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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Mr. William Meyer - Class of 1963, CS-24

Deceased on July 18, 2024 - Informed on July 24, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours on 20 July 2024, at the Callaway-Allee Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Memorial Park. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Pineywoods Fine Art Association, P. O. Box 1213, Crockett, TX 75835. Obituary: https://www.callawayallee.com/obituaries/Larry-Meyer?obId=32388166

CDR (Ret) George Rivera - Class of 1995, CS-26

Deceased on June 26, 2024 - Informed on July 23, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Service: Wake 0900 until 1100 hours on 3 July 2024 at Roma Funeral Hom, 539 William Floyd Pkwy, Shirley, NY 11967. A funeral service with full military honors will immediately follow at Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton Blvd., Calverton, NY 11933. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the VA, https://www.cdceportal.va.gov/donate_online/. Obituary: https://www.romafuneralhome.com/obituaries/George-Rivera?obId=32214235

Lt Col (Ret) Gary Blank - Class of 1972, CS-20

Deceased on May 13, 2024 - Informed on July 23, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: 1000 hours on 8 August 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/las-vegas-nv/gary-blank-11820840

Mr. Weldon Bates , Jr. - Class of 1961, CS-08

Deceased on February 8, 2024 - Informed on July 23, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service details: 1000 hours on 10 August 2024 at Central Lutheran Church, 1857 Potter St, Eugene, OR 97403, Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donation can be made to Central Lutheran Church, https://secure.myvanco.com/YNAP/campaign/C-Z0DA or to the Mount Pisgah Arboretum, https://mountpisgaharboretum.org/join-support/donate/ or to the charity of your choice.

Lt Col (Ret) Thomas Brophy - Class of 1961, CS-19

Deceased on July 4, 2024 - Informed on July 22, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Mass of Christian burial: 1000 hours on 17 July 2024 at Christ the King Catholic Church, 821 Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33609. A reception will follow at the Mary Martha Center (2nd floor) on the church campus. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be make to Christ the King Catholic School, https://www.cks-school.org/support/annual-giving/make-a-gift-or-pledge. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/tampa-fl/thomas-brophy-11886495

Mr. Dorsey Price - Class of 1966, CS-21

Deceased on April 12, 2024 - Informed on July 17, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service details: A service will be held at USAFA at a future date.

Brig Gen John Pogorek - Class of 1989, CS-30

Deceased on July 8, 2024 - Informed on July 16, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1000 hours 19 July 2024 at Pease Air National Guard Base, 302 Newmarket St., Newington, NH 03801 Funeral service: 1100 hours 19 July 2024 at Pease Air National Guard Base, 302 Newmarket St., Newington, NH 03801. A private burial will follow for the family. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers, the family requests financial contributions in memory of John Pogorek can be made to the New Hampshire Military Assistance Foundation, https://nhmaf.org/donate/. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/john-pogorek-obituary?id=55599655

Mr. Frederick Dykes - Class of 1962, CS-06

Deceased on May 16, 2024 - Informed on July 16, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours 24 July 2024 graveside at the USAFA cemetery. Obituary: https://memorials.legacyoptions.com/frederick-dykes/5433858/#wall

Mr. Randy Dockendorf - Class of 1978, CS-30

Deceased on June 25, 2024 - Informed on July 10, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Additional details are not available at this time.

The Honorable Jack Smith - Class of 1972, CS-12

Deceased on February 4, 2024 - Informed on July 10, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Burial service: 1100 hours 5 August 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery.

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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