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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Lt Col (Ret) Albert Roberts , Jr.

Deceased on June 23, 2024 - Informed on July 1, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Burial service: 1300 hours 13 Sep 2024 at the USAFA Cemetery. Obituary: https://www.tallahassee.com/obituaries/psar0862478

Col Mark Sletten - Class of 2000, CS-20

Deceased on June 18, 2024 - Informed on July 1, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours 12 July 2024 at Woodmen Valley Chapel (Monument Campus), 1681 Wagon Bow Way, Monument, CO. Interment at the USAFA Cemetery will immediately follow.

Col (Ret) John Garner - Class of 1965, CS-22

Deceased on June 12, 2024 - Informed on July 1, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Memorial service and committment information: 1300 hours 11 July 2024 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 2 St. Thomas Ave., Savannah, GA 31406. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be make to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, https://www.stthomasioh.org/give.

Lt Col (Ret) Frederick Malmstrom - Class of 1964, CS-20

Deceased on June 29, 2024 - Informed on June 28, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for Condolence information. Memorial service: 1300 hours, 29 June 2024 at Graceland Cemetery, 4100 N Clark St. Chicago, IL 60613.

Maj (Ret) Otis Brende - Class of 1967, CS-09

Deceased on May 3, 2024 - Informed on June 28, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Celebration of life service: 20 July 2024 with military honors. See obituary for further details. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers please send your stories and remembrances of Otis to oabrende@gmail.com. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/spokesman/name/otis-brende-obituary?id=55357500

Maj (Ret) Brian O'Rourk - Class of 1991, CS-17

Deceased on June 12, 2024 - Informed on June 21, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Rosary: 1730 hours on 20 June 2024 at Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, 1115 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201. Mass: 1300 hours on 21 June 2024 at Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, 1115 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201. Committal service: 1500 hours on 21 June 2024 at Holy Cross Cemetery and Funeral, 7200 N Wall Street,Spokane, WA 99208. Memorial donation: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Brian O'Rourk Athletic Memorial fund at www.chestertonacademyofnotredame.org/brian-orourk or mailed in honor of Brian O'Rourk to 2706 E Queen Ave, Spokane, WA 99217 and to The Cathedral of our Lady of Lourdes at www.spokanecathedral.com/give or mailed in honor of Brian to 1115 W Riverside Ave, Spokane, WA 99201.

Mr. Jonathan French - Class of 1985, CS-22

Deceased on June 7, 2024 - Informed on June 21, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: 1100 hours 15 June 2024 at Shalimar United Methodist Church, 1 Old Ferry Road, Shalimar, FL 32579. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&dids=320&appealcode=IMOJohnFrenchy Obituary: https://www.emeraldcoastfuneralhome.com/tributes/Jonathan-French

Mr. David Seyer

Deceased on March 29, 2024 - Informed on June 21, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Obituary: https://obituaries.nationalcremation.com/obituaries/clearwater-fl/david-seyer-11753871

Mr. Richard Long - Class of 1976, CS-27

Deceased on May 30, 2024 - Informed on June 18, 2024

Celebration of Life: 1030 hours on 29 June 2024 at the Monument Hill Church, 18725 Monument Hill Dr., Monument, CO 80132. A reception will follow at The Flying Horse Resort and Club - Barolo Ballroom, 1880 Weiskopf Pt., Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Mr. Johann Radcliffe - Class of 1973, CS-35

Deceased on May 15, 2024 - Informed on June 18, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Celebration of Life: 1500 hours 8 June 2024 at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, 1604 NE Main St., Simpsonville, SC 29681. Funeral service: 1000 hours 13 September 2024 at the USAFA cemetery. A reception will follow at the Eisenhower Golf Course Clubhouse. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and Foundation at https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063 Obituary: https://thomasmcafee.com/obituary/johann-radcliffe/

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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