ ABOUT JOHN ABIZAID HE IS A GOOD AND HONORABLE MAN WHO SHOULD NOT BE USED IN SUCH SCAMS. I HOPE ANYONE WHO GETSPEOPLE LIKE THAT CONTACTING THEM WILL DO RESSEARCH AS I DID. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO PERSONALLY TALK TO MR. ABIZAID AND TELL HIM PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS COUNTRY AND TO SAY WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOUR ACOMPLISHMENTS AND THE HONOR THAT YOU SHOW IN EVERYTHING YOU DID. JOHN ABIZAID WE SALUTE YOU. THANKS FOR READING THIS
HOLA,SOY DE ARGENTINA Y ESE SUPUESTO JOHN QUE ENGAÑO A MUCHAS MUJERES ME ESTA MANDANDO CORREOS A MI EN ESTOS MOMENTOS,COMO NO SOY INGENUA COMENSE A BUSCAR DE QUIEN SE TRATABA Y ME DI CUENTA DE TODAS LA MENTIRA QUE ME CUENTA, ¿NO HAY ALGUNA MANERA DE FRENAR LO QUE HACE ESTA PERSONA PARA QUE NO SIGA ENGAÑANDO A MUJERES? ESPERO QUE USTED PUEDA HACERLO GRACIAS POR CONTESTAR Y DEJAR EN CLARO QUE NO ES USTED, ESTE HOMBRE DICE QUE SU ESPOSA TUVO UN ACCIDENTE HACE UNOS AÑOS Y QUE EN ESTOS MOMENTOS ESTÁ EN AFGANISTAN.
Señor General
Mi nombre es Ana Paula, soy Argentina, estoy en una pagina social y desde hace mas de un mes un señor que por lo visto esta usurpando su nombre y se presenta con el siguiente nombre y correo Philip Abizaid me conto que su esposa fallecio en un accidente automovilistico,que esta ejerciendo mision de pas en Irak que tenia un hijo adoptado de 13 años en Ghana que el no podia girar, que no haboa bncos alli y si yo podia mandarle 10.000 dolares a la siguiente cuenta the name of the Director Riv Johnson tommy ,is the Director of the CITI TRUST SECURITIES COMPANY LIMITED IN GHANA Department.
Gracias por dejarme escribir en su pagina y espero que el presente no lo incomode, pero es lamentable que persona de tan baja reputacion, ensucien a un militar que dio tanto por su Patria.Tealmente lo admiro Señor General
Sr; Ge.Abizaid Soy una mujer viuda que hace 3 anos perdi a mi esposo de cancer . El 1 de agosto conoci un militar comandante David Douglas con su propia imagen de ud. me enamoro decia que me amaba y me iba a esposar despues de 6 mese de chat descubri que era falso haciendo de mi una falsa estafa lo descubri porque me pidio dinero 6.500 euros y llegue a verlo i segundo por la webcam y era un negro de ghana accra horrible…. despues buscando por internet pude descubrir que estas fotos pertenecian al ge.Abizaid Said Jhon despues buscando en facebook encontre supuestamente la imagen y correo electrinico de Jhon Abizaid me dio su amistad . Pensando que era el verdader Jhon Abizaid me comenzo a enamorar decia que tenia un hijo adoptivo y que buscaba una madre para este hijo que estaba en peligro y amenasa de muerte me dijo que yo era el profilo de la mujer que buscaba para su hijo que estaba refugiado en ghana accrar por la hentiring.ssavig trannig Me dijo que el nino iba a recibir 8.000.000 millones y que yo debia de ayudarlo que iba hacer nuestro hijo parallevarlo a mi pais italia despues pasando unos dias mellamaban todos diasy me chateaba con el nino me decia que era feliz que yo era su mama despue de unos me pidio que le manda dinero con la wester union yo se lo mande porque tenia necesidad y el ge,abizaid no podia abamdonar su puesto en elcamp de la libia porque el era en mision de paz con todas las auteridades americanas y al dia siguente me dijo que nino no tenia proviciones y necesita comer despues dehaber girado estos 500 euros me di cuenta que otra vez era falso yo le dije atravez delmessengrer que lo denunciaba y tambien utilizaba un menor de edad para sus robos Me puse allorar porque yo me habia ilusinado y profundamente emamorada dege.jhon Abizaid yo e denunciado a faceboock pero no es un apoyo real Me DA mucha pena que ensucien su imagen y utilisen sus fotos para robar dinero ,estafar .trufar a viudas que se enamoran de de ud quiero que no le vuelva a pasar a ninguna mujer lo que yo en este estoy pasado porque an jugado con mis sentimientos por haberme enamorado de ge.Jhon Abizaid YA ES HORA DE QUE UD PONGA UNA DENUNCIA PARA DETENER A ESTOS DELICUENTES DEL WEB .GRACIAS POR ESCUCHARME Y RECUERDE QUE UD: ESTA SIEMPRE EN MI CORAZON ……..
sr, General, I am Mexican born in Monterrey Nuevo Leon, and unfortunately was a victim like the women of blackmail this man who pretends to be you can not get my lucky chances to get me anything because I really am an educated woman, intelligent but if feelings even say that he wanted to marry me and take me to his country, I think there must be a punishment for such people, it was I who fell but there are so naive woman who can and let them fall into ruin if the idea is to steal the money they have cast their effort is a joke, as well as criminals sought denerian to seek these types of people posing as others do not think you’re the only one, there are thousands unfortunately effected is that you and his government is useless to do anything, but good is scary truth is only to tell all women to be careful that both social networks just warn you, you send a greeting to the person you love me I believed sr. General Abizaid johon