Gone But Not Forgotten

Honoring fallen comrades is an important part of the AOG mission and we ask to be notified as soon as possible of the death of any graduate, Air Training Officer or cadet so that we can take appropriate actions. The AOG has learned of the following deaths within the past 90 days.

For best results, try searching by Last Name (e.g. Smith), Class Year (e.g. 1959), or Cadet Squadron (e.g. CS-01). More complex searches may not return desired results.

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Col (Ret) Daniel Holoviak - Class of 1965, CS-19

Deceased on April 6, 2024 - Informed on April 24, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information.

Col (Ret) Thomas Miller - Class of 1972, CS-04

Deceased on February 10, 2024 - Informed on April 24, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. No further service information is available at this time. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Air Force Academy Fund by using the following memorial link In Memory of Thomas Bennet Miller '72 <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afacademyfoundation.org%2FThomasMiller72&data=05%7C02%7Cterri.davis%40usafa.org%7C112e964bada2413f23b208dc63f6a89a%7Ce6421ec329ed4f09a13a96e310c5ba80%7C0%7C0%7C638495158258851753%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=YKkPgZg3lvSi6c4S710vHHwnhxMi%2F5VQSUZG8QTRJ5Y%3D&reserved=0>

2d Lt James Chitika - Class of 2022, CS-25

Deceased on April 16, 2024 - Informed on April 22, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. No service information is available at this time. https://www.amistadfuneralhome.com/obituaries/James-Chitika/#!/Obituary

Col (Ret) Richard Turner - Class of 1982, CS-36

Deceased on March 10, 2024 - Informed on April 17, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: 1530 hours on 22 March 2024 at Dallas-Forth Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Wounded Warrior Project or the charity of your choice.

Col (Ret) Edwin Thomas - Class of 1968, CS-15

Deceased on March 21, 2024 - Informed on April 11, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1100 hours on 14 May 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery. Memorial donations: MSHV Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, 433 S. Carlton Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187 or at helpaveteran.org. No obituary available.

Lt Col (Ret) George Thompson , Jr. - Class of 1962, CS-10

Deceased on April 4, 2024 - Informed on April 9, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Interment: To be held at a later date at the USAFA cemetery. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to your local Veteran support organization or animal resucue organization. Obituary: https://www.fwefh.com/obituaries-and-services/george-m-thompson-jr-phd-lt-colonel-usaf-retired-u

Lt Col (Ret) John O'Connell - Class of 1971, CS-03

Deceased on March 25, 2024 - Informed on April 9, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services are planned for a later date for family and friends. Inurnment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hospice Austin's Christopher House; https://www.hospiceaustin.org/get-involved/donate/donation-form/

Mr. Michael Lyons - Class of 1974, CS-12

Deceased on March 23, 2024 - Informed on April 9, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours on 02 October 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=26155&_gl=1*1lw6824*_ga*MTY0ODA3NTE2OC4xNzA5MjMzOTE2*_ga_R4MM40GQC5*MTcxMjY4ODg2NS42LjAuMTcxMjY4ODg2Ny41OC4wLjk4MTQzNDQzMA.. Obituary: https://www.smithfamilyfcs.com/obituaries/Michael-Dennis-Denny-Lyons?obId=31129708

Lt Col (Ret) Michael Fitzgerald - Class of 1968, CS-09

Deceased on March 28, 2024 - Informed on April 8, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours 25 April 2024 at Ft. MacArthur Chapel, 2400 South Pacific Ave., Los Angeles, California. A reception will follow. Burial serivce: 1330 hours 25 April 2024 at Green Hills Mortuary, 27501 South Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Air Force Academy Fund, https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063. Please choose "View all giving opportunities" and then choose "Air Force Academy Fund.

Dr. Gerald Gill - Class of 1961, CS-14

Deceased on April 2, 2024 - Informed on April 5, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolnece information. Visitation: 1230 - 1400 hours on 6 April 2024 at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, GA 30076. Funeral service: 1400 hours on 06 April 2024 at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, GA 30076. Interment: 1430 hours on 06 April 2024 at Greenlawn Cemetery, 950 Mansell Rd., Roswell, GA 30076. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Roswell United Methodist Church at https://www.rumc.com/about/giving/, or to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at https://t2t.org/donate/, or to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=11585&ovr_acv_id=16821&campaignSource=ONLINE&source=BS24001AAABRXAA&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkPnM7d2rhQMVyUp_AB3f3Qt8EAAYASACEgL8dvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/roswell-ga/gerald-gill-11754011

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Next of Kin

For Next of Kin support resources please visit: https://www.usafanextofkin.org/

Frequently Asked Questions

Gone But Not Forgotten Annual Publication

The Air Force Academy Association and Foundation are introducing a new benefit to better memorialize USAFA graduates and support their families. We are launching a new annual memorial publication in 2025.

A: As the Academy graduate population ages, Checkpoints is increasingly insufficient in accommodating the increasing number of obituaries. This has necessitated the creation of a new publication as part of our commitment to remembering all fallen graduates, Air Training Officers and cadets.
A: The purpose of the publication is to honor and perpetuate the legacy of the Long Blue Line through the personal stories of our graduates. The publication is in the spirit of our mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.
A: Gone But Not Forgotten will be part of the final name, which is not yet finalized.
A: No, but the Association will list basic information on deaths in each issue of Checkpoints.
A: No. If/when memorial articles are sent to the AOG, the tribute is posted to this webpage.
A: A complimentary copy will be mailed to a loved one of the deceased. It is not yet determined if the printed publication will be available at a nominal cost or at no cost to AOG members.
A: There will be a one-year transition period. Memorial articles sent in to run in Checkpoints in 2024 will also appear in the inaugural memorial publication. The deadline for Gone But Not Forgotten submissions in the December 2024 issue of Checkpoints is mid-October, but any memorial articles about deaths for the remainder of 2024 received by mid-January 2025 will appear in the inaugural 2025 stand-alone publication. Then going forward, the full years’ worth of tributes would be published in the next year’s volume.
A: The first memorial publication will likely be printed in February or March of 2025.
A: We currently have a 400-word maximum for each memorial tribute and will continue with that limit for the first stand-alone publication. We’re doing this because we have already received submissions at that length and don’t plan to ask for longer versions for the 2025 edition.
A: We will transition to roughly 450- or 900-word options for memorial tributes. Whoever writes and submits the memorial article with have the option to write to either word limit.
A: A recent favorite photo of the deceased, when possible. The photo (head and shoulders, color preferred) should be emailed as a .jpg and sent as a high-resolution image.
A: Please email Next-of-Kin Support Specialist Terri Davis at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
A: That is coming soon.
A: Please reach out to David Bitton, assistant director of strategic communications and publications, at 719-247-8745 or use our Contact Form.

Gone But Not Forgotten