Posted on 03/27/2008 10:36:39 AM PDT by bahblahbah
1. David Howell Petraeus was born in Cornwall, N.Y., on Nov. 7, 1952. His father, Sixtus, was a Dutch-born ship captain who met David's mother, Miriam, at the Seaman's Church Institute in New York. Sixtus later worked for a New York power company.
2. While he was a student at Cornwall Central High School, Petraeus appeared in school plays (including David Swan and The Devil and Tom Walker) and played on the soccer team. He was a member of the National Honor Society and was named a National Merit Scholarship finalist.
3. Reportedly, Petraeus's nickname was "Peaches." This may be because of the youngster's lack of facial hair, or it could be a shortened version of his last name.
4. Petraeus attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1974 at the top of his class. The academy's yearbook said that he "was always going for it in sports, academics, leadership, and even his social life." Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the infantry.
5. He earned master's (1985) and doctorate (1987) degrees from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. His dissertation was titled "The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam."
6. Petraeus has suffered two major injuries during his career. In 2000, he shattered his pelvis during a parachute jump. In 1991, during a training exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., he took a bullet to the chest. He was medevaced to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where his surgeon was Bill Frist (who would later become the Senate majority leader). When he felt ready to be discharged, he persuaded the hospital staff to release him early by doing 50 push-ups.
7. On Feb. 10, 2007, Petraeus took over command of the multinational forces in Iraq, overseeing the surge of troops.
8. Petraeus is devoted to physical fitness. He has been known to challenge younger soldiers to push-up contests. At the age of 49, he ran the Army 10-Miler in under 64 minutes. In 2007, it was reported that he still regularly goes for 5-mile runs, even in the 120-degree Iraqi heat.
9. Shortly after graduating from West Point, Petraeus married the daughter of the academy's superintendent, Holly Knowlton. The couple have two children, Anne and Stephen.
10. One of Petraeus's mottos is: "Physical and mental toughness are...essential [to] leadership. It's hard to lead from the front if you are in the rear of the formation." Thanks to his devotion to intellectual pursuits as well as to the military and to physical fitness, he has been called a warrior-scholar, a soldier-scholar, and even a warrior monk.
I’m just glad it didn’t say he was Client #8.
Though I serve elsewhere I would follow this true leader/hero anywhere.
“Peaches?” Heck, he can be General Fruit Cocktail In Heavy Syrup for all I care, he’s a great man who’s done an amazing job in Iraq.
}:-)4
At least he’s not Sixtus, Jr.
Wow.
That sure indicates how far the bar has been lowered for positions of leadership. :D
That number’s been taken. 9 is open, though.
Hoo - Ah!
Love to see the poor Serge... errr Corporal who slipped up and accidentally called him that though...
11. Superman wears David Petraeus underwear.
“General Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup”
Too funny, LOL :-p
I’d follow him too though.
I’d love to see him run for President but he’s probably sick of Washington (moreso than us)
"You know, I did that once."
I heard Bill Frist tell it once and ended up sobbing.
11. My gunsmith, a retired colonel, worked alongside Petraeus a number of years ago. They were both battalion commanders at the same time. He says Petraeus is the most honest and stand-up guy he knows.
re #6 - That type of accidental discharge (then Col. Peaches was shot at the range, point blank in the chest) normally would have been career ending for the range master and the shooter. Peaches response was to send the shooter to airborne school where he exceled.
Awesome leader, awesome man.
Hope “Peaches” Petraeus isn’t Client #10.
Great post - Thanks!
Too bad he won’t be our VP.
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