George was one of the first CAP’ers I met after I moved to San Francisco in ‘96. I instantly liked him. I could tell right away that he was one of *us*, CAP senior members who had gone through the program themselves, for whom the Cadet Program held a special place in their heart.
At my 3rd meeting in SF, a serious “ok, what now” meeting took place just as George was headed off to General Command and Staff College. George was the glue holding Squadron 86 together and they needed someone to take the reins. I hadn’t even transferred my membership from Utah yet but I agreed to take command simply to keep the unit alive.
I came to know George much better in the ensuing years and it only confirmed my first impressions of him. He truly WAS one of us, the guardians of the Cadet Program, and remained so til his last breath. Cadets loved him. Everyone loved him. And deservedly so. He was great. Friendly, approachable, caring, unassuming, self deprecating, always had a smile on his face because he truly loved being anywhere the Cadet Program was happening. He truly embodied the Squadron 86 credo, “Excellence in Action”.
What a loss for my California Wing fam, wish I could be there in person on Saturday to grieve with you. This one’s gonna hurt for a good long while.