Ian P Weikel

West Point, 1997

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Matt Fix on April 29, 2006:

I first met Ian in the fall of 1995 in Company B4. I remember some great times in the company area. I really got to know Ian well in Grim Troop, 2/3 ACR where we served together for 2 years. I remember telling my troop commander that he "wouldn't be disappointed" when Ian showed up, and Ian more than lived up to that billing. He followed me into 2 consecutive jobs (scout platoon leader and troop XO) and did both of them better than I could have ever done. Ian was extremely competent, fair, enthusiastic, and ethically beyond reproach. And he never quit. Ever. In short, he was the kind of officer that soldiers want to lead them. One of my favorite memories of Ian was in August 1998. We were on a staff ride at Rosebud Battlefield, Montana. We were in Dress Blues and Stetsons and on horseback. The squadron commander started calling for each troop's officers to move ahead and "scout out" the next location. Most of us were obviously terrible riders, but Ian was great. When it was our troop's turn, Ian galloped up to the front and took off. For the rest of my life, when I think of Ian, I will see him galloping into the setting sun, with 50 other officers behind him. He was a natural leader, and he led soldiers as well as anyone I ever saw. To the Weikel family: Thank you for your gift to the world. Your son/brother/husband/father touched more lives in 31 years than most people could in 90. I take solace only in the fact that I know he will love Heaven even more than he loved Colorado.

admin